Willoughby Bay

Volunteering with ABSAR

2010-03-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

I have recently become a volunteer with Antigua & Barbuda Search and Rescue, a non-profit organization that is committed to providing emergency services to people on the island. It is directed by a paramedic from the US who grew up in Antigua and is dependent on donations for funding. ABSAR has two boats and two emergency response vehicles so they can cover both land based and marine emergencies. Volunteers go to weekly training sessions on a variety of topics, are on-call for emergencies and support certain non-emergency events like the Transatlantic Rowing Race. I was able to go out one recent evening to greet, support and guide one of the transatlantic rowing boats after 63 days of rowing. We headed out into the darkness to a spot about five miles east of Antigua to the rowers’ last satellite tracked position. A small light showed up on the horizon, bobbing up and down in the large Atlantic swell. The two French rowers were elated to complete their journey and it was very emotional to watch their faces as they crossed the finish line along side our boat. We escorted them by the outlying reefs and by the famed Pillars of Hercules that mark the entrance to English Harbour. All the boats inside the harbor blasted horns as the rowers cut across the calm waters with the night sky lit up by flares. Last weekend, I joined the ABSAR boat to support a long distance swim sponsored by a local swimming club. We ferried some 33 men, women and children to an uninhabited island 2.5 miles off the coast and dropped them in the water. We cruised alongside to support any tired swimmers and tried to keep a running head count going as the group began to spread out. Luckily two other boats and a few kayaks helped to keep track of the elongated line.

Hitching Rides

2010-03-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

It is very common for people to hitch rides in Antigua. There are buses and taxis but people will simply reach an arm up and give you a wave signaling for you stop especially if you’re coming down the road in a pick up truck like Subi. I will just pull over and the riders will jump in the back and ‘Ride Rasta’ style. As I pass by a place where they want to get off, they’ll just give a couple taps on the roof and jump out before I come to a full stop. One time when I was stopped by the side of the road chatting to a friend in another car, a construction worker at a nearby house site asked if I could give him a lift to which I agreed. While I was talking with my friend, other workers came out of the house and nodded at me. When I started down the road again, I had six guys in the bed of the truck and another 3 inside the cab. There is a mechanic who works in St Johns who Javier and I always pick up on the way to work. It’s a great way to meet some of the locals and find out more about the island. Additionally, we are always giving rides to our students which is a welcome relaxed attitude compared with life back home.

A Little Ocean Rowing?

2010-03-06T05:34:00.002-08:00

Antigua is the finishing point for a 2500 mile rowing race that began in January in the Canary Islands. There are 29 boats in the race and are manned by single, pairs or four rowers. The first boat came in on February 26 after 52 days at sea. Charlie Pitcher stepped onto the dock to greet a small crowd gathered in English Harbour. He looked a little tired and sunburned but happy to be on solid ground. You can check out the progress of the other boats still out there at: http://www.atlanticrowingrace09.com/progress/

RORC Caribbean 600

2010-03-06T05:23:00.000-08:00

The RORC Caribbean 600 is a six hundred mile long sailing race that starts and ends in Antigua. The course takes a circuitous route that passes by several neighboring islands. It is the second year the race has been held and around 30 yachts started this year. I was lucky enough to hitch a ride in an inflatable to watch the start up close.

My Pool No Longer

2010-03-01T06:16:00.001-08:00

Alas, I lost MY pool because the house next door that was vacant for so long now has tenants. I miss that after work dip or the moonlit swim with the view of the bay! Just have to get to know them well.

Hands on Deck

2010-03-01T05:52:00.000-08:00

The hull of the kayak is glued and glassed and looks pretty much like a boat! I started work on the deck a few weeks ago and it is ready to be glued to the hull. Every day, I get a little closer to a launching date. One of the first destinations is a remote beach I can see from my porch with binoculars. It’s almost impossible to walk to and it’s shrouded in a ring of coral reefs so a kayak is the best way to access it.

Young Neurologists

2010-03-01T05:41:00.000-08:00

At the end of a unit of study on the nervous system, my class had the pleasure of joining Dr. M, the high school biology teacher, in the secondary science lab to get a close look at the brain of a cow. Put any kind of body part or organ in front of a 10 year old and watch the curiosity and learning spiral upwards!

Roadside Critters

2010-02-14T16:54:00.000-08:00

Some of the fauna you can see in and along the roads of Antigua.

Wind Changes, Ash Falls

2010-02-14T06:21:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, the volcano on Montserrat had a ‘partial dome collapse event’ and spewed hot gases, rocks and ash in rolling pyroclastic flows. These flows careen down the mountain and sweep across the sea for half a mile or so. The current Hazard Level is at level four on a five-point scale so something is brewing deep within the mountain. The winds on Thursday were uncharacteristically out of the southwest which blew the ash cloud directly over Antigua. The sky had a thick haze and fine grey ash covered everything in a thin film. Looking out to sea, it appeared as if a fog bank was lingering just offshore. Flights in and out of Antigua were cancelled as the ash reached altitudes of 40,000 feet and reeks havoc on jet engines. On Friday morning, the sunrise was striking in its colors and the winds shifted back to the east, clearing the skies of ash. The Montserrat Volcano Observatory runs a great website for news, videos and monitoring info at: http://montserratvolcanoobservatory.info/

Sailor Reunion

2010-02-14T05:51:00.000-08:00

I first sailed to Antigua 27 years ago aboard the 55 foot steel ketch ‘Queequeg II’. We sailed from Boston, stopped in Bermuda and made landfall in the Caribbean at St. Barts. From there we worked our way to windward and sailed into English Harbor just before Christmas. Some of the crew flew back to Boston while I stayed on for another 6 months. Last fall, I reconnected on Facebook with Doug, one member of the original crew. He was excited to know that I was living and working here and I was more excited to hear that he was sailing his own 47 foot sloop ‘Trinity’ down to the Caribbean where he would spend the season sailing with his wife and four young children.

