Nevis

We arrived off Charlestown, Nevis (pronounced Nee-vis, not like Ben Nevis in Scotland), after dark. We picked up a mooring and passed an uneventful night. In the morning, all of us went ashore. (Strictly, only the captain should be involved with clearing the boat and crew in; the crew are supposed to be the huddled masses yearning to be free...but we broke the rules.) Upon arrival at the dinghy dock, we were informed that we should not have taken the mooring we had taken and that we should move. OK, sorry. Island time. Later.

While our fearless leader dealt with the red tape of customs and immigration, the EC and I explored the nearer bits of Charlestown —- a truly charming place. After we had been made legal, we continued our forays. I found the market, a Chinese grocery and a shoe shop. The EC found two? three? banks at which either the ATMs or their bank cards did not work. Getting cash in the Caribbean is proving one of our more interesting challenges.

We found a nice vegetarian restaurant, near the dinghy dock, where we had lunch. Served with several of the meals was fabulous multigrain bread. I asked the owner about it and she said she bakes it every day to use for her vegiburgers. I arranged to buy some from her the following day.

We loaded up our various purchases, including lots of goodies from the market, and headed back to Boffo and, thence, Django. We moved from our “wrong” mooring to one further north along the coast, off Pinney’s Beach. Nevis is wonderful. Included in the price of clearing in is the cost of any of the official moorings. All along the western coast, you can hook onto a nice sheltered and secure bit of seabed, kindness of the government of St. Kitt's and Nevis. Would that St. Kitt's were so thoughtful.

That evening, we went ashore for dinner. We had to run Boffo up the beach, which requires skill, grace, athleticism, natural ability. Flawless; we were flawless. Then a short slog through sand to Sunshine’s Beach Bar and Grill which, wisely, provides an outdoor tap for cleaning sand off feet and bug spray to discourage the vicious Caribbean mosquitoes (about which more later).

Dana and I had decided that lobster would have to occur at some point during the EC’s visit. Tonight proved to be the night. But first, we had the bar’s trademark Killer Bee. Our waiter told us it contained rum, rum, passion fruit, rum, rum, and Angostura bitters. Oh, and rum. She did not lie. (The general opinion was that it did not beat a good Django RP...but what does?)

The food was delicious, the lobster being very lobstery and yummy, and the company was simply divine. Replete, we made our way down the beach back to Boffo where her launch, into the surf, would call on even greater natural fluidity of motion. Again, flawless. What can I say?

On the morrow, we hired Douglas and his taxi to take us to Golden Rock, a former plantation. On the way, he took us to the local hot springs, renowned for their curative powers. Forty degrees Celsius...cleared up things we didn't know we had.

KMH and EC Member Dana taking the cure on Nevis.

We also stopped at the Fig Tree Anglican church, notable because it is where Admiral Lord Nelson was NOT married. His marriage certificate, however, resides within. Sadly, within was locked up tight. (He was married at the nearby plantation Montpelier.) The church was, nonetheless, worth the stop. Very scenic.

EC Member Enn at St. John's Fig Tree Anglican Church, Nevis.

A shady resting place at the Fig Tree Church.

Golden Rock (now a hotel with bar and restaurant) offers a couple of hiking trails. The big kids' one is a three or four hour schelp up to the top of Nevis Peak, the high point of the island. The other is a half-hour-ish meander through lower levels of the rain forest, termed a “nature walk”. The woman who provided us with sturdy walking sticks and hand-drawn maps (photocopied) looked with dismay on our sandals.

(All of our sandals date from a year ago when we bought them with the Eager Crew on St. Vincent...for about $30 EC or $12 Canadian per pair. WW’s had done noble service but were becoming very thin in the sole, so he later bought a new pair in Charlestown. They fell apart two weeks later. Might it be worthwhile to head back to St. Vincent??)

We have travelled many miles over terrain smooth and rough in our intrepid St. Vincent sandals. We pshawed Map Lady's concerns. Nothing daunted, we set out on the shorter of the two trails. We had no difficulty at all.

The map showed where we might find noteworthy sights and plants. These, in turn were marked with numbers corresponding to numbers on the map. So clever. However, a stick in the middle of growth, luxuriant growth -- rainforest growth -- with a number on it is what one might call a "general guide". We knew we were within 10 feet of a [name of plant], but which of the 43 trees/shrubs/plants/vines before us it might be was not always entirely clear.

Enn by a huge gum tree (#19, I believe).

Part way along, we met a fellow clearing the trails and asked him about the monkeys (duly indicated on the map and conspicuous by their absence). He told us they are not stupid and don’t go out in the midday sun. The heat can kill them. We mad dogs carried on regardless. All in all, a pleasant wander through mountainous rainforest.

We lunched at the Golden Rock restaurant, then decided to try walking back. We rather underestimated the distance. After an hour and a half, we found a convenient bus stop and bused it back to Charlestown.

Lunch at Golden Rock.

That evening, on Django, Enn made his inimitable groundnut stew for dinner. A grand finale to a grand day.