Sailing to English Harbour Antigua

Leaving Guadeloupe

By this stage in Charlotte’s holiday, Nicky and I were getting quite practiced at early starts but this one was earlier than most – we were up before the sun and away from the anchorage at Pigeon Island before 0600! However, when the sun did rise on Wednesday 28 March it shone onto a beautiful morning, so we didn’t feel too hard done by in having to get out of bed so early. We had planned an early start to allow us to sail the 50nm to English Harbour in Antigua in the relatively light winds that were forecast and still arrive in daylight. Unfortunately, the wind cherubs failed to read the forecast, or to set their alarm clocks, and we had insufficient wind to sail. Thus we motor-sailed nearly the whole way to Antigua, switching the engine off for just the last hour of the passage.

Monserrat and it’s Soufriere Hills volcano

But the beautiful weather brought with it excellent visibility and we had fabulous views of Monserrat for most of the passage. We could clearly see the island’s active volcano still smoking away, 23 years after it erupted so spectacularly. Today, the island’s previous capital, Plymouth, and much of the south end of the island, lie buried under ash and pyroclastic mud flows. The southern part of the island remains an exclusion zone and can only be visited when accompanied by an authorised guide. The islanders have rebuilt their governmental and cultural centre at Brades in the north end of the island.

We have seen surprisingly few cetaceans whilst we have been in the Caribbean but for a brief time on this passage we were fortunate enough to see a pod of pilot whales, lazily swimming on the surface. Unfortunately, they didn’t stay with us for long which was a real shame as it would have been lovely to have spent longer watching them.

The entrance to English Harbour, with the Freeman Bay anchorage and Charlotte Reef on the left and Shirley Heights on the high point (centre)

We arrived off the entrance to English Harbour at about 1430. On the south side of the entrance is Lookout Point, with Shirley Heights above it on the hill behind. At sea level the harbour is protected by Charlotte Reef (over which our pilot book says there is good snorkelling) and tucked behind the reef is the anchorage area, Freeman Bay.

Fort Berkeley on the northern side of the entrance to English Harbour (top) and Nelson’s dockyard (bottom)

On the north side of the entrance stands Fort Berkeley and, tucked well into the inlet behind Fort Berkeley is Nelson’s Dockyard, a fully renovated 18^thcentury naval dockyard, which now houses a full service marina on quays and in buildings that once served as one of the Royal Navy’s main bases in the Caribbean.

Freeman Bay anchorage

Whilst it was tempting to take a berth in the marina and to be right in the heart of the historic dockyard, we elected to anchor in Freeman Bay for, at least, the first night. Our pilot book warns of the wind gusting from varying directions and of yachtsmen often anchoring too close together, not taking into account the shifting wind. When we arrived the anchorage was already very full and, indeed, some boats did seem to be anchored too close together. Fortunately for us, just as we arrived a large yacht lifted its anchor and left so we rapidly swooped in and took its spot. It was an almost ideal spot with sufficient space around us to be safe should the wind shift but not so much space that we were likely to get new neighbours trying to squeeze in.

As soon as we were settled, we inflated the dinghy and Nicky went ashore to complete all the arrival paperwork before, potentially, Customs and Immigration closed for the Easter weekend. We needn’t have worried on that front as it turned out that the offices would be open all through the bank holiday. On the other hand, going ashore when she did, Nicky spotted Alan Richards and his daughter, Amy, on Alan’s yacht, Far Fetched. And so the evening turned into a Guernsey catch-up over yet more rum punch.

Freeman Bay anchorage from the north

English Harbour Antigua