Touring The Best of Antigua . . .

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I’m getting into the final stretch of my contract now. Still a good chunk of time left, but the end is in sight and soon I’ll be visiting ports for the last times. So this week, I’ve made a point to get out in the ports every day to see and do things. While on the Destiny, I went snorkeling and zip-lining in Antigua, but I hadn’t really seen much of the island itself. Thanks to friends in the Shore Ex department, I got onto a sightseeing and historical tour of the island: “the best of Antigua”.

We had a great guide who covered all the usual history . . . the island’s discovery by Christopher Columbus, it’s part in the sugar industry, the battles for the island (because of the sugar) between the British and French . . . I’m still so amazed at how far-reaching the seven years war was, both in terms of the geography touched and how the outcome has shaped so much of modern Europe, North America and the Caribbean. And it’s all because of my years of teaching about it to students in Quebec City that it all even registers with me.

Our first stop was at Block House, the remains of a fort set up on a cliff over the ocean. Beautiful views down to the water, to a river, to land below (and to various mansions belonging to various famous people). It was lovely up there.

Next we visited Shirley Heights, a lookout point, formerly with the purpose of spotting enemies and signaling to nearby forts. The view there was gorgeous. You could see Fort Charlotte and Fort Berkley, two of the islands forty forts. And also Nelson’s Dockyard, which was our final stop of the tour.

Nelson’s Dockyard is a naval base that is fully restored as it appeared in the 18th century. It’s pretty and quaint and quiet and peaceful down there. After our brief tour of the site, we were left on our own. So I just wandered and took photos and sipped my rum punch (which I took hesitantly, but it was possibly the tastiest I’ve ever had on the many island tours I’ve taken). My exciting treat for the day was I bought a jar of locally homemade mango jam. It is incredible!

After the tour, we were returned to the ship but there was time left before I had to be back onboard. So here I am, sitting in an open-air café on the pier. The rain is starting up again (it’s been raining off & on all day), but it’s still quite lovely here.

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Photos

View from Shirley Heights
To the far left is Fort Charlotte and at the centre point is Fort Berkley, two of the islands 40(!) forts.