Antigua pics update

Hi Everyone,trying to upload pics to keep blog updated.

A few pics 1 = Montserrat at sunset on my way to Jolly Harbour
2 = At anchor pic from the deserted beach Montserrat and volcano smoke plume, 3 4 5 views taken that Sunday night at Sherlys Tights!

Antigua Classic Prize giving

Tuesday 20th April was a quiet day for everyone I had moved GL to the dockyard and was about 10 feet away from the coming 'do', they had set up a huge screen to show donated pictures by all the press and private photographers, and a huge Bar-B-Q the 'Fan Club' were there as was all the crews as predicted we knew GL had won, so drinking had started some time before, we sat on the grass and watched the show, amazing pictures of all the boats were shown, every time a picture of GL came up the Fan Club cheered with gusto, I on the other hand had had a senior moment and lost my voice somewhere so was unusually quiet, the time came and trophies were handed out, then as my class was announced my crew and myself went on stage to collect the first prize of a beautiful engraved glass decanter, then photo pose and take the applause, as the night drew to a close I had a foredeck party, then with Marcy (phsyco Bety) from the Pink Lady crew went to another boat and carried the party on into the morning, next door on Buxom II, Lindsey, Erin and Sandra carried on next morning Wednesday in true classic style, so having been told to leave before 12, we all left the dock and have anchored in various places, My Fan Club has started to continue on their journeys but the few left arranged a beach farewell party and a nice evening ensued. Today 22nd I am in the cafe doing this blog and having a calm downer. I have just had the most magical time of my life never to be forgotten experience, some washing and choosing which photos to get from local guys before I leave, a quiet day.
I have read the comments and thank you all for your praise, I think GL deserves it, she is one special boat, it couldn't have happened without her!
more later when pics have been collected
Roy

Race day 4

During the parade in Nelsons Dockyard we got our first look at the boat 'Alert' that had now beaten us twice as day 3 we again came 2nd, it is a beautiful wooden ketch but it was 62 feet long! there is no way in the world GL could have beaten her, the only reason we managed a first was she had had a collision and DNF on day 2, this is a lowest points winning scoring so we had calculated even if we came 2nd today we would still win, we looked for her on the line but could not find her anywhere. The race was a long one with a long beat to windward, we left our opposition behind again by a long way and finished getting the first cannon, according to the points Guiding Light has won her class Vintage Class B in this the 2010 Antigua Classic Regatta
Needless to say but the partying, celebrations and hard sailing is now taking its toll with all of us, still 2 nights to go, so forget that and carry on, at least no sailing tomorrow.
Roy

Race day 3

Again off we went to the start line, I should mention here that a lot of boating friends I've made along the way have broken off their voyages and come here especially to cheer me on with their support, so as I leave the dock and pass them in the anchorage they cheer and hoot horns, my very hart felt thanks, I have so appreciated this show of friendship and camaraderie. We were positioning our boat quite well at the start line but one boat did a daft thing very close to me and nearly had a collision with another boat, I went further than planned and with only seconds left had to tack twice, no disasters and off we go again, this course was called the cannon, straight out 6 miles and back, twice, you get to see any faster boat at least twice. On one leg with CJ on the tiller and starboard tack he said "Roy what should I do?" he was referring to the fact that coming towards us on port, neck and neck and very close together was Ranger and Velsheda, (sorry about this but) Shit! I thought for a couple of seconds cos that's all the time you get, and said, split em, just aim straight between them, CJ looked at me and I nodded yes, if he had hesitated for a second I would have taken over, but CJ is a good helm and we split them apart, and with one traveling down each side experienced the best sight of them you can imagine, again, wowww! unbelievable. Then another close encounter, of the forth kind, again with 'Windrose' we had gone so fast and caught a faster grp boat, I was stuck to his stern like glue and he couldn't shake me off, were heading for the finish on starboard again and crossing Windrose's track, she was coming at a hell of a rate so I dearn't look, I said to Dunc "how close" "close" 30' "how close" "closer" 30' "how close" "you better look" I turned round to see her bowsprit what seemed like inches away from my stern and she screamed past WoW, we then seconds later crossed the finish line right behind Ruffian.
Immediately after this race I had promised to take part in the parade of sail around Nelsons Dockyard, I was a bit late getting there, Windrose had just gone in and the guys from the Tot Club asked me to wait a couple of mins, they gave the go ahead and I went in slowly, Windrose had turned round and was on her way out, as we slowly passed each other I noticed Capt'n Kenny Coombs chairman AYC amidships then he and the crew lined the rail from bow to stern and applauded GL!! what a moment, then as we passed the slipway a commentary of GL's history and my trip getting here could be heard given to the gathered crowd, then the moment of glory as the crowd applauded me, my crew, and Guiding Light!!! a bit further on (and all my what they called themselves) 'Fan Club' applauded me from the opposite bank, what a day.
Roy

