All landfalls are special, particularly after any long oceanic passage. My boat and I ended 28 days at sea anchoring in Freeman’s Bay, English Harbour at 4 o’clock in the morning. Following a trace of the harbour, I’d made from another yachtsman in the Canaries, the pilotage helped by using the one leading light still in commission. By the time I’d stowed away and spent some time contemplating my crossing, sunrise was on its way. We’d been pushing the bubble slightly tackling an ocean voyage in an engineless 22ft. yacht!
Being woken by the Antiguan Customs launch banging against my topsides very soon after, wasn’t quite the greeting I’d had in mind! But at least the formalities were over. Later that afternoon my neighbour Robin, another small boat single-hander very kindly, lent me a few EC dollars.
I blew up my flubber and rowed ashore. Two mates from the Canaries had already noticed my arrival and hailed me to join them for a beer. After a month of talking to my boat and the elements, I became a gibbering wreck after a couple of tubes of Red Stripe. Soon returning before sunset fascinated by watching the local pelican’s (Antiguan Air Force!) crashing into the water. Hoping to catch up on my sleep, though waking regularly and wondering why it was all so totally still!
Going ashore again the next morning, after buying a few bananas and limes from a local Antiguan lady, I walked up to Nicholson’s hoping to collect mail. Meandering slowly in the tropical sun, affected by that strange rolling gait every sailor has, after being at sea too long. Stopping to smell the hot tropical earth and wonder at some hummingbirds hovering in the foliage.
I was totally surprised on returning to the dockside to feel the full blast of a warm Caribbean greeting, with the same jolly West Indian woman inviting me to sit down and saying to me “You look mighty skinny boy, sit down here. I cook you proper Chicken”.
Kindness such as this etches that day into a warm memory; maybe the crossing had been a little more knackering than I’d realised!
