Nevis

Nevis has to be the most beautiful place I have visited so far. It's too bad that it took me this long to get here and I have such a short time to spend. The sail from Antigua took about 8 hours. I was off the mooring in Jolly Harbour at 0630 and secure here at 1630. It was downwind all the way with five gybes (should have been three) with the breeze steady at 15 knots and 2 to 3 meter swells.

(Nevis from the east)

Check in with customs and immigration was a breeze even though I had to talk to three different people in three different places.

Charlestown is a small city and the only city on the island. By 1100 this morning I had been to the beach, shopped at an open fruit and vegetable market, and been to a Jamaican bakery. Since my day was pretty much done, a beach walk was in order for the afternoon. Accompanied by an obligatory Carib beer or two...it was St. Pat's day afterall. Pinneys Beach runs for about 3 miles. It looks like it was once fabulous but hurricane Omar has taken down most of the palm trees that used to line it and for the time being, shut down the Four Seasons resort. No matter, with the ancient volcano to the east, and the ocean to the west, it is simply perfect.

I plan to spend one more day here then head to Statia to deal with some unfinished business. There is an extinct volcano there that needs to be hiked.