Race day 2

I woke up this morning to grey skies and lots of squally winds, with crew assembled off we went again to the start, this time I got it right and as the start cannon fired I was crossing at full speed. We had now been round the dock and ID'd the other boats in our class, but we hadn't spotted the one that came 1st on day 1, we raced the ones we knew about though, and left them behind in our wake. As the squally weather continued we got some exciting conditions, and soaking wet too, in torrential tropical rain. To give you a clue as to how hard the wind blew now and again poor 'Galatea' snapped her mizzen mast close to the deck!! Her crew worked all night repairing it!
The race covering helicopter buzzed us on the way round for what seemed like ages, so we knew we were being filmed blasting through the swell, one of the big one's 'Windrose' passed us at full tilt and full sail, no wonder she broke the 98 year old Atlantic schooner race record and won it in 2002, what a sight, she was only about 50 foot away and as she overtook us, well I for one was gob smacked! 'Yahooo', what a good days race, and wearing oily's as well. So after returning too the dock we waited with bated breath in the AYC for the results, having a few beers at the same time....and......
WWoooW!!!! we had come FIRST!!
Partying can't describe the celebration we did of that that night.
Roy

Race day 1

Hi again everyone,
Well with my three Friends as Crew---Duncan UK---CJ Barbados---Jacob Venezuela we set out on the first day to the start line, hoping I wouldn't do anything stupid on the start line I manouvered GL and although not quite close enough started without a hitch, we as yet had not Identified the boats in our class so just went for it as fast as we could, weather was perfect and we had a great time, as the bigger classes caught up we were treated to some amazing sights of some of the worlds most famous classic yachts blasting along at near full speed, so close you felt as though you could touch them, Wow Wow Wow, after the race we came back to the yacht club marina were I had moved the boat to previously, and docked among the other classic yachts. Galatea (1899) had had a collision and nearly lost her stern rail (hell) we had no clue as to were we had come in the race so we went to the hospitality lounge for a couple of free beers, I was so made up to have had such a good sail, you just can't believe how good it is to race & sail in a trade wind. At about 5pm the results were posted, day 1 and we got 2nd place! wow owo woooow! We then celebrated our success at the Sundowner Party and single handed prize giving, I came 9th in that one but it also was a good race.
Roy

Antigua Classic

Hi Everyone,
Well your not going to believe this because I didn't, I entered GL in the Boat International 'Concours DE'legance' judging was on the 15th before the single handed race, and prize giving in the evening, well Guiding Light took 1st place!!! in the Vintage Class, as I went to leave the stage Kenny Coombs chairman of AYC told me to stay put, they then awarded the top Special prise for the best original and well maintained strongest/safety , I WON!!!
Today is the first race and I have to get ready now, but what a result.
More later
Roy

7th April 2010

Hi everyone, thanks for the many birthday wishes received, you just never know where you'll be as these days arrive, I'd just about forgotten it was coming, I had a very pleasant meal at 'Cloggys' restaurant with, Dawn Richard Tina and Tony, fellow boat friends (2 am finish??). So now well on the way preparing GL and myself for the coming challenge, have had the yachts name redone so I can paint that area, also ordered a couple of 't' shirts with the boat and name on them, have to look half decent for this eventI think. As the time is rapidly approaching I am going to be too busy to come ashore to Blog so bear with me on that, It will take a week of blogging after this cos I have a feeling many photos will want posting, hope pics of classic yachts will be interesting, Velsheda is here as are many gorgeous classic yachts, I have even found another Gauntlet yacht, it is the bigger version being 14 tons and restoration is in hand at 'Woodstock' boat yard, Micheal who owns the boat has done a fantastic job so far, very impressed.

