We hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and New Year. We certainly had a different one this year, starting with a Norwegian Christmas Eve celebration on the beach at Bequia, the Grenadines, attended by over a hundred people. This was very well organised with party games and fun swimming races for children and adults, followed by a short Christmas service with some beautiful Christmas carols, including dancing, all in Norwegian of course.
The family boats from the ARC+ rally remained in Bequia over the Christmas period, meeting up for a relaxed Christmas Day lunch on the beach, and a floating party on Boxing Day. We hiked up Peggy’s Peak for a spectacular view looking down over the bay, encountering snakes and a couple of tortoises on our way.
After a few days it was time to move on to Barbados, for a rendezvous with our Bajan crew member Dwight, his wife Kate and their son Jono, who had come out from London to Barbados to join Dwight for Christmas and New Year. They kindly hosted us on New Year’s Eve followed by fireworks and music at their local beach (in front of the exclusive Lone Star Restaurant) – a perfect way to see in the New Year.
We have spent a number of days exploring Barbados, visiting Harrison’s caves, watching monkeys at the wild animal park, and travelling to Bathsheba on the rocky Atlantic side of the island. Kate and Jono joined our crew one day to bring Valent down the coast of Barbados from Port St Charles to Carlisle Bay outside the capital Bridgetown. From our new base in Carlisle Bay we have visited the Barbados Museum and the house where George Washington stayed in 1751. We have also watched horses from the local racecourse enjoying a swim in the sea early in the morning.
We’re staying in Barbados for a few more days before we cross back to the Grenadines to spend a bit longer in the beautiful Tobago Cays nature reserve. After that it will be a sail up to Saint Lucia and we plan to be in Guadeloupe for mid February. We wish everyone a very Happy New Year and we hope that 2024 has got off to a good start for you (albeit a wet one apparently).
All looking like a fabulous adventure. I’m passing nearby next week but unfortunately a little too far away as I’m working in Antigua and then St Maartin Tuesday to Friday. Looking forward to a little Caribbean warmth for a few days as it is yucky here..
That’s a shame Nic. Looking at Antigua possibly end March if you need to come back out this way. PM us if you plan to be back in the Caribbean Mar/Apr and we will see if we can meet up.
Happy New Year!
So pleased that you finally made it across the Atlantic. Well done.
What are your plans now? Hopefully you will get plenty of time to explore the Caribbean. We spent a year there and loved it.
We are currently in Sydney and head for Indonesia in July 2024
All the best for your adventures
Happy new year! I hope 2024 brings you lots more adventures!
Sounds like you had amazing celebrations. Very jealous.
Happy New Year to you lot too.
Send our love to St Lucia, we honeymooned there a few million years ago! All sounds wonderful.
Lovely photos. Wonderful to hear about your Christmas and New Year celebrations….very different from ours. It has been very wet here in England so you are very lucky to be where you are. Good luck for 2024.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! What a different celebration this year. Looking forward to read more about your adventures 😀 All the best for 2024!