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Antigua to Barbuda Sailing Trip

Proposed dates: May 9-17, 2015
Note: We would welcome your input in a form of suggestions to the dates and the length of the trip.

Yacht: New Catamaran Lagoon 46’ Luxe NEW- 2015 -4 cabin 4 head boat. (yacht photos)

Cost: The cost of this trip is $2,000 per person for 9 days. This will cover boat charter, captine, moorings, food, drinks, gasoline ,ports expenses .
Plane tickets are not included in the price.

Antiqua to Barbuda are one country but two very different islands. Antigua is busy and touristy with restaurants and things to see but also with some more remote and private areas. Barbuda is remote, wild, and mysterious with a seventeen mile long beach. In general we would have short hops, protected anchorages, clear water, beaches and ocean. There will be a trip to Barbuda and this will be the longest passage, about 4 hours one way. We would start early in the morning on the day of passages to be at the destination around noon. Take a look at this link as it will provide you with more information about this destination. Additional information:

• Barbuda
• Antigua
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Barbudaful
• Planet Ware - Antigua and Barbuda
• Catamaran Lagoon 46’ - yacht photos

I would welcome your input in a form of suggestions to the dates and the length of the trip. I would also invite you to declare your availability and willingness to join me on this trip. I am hoping for 8 person crew. I am not sure if there will be enough candidates, but if there will be enough, those who previously participated will get preference. For dates I propose 9-17 May 2015 .

Our proposed itinerary:
Day 1:

Arrive at the base at English Harbor. Supply at Bailey’s in Falmouth Harbor. Go to Shirley Heights for party. On the beautiful island of Antigua, the most famous view is without a doubt the view from Shirley Heights Lookout. On clear days, this panoramic view takes in Guadeloupe to the south and Montserrat, with its active volcano, to the south east. It can be accessed from English Harbor by a nature trail that rises through a forest of trees. As you'll soon hear from the locals, Shirley Heights is also famous for hosting the biggest and best parties on Antigua. The best time to visit Shirley Heights on your yacht charter is Sunday. Sunday nights are the real party nights, with the fun kicking off at 4pm with live bands, dancing under the stars, lots of food and as much rum punch as you can handle. As well as the barbeque food on offer on a Sunday night, the restaurant also offers excellent Caribbean cuisine. Choose to either dine indoors in the renovated 18th century building or outdoors on the terrace overlooking that amazing view.

Day 2:

Sail from English Harbor to Green Island. Snorkeling at Green Island. Just off the east coast of Antigua is Green Island, an uninhabited, unspoilt hideaway particularly popular for its excellent snorkeling. There are plenty of anchorages dotted around this quiet little island and an abundance of birdlife to spot, such as the red billed tropic birds and pelicans to name a few. Just to the west is Nonsuch Bay, a beautiful natural harbor. The bay’s clear waters are protected by a barrier reef and home to occasional dolphin and turtle. Nonsuch Bay is an area loved by sailors from all over the world because of its tranquility and constant sea breeze.

Day 2-3

Great Bird Island and a myriad of uninhabited offshore islands. Perfect for snorkeling, kayaking and relaxing. This is an unspoilt anchorage and an ideal spot for a BBQ. Hike up to the top of Great Bird Island on the trail and stand on the top of the island way above the ocean. Notice all the reefs! The reef surrounding Galley Island offers excellent snorkeling. Take a dinghy ride 400 yards to the southwest to visit Hell’s Gate, an eerie island of decaying rock. One of the offshore islands offers you the opportunity to walk through a cave and stand on top of the island viewing both the Atlantic and the Caribbean! Great Bird Island is generally regarded as a “desert island” dream. During the day though, it does attract passing tourists, but at night, if you’re lucky enough, you may get it all to yourselves. White sand beaches at either end of the sandbar are the main attraction for visitors, as well as the lure of seeing the Antiguan Racer snake. This is the only place in the world that you can still see it in the wild. Great Bird Island is also home to a variety of endangered species, including brown pelican, exotic red-billed tropic birds and West Indian whistling ducks.

Parham, once the capital, has an anchorage and has for some interesting walks around it. The walk to the top of the island will reward you with some fantastic views of Antigua and the surrounding islands, as well as the experience and thrill of looking straight down a naturally formed blowhole. Great Bird Island is actually part of a group of small islands, known as the North Sound National Park. Rabbit Island, located nearby, is home to the brown pelican. On Long Island, the Hawksbill Turtles have been the object of a successful project, designed to monitor the animals to come to the island and lay their eggs.

Great Bird Island is without a doubt one of the best places in Antigua for snorkeling for its rich marine life, promoted thanks to the large concentration of mangroves. After a strenuous snorkel around the reef, the beach here is just crying out for you to take comfort in one of the low lying tree limbs and be one with nature.

Day 3-4

Early departure for a longer sail to Barbuda’s Coco Point – another favorite anchorage especially if there is any northerly swell. Snorkel, or simply relax with a good book. Those who stroll Barbuda's 17 Mile Beach, will probably never see a more ravishing stretch of sand, nor another footprint. Lapped by pale aqua seas, this stunning stretch of pink-tinged sand separates the Barbuda lagoon from the Caribbean sea, and pleases even the most hardened beach connoisseurs. Facilities are few, if non-existent so visitors should bring their own supplies.

On the beach at River, a few miles south of the village, Martello Tower (River Fort), was built by the British in the early 19th century on the site of a previous fort that was probably constructed by the Spanish. Today the thick stone walls and gun platform of this small defensive fort are mostly intact, and the ruins are attached to the remains of the previous fort. The tower is the highest building in Barbuda and an important landmark on the island.

The Darby Sink Cave, caused by dissolution of the limestone, is one of Barbuda's most intriguing natural features. Although it is often described as a cave, the site is actually a sinkhole more than 100 meters in diameter. In contrast to the dry surrounding brush, the lush vegetation flourishing inside resembles a rainforest with ferns, tall palmetto palms, and thick lianas lacing around the tree trunks. Many birds can be spotted amid the foliage. Dripping water has also created stalagmites under the overhang.

Day 4-5

Sail to Low Bay and Codrington. Barbuda is home to the Frigate Bird Sanctuary, which is located in the Codrington Lagoon. Pre-book your frigate bird sanctuary tour with Goldilocks and preorder fresh lobster or fish to be delivered to you. Anchor at Low Bay for your first night and enjoy stunning sunsets. The small city of Codrington was founded by the family of Christopher Codrington and John Codrington in 1685, to be the main residential Centre on the island. They built a castle which dominated the town, but it was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1843 and little trace of it now remains. In 1741, the first slave rebellion happened in Codrington. Beach's Rebellion arose as a consequence of manager Thomas Beach's "cruel and tyrannical" behaviour. Several herds of cattle were slaughtered, damage was done to the Codrington's property and equipment, and "negroes runaway and absent themselves" from work. The population of Codrington was recorded as 700 in the census of 1904, and 1252 in the census of 1991. Visit Barbuda's Frigate Bird Sanctuary is a haven for birders. Accessible only by boat, the bird sanctuary lies in Barbuda's northwest lagoon and is home to one of the Caribbean's largest nesting colonies of frigate birds. These large sea birds are known for their bright red gullets and one-and-a-half meter wingspan. The reserve also attracts about 150 other species of birds such as herons, cormorants, and pelicans.

Day 5-6

Early departure to sail to Jumby Bay. Just to the north is Long Island with its exclusive resort. The hotel facilities are for guests only but the restaurant is open to the public. The island’s only anchorages are at Jumby Bay which offers a sandy bottom, shoaling towards the shore.

Day 6-7

Sail to Dickenson Bay for lunch. Continue to Deep Bay, Hermitage Bay, or Jolly Harbor. Just west of St. John’s Harbor, Deep Bay offers one of the most secure anchorages on the west coast. Deep Bay is home to the wreck of the Andes which was a merchant ship that caught fire and went down in 1908.Take your dinghy to the wreck and snorkel. The tip of one of the masts can be seen on most days. Dinghy ashore and hike up to the top of the surrounding hills to look at the ruins of Fort Barrington. We can also rent a car or a cab and go to St. John for sightseeing.

St John's, the capital city and cruise ship port of Antigua and Barbuda, is a kaleidoscope of candy-hued colonial cottages and market stalls piled high with tropical fruits and flowers. Looming above the skyline are the white neo-Baroque towers of St. John's Cathedral, one of the city's major attractions. For an overview of the island's history, many first-time visitors head to the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda in the 18th century former Court House. Shopping is also excellent in St. John's. Duty-free shops abound at Heritage Quay, souvenir stalls beckon from touristy Redcliffe Quay, and the lively harbor side public markets are the place to be on Fridays and Saturdays. For city and harbor views visit the ruins of 18th century Fort James and Fort Barrington, built to protect St. John's from the French.

A city landmark, St. John' Cathedral, topped by Baroque-style towers, has experienced many reincarnations. Originally consecrated as a wooden structure in 1683, the Anglican cathedral was rebuilt from stone in 1745, then again in 1847 after earthquakes struck. Local lore states the carved figures of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist at the iron entrance gate originally adorned the masts of one of Napoleon's ships. The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda traces the history of these islands from their geological origins to political independence in 1981. Housed in the museum is a full-scale replica of an Arawak dwelling, as well as portraits of Sir Joshua Reynolds, King George III, and Queen Caroline. The museum is located in the former 18th-century Courthouse in St John's.

Day 7-8

If we leave early from Deep Bay we can stop at Hermitage Bay for lunch and then we will continue to Carlisle Bay. Carlisle Bay is quite simply stunning. It is a great expanse of beach with pristine white sand, clear waters, amazing rainforest and rolling hills. It's the ideal location to do as much or as little as you like. Carlisle Bay offers a whole host of activities. It is also the location of Carlisle Bay Resort, the sister hotel to the award winning One Aldwych in London.

This resort not only offers a completely secluded and luxury vacation to its guests, it also has two of the finest restaurants on the island, and a range of bars to suit everyone. Carlisle Bay is set in a beautiful area that offers an outstanding amount of natural wildlife. Sat behind the exquisite beach, in front of the surrounding hillside, is a mangrove lagoon historically known as “The Old Road Fish Ponds”. The mangrove acts as a spawning ground for many species of salt water fish, including the snook and tarpon, making it a favorite hangout for herons and egrets. The best way to see this wonderful selection of species in their natural environment is by kayak.

The anchorage at Carlisle Bay is safe and easy to navigate. Although coral lines the shore, the center is calm when wind is not out of the east and has a clear bottom. Other anchorages nearby that are worth visiting are Rendezvous Bay, Johnsons Point or Crab Hill Beach; the latter of the two are renowned for their lively beach bars.

Day 8

Sail to English Harbor. Go out and see the surrounding area.

Day 9

Departure.

I invite you to watch this short video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENIak0eXLtk

Yours truly,
Captain Maciej Gula

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