Dec.09 Barbuda

Miss Tippy was ship shape after a few days rest in Jolly Harbour .
The laundry was done and the galley restocked.It was time to explore new Caribbean islands. The sister island to Antigua  was only 25 miles away.

We set sail for Barbuda, remote and quiet where the pace of life is slow and the main attractions are the clear waters, long tranquil beaches and bird watching.

The island is low and flat, set on a coral platform and surrounded by infinite white beaches. It must only be approached in good visibility as the shore line is protected by a coral reef and we must be vigilant to avoid the delicate coral with the enormous anchor.

Freddie keeping a sharp lookout for any shallows or hazards .

The amazing turquoise sea was bluer than the sky.

The sea temperature was 29 degrees Celcius

Miss Tippy doubles as a climbing frame.

Dad has a swing.

We kayaked to the shore and had a walk around the island. Barbuda became English in the 17th C. The only village is Codrington, peaceful and quiet, with small painted houses and 2 shops.
The village was named after an English family who, as well as farming the land used it as a slave park from which to deliver slaves to other islands mainly to work in sugar plantations.

Main Street on a Saturday afternoon.

The locals were very happy to be photographed.

Local children enjoying school holiday.

Most of the 1500 population share half a dozen surnames and can trace their ancestry back to a small group of slaves landed here in 1600s

The houses are often brightly painted .

Development of tourism has always been prevented by the locals in order to preserve their simple way of life.

The population depends upon fishing, farming and salt ponds. The animals are well looked after.

Time to cool off.

The horses were great swimmers!

Barbuda has a colony of Frigate birds they living in the largest rookery in the Caribbean, being a nature reserve we were not able to sail into the lagoon.

Please Daddy can I go to see the Frigate birds?

Next day we would call King Goldilocks for a guided tour of the bird santuary in a water taxi over Codrington Lagoon.

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