Wildcat Sailorgirl

Bequia Music Fest 2015 Summary

FINALLY! Sorry for the delay. The editor in charge took much longer than expected. Something about boat maintenance, boat projects, boat chores, and blah, blah, blah. But anyway, we have it back from editing and it's posted on Tom's Music Corner tab

Pirates in the Palace - Kevin and Lisa Visit

Kevin and Lisa in Deep Bay

"Pirates in the palace, pirates in the palace".....aka "cruisers in the resort, cruisers in the resort!"

Their own private infinity pool

Our dear friends Kevin and Lisa flew into Antigua from KC and spent a week at a very nice, all inclusive resort near Jolly Harbor. Of course we crashed the place nearly everyday and thus "Pirates in the palace" reference. It was immediately obvious that we didn't belong. The guests were lily white or tender pink. We are not. Tom "looks like a piece of ole bacon" (inside joke) with his cruiser tanned skin. The resort guests had on nice resort clothing and swimsuits. We had our swimsuits and boat clothes (more than likely with holes or stains or both). Resort guests wore flips flops or sandals. We were barefoot. The women had on big, sparkly jewelry. I had on jewelry made of colorful strings, shells and local seeds from the Caribbean. The guests also had stylish hair no doubt cut/trimmed in nice, proper salons on a regual basis. Tom's hair is long in length and mine is just straw at this point. And on and on......Tom and Kevin eventually were busted as a woman at the resort beach bar asked cautiously "Is that man staying at the resort" pointing to Tom. D-oh!

Lisa enjoying her veranda for the week

But we didn't get into too much trouble because they had their own infinity pool out back of their bungalow so we hung out there. Sweet!

One of these two does not belong

Yep, one does not belong. Can you guess which one?

The gang

We had a blast during the week, getting caught up and seeing some of the sights of Antigua. We took them via local bus (aka crowded mini van) to the capital St John one day. Another day was spent exploring Falmouth and English harbors with the historic Nelson's Dockyards and mega yachts to make our mouths drop open in awe of the opulence. We even managed a lovely day sail up to Deep Bay on the NW corner of Antigua. It was Lisa's first time sailing - 19.1 nautical miles logged that day!

Lisa's new office?

Of course as visitors from the USA, we turned them into our personal Sherpas by ordering hard to find in the islands and/or too expensive in the islands items/parts and had them cart it all down. It was like Xmas on s/v Honey Ryder when they arrived with our loot. Thank you SO much Kevin and Lisa for playing the Sherpas.

One dinghy, two buddies?

We had a wonderful time and look forward to them coming back next year.

Or three dingies?

Special Note - Kevin emailed after they returned to KC letting us know they got home safe. Lisa's comment while cleaning out the calf pen in the barn was "This is certainly different than what I was doing a week ago in Antigua!" HA!

Ils des Saintes

The main mooring field on Terre d'en Haut

Or The Saintes as most cruisers call them, are wonderful. Three tiny islands just south of Guadeloupe with beaches, hiking, forts, a quint little town and French food and wine. What's not to like about that combo!

View looking north from town - Guadeloupe in the background

This year we explored the town more, checking out the architecture. Scooters, golf carts and rugged four wheeler are the preferred method of transportation for the few locals and scores of tourist. Narrow pathways only wide enough for these modes of transportation run up to small houses and holiday bungalows from the main waterfront street.

One of the many narrow pathways that act as streets among the holiday bungalows

Another pathway lined with lush vegetation

Not the average run of the mill gingerbread trim work

Last year we hiked up to Fort Napoleon on Terre d'en Haut and enjoyed the museum. This year we took our dinghy over to Ilet A Cabrit island and hiked up to Fort Josephine. This fort is being watched over by a herd of goats so there was no museum to tour and the fort is not being kept up other than as the "go to" place for island goats. But it was still interesting to wonder among the ruins and think about the role it played in the history of the Caribbean; French, English, Spanish....back and forth they fought for hundreds of years.

Tom checking out the view back east where s/v Honey Ryder is moored

The goats were weary of us. My guess is that members of the herd often go on holiday across the baie (French for bay...see, I'm learning and using my French) to Terre d'en Haut, never to return again. Can't you just hear it.....a random goat to other goats -"Hey, has anyone seen George? He went over to Terre d'en Haut on holiday but I have not seen him since?" Another random goat - "I haven't seen him but Gladys went on holiday over there as well and must still be there as she has not returned either. Maybe they ran into each other. I am sure they are having a grand time. Oooh. Do you smell that? It's coming from some cafe on Terre d'en Haut. It smells like curry something. I just can't quite put my hoof on what exactly it is but it smells yummy."
Anyway, if you rattle some paper, packaging or a water bottle, they do take immediate notice and cautiously come in for a look. So someone is watering them. I just hope they don't get out of control and ruin this lovely little island like the goat herd on Ile Fourchue up near St Barths.

Keepers of Fort Josephine

Part of the ruins of the fort

Small mooring field to the SW of the Ilet a Cabrit

We also explored an small abandoned property project on this island. Several single and duplexes obviously for holiday rentals were near completion at some point when the money dried up. Now they lay in ruin and the goats have take over in force. Probably one of the most expensive goat barns in the world.....goat poop 2" thick inside. Gross.

Free holiday house anyone?

Needs Work

LOTS of work

Tom also hiked way up to the Le Chameau lookout tower on Terre d'en Haut one morning. I opted to window shop as my cardo. - oooh, shiny! Yes, yes....I know. Not really cardo. I was joking.