Paradise Found

Barbuda is a sister island of Antigua and is located about 30 miles to the north. The island is flat and sandy. It measures 14 miles long by 8 miles wide. It has the largest stretch of beautiful beach we have ever seen and the water is crystal clear. It is as near to paradise as you can get.




This anchorage is called Gravenor Bay and it is located on the southern end of the island.

Lucky for us our boat can get into very shallow areas. Here we are anchored in 6 feet of water.

There are great small reefs around us. Easy to swim to and fun to look at.

Some of the reef has been damaged by recent hurricanes but there is still a lot of beauty here. Soon we see our friends Mike and Renee on Jacumba . They find a nice spot next to us. Hello!
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Although we are in paradise, there is still work to be done. Here is Mike going up the mast to replace an anchor light.

Later we go for a hike on the windy side of the island. The windy side faces the Atlantic Ocean. It is in stark contrast to where we are anchored but also beautiful.

But , like many islands, lots of debris washes up on the shores.


We do a bit of shopping here, never know what you might find .
It is hot so later we do a bit of swimming and snorkeling. Mike spots a nurse shark.
There is plenty of small colorful fish to look at.

And some nice coral

A few days later we move around the corner to Coco Beach. It is still beautiful. The beach goes on forever. The sand is like pink sugar. Great for long walks and just hanging out. There are two resorts on this section of the island. Coco Beach Resort is small and very private. It has been here for 46 years. Another resort on the beach has closed its doors. There are no restaurants or bars for boaters but all sorts of boats come here for the sheer beauty.


A few days later we move around Palmetto Point to Low Bay. A short walk across the beach and you are looking at the town of Codrington and the Codrington Lagoon. The wind is blowing and the seas are whipped up in a frenzy.


There is no easy way to get to the town of Codrington on your own. We opt for a local water taxi.
The locals will also take you on a tour of the Codrington Lagoon. It is shallow and long poles are used to get close to the nesting birds.

There is a nature reserve in the lagoon that is home to the largest frigate bird nesting colony in the world. There are many types of birds here, over 400 species to be exact. Here is a nesting colony of the black frigate birds. Some of these birds have a wingspan of up to 8 feet. They do not swim due to low oil content on their wings. They can dip their bills in the water but mostly they catch flying fish in the air or they steal the catch of other seabirds.

The males display a huge red breast during mating season to attract the females.
The lagoon has a large system of mangroves and channels. It is like a maze.
The mangrove lagoon is also home to lobster, lots of lobster. The local rate is $6 US per pound. Guess what Steve and Anne had for dinner?
Since it was almost time to check out of Barbuda we visited the local port authority, customs officer and immigration. They are all housed in different areas. They hold regular business hours but they are not always where they are supposed to be. Steve spends two hours trying to get the paperwork completed. The hold up is primarily the customs officer. His house is also his office. Seems he is sound asleep with the TV on full blast. Despite loud pounding on the door, we can’t wake him. We return to immigration but they won’t talk to us until we see customs. They call him and after many rings he wakes up. Not a happy guy. Such is island life.

We have 24 hours to leave so we decide to stay one more day because the weather is still good. We take a nice walk on the beach and this is when our dinghy disappears….out to sea by itself. Steve makes a dash down the beach, jumps in the water and starts swimming.

It is a far swim and the boat keeps moving, there is no one around to help.

Steve has on his mask and snorkel, but no fins. He is still far away and getting tired It is a bit unnerving and could have been life changing.

Steve comes back to shore a different man. WOW, what an experience!!

We take off for St. Martin early the next morning , about 80 miles to the north west. It is a nice day but we know a wicked cold front from the US east coast is heading our way. We will be safely tucked into a big lagoon in St. Martin by tonight and soon we will be sipping coffee and eating croissants in the lovely French town of Marigot. See you there.

Bird Video

Steve and Anne

S/V Fine Line