Christmas Winds in Antigua

While folks back home in the northeast US (New England) are digging out from a powerful winter storm that walloped the region with raging winds and blinding snow we are struggling with our own weather woes.  It may be subzero temperatures there, but we are being buffeted by 25 to 30 knot winds. (Have I got your sympathy yet?)

In the winter season, a big high-pressure area in the Atlantic is a dominant feature. When the isobars get tight, the wind increases and is sometimes very fresh (25-30 knots). They call these Christmas winds.

When we first arrived in Antigua, we had the normal 15 knot trade winds that are comfortable.  So after checking in with the officials in Falmouth harbor, we headed around to the east side of the island and tucked near Green Island for a few days.  This anchorage is neat because only a reef system protects us from the Atlantic ocean waves.  We sit in the anchorage and can hear the ocean rollers crash on the reef while we sit in the calm protected waters.  Each day the wind speed increased marking the beginning of the Christmas winds.  Kite boarders zipped back across our bow all day long with their colorful kites and acrobatic antics.  Our South African friend Demitri on Wind Chaser also joined us and he proved to be an excellent boarder. In this photo he is about 25 feet above the water.

However, the wind chop stirred up the water and the snorkeling we remembered from 2009 was not found. Based on the poor visibility, we all voted to return to Falmouth to enjoy the New Years fireworks show.  Ultimately, the girls could not be roused from their slumber at midnight and the captain watched the unimpressive 2 minute show alone.  We did enjoy some french champagne on New Year's day so all was not lost.

Emily managed to play with the kids on Day Dreamer and Pollux for a few days.  They were all on a schedule and pulled out in 2+ meter seas for points north.  We decided to wait out the winds here and have a few items shipped in from the US.  We heard it may be cheaper in St Martin, but decided to take advantage of the English spoken here.

 

We moved around to Jolly Harbor and are now enjoying Deep Bay where we sit off a white sand beach in clear blue water. (No sympathy there either I bet!)  We have free internet from some waterfront cottage and Kim and Emily swim daily and try to look for shells in the stirred up water. We still have the 25 knot winds although the weather forecast shows the end of the Christmas wind this coming weekend.  The temperatures are still 85 degrees F in the day and upper 70s at night.

After our packages arrive we will head almost directly downwind to explore Nevis and St. Christopher (or St. Kitts).  We missed these islands in 2009 and passed through Barbuda.  We thought that we would see something new on our way home. Even if we do not have your sympathy, Dear reader, we have come to enjoy your company.  Come along and we will tell you what we find.

Tom