28th Novewmber 2017 St. John's Antigua

We enjoyed dinner last night followed by the tribute to Whitney Houston by Elyse Branch, although we felt she was a little strident in her interpretation and style.

This morning we awake to the most perfect morning visiting the island of St John's Antigua ( the home of Viv Richards), but there is a forecast of severe thunderstorms in the afternoon. 

Breakfast is superb in the Main Dining room and we catch up with Laura and talk.

We agree to meet Jack and Ellen , but Jeanette decides to remain on board as we have been here previously.  

Ellen "says" we will find a tour at the port.  We find an "Executive" from the St John's Taxi Association and he is putting together tours around this small island at a fraction of the charges being applied by Oceania.  Ellen negotiates a tour at US$40 per head and we have an air conditioned vehicle and a driver/ guide, who knows everything for the next 3-4 hours. 

We have a wonderful tour and do visit the new stadium named after Viv Richards.  We travel to Betty's hope the large former sugar plantation which operated for almost 300 years.   There is no commercial sugar operations now on the island, but this has been well restored.  

The guide then drove to the spectacular Nelson's Dockyard, which was formerly the Antigua Naval Yard, renamed to honor Admiral Horatio Nelson after restoration began in1951.  This was the Carribean base of operations for the British Royal Navy in the 18th and 19th Centuries and is the only continuously operating Georgian dockyard in the world.  

Our next stop was Shirley heights and Blockhouse Hill , which are just behind Dow's hill and this leads to two beautiful lookout hills.    To the left is the Blockhouse Hill and the ruins of the an 18th Century British  Fort perched on a cliff overlooking a spectacular bay.  

Following the fork in the road leads to Shirley Heights and even more spectacular views of Shirley Heights offering sweep0ing panoramic views of English Harbour, the rest of Antigua and beyond.   Just superb beautiful scenery.

We visit 3 beaches, Dickenson Bay, Darkwood Beach and Half Moon Bay on our return.

It has been a significant day of stunning scenery and unbeable beauty.

We travel back to the port and arrive back in trhe township by 1.30pm but there is a terrific storm brewing, and we are caught in the middle of a torrential storm of thunder, lighting and torrential rainfall.  

Our driver drops us off at the port about 200 metres from the gangway to the ship.

Ken walks quickly but still gets drowned.  

He arrives back at 1.50pm and following a shower we decide to lunch on the open deck at Waves.  We enjoy a hamburger with salad and chips and a beer.

Then a quiet relaxing afternoon, the ship departs at 6.00pm  for Basseterre , St Kitts and St Nevis.