Another day in Antigua as generator guy was running on “island time” and was to be there in the afternoon.  Started off brilliantly (i’m rather proud of this) with a 6am long swim to the beach and a 5km run around the island (which almost killed me ; hills+heat!) followed by glorious yoga on the beach with the sun rising and swim back to Tin Tin. Now if that’s not achieving before breakfast, i don’t know what is? I’ve surprised myself and probably surprised you. Also, has given me licence to have an ice-cream later! 

I have now become familiar with Snowy and her outboard motor and take great delight in ferrying crew ashore and then planing her back.. Yeeha! 

Lazing back on Tin Tin, Turtles keep popping their heads up around her and I’m finding myself becoming very fond of their friendly presence.  I feel like they are wise and come in peace.

Generator is finally fixed! Papa Paul has sorted out formalities with customs and we are good to go. We end the day with a family swim relishing in these tropical waters. Guadeloupe here we come! 

We figure it is better to do this crossing as a night sail so the girls can be put to bed and hopefully sleep all the way until we arrive for breakfast, as 7 hours may have been a bit hellish with vomiting children. We leave at midnight so as to get there when its light for an easier anchorage.

Uncle Mark and I are on first watch for three hours and i feel like an excited child waiting up to go on a midnight adventure.  It starts to rain hard when we leave harbour for Deshaies, but soon the clouds disperse and the full moon makes its grand appearance to light our way.  Just magical!  Me, Tin Tin and the Ocean (oh and Uncle Mark)!  We clock only two other ships on our watch - Lady Luck,a luxury cruiser, with the same destination as us and Hong Dai, a container ship on its way to Brindisi, Italy.  I’m slightly worried about the latter but Uncle Mark and Mr GPS are pretty certain that they will pass behind us. I guess i should trust them?   I helm for the fist hour and then put George (autopilot) on and find rather frustratingly that he does a better job than i do with getting the maximum efficiency out of the sail.  With me helming we go at an average of 6.5 knots but with George he  takes us unto 7.5-8 knots.  Im putting that down to wind speed increasing out of the lee of the island, not my lack of skill ; )

My watch is almost over and I’m tempted to stay up until we reach the luscious shores at dawn but the persistent rolling of the swell has made me dozy and i know i will have plenty more of these to come…

Bethie’s little head pops up on deck clutching her blankey and Gerry half asleep and wondering what dream world she has entered.  We put her in Mummy Kate's bed and wake her Daddy up for his watch.  I fall into bed next to Lottie and wake with the light gleaming through the hatch, pop my head out and breath in the rich air of Guadaloupe -  Bonjour La Belle Monde, s’il vous plait un pain au chocolat!

Gerry the Giraffe finding his sea legs and Uncle Mark and Bethie enjoying french patisserie

We go ashore to a very rickety old pontoon which is being pounded by the Atlantic waves not ideal but adds to the excitement!  The bay is not sheltered and anchorage is very roly-poly due to the northerly winds . Guadaloupe is so French it takes me a while to remember that we are actually in the tropics. We breakfast in the Boulangerie,  walk past La Post and Hotel du Ville and everything is in Euros! But Palm Trees, Conch shells and coconuts line the streets. And the french here are super chilled out, I love it!  

Papa sorts out customs.  We venture over to the other side of the island where there is the most beautiful yellow sand beach, Plage de Petite-Anse, that stretches for miles and is totally wild with the Atlantic waves crashing up the beach with impressive spray.  It is more of a hike than we anticipated and girls start to flag but its totally worth it as is breathtaking! Sadly no chance of a swim here as we would be dragged out but the spray is refreshing and there is a perfect ice-cream spot.  A wave almost takes me out as i have settled down in my bikini to read my book, much to the amusement of the girls!

Lovely meal out watching the sun set in the bay and eating delicious Marlin caught that day in a perfect quaint little local restaurant.  A choppy ride in the dark on Snowy who takes us safely back to Tin Tin who is starting to feel more and more like home. 

  Lottie's sketch of view ashore from Tin Tin