GRENADA - Caribbean Compass

— Continued from previous page
On the rocky shore of Spanish Point, sea spray from
crashing waves takes care of any sleepiness left on
your face in the morning. When a heavy swell is running,
you can see the water spout up above the island
from your boat at anchor. Standing on top of the rockpile
ruins of the old fort gives you an idea of the flatness
and vastness of Barbuda, but from the sand
dunes along the southeast coast, the view of the interior
and the sea vistas with breaking reefs are more
spectacular. Keep an eye out for wild donkeys, horses
and chickens.
The beach between Cocoa and Palmetto Point is
something else. This quiet stretch of pinkish sand is so
softly packed that you sink in up to your ankles during
walks. That and its impressive length make for good
exercise during the cooler hours of the day. The fancy
Cocoa Point Lodge on the southern tip should be
avoided, unless you don’t mind being chased away by
the unfriendly staff.
When we arrived at Low Bay on Barbuda’s west
coast, we expected to see a few other boats. We were
told the next boat would be at least a mile away.
Instead, we had no neighbours in the visible distance.
The last boat we passed was anchored near Cocoa
Point, 15 miles away. Since it wasn’t rolly at all, we
started to wonder whether anything else was wrong in
this area. Why was no one else visiting this peaceful
coast? Whatever it was, it disappeared two days later,
when a couple of other boats dribbled in and “interrupted”
our lovely, appreciated loneliness. One mile
away suddenly seemed pretty close! The only footprints
on the beach, however, still belonged to just us.
After cruising for a year and a half in the busy
Caribbean, Barbuda proved to be a refreshing change.
It is as close as anyone could get to the Bahamas without
visiting them. A spectacular moonrise, a jumping
ray and the remoteness enhanced our stay in this gift
of Nature. It is a bit challenging to get around and you
have to be self-sufficient upon arrival, but this is part
of the charm and maybe the reason Barbuda is still
— surprisingly enough — a “hidden secret”, as the
locals call their island. Go explore and sample a piece
of the secret; it’s worth it!
Liesbet Collaert is a freelance writer who lives and
cruises on S/V Irie with her partner, Mark, and their
dog, Darwin. For more stories and pictures, check out
their website www.itsirie.com.
Above: Spectacular solitude in Low Bay. Who says there are
no uncrowded anchorages in the Caribbean?
Right: Liesbet’s partner, Mark, admires the surprise dinner
caught en route from Antigua
JULY 2010 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 17