Last week, Trinity sailed into English Harbor after sailing from New Hampshire to the BVI, St. Barts, and Nevis. It was a perfect place for a reunion; the same harbor where we parted ways 27 years ago. We spent the next three days catching up with each other, getting to know his family and visiting the island. We hiked up Strawberry Hill, collected specimens at Fossil Beach and enjoyed an afternoon sail to Rendezvous Bay aboard Trinity. They plan to be here for another week or so before they head ‘down island’ to Grenada. It was wonderful to see an old sailing mate again. The bonds we formed years ago were strengthened by the challenges we faced on our first offshore sailing experience and will continue to last despite years apart. You can follow Trinity’s progress on their own blog at http://sailingtrinity.blogspot.com/

Kayak Update

2010-02-01T17:23:00.000-08:00

In my driveway above the waters of Willoughby By, ‘K4’, my fourth kayak is taking shape. The pieces that make up the hull have been stitched together with wires, glued along the seams with epoxy and then covered with fiberglass cloth and more epoxy. The boat is 17 feet long and I am building it outside which poses a few challenges. I’ve set up a tarp to ward off the rain but the wind keeps lifting up the light pieces of plywood that make up the panels of the boat. I’ve got lots of weights handy. I had to squeeze it into my cottage during one particularly nasty squall when I was in the middle of an important assembly point. I will begin working on the deck next and then join that to the hull to complete the boat. Coincidentally, I met two men who work in a woodshop here who are also building very similar boats. We plan to launch them together and are planning some paddling trips.

Voyage to the Next Bay Over

2010-02-01T16:46:00.000-08:00

Last weekend Javier and I sailed ‘Fwa!’ to Half Moon Bay. The conditions were perfect for the 4 mile trip to one of the nicest beaches on the island. We loaded a dry bag with a few essential items and headed out across Willoughby Bay in light winds. The sea inside the reef was flat which helped as we picked our way around shallow areas, coral heads and out around the breaking surf. Once outside the reef, we encountered the large, regular swell of the Atlantic Ocean. ‘Fwa!’ sailed smoothly over the waves even though we lost sight of the horizon when we dipped into the valleys. We got bounced around a little when we sailed close to Hudson Point and encountered the clapotis caused by reflecting waves bouncing off the steep cliffs.

After about an hour, we came around Soldier Point and entered Half Moon Bay. We were holding off on the decision to beach the boat to see what the surf looked like. There were 3-4 foot waves breaking in the center of the mile long bay but on the southern end, under the lee of Soldier Point, there was just a gentle surge. With both blades up, ‘Fwa!’ skidded to a stop in the soft, white sand. Sails were dropped and we headed over to Hungry Harry's where we dined on parrot fish with a cold beer. The return trip took longer as the wind had switched and dropped forcing us to tack back and forth several times. We came across one large sea turtle lazing at the surface. Future outings are planned as we just got a glimpse of only a small fraction of the more than 100 miles of coastline that Antigua possesses.

Time Capsule

2010-02-01T16:17:00.000-08:00

During the first few weeks of 2010, students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 at the school prepared items to be buried inside of our time capsule. The capsule was buried at the official opening ceremony for the new campus that took place on January 14. The Prime Minister and other members of government were in attendance. Directions will be left in a safe place at the school and the capsule will also be registered with the International Time Capsule Society. It is scheduled to be uncovered 25 years from now on January 14, 2035! Below is a list of some of the items included inside:

A list of all students, teachers, and staff
Self addressed letters
Letters and other writings addressed to the Students of the Future
Drawings
Photographs
Copies of the day’s newspapers
“I Like Center Time” booklet created by Kindergarten students
DVDs with pictures and videos of school
Thumb drives with pictures and videos of the school
an Island Academy Tie and Shirt
Yearbook from 2009
Letters to Spanish Class Students of the future
a Samsung Mobile Phone
a list of the Best Cars of 2009
a $20 EC bill
an Intel processor
a 2 and a1/2 inch floppy disc

I was able to glance at some of the letters written by our students and wanted to share some of their thoughts, hopes and advice.

“Here, everybody gets along.”
“I want to work on solving global warming.”
“I want to be a forensic pathologist.”
“I will be an Olympic Swimmer.”
“I hope to be a fluent Spanish speaker.”
“I hope I will be able to help others by being a doctor.”
“I wonder if any of the current students children will be going to the school.”
“If you want to contact me call 463-5555 and try to refresh my memory.”
“I will maybe have seven tortoises and four dogs”
“If the world is taken over by robots, don’t fight, RUN!”
“You won’t probably be obsessed with Michael Jackson.”
“In 25 years, I will have a pet hamster.”

It was a very thought-provoking exercise and gave us all a chance to think about what state the world will be in after another quarter century and where each of us will be. That future will be shaped and occupied by the students who attend this school and all other schools and universities around the world. This simple gesture reminds us all of the importance of education.

Fwa!

2010-01-24T14:42:00.000-08:00

After three months of preparation the 14-foot Laser 2 made its first splashes into the colorful waters of Willoughby Bay. Conditions were