Barbados is just beautiful. We are anchored in 14 feet of clear aqua water over white sand off of a long beach lined with bars. It is so nice to be at anchor. There is a little roll, but it is nothing compared to St. Helena and Ascension. We tried 5 times to anchor further out, but the CQR just dragged across the bottom. Finally we gave up and moved in to the front of the moored boats. It makes us a little nervous to be so close to the shore, but there is less current in here so it is more comfortable.
There are lots of juvenile turtles around. Our anchor disturbs the sea grass and so they treat it like a buffet line. The other day there were 10 snacking along our chain. And they don't seemed to be bothered when it swings over them.
Our first full day here was a Sunday. We spent the morning walking around Bridgetown, the capital of the island, admiring the mix of grand Georgian and chattel house architecture, while we looked in vain for a place to get Sten's hair cut. Most of the shops and business were closed so we headed back to the boat to do some much needed hull cleaning. We were in the water for hours without getting cold. That evening, the opening act of a week-long series of reggae concerts kicked off on the beach in front of us. There was a huge crowd that even the rain couldn't disperse.
Monday found us back in Bridgetown for lunch at a spot that advertised complementary wifi. After a few weeks without internet it is always a relief to check all the accounts and credit cards to make sure that everything is roughly as we expect it to be. Sten found a barber who was able to tame his mop and who also, since he had him in the chair, tried some creative up-sells. After Sten turned down the pirated DVD's, the barber flipped open his phone to a picture of two girls kissing and offered to hook Sten up with them. You've got to admire a guy with entrepreneurial spirit.
Tuesday morning we swam into the beach wearing our hats and shades and reefshirts (we're so not cool) with the intent of walking it. We didn't get very far before we started talking to a Bajan couple who had flown in from England for their daughter's wedding. Unfortunately, they were the only ones here. The rest of the party has been delayed by the volcanic ash grounding European flights.
Next, we met a New Yorker who spends four months a year at his house here. We wound up talking to him for quite a while. But we were so busy answering his questions about piracy and firearms that we completely blew the opportunity to quiz him about his favorite restaurants and the best grocery stores. By the time we wrapped up our conversation, we were well toasted and had to swim back to the boat to find some shade.
We spent the rest of the day swimming and cooking. Sten made BBQ sauce for the chicken we would have for dinner and I made flan. When the galley got too hot we just jumped in to cool off. It is good to be back in the Caribe.
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