Location: Antigua
Today began somewhere between Guadeloupe and Antigua as the Ocean Star crew silently sailed under a blanket of stars and a crescent moon toward one of the meccas of sailing in the Caribbean. As we approached English Harbor in the early hours of the morning, the crew encountered its first squall. The wind, rain, and the swell picked up, but the crew handled it like pros. I might venture to say that many even enjoyed seeing their first bit of weather- as they hooted and hollered into the wind. Ocean Star made her way into English Harbor shortly after breakfast and is now sitting side-on at Nelson’s dockyard. You can just feel the history here- from the Forts visible from the harbor entrance to the cobblestone walkways and rock walls that run through the now shops and restaurants along the water. English and Falmouth harbors have long been safe havens for mariners and continue to be hot spots for passing yachts to this day, including a popular event- Antigua Classics week- that Ocean Star participated in this past April. After a quick boat appreciation, where we took advantage of the passing rain to scrub the cap rails, the crew disembarked to see what Antigua had to offer. Some visited Falmouth Harbor- exploring the bookstore and shops and partaking in some of the sweeter things (i.e., cream) Antigua has to offer; others helped provision the boat for the next few days- visiting the Mecca of grocery stores in the Caribbean in St. John. The crew reunited for a delicious dinner of Quesadillas and a story-telling squeeze that involved a love story between a shark and an octopus- it didn’t end well. This evening, the crew will complete their sail training mid-term exam and then learn a choreographed dance afterward. Who knows what is in store for this crew, but it will surely be fun!