Diary of a girl at Sea – Sailing for the first time!

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Day 2

Jackie & I spent the night under the stars, there was a nice warm breeze and we were prepared to be a bit cold so were wrapped up. I slept very lightly to be honest but then again that is normal for me! There are so many new noises to get used to on the boat. Having slept outside we were the first to wake up as the morning light hit us first of course! Once the others all woke up, the students made a quick trip to the Dinghy dock at Antigua Yacht Club to drop off rubbish and CV’s for Natalie. Just before we left Falmouth we took in a Superyacht Tour, we saw “A” which is a mega yacht; The Maltese Falcon was also back in town and was anchored just outside the Harbour. With Natalie at the helm we started sailing North gybing many times along the way, there were 1.5 metre swells so that made it tricky for the novices to helm on our 2^nd day but we all took turns at the wheel. We anchored at Carlisle Bay for lunch. Natalie & Jo made a big mixed salad and Natalie’s speciality: Chickpea salad (very girlie lunch!). There was much Turtle spotting in Carlisle Bay, we decided not to snorkel as there was a bit of rain in the air! Heidi then taught us a Bowline knot and a round turn and 2 half hitches. We sailed off anchor and set off for Jolly Harbour. When we got close to Jolly Harbour we practiced “Man over board” the “man” was in fact a fender with a heavy coiled rope attached. Jo took Heidi quite literally when she said to throw in the horseshoe buoy so that was also rescued! Again each of us got a turn to try hooking in the man. We then practiced heaving to; we all had a go at the helm for this. Some nifty tacking and piloting saw us into Jolly Harbour sailing in between the other boats. After a quick cup of tea and demolishing lots of biscuits (in only a way women can) we took it in turns to lasso a mooring buoy then docked outside Al Porto restaurant. A Tuesday in Jolly Harbour - that means 2 for 1 pizza night, a tempting offer we couldn’t refuse so we booked a table for dinner. Before dinner, Jackie & I decided to shower on the transom of the boat, we got the giggles big time when we realised the people in the restaurant were able to see us and a few were watching, but we persevered nethertheless (and we did have bikinis on!). During dinner we met various local residents of Jolly Harbour, including Rick who owns “Elethea” a well-known racing boat in the area and Tony who races “Augustine” – a yacht also in the Miramar Sailing fleet. So after everyone had a few Red wines, our instructor Heidi got the nickname of “Pimp” as she managed to get us all places on the boats for the Saturday racing that takes place weekly in Jolly Harbour. The sailing chat could have gone on all night with the locals we met. But of course our beds in our comfortable cabins were calling. Jackie & I slept inside as the other crew told us we should so that we didn’t wake up as early!

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