March 24, 2013-A Quiet Anchorage

wingssail images-fredrick roswold
Greeen Island.

There is little which gives us more comfort than a really quiet anchorage.

In the middle of night, when we are in our snug cabin with soft lights on and softer music playing, whether we are reading a good book or just napping with a half-finished glass of wine close at hand, that is when the peace of a quiet anchorage is perfect.

By quiet I mean still. No waves to rock you, no wind to whistle through the rigging and buffet you; a still place where the boat is as motionless as if it was on dry land.
Oh we have also enjoyed those other bullet-proof little hidey-holes where the wind whistles overhead while we stay safe and protected; content to let the storm rage outside, knowing that we will be untouched, and we have endured nights with both wind and waves, but it is the still places, the ones as still as a graveyard, that give us real peace.
We’ve found some of these spots on Antigua: inside Jolly Harbor, the back of English Harbor, and in most places in Falmouth Harbor.

Falmouth is probably the best. During the day, even if you have anchored up at the head of the bay, close to the mangroves, there may be some wind waves to disturb you, but at night they die off and Falmouth becomes still. You can ask yourself, “Are we still at anchor? Or have we moved into a marina for the night?” You go on deck and you see the motionless anchor lights of the other vessels around you and maybe you hear a dog barking in the distance, but little else.

We love Falmouth.

Now we are in Nonsuch Bay on the east side of Antigua, moored on a bouy at Green Island. It is only six miles from Falmouth and it is another perfect anchorage. Here we are in a small bay protected behind a spit of sand in the island and beyond that the Atlantic swell breaks up on the reef and comes no further. During the day the sun awning shakes and bangs some with wind gusts and small waves may sweep by, but at night it all quiets down.

We love it here as well.

We pass the days lazily, maybe doing a small project or going exploring in the dingy. Yesterday we were ashore and we poked around through the shrubs and agave cactus. Today I got the sewing machine out and we worked on a new canvas seat for a deck chair. Judy went into the water and cleaned the water line. Tomorrow I am meant to go in and do the keel and rudder. Maybe I will.

And she made bread. Since I overhauled the oven it can get up to 425 degrees although a knife must be used to hold the knob in and keep the fire on. I need to fix that. I also helped to knead the dough.

I’ve read three books since we’ve been here.

wingssail images-fredrick roswold
Our Feathered Friend.

And the little black and red bird from the island which comes into our cabin to search for bread crumbs visited us as soon as Judy took the new loaves out of the oven. We chased him off; I’ll share a cookie with him but the bread is off limits.

This is cruising.

Click here for more shots from Green Island.
Click here for more shots of the little bird.

Fred & Judy, SV Wings, Antigua