2013 Caribbean Sailing, once again. Grenada, Tobago Cays, Isle de Saints, Antigua, St Maarten, Anguilla, BVIs etc

After returning from France to Grenada we had a bit of fun and...

....hiked to a few more waterfalls before...

...setting sail to our base for the winter, Antigua. Via, well as many islands as we could stop at in between... 

 Tobago cays 

Guadaloupe dolphins coming to say hello

Playing in mermaids garden, Antigua

 Scaling our way out of mermaid's garden

Once again on top of Monks hill overlooking Falmouth Harbour

 Birthday Beach, next to OJs

Walking around Antigua 

Goats at home on an Antiguan hill. Apparently the only time of year they all get brought in is Easter...Goat is the Easter dish of choice in Antigua 

Wobbly Cup 2013. Yes, we won it the year before. But this time we reasoned we were all sailors so why not add a sail... Same design, plus a rig, plus 2 big boys...and it sunk on the start line... but our valiant boys tied the rig onto a vessel trying pass over them, refloating the boat. They then took the rig off and with a single crew member, finished the race

After some play time it was work time. We had a quick one to Guadaloupe and back with a fun couple who enjoyed hiking and exploring. On the first day of adventuring we had mixed success: Nothing like, 5min into our fist hike, seeing our lady guest disappear off the edge of a rock. Luckily she slipped most of the way and with minor bumps and bruises cheerfully continued the hike. 

Returning to the boat the beginnings of a telling off started as we hadn't been able to book a car even though the husband had said he would. But the day was saved with a school of dolphins that decided to have a play around the anchorage. We jumped into our snorkelling gear and went for a play. It was a mixed group in the pod with some nervous youngsters staying near the centre, bold adolescents coming right up to us and some heavily pregnant females being lifted to the surface by their companions.

It was incredible! I even followed a female and her companion down to see her begin her birthing spiral. Unfortunately I ran out of air at that point and eventually the stinging jellies drove us back on board

(sorry about the lack of photo quality, its taken from a video from before i was lucky enough to be given a GoPro 3 by my wonderful parents :)

Racing BVIs: The Swan Scup

Time for some racing. This year it was the Caribbean Swan Cup in the BVIs. We had a wonderfully international team with friends/crew from England, Italy, Germany, South Africa, America, Gambia

There was lots of fun to be had and even a podium position. It is definitely one of the um larnier Caribbean races being hosted by the YCCS. What fun being dressed by Italian ladies in their fancy silk dresses and sparking sandels and then cowering in the dingy ride over, all covered up by raincoats and towels to protect the garments from salty spray. 

After finishing our own racing and bidding farewell to our crew, we were lucky to be invited to race in the Super Yacht Cup. The boat we were on is a stunner. We didn't do particularly well but it was tons of fun. I even received a compliment from the captain of being The Most Spectacular Man Overboard He'd Ever Seen. Yip, first tack of the first day and they did a reach to reach tack. Despite me already being practically in line with the mast, the genoa sheet they were pulling in flew over my head, knocked the sunglasses off the guy in front of me and scooped me off the deck. I managed to hang on to the sheet while being dunked into the sea and the engineer trying to pull me back onboard. Unfortunately the trimmer was unaware of what was happening and continued trimming on the sheet that I was still hanging on to. When it became apparent that it was a decision between getting my hand caught in the deck block or going for a swim, I let go. Only to turn around and face...an entire fleet of super yachts bearing down on me. I was thrown a lifebuoy which i promptly climbed on top of to become as visible as possible. Luckily, in races of these types, there is always a chase boat and i was quickly rescued and restored to the boat I was racing on.

Back to Antigua

Even the whales came out to play. I think this one is a Pilot Whale. They look like massive dolphins 

And of course then more chartering. This time Antigua,Montserrat, Nevis, St Maarten, Anguilla and back to St Maarten

Warm mineral water springs

For a final spree of fun before heading north to the USA, my wonderful older sister came for a Caribbean visit

 There was some hiking...

And exploring

and snorkelling

 Then walking Devils Bridge

 spying on the local wildlife

 And much to our Grandmother's horror, swimming with stingrays at StingRay City. They are not enclosed but come to visit as they enjoy the squid the guides bring along.

 Stingrays sleep under the sand with just their eyes sticking out. That is until we disturbed them by taking too many photos...