Back on the Beach

Some views of Coco Beach, Peter, Holly and Ann.  The fisheye pic of the beach bar caused much amusement because none of the three could believe that they had been in the pic when I'd taken it.  The bottles include Diamond Reserve Coconut in the middle of the lower row - it was my favourite rum, taken with lemonade.  The cabana at the end of the causeway was where we photographed the crabs - more later.

English Harbour

An English naval base, where Nelson was stationed as a 26-year old captain.  The entrance to the harbour (on the left of the bottom picture) had a chain which could be raised to prevent enemy warships from getting in.  The French were on Guadalupe, not far to the south, and a system of lookouts and flags enabled the English to detect and communicate any hostile activity all round the island.  King George V also served here as a naval officer, and the capstans were refurbished to mark his 25 years on the throne.  

Discovering the Wildlife

Venturing out into the sun and scrub beyond the resort to see what was common.  From the top: White-Crowned Pigeon; Ruddy Turnstone (same bird as ours); Gray Kingbird (a large flycatcher); Mongoose (an introduced species); Silver Spider (argiope argentata); Bananaquit; Magnificent Frigate Bird (immature); our friendly cabin lizard and Antillean Crested Hummingbird. 

Off to the Windies

7.30 in the morning at Gatwick saw Ann and I, plus Peter and Holly, having breakfast after checking in our baggage and negotiating security.  Less than twelve hours later were in Antigua, W.I. and finding our cabin, the beach and the cocktail bar.  Welcome to Paradise, as the passport officer said to me.

The Old Folks at Home

Yesterday we finished the 1000-piece jigsaw we were given for Christmas, completing it in just under a month.  

Buzzard

                     A buzzard in the field behind the house.

Wolf Moon

Penumbral Moon.  Photographed at 1900hrs today.  Because it was shadowed by the Earth, it was much darker than it usually is.