2024-05-05 Falmouth Harbor and Antigua Race Week

We stayed a couple more days in Jolly Harbor.  We went for a nice hike to the top of Pearns Hill.  It was a pretty steep climb, and we were breathing hard at the top.  A development is planned so it has signs for the lots, and paved roads.

Hard to see in the photo, but the road is probably a 40 degree incline.

Since development is planned, some side of the road were planted with beautiful flowers

Top of the hill looking at Jolly Harbor.   Tiny spot on sand beach in photo is our dinghy

We were feeling pretty good about the hike, until we started down, and a young guy passed us going up - running.

When we got back to the beach, had a nice talk with one of the guys doing maintenance on the trees and area near the beach.  He gave us one of the coconuts off a dwarf coconut tree.  He said it was young, so would be full of yummy water.  Back at the boat Dean got out the drill and put a couple of holes in and we drained the water.

 A drill should be in every handy kitchen😀

Got out a lot of water.

Dean took a sip and made a face, but swallowed.  I spit it out.  - Not good tasting at all.

On Tuesday we went out for a nice 1/2 price pizza dinner with our friend Tracy on Wanderlust - a Manta 38 with stern extensions and met her friends David and Kim who have a Burramundi 47 named Melelana - which was designed by the same architect that designed the original Manta catamarans.

Almost stepped on this guy a Frangipani Worm.  Glad I did not, as there was another one down the walk that someone had, and it was a mess.   This one was probably 6" long and as thick as my thumb.

Frangipani Worm

Wednesday we headed to Falmouth Harbor.  Wind right on the nose - so just a 2 hour motor trip.  We came down to watch some of the races of Antigua Race week which was going on.

Thursday went for a 2.5 mile hike to get a good viewing spot on top of a bluff near the coast.  Tracy on Wanderlust went with us.

Trail up to the top of the bluff

Found a great spot to watch the race under the shade of a tree

We watched the first boats start, and then they passed just out of sight behind a small bluff, but then we heard a loud bang, so ran down the trail to see that one boat had dismasted, and was close to shore.  Help was close by, as they had a large rescue inflatable out on the course, and quickly got a line tied to the dismasted boat to keep them off the rocks.

Dismasted boat being towed while race goes on. Light spot on water behind boat is its sail and mast, still attached to boat and floating near the rudder and prop.

Winds were gusting up to 32 knots on the course.  When we got back, we saw another boat had been dismasted as well.  Rough day on the course.  Had a nice lunch/dinner out with Tracy at the end of watching races.

Next day we hiked to a different viewpoint.  Melelana and Wanderlust joined to watch the races.

Part of the hike, goats were quite frequent on this hike

Sat on a rock wall and looked over the top of a house, but great view again.

After we had watched some of the races, we decided to hike a bit further.  Trail had great scenery, but involved a bit more difficult hiking.

Entrance to English Harbor

Navigating the steep trail down

The trail came out at  Nelsons Dockyard, a UNESCO world heritage site.   We stopped and enjoyed a nice lunch with Mango sorbet for dessert.

Inside English harbor

Nelsons Dockyard, ate at Admiralty Inn restaurant, you can see restaurant awnings in left of photo.

Races ended Friday, so Saturday we just relaxed on boat and did some laundry.   In the morning a fellow came around selling pastries made at a local French bakery.  We could not resist and bought some goodies.

Only 20 EC, for 3 raisin, and 1 chocolate.   That's about $7.50 in US dollars

 Temperatures have been warmer than normal for this time of year by a couple degrees.  Highs are in the upper 80's but with humidity feels like mid 90's.  Saturday was a high of 90, but with humidity felt like 102.   

Will leave here Monday and head to Guadeloupe.