04-14-2011: St Kitts & Nevis

These island are called the "islands that brush the clouds" with good reason. 

Here's St Kitts as we approach from the North:

Arrived in Basseterre & had to anchor as the Port Zante Marina was full.

The anchorage is notoriously rolly & lived up to expectations.

Next day we got a slip.  Here's Dance Aweigh at rest:



Another shot of the marina basin - with the mountains in the background:

The marina is part of the Port Zante project. 

The developer - one of the Matalons from Jamaica (those Jamaicans are everywhere!) - reclaimed the land, put in the marina & a huge duty free shopping complex for the cruise ships.

We walked into Basseterre, past the National Museum:

To The Circus - fashioned after Picadilly Circus in London:



We bought groceries at Ram's Supermarket, which was surprisingly well stocked.

They use the EC$ here (Eastern Caribbean) - about 2.7 to the US $.

Decided to take a tour of the island.

First stop was Romney Manor - an old estate garden, where we also got a tour of Caribelle Batik - saw how they make the stuff:

Our guide was very pleasant & well versed in St Kitts history.

He was quite proud of this national hero & ex Prime Minister, who apparently seized many plantations from the wealthy - a bit socialist for my taste:

The Northern 2/3 of St Kitts is pretty desolate - lots of volcanic rocks, no pretty beaches. 

This is Dieppe Bay, used by locals as a hurricane hole:

St Kitts has a lot of African green vervet monkeys.

Some of the locals keep them as pets.

This lady sold us some drinks & agreed to let me take her photo.

She then demanded payment for doing so.  Not cool:





US$80 only got us around the North side of the island, but we wanted to see the beaches.

That was another US$50.  Plus we bought the guide lunch & gave him a tip.

Not cheap.

Here we see the peninsula in the South.

The Atlantic is on the left & the Caribbean is on the right:

And here we have the Mariott at North Frigate Bay - behind us:

Lunch was at Reggae Beach overlooking The Narrows - the 2 miles of water between St Kitts & Nevis:

After 3 nights in the marina we sailed 2 hours South to Nevis.

Again we see the familiar volcanic dome touching the clouds:





Fran & Herm, this ones for you - Pinney's Beach with the newly re-opened Four Seasons:

St Kitts & Nevis are one country.  We checked in at St Kitts, & this afternoon we checked out in Nevis.

Here's the government dock.  Customs nearby.

Well lads, they can't all be winners!  We're off at first light for Antigua. 

It's 45 nautical miles away - 9 hours at 5 kts.

We'll be heading into the seas, but the winds are predicted to be very light, so it should be fine.

We'll check in at Jolly Harbor.  Spend a couple nights.

Then we'll divert North to Barbuda for their fabled beaches,

before returning South to examine Antigua in more detail.