Result

Hi everyone, Well have been excepted for the Antigua Classic !!! I met the committee members on Tuesday and have since been measuring GL and begin preparing for the races. Fred poor thing has been removed completly, filled the reg form out today so thats sorted. Have had an interview with the yachting author who covers the event for the AYC. Program allows for a classic single handed race, and I've been asked to enter that as well! so all is in progress. Wish me luck, but just taking part with all the famous classic boats will be fantastic, I hope to get some really good photo's for the blog
more to come
Roy

Pics 8

pic 1= Crossing the line in 4th position
pic 2= Prize giving SLYC
Roy

Pics 7

These pics are of the Saint Lucia Yacht Club J24 Club Championship Race, I was invited to join as crew and was on the fore deck of No. 3 Attitude! all 6 boats took part, pic 1(bott) race start, 2= BMW rule OK! 3= all 6, 4= all 6 again, 5 =Spin up look see!, 2 more pics next post Roy

Pics 6

Pics 6












Pic 1 group photo of the divers, pic 2 trip to Deshaies, pic 3, 4= beach Deshaies, 5= dingy dock up the river Dashaies.
well thats all pics from log, still some in camera to post but haven't got them in computer yet. This lot should keep everyone happy for a bit.
Roy

Pics 5

Melandure and Michelines Dive hol.
pic 1=on my way, pic 2=anchored by the rocks, pic 3= the beach bar, pic 4, 5= M with her dive buddies.
Roy

Pics 4

More views of the Saints, and another land crab, found him in a car park, Pc 1= town centre, Pic 5 = Guadalupe in the distance.
Roy

Pics 3

Hi everyone
Pics here are from Les Saintes pic 1= is a cruise boat that came in, pic 2, 3, 4 = views and 5 is the house built like a boat
Roy

Pics2

These pics are of the mini amazon Indian River Trip. 1= 'Fire' our local guide, and 2,3,5 views 4= a land crab, very hard to take pics of these as they shoot down the hole when approached, see his large eye.

Pics1

Hi everyone Internet at last, 1= prize for taking part in the race. 2= Portsmouth beach, 3= Big Papas Restaurant, 4= beach 2 and 5= hurricane wrecked coaster that nearly blocked the entrance to indian river, now you have to enter it right under the stern of this coaster
Roy

Nostalgia Trip

High Folks,
Well I went to the marina at Jolly Harbour and took on fuel and water on Saturday, then went to do the internet, I'm afraid I failed again, no where could give me both connection and power, so will have to wait.
I moved GL Sunday morning, lifted the anchor at 0530hrs then the trip to Engish Harbour and Falmouth Harbour. Present Position: 17,00.60N , 061,46.67W at anchor just off Pigeon Beach Falmouth Harbour.

I won't be able to describe how poignant this is to me, when I joined the Merch Navy (May 1975) I already had the dream of going round the world in my own boat, and these two places had fired a lot of that ambition as somewhere to see.
Since then I went to the caribbean many times over the years and after joining the Mega Yachts even went there as well.
However none of these times did I fully fill my critria on; How, how far (Log reads 6,746 Nm), what time (0830hrs), what day of week (Sunday), what I would wear, and so many others, the list is long, but every item had a tick yesterday, even what I did on arrival during the day :- lamb curry Sunday lunch at Admirals Inn, Nelsons Dockyard, a red wine at the Galley Bar, a trip to Shirley Hights to listen to the best steel band playing all afternoon, with a view un paralelled anywhere I think, then down again to the bar by the tender dock Falmouth Harbour, no longer 'the odd spot' now called 'Mongoose' what a good day, I could actually come home now, not bothered about going anywhere else (but still more to see). Will be trying to contact the Classic Race Regatta Coordinator today, Helen Spooner, hopefully working something out about taking part, will post result when I find out.
Roy

Antigua 1

Hi Everyone,
Have arrived in Antigua, I left Deshaies on Wednesday afternoon at 1300hrs and made it to Jolly Harbour at 0230 Thursday morning, wind was wrong for Falmouth Harbour so have cleared customs here, I am anchored off the beach at Cove Bay Position: 17,04.60N , 061,54.0W, after clearing in I went to the beach, its coral sand here unlike the islands so far which have been volcanic sand, its half a mile long and I had it all to myself all day, deserted, great. Had a little drink in the YC last night and will stay the weekend I think. I have a marvellous view of Montserrat just East of me, as its not that far away. Hoping to find internet this afternoon and will go saturday to catch up, prob take me all day, keep your eye out for next post as should have pics in.
Roy

