After our whirlwind week in the UK visiting Malcolm’s Mum Jean and finding her in remarkably fine spirits, a couple of powerful DanceSyndrome sessions connecting with each other in person and other organisations in our dance world including our partners from Japan, and playing catch up on various fronts, we were happy to be heading back to Sukama. 

UK, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Isles de Saints to be precise.  We transitted through central London to avoid the saga of bus replacements of trains on a Sunday but took the opportunity to spend some quality time with each other at the theatre.  Having found somewhere to stay in Leicester Square we decided on Hamilton at Victoria!  Of course!  What other contender for us focused as we are on social change!

St John’s on Antigua is all about people – people everywhere all of the time.  We caught the bus to the colourful fruit and veg market with equally colourful characters, found our wares all of which felt like good buys apart from the extortionately expensive water melon, and the bus back where people are super courteous and kind to each other.  Basse Terre on Guadeloupe was bit of a cheat as we sailed on by to Bourg des Saintes on Isles de Saintes, which is beautiful.  In spite of being a capital everything is pretty run down, held together, but wonderful vibrant Caribbean colours everywhere.  Yesterday we challenged ourselves to climb the 1000ft to the fort at the top of the highest peak which we did in a respectable time.  Then down the other side to the bay at Pain de Sucre to recce the snorkelling for Azzra and Kaia over Easter.  It shone head and shoulders over any other site we’ve yet found.  Sadly little coral but glistening shoals and individual eyecatching fish were in abundance.

And we’ve seen our first humpback whale breaching 3 times!  Fully clear of the water – all 40 tons of it!  Not exactly close but what an incredible privilege!!  

Two capital cities in one day – Guadeloupe and Isles de Saintes

Someone asked us at what point we wanted to be heading back here.  For us like many others, home is where the heart is.  At this time in our lives home is Sukama.  As a floating home she provides a huge tick in the box allowing our nomadic tendencies full rein.  We are in our happy place.  

Always mindful that this life of ours is only possible because of Jen’s remarkable care team and DanceSyndrome.

It’s also fabulous to be able to chat with an excited Anthony this week about plans for the coming couple of weeks when we’re looking forward to real time together with him, Georgina, Azzra and Kaia.  We’re busy scheming ‘adventures’!

We were almost ready!

They caught us off guard landing 90 minutes early! Like so many of the good things in life, you don’t know how much you miss them until you experience them again.  We’re delighted Anthony and all his family have come to join us for two whole weeks over Easter!

Today is day 4.  We’d mostly provisioned as we’ve voyaged with the latest being at the Carrefore supermarket in Pigeon Bay Guadeloupe because the prices of everything in Antigua are nothing short of astronomical.  That was an interesting exercise where we left the Isles de Saintes early doors arriving with 3 hours to spare before dark so it was top up the air in the dinghy, take a splashy ride to shore and into a tiny fishing harbour through a dogleg entrance avoiding the rocks purpose designed to puncture our little craft, tie up to ties kindly supplied protruding from between the rocks which you then clamour up and into the supermarket car park.  It works really well with the only real challenge being to gauge quite how much of anything you can buy and then massage into the limited space of the dinghy.  Thankfully we got it spot on and didn’t have to pile things up like a container ship.  The ride back was fine, climbing onto wallowing Sukama from a bouncy sea and handing up heavy bags of shopping caused us to focus on the job in hand! 

Sailing back across the Passage of Guadeloupe to Antigua the following day with our bounty we were treated to our second humpback whale sighting.  For us this is nothing short of extraordinary, and stunning taking our breath away, for others it will be commonplace.  We’ve found a spot where we can anchor just outside Jolly Harbour so that’s where we opted to stay overnight.  It’s peaceful, protected from the prevailing easterly winds, has a mini beach, great anchoring depths with good holding in sand, and an establishment where they charge over £2000/night to stay!  Which is far from expensive in Antigua.  The view in the morning is idyllic with the early morning sun bouncing off the islets scattered around.  This is a new normal there is no adequate way to describe, but for the time being it’s ours to enjoy, for free. 

Followed by frenetic cleaning, tidying, and making space for 4 extra people and their belongings.  It felt so good, just to sit and chat and reconnect.  It’s been an age since we were last together, and even longer that we were in a position where everyone was able to relax.  The following morning was of necessity very easy going though the 4 hour time zone difference made for early awakenings.  After breakfast it was a beach day, to regroup, but also for Azzra and Kaia to be introduced to snorkelling as the following day we had a tour booked with Adventure Antigua.  Having experienced it twice before we knew what to expect, but it didn’t disappoint.  We were able to share the delights of sea turtles and eagle rays in their natural habitats, tropic birds, frigate birds, osprey, reef fish and corals, and Hell’s Gate, an outcrop of rock to the north of Antigua where the Atlantic meets the Caribbean Sea so obviously describing the continent of Africa.  It is made of limestone which is intricately eroded, requires you to swim from the boat to the shore, admire the snails, fish and birds as you go, climb through a cave taking care to duck, climb up and over a bridge and not step on the grass as there may be nothing but fresh air under it – yes really, grass in the middle of the oceans! Couple all the above with delicious food, a great sense of humour and bon homie of Captain David, Luca and Mark all of whom are excellent guides, and you have a tour to remember for the rest of your life.

So now on Day 4, we’re on passage.  We’ve cast our lines, left Antigua and are heading to our overnight haunt on Guadeloupe planning onward journeying to Isles de Saintes, and Dominica.  You may have heard us describe these before, but as the best of the best that we have experienced these are the obvious destinations to share with our guests whether family or friends.  We absolutely want all to have the best that we can proffer.