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Dry land at last thank goodness!!
We arrived in Jolly harbour on 11th December in the morning in the pouring rain. We had to clear customs before going into the marina. There were a mega number of forms to fill in, a task which fell to me. I was dripping all over the customs office and was given a loo roll to dry on, to prevent dripping on the paperwork. It was nice to be met by familiar faces, participants and the organisers of the Blue Water Rally (BWR). We were given a bowl of fruit by the rally organisers to ensure a healthy diet and counteract any scurvy.
Jolly Harbour marina is very nice, quiet (apart from BWR party boats). It is bow too mooring again and we have been very lazy in not bothering to get out the dreaded paserelle (gang plank) as we are only staying for a short time. Hence we are making death defying leaps from the anchor on the bow to the pontoon and its like climbing the north face of the Igor (well it is for me a wimp) to get back on board. After clearing customs we all went for breakfast in a local restaurant, full fry up, sausage, 2 eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast. It tasted wonderful, my first proper meal in 3 weeks, though the rest of the crew had eaten very well during the voyage. Then it was steak for dinner in the evening plus a beer or two. I am making an effort grow into my clothes. Paul and Alex went for traditional Caribbean cuisine, jerk chicken plus a rum punch or two. Paul failed to make the leap from pontoon back to boat that night (nothing much to do with rum punches), a mere case of missing his footing. He fell off the boat, narrowly avoiding going for a swim by grabbing the guard rail, unfortunately he has badly bruised and grazed his shin and has been unable to walk for a couple of days, (another victim of boat rash).
Next day we (the BWR) went for a coach tour of Antigua courtesy of the tourist board, with a tour guide who kept us very well informed especially about cricket.. We visited a former sugar plantation now a museum. We went to devils bridge, the water spouts formed by the ocean crashing against the rocks were spectacular. Alex (it's always him), stood over a hole in the rock and got his ar- shorts wet, to put it politely. Then it was off to Nelson's dockyard for a very interesting historical tour. Apparently 350 sailors used to work repairing the old sailing ships, they worked from dawn to dusk seven days a week with only 2 days off per year. No women were allowed as they were thought to be a distraction but the men were allowed a generous amount of rum.
The following evening was the rally party, dress code being 'full Caribbean'. William, Alex and I went into St. John's to buy our costumes. The party was great fun with a buffet, steel band and free booze all night!! Some (mentioning no names) had a good skin full, climbed a lamp post, then on returning to the boat fell asleep on the main sail, (which is on the cabin floor since the incident in the Atlantic). Next day William went up the mast and fixed the offending nut which had caused all the trouble with the main sail, so we don't have to replace the in mast furling. No I haven't spent the last 4 days doing the washing, we paid for the laundry but the boat has needed a good clean.
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