Prehistoric Volcano - Nevis – Sunshine’s and the Infamous Bone – Waxing Moon and 13 hours to Antigua –

And so we left St. Barth’s in a state of awe.  Some of us still reeling with joy, some of us still recovering.  As we neared the oft-overlooked Dutch island of Statia, we sailed into a large pod of breaching tuna. We altered our heading slightly to get a better look and try and get a bite. At first we saw a few, as we sailed closer we saw dozens.  Unfortunately the cold streak continued.  

After setting anchor off Statia, we took to shore.  This rarely visited island could not have been much different from the glamorous St. Barth’s.  Few shops seemed to be tended to, many seemed abandoned, and the shops that were open didn’t have much information to provide anyway.  We moved on past town to scale the peak of the island - a volcano that looked like something out of Jurassic Park.  Once we reached the caldera we descended down boulders, occasionally helped by ropes, into the center of a rainforest-like realm.  After travelling along a number of arid islands – often lined with cacti - from the USVI to the BVI to St. Barth’s, Statia provided for a stark topographic contrast with massive trees filled with lush vegetation and vines hanging in all directions. 

Besides some stunning panoramic views and a lush forest,  Statia had little to offer besides a mellow atmosphere in which to put back a couple Caribs (beer of choice in the Caribbean) on the beach.  The next morning we set sail for Nevis. 

The sail past Statia’s volcano and through the leeward side of St. Kitts was calm, relaxing and pleasant, unlike many of the beats in big seas further up the island chain.  Of note, was the crew’s decision to flop roles.  The crew of four had a wide variety of skills from racing sailboats, to fishing, to engineering, to chefing up some mean meals with a sparse set of ingredients.  And we often stuck to what we knew best.  Starting with this sail we more consciously took the time to learn from one another.  Our travels proved not just a vacation, but a time to learn all forms of new skills outside our comfort zone.  Prior began a new career at cooking and fishing which would later come much in handy. On this sail Sanford took the helm and played the role of “el capitan.” He smoothly sailed and directed us right into a calm anchorage off a beautiful strip of beach.  

Nevis, much like Statia, was very laid back.  It had the great advantage of friendly locals – often Rastas – who had formed a symbiotic relationship with tourists.  They welcomed us with open arms and were proud to show us the benefits of their way of life. 

That afternoon while we were having some rum drinks beachside, some locals showed up with a truck of discarded palettes of wood, broken fences and chairs, and just generally a heap of garbage.  This is what the bars used for their occasional bonfire parties on the beach.  After some more rum drinks on the beach alongside the bonfire we came to commit ourselves to the owner “Sunshine,” to a reggae tour around the island.  In this environment, it just felt right. 

While such tours often involve negotiating the price, the next day we found ourselves spending more time negotiating the time.  For some reason, our local guide – “Bone” as his friends called him – insisted a late afternoon tour.  Bone was a classy 50 year-old bachelor, who wore a fidora to compliment his reggae-ness with some added style.  Despite his sketchy demeanor, Bone gave us the full tour alright to include getting a beer at a better portion of all the hole in the wall bars on the island, hitting a number of key vistas, and allowing Bone time to flirt with all the single ladies.  At one point we pulled up to a tree from which dozens of green back monkeys jumped from branch to branch as they fled back into the forest away from the road.  As they took flight, the tree shook from left to right as if it were about to collapse on our van. 

At another point we pulled onto one of the famous plantations called the Golden Rock Estate.  From there we enjoyed stunning views and went for a stroll in the woods.  After no more than 100 feet from the base of the trail we had entered a different realm with its own tropical climate.  We were surrounded by vines dangling from trees over 100 feet high.  At our feet stood Blood Root Trees with their notoriously tall but thin roots branching out from each direction.

And so we closed our day, like many others, returning to the west side of the island to watch another beautiful sun set over the Caribbean Sea.  After this adventure our next day would be mellow in preparation for a 14-hour, middle-of-the-night sail to Antigua.  That mellow day consisted of sailing a few miles up shore and stopping for a kiteboarding sesh over lunch.  Winds weren’t great, but Jamie still kited to St. Kitts and back.  Luckily the customs is the same between the two islands. 

Up next....

A Day in the Life in Antigua (i.e., day at Rendezvous Bay)