Antigua Events...So much fun!

November 15, 2023 - January 2, 2024

Nikki and I first sailed with the Salty Dawgs on Carosy, a Leopard 45 catamaran. We were crew on the passage from Hampton to Antigua in 2021, and what an experience. We met lots of great people, including the owners of Carosy, who are fantastic people. But one of the things we did not get to participate in were the events that the Salty Dawgs hosted in Antigua because we had to fly back to Vancouver, Zorro, and start to get ready for when our boat would arrive. 

So this time around, we were excited to spend time in Antigua and enjoy all the different events that the Salty Dawgs had planned. Spending time talking to other cruisers is one of the best things about being a Salty Dawg. The events include dinners, games, hikes, tours, arts and crafts, and business events where we get to meet different service providers. In Antigua, between November 12th and December 31st, there were 29 scheduled events and at least that amount of impromptu events arranged by various cruisers. I will not cover all of them, but instead just hit the highlights of a few and cover some of the restaurants that we enjoyed. 

First of our events was the Antigua Yacht Club (AYC) Early Arrival Happy Hour. Antigua Yacht club is located on the Falmouth Harbour side and became a location we would go to several times. The happy hour allowed us to meet new cruisers who arrived early, as well as to reconnect with the boaters we met back in Hampton. Mostly, it was a chance to find out how everyone fared on the journey down. It was great to catch up. Antigua Yacht Club would host several other events and also host the weekly dominoes game. 

Nikki attended an afternoon pool and drinks day at Boom Restaurant with a bunch of the women. According to Nikki, hanging out and chatting with other women about their sailing journey was a really fun experience, and to have it happen in a pool with good food and drinks made it even better!

Women's afternoon at the pool!

Welcome Cocktails at Pillars Restaurant in the Admiral Inn. The inn is located in Nelson’s Dockyard and is fantastic. The main building was built in 1785, and the whole site was completed in 1788. It was part of the dock that built and stocked ships with rum and sugar to go back to England. It is said that the bricks that make up the inn and main gate were bricks used as ballast for the ships coming from England, and they used rum to ballast the ships on the return journey. The entire Nelson’s Dockyard is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is a must-see when in Antigua.

The Admirals Inn also hosted the welcome dinner poolside at Boom Restaurant. This is a great restaurant, with an amazing view, and the dinner was fantastic.

Nelson's Dockyard also hosted a dinner with live Caribbean music, dancers, and even stilt walkers. 

One of our favorite events was the Galleons Beach Party and the Academy of Rum event. Nothing like a day at the beach and an afternoon rum tasting to know you are in the Caribbean. The Academy of Rum not only gave us a tasting of their rum but also allowed us to make our own rum. We each had our own still and learned all about how to make rum. From the different botanicals and spices used for flavour, to coloring, and of course, the proof, how strong do you like your rum? At the end of the tasting, we bottled and labeled our rum. Nikki and I made a spiced rum, which I must say is not all that bad for newbies in the moonshine business. 

2 six 8 Craft Brewery is an Antigua brewery in Falmouth Harbour, they have a nice IPA and pale ale. They teamed up with North Sails to host a tasting and sail loft tour. They also had a Christmas craft market where vendors sell their locally made  products. The beer is great, the food is good and the locals have a lot of talent from art to soaps. It should be checked out. 

The Salty Dawg teamed up with a local group Dadli Explorers, which is now called Waves to Awareness, for a beach clean up.

In between all the organized events we had fun with other cruisers making music and memories!

It's not even the end of November, and the events keep happening. Next, we head back to AYC for American Thanksgiving. Before dinner, the National Sailing Academy hosted a regatta where Salty Dawgs got to team up and show off their sailing skills, racing around the bay. Nikki and I were spectators, and it was a fun day. The National Sailing Academy is set up to teach local children and young adults how to sail and the possibilities of sailing as a career. These courses are free to the students and made possible by donations. If you are in Antigua, I would recommend checking them out. Their slogan, “Changing lives one tack at a time” says it all. 

As we head into December, Nikki and I finally leave Antigua for a sail. We had been held captive in Falmouth and English Harbours, between the repairs to our davits and so many fun events.  We decided to sail to Barbuda and do some snorkeling, winging, and a frigate bird tour. December is mating season for the frigate, and these birds put on quite the display. A local guide will take you by boat into the mangroves, and you get up close and personal with these rather loud birds. You end up only a couple a feet away from them at times. Although I felt it was a little intrusive, it was still a nice tour if you can make it to Barbuda.

There is also a local lobster dinner restaurant and Uncle Rodney’s Beach Bar and Grill, which about ten of us went to and had a very nice dinner. The snorkelling is good and the winging or kiteboarding is excellent. Unfortunately, the mega-rich have taken over one section of the beach out to the tip of Barbuda. They have bars and restaurants that are all reserved for the owners of the homes on the estate. Too bad, as the kite bar would have been nice to visit and have a drink after winging. 

Next, we head back to Antigua for Christmas and New Year's Eve.