Rendezvous

Hi all,
Well I can report a successful rendezvous with Micheline and friends, we met up on week last Sunday night, I had a magic time and some good laughs, also invited to the group evening meal one night, very interesting people these divers and they all seemed to enjoy themselves.
Micheline was able to come with me for a caribbean sail on GL up the coast Thursday, when we arrived however we found there was a bus strike on and we only had a short time to say goodbye, I think she visits Beaumaris on Tuesday, so if you are out and about she will tell you all about it.
I am now preparing for my trip to Antigua, but the wind has been a bit strong with very strong gusts, will leave it for a day or two then off to English or Falmouth Harbour.
Still no internet and thats been quite a while now, but pics are waiting to be posted.
Roy

Deshaies

Well I am at anchor in a quiet bay Position: 16,18.43N 061,47.82W, there is a nice place to land in the dingy at the top of a little river that comes out by the port, only local boats in there but the bay is 3 to 5 mtrs deep great for me to anchor in. Will be here a few days but haven't found internet yet.
More later
Roy

Moved again

Hi everyone,
The Saintes Ilses were very nice but the anchor place was awfull, rolling about all the time, mostly due to the ferries going full tilt through the moored boats. I was so far out as well, so anchor depth was 15mtrs, a bit to much for me to cope with, (15mtr chain + anchor = I can't lift it easily)
So have moved again, a night time passage with a good kip on the way, Pointe Malendure about 500 yards from the cliff,
Position: 16,10.40N 061,46.85W, left Monday at 1600hrs and arrived there at 0600hrs Tuesday. The beach is popular and is the staging post for the dive boats and glass bottom boats, many tourists but not many cruising yachtsmen, went to the beach yesterday very hard to get ashore because of the steep beach and large swell, (a bit of the jetty has washed away) then a 15 min walk to the small town. No real facilities for yachts here, so while I wait for Micheline to arrive I will go round the corner to Deshaies as the town is behind the beach, and anchor off Anse Deshaies. Will maybe get internet there as well and post some pics again.
Roy

Ilses Des Saintes, Guadeloupe

Hi Everyone,
Well everything went to plan yesterday and I left the anchorage in Portsmouth, Dominica, at 10.00am yesterday morning, a quiet sail across the stright and arrived at the ilse of Terre-De-Haut and the town Boug Des Saintes at 17.00hrs last night, Position: 15,52.90N 061,35.14W, after a quick tidy myself up, went ashore to sample the delights, found a very Hot Hot Hot sundowners bar, many French girls dancing about with wild abandon, great, a few beers were consumed by yours truly, (will pay another visit tonight!) its a very busy tourist town and very pretty too, theres a house built into the cliff on the north side of the bay in the shape of a ships Bow and bridge deck coming out of the rock, will get a pic of that and post.
More later
Roy

Travelling again

Hi Everyone,
On the move again, I left St Lucia on Tuesday 2nd March, I know I stayed longer but...They gave me the option of taking part in the St Lucia Sailing Club championship Race, as a crew member aboard No. 3 'Atitude' a J24 class racing yacht, they have six J24's and we had 6 races, we didn't do so well and our race sheet was 6,6,6,6,5,4 We had good racing though, what a fun day it turned out to be, Hoping Danielle will send some photo's to me so I can post them on the blog.
So back to the move, I passed Martinique during the night, lost the wind a few times but made good time just the same.
I came round the bottom of Dominica just before dawn and passed Roseau at 0600hrs, I carried on up to Prince Rupert Bay and anchoured off Big Papas bar Portsmouth, Position: 15,34.84N 061,27.74W. Big Papa (who I met there) had a regge night and I joined that and had a good evening. One scary incident however, while away going to customs my boat dragged the anchour and was rescued by a local man! whew! I will be leaving sometime today for Guadeloupe Les Saints islands, closer to where I will meet up hopefully with Micheline and friends. Pics of my trip up the Indian River (mini Amazon jungle river) on Thursday later.
More coming
Roy

More Pics and news

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pic 4
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pic 2

pic 1

Hi everyone, Well today is farewell to St Lucia, I am leaving as soon as ready today 2nd, not sure yet if I will stop at Dominica or carry on to Guadilupe, depends on wind. A few pics of the race taken by others,

pic 1= GL on her way to SL from Martinique, pic 2= at the start on Saturday, pic 3=Ronnie at the helm, Sven and myself at the Start on Sunday, pic 4= Duncans boat 'Sephina' Duncan & Danielle on board,pic 5= Danielle and me at the party.
My best wishes to everyone I met in St Lucia, not forgetting Peter (Pedro) Barnard who is recovering after his Op. Please keep in touch, I will miss you all!
Roy