Anguilla

So finally we lifted anchor, motored out through the French Stony Ground Bridge and left St Martin. We were beginning to think we would never leave!

Not to say we didn't enjoy it but we here to cruise not park off on one island.

The wind was perfect for the sail across coming from behind we goose winged the main and genoa and sailed along happily! We averaged about 7 knots and hour and surfing down the occasional swell touched on 8.5 knots.

Anguilla is a low island surrounded by beautiful beaches and coral banks. She has one main check in port on the North Western side called Road Bay and that's where we headed! 

There is a population of about 12 000 people and they rely on tourism as their major industry! 

In 1967 Britian lumped Anguilla with St. Kitts and Nevis and made them an autonomous state.

The Anguillans objected, they wanted to remain a British colony! (Yeah go figure!) and rebelled against the rule of the premier in St Kitts. He swore he would "show them who was boss" and threatened to turn the island in to a desert! Except he chose the wrong enemy! Anguillans stuck together and rebelled! Amazingly there were only minor casualties and no fatalities! The rebels opened fire on the police station, manned from St Kitts at all hours of day and night until the police could no longer take it.   The rebels blocked the runway so the police could not get reinforcements! They allowed the police to leave the island.

The Anguillans were worried there would be retaliation from St Kitts, and in the good old tradition of 'the best form of defense is attack' they invaded St Kitts. A boatload of men assisted by two American mercenaries. The invasion was said to be a total fiasco, a hole got blown in the ground near the defense force HQ and there was a shoot out at the police station! Once again, there were no casualties. However, it did the job, after that no one on St Kitts wanted to mess with the Anguillans.

In 1967 Britian under the mistaken impression that the island had been taken over by the mafia, invaded! Armed men waded ashore onto the pristine white beaches to be met by goats and curious small boys! After the embarrassment died down the Anguillans got what they wanted, to once again be administered by Britian. 

Road Bay, the point of our 'invasion' is long white beach edged with bars and restaurants and companies offering various water sports! A tranquil anchorage but very busy!

The main reason being it is the only bay you may anchor in for free and one of two bays you may anchor overnight! To go to any other bays beaches or islands of Anguilla you need to purchase a 'cruising permit'. To go to the islands is US$ 50 per day and if you stay around the main islands beaches it's US$37.00 per day! Quite a bit at R11.00 to the dollar!

We decided we needed exercise anyway and one our first day we took our new dehone folding bikes ashore and set off. They were surprisingly comfortable on that long ride up and down hills. We cycled up Crocus Hill and down to check out the bay! Beautiful pristine beach with turquoise waters, then over the next hill to Little Bay!

Little Bays access is either by boat or as you cycle down the road there is an open plot of land, you ride onto it and between the trees is a partially hidden path. You follow this down the cliff to the top of the beach where there are ropes tied to assist you down to the sands! As we had the bikes with us we didn't spend time down on the sand but took some photos before setting off.

On the way we missed the access the first time and cycled down a steep hill and off on a road we thought was heading to Little Bay and discovered Limestone Bay! There we met a very friendly local who was working on villas he is building with spectacular views. He threatened to make a sign explaining how to get to little bay as he says EVERYONE stops and asks him. But he was very friendly and helpful, as we found all the Anguillians to be, despite their 'fierce' history.

The Roti Hut is a land mark in Anguilla and as it is one of our favorite meals we stopped for lunch there. We were not disappointed! Delicious!!

Roti Hut

Day two we joined Scuba Shack divers, you not allowed to dive alone on Anguilla, and met John. A super American chap who was their instructor. He had recently spent some months in SA diving with the great whites of Gans Baai! So thoroughly enjoyed our chats. With them we dived two of the seven wrecks around The island. A number of boats had been damaged irreparably in the last hurricane and the government had acquired them and sunk them to create artificial reefs. It was fantastic to submerge beneath the waves and descend to 20 meters again. I so missed diving. The wrecks were nice with turtles and other reef fish. 

 

Day 3 we decided we had to go and see some of the surrounding marine parks and bought a cruising permit. We set off for Prickly Pear island with blue skies. About an hour later as we were anchoring the biggest storm we have had to date approached. The skies darkened and the heavens opened up. Here in the Caribbean this usually lasts a few minutes at most half an hour. Well this listed the whole day until we sailed back to Road Bay for the night, it stopped just before the lay anchor in Road Bay. So much for a US$ 50 Cruising permit! 

We did walk around the island drenched to the bone. But it's fresh or as the locals call it, 'sweet water' so not too bad. Had a beer on the beach under the beach bar with about 10 Americans who were there on a day excursion from some cruiser. 

We awoke the next morning and on impulse descided we were leaving that day. So at 0650 we lifted anchor and set off for BVI!