Nelson's Dockyard

Into Nelson’s Arms: 7 Aug 08

Tardis misplaced?

After clearing the decks of misguided flying fish, the Cap’n hoisted the Q (clearance) & Antigua flags as we entered English Harbour. You could be forgiven for thinking that you had just stepped into the 18^th century. Nelson’s Dockyard is a beautifully restored British naval base, once the home of the then, Captain Lord Nelson. It’s apparently a rare example of a working Georgian marina. The dockyard even has a red phone box….or was it really the Doctor’s tardis?

Needless to say, our first mission was to locate that @$#*#!! rudder, now missing in action. We caught a local mini bus into St John’s, an exciting scramble of local cottages, businesses, traffic and markets sitting in huge disparity with an enormous white cruise liner at the dock.

Last Canon 1805

Our rudder it seems was still sitting in the UK….well, why ever not? The Cap’n turned a pasty colour so we quickly caught an even more local bus back, meeting an interesting assortment of locals, including a Rasta. He was only too happy to tell us, and everyone else on the bus, what he thought about life, women, religion, and our presence on the bus. To much general amusement, he noted that no-one wanted to sit near either Boy Wonder or him; “Wat dey tink, we gonna eat dem?”

Copper Store Nelson's Dockyard

We decided to rest for a few days in our Freeman Bay anchorage below Fort Shirley to just enjoy the pleasure of swimming in pristine blue waters, watching turtles swim by and taking a sundowner or two at a quiet bar in the dockyards.   It is hard to imagine how busy this place must be in “season”.

Now we really can't check out until we've shown you what a stunning place Antigua is.  Look at this view from English Harbour back to Falmouth Harbour. 

Freeman Bay (that's WJ3 on far left)...Nice!