14th January 2008, St John's and English Harbour - Antigua
We had mixed feelings as we approached Antigua since we had not particularly enjoyed our visit there five years ago. However, it was New Year's Day on that visit and everything was closed and M was hoping to look up her friend Sprout with no locational information other than 'just ask for me in any bar, they all know me'.
D had been assisting in a navigation course delivered by a qualified yacht skipper and so was called to get up at 5.45am as we approached Antigua to shadow that navigation into port, a potentially tricky route with sandbanks, oil berths and a narrow channel to content with. M, of course, did not see the light of day until about 8.45am as we were docking. First we did a quick visit to the Cyber cafe (no time for blogs) to do some business and check emails before we started on the illusive search for Sprout. Having no success other than being told that if he fixed boats he'd be at Falmouth/English Harbour we had to find a way of getting there. Around the Cruise Terminal, we were hassled with lots of offers of very expensive cabs and tours (Nelsons Dockyard at English Harbour being US$80 - officially approved government rate). This was looking like the only port we had visited where 'do-it-yourself' tours were threatening to be more expensive that those laid on by the ship. Then we found a man who offered us an island tour for US$20 each which we said we'd take as it included English Harbour. We did a quick shop for the mandatory T shirt and bits for the Caribbean night which we took to the ship before reporting back for our 10.30 tour.
The first hour was excellent with a driver and tour guide as we wound our way across Antigua towards Falmouth/English harbour. The guide then said we'd climb a hill for a view of English harbour as it wasn't really worth the US$5 entrance fee to which our 4 fellow passengers readily agreed as this would 'give us more time at the rain forest and beach'. M complained she was being bounced into this as we really did want to see the dockyard and English harbour as well as try to find Sprout. To cut a long story short, and to keep M happy, the guide said he'd find Sprout. We called in 2 shipwrights premises before we found his workshop - which gave our fellow passengers a bit of a feel about how the other, top 2%, live. Unfortunately, it transpired Sprout had severely dislocated his ankle in a New Year's Eve yacht race and was signed off for a month. However, his staff agreed to take us to his home. So, we abandoned the tour, paid off the driver and thanked the guide and went our separate way. Mike phoned Sprout and said he had a 'special delivery' which would be arriving in 10 minutes and drove us up in what we later learned was Sprouts 4 wheel people carrier.
The rest of the day we spent at English Harbour, first at Cloggies Cafe - a rather flash eatery and then the Drop In, where the local In-Crowd hang out. We also learned much about Nelson's Dockyard - he was sent there for 2 years for being a naughty boy - which is no longer a naval dockyard but a museum and tourist attraction. As it so happens, the main part of Cloggies was a building from the dockyard complex, originally built in 16xx. Mike drove us down for a pre-prandial drink and Sprout joined us for lunch (after getting himself sorted) which M said was her best meal of the trip. It was certainly very nice and the owners a Dutch guy and his Nouvelle Caledonie/French wife - who speaks English with a slight Aussie accent were a focus of the local yacht set who passed through over lunch. A good meal, two bottles of wine and much conversation later, it appeared to be 4 o'clock, the time when the Drop Inn opens. Run by a gong time resident Austrian lady called Manni, and just 25m from Cloggies, we were the first customers, waiting for Sprout's partner, Anita - an Aussie - to arrive from work -she owns and runs a nursery school. By about 5pm the locals and local resident tourists were all calling in and the place became very busy. Anita arrived some time after 5pm and the place was animated in conversation as everybody knew everybody. Even we lost track of time and it was after 7 before we realised we needed to get sorted for crossing the island. Sprout ordered a cab for 8 when, unfortunately, we had to leave. It was a great 'catch-up' for Sprout and M and the only really boozy day we have done so far. Sprout had entertained us all day, despite being in a plaster and on crutches and insisted we accept his hospitality. He also ensured we paid the local's rate for the cab back to town which was only a third the tourist rate. A great day - Thanks Sprout.
