Friday 13th April. Always a good day to sail. After a short but busy stopover at the useful litttle Pointe A Pitre marina, its time to struggle free again. After a slow start due to a bit of a hangover, and much keffuffle, we back out of our bows-on stern-to-buoy berth. Non-anglophone Frenchman next door perplexed at being presented with MB's written departure plan, a plan worthy of a battleship requiring several pilot gigs and whalers. Our plan is tinglingly exciting. Up harbour to the start of the river Salee, in the mosquito mangroves, to anchor at dusk in 6ft of mud right next to GDL's premier motorway road bridge. Then escape northwards straight through the middle of the country.
Up 0415 Sat 14th and prep to move towards the bridge, in company now with 4 other boats. 1st bridge opens at o'cracque sparreau fart. Wonderful little procession throught the mangroves towards the reefy north coast of the island. An inland cross country cruise. Squadrons of egrets buzz us at every corner. In deference to the little sparrow, Oui we had plenty of egrets. In a bright dawn, once clear of the final bridge the riviere took us onwards to the reef spattered north coast and a clear route to Antigua.
We drop the hook for brekky and a short snooze in the middle of the reefs. Les has a swim but finds it barren below.
A fine and steady offwind day's sail takes us 30 odd miles to Antiguas S coast and then around the coast to Jolly Harbour. Being too late to enter harbour we drop the pick amongst the Pellingtons and Frigates and Tropics. Lovely starlit evening on a milky blue sea. Sleep well after a long day.
Sun 15th we make our majestic entrance to Jolly Harbour marina and its shoreline of villas and private docks.
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