Update from Amber Sea, 25 January 2010

Currently I am in the French half of Simpsons bay lagoon on St Martin. I plan to leave for Anguilla at the end of January, then on to Tortola in the BVI's for the 9th of February when I am meeting old friends and neighbours from home who are on a cruise, and in Tortola for the day!
I plan to visit the AVIs/Turks and Caicos/Bahamas; then across to the USA and work my way up to Chesapeake and meet up with Fred and Nancy Wilson and other Corinthians I have met through the Little Ship Club. I am definitely heading for the Philadelphia fleet. If I can find crew I might even make it up to Maine for the Corinthian/Little Ship Rally.

Nelsons Dockyard in English Harbour is amazing. Named for Admiral Lord Nelson (although they play a lot of Willy Nelson in the bars)it is the only Georgian dockyard left in the world. This is because the lack of commercial activity meant it wasn't torn down and re-developed.
Eventually the authorities realised what a jewel they had, and found money from Europe and the USA to restore it very sympathetically.
The buildings are original, with new businesses located in them. Everything from sailmakers to bars, restaurants, hotels, bakery, cafes, boutiques, etc, etc.

You can either anchor off in English Harbour, paying a small fee to the National Park, or moor stern-to, using your anchor to control your bow, and pay 92 cents per foot per night plus charges for electricity and water, typically US$40 per night for my 38foot Moody.

On New Years eve each year the Antigua Yacht Club hold the Nelson Pursuit Race, to commemorate Admiral Lord Nelson's famous pursuit of Admiral Villeneuve and the French fleet from Toulon to the Caribbean and back to Cadiz; where the French combined with the Spanish and finally came out for the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), where Nelson destroyed them, losing his life in the process. This was the beginning of the end for Napoleon(as big a monster in his day as Hitler), who was finally overcome at the Battle of Waterloo (1815).

The Royal Navy celebrates Trafalgar Day to this very day. Trafalgar meant Britain ruled the waves for the next 100 plus years.
Anyway the pursuit race takes the form of a French yacht (or a local yacht flying a French flag) which has a 30 minute start. Then the pursuing yachts set off at one minute intervals, slowest first on handicap. This means lots of overtaking and rude/funny signals. The regulations emphasise this is a fun race, even threatening disqualification for any excessively aggressive tactics. This did not stop a Farr 65 from On Deck nearly running us down at the second mark. Much cold beer is consumed, and many crews dress in period costume.

Prize-giving and much rum punch drinking takes place on the lawn in front of the old Officers Quarters in Nelson's Dockyard, this segues into New Years Eve celebrations with steel band and even more rum punch!
Nelson's Dockyard in English Harbour is a must-visit location.

By the way, Nelson detested Antigua, describing it very negatively. The fact he married Fanny Nesbit of Nevis while he was stationed in Antigua, did not help, he later left Fanny to live in a ménage a trois with Lord and Lady Hamilton – the scandal of the period!

It is alleged that during his 18 months stationed in Antigua, he did not sleep one night ashore. Perhaps influenced by the dislike he created locally by rigorously enforcing the regulations on trade and smuggling, particularly with the USA!

Claire and Helen from the Little Ship Club are arriving 26th Feb, Helen for one week and Claire for four weeks. It will be lovely to have the company of old friends again.