Location: St Kitts
After spending the bulk of the last two days on passage, it was a welcome sight to wake up to the lush, mountainous island of St Kitts. With black-sand beaches, crystal clear waters, and a dormant volcano overlooking us, it’s a far cry from the tranquil surroundings of the BVI’s. Today kicked off with boat appreciation, a chance for the crew to clean and tidy Ocean Star after a passage. Fortunately, the rain clouds that briefly threatened a mass soaking stayed away, and the sun grew stronger as the day went on, allowing the chance for a quick swim before a well-earned lunch. The afternoon gave us a chance to explore St Kitts and, more precisely, hike up to Brimstone Hill and the old British fort sitting splendidly atop. After a semi-wet landing, jumping off the dinghies onto the beach, we began our walk through the town of Sandy Point and up towards the top. The path was initially lined by vine-covered trees before winding above the canopy to reveal the first stage of the fortress and the magnificent views of the vibrant blue Caribbean waters. Built to defend against the French that, in the 18th and 19th centuries, occupied the other half of the island, the fortress had the perfect vantage point. To the West, you could see the island of Statia; to the East, Nevis and Mount Llamuiga North; and the Caribbean Sea to the South. As a UNESCO World Heritage site, the fort was in immaculate condition, with the majority of the old structures intact and huge cannons capable of firing far and wide at every turn. After spending the best part of 2 hours walking around various parts of the fort and savoring the view, we decided it was probably time to head back down. For a fair part of the hikes up and down, the lads in the group had been attempting to attract monkeys with an array of calls, and on the way down, our perseverance paid off with a troop of Red Vervet Monkeys in the trees. It was a massive treat for everyone and concluded a brilliant afternoon in St Kitts!