Antigua

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Antigua was our first Island to call into after crossing the Atlantic which took six days. The island is one of the Leeward islands. Quite a few people from the UK fly out here for their holidays. The island is not particularly big. I took a bus down to the South of the Island to view the English Harbour and Nelson's dockyard. It was really beautiful with lovely bays and safe havens for yachts many of which will berth here if any big storms are due to hit. The economy is kept ticking over by tourism and banking which forms a major part of the income to the island and its 80,000 inhabitants. They grow corn, sweet potatoes, chilli peppers, Guava, tobacco and cotton. The most famous of Antiguans would be Sir Vivian Richards a superb cricketer. The cricket stadium is named after him and it looks a super venue. Other famous inhabitants include John Barrowman, Eric Clapton, Richard Branson Oprah Winfrey. There is widespread poverty especially in the Capital Port St. John. We wandered around the town and up the hill to the cathedral only to find it derelict and vandalised. Windows smashed and overgrown graveyard. We wandered back down to the port area stopping for a cool drink before getting back on the ship and heading off. Would I visit Antigua again? No I don't think I would. It was not my favourite island in the Caribbean. The photo is of the English Harbour.