Commodore
December 26, 2020

Pink beach treat for Boxing Day

The water was very milky with white sand stirred up in it, not ideal for snorkelling, so we decided to move on. Solomon our boat man and guide to the frigates arrived at 8am to tell us he was going fishing and did we want anything. We told him we would but that we were moving on, no problem he said he’d find us. More importantly he wanted a light from Rowan as he had forgotten his matches. Rowan had a great laugh as he reckons it was the most enormous joint!

Rowan found a very exclusive, remote resort further north called the Barbuda Belle that was particularly yacht friendly and managed to book us in for lunch. It was quite hairy getting there as it was very shallow and lots of reefs and coral heads to negotiate. It was only about 3 miles from where we were but around a spit called Cedar Tree point. We could see the tree and as we got closer we were surprised to see it was a palm tree and not a Cedar tree. I suspect the hurricanes removed the Cedar tree ages ago. There were no other yachts there and we decided not to go all the way in on the narrow channel. We did the last stretch in Jeldi Jeldi which was very splashy and got us all drenched. Typically Rowan and I forgot our masks so he dropped us off to walk along the beach while he returned to fetch our masks.

Cedar Tree point!

Polepole in the distance

The beach was stunning, so pink from the coral. The resort was beautifully done in a Balinese style, all wooden shacks on stilts. It was a delicious pampering meal with fresh lobster and fish, washed down with good wine. Two very friendly entertaining local woman running the show with a French chef, the owners are French and live on the island St John’s. There were only 6 other guests. It’s so remote we wondered if there was enough to do, definitely a place to chill.

Halfway through our meal Solomon appeared in his boat with loads of lobsters. Rowan bought 3 and asked them to drop them off on Polepole. Thank goodness as 3 huge spikey creatures in the bouncing dinghy might have been too much after our convivial meal! The manager bought the rest of the lobsters, Solomon is obviously a regular supplier.

Solomon arrives with lobsters for us!

We got back to Polepole and decided to head south so that we had less distance to cover when we return to Antigua tomorrow. Luke leaves on the 28th. Predict wind says the wind is dying so it will be a slow sail back. We had good light to wiggle our way back out of the maze of shallow water and reefs. There was no wind so it was a motor south to Cocoa Point, we arrived just before the sun set and we were amazed to find it full of boats. More hugely expensive and enormous sailing boats, too shallow for gin palaces thank goodness. Rowan says it is the peak week for yachts here in Antigua , it certainly feels so different to everywhere else we have been. The beach had a couple of bars that were buzzing so maybe that is why there are so many boats. Or it may be the fact that the only surviving resort on this beach is owned by Robert de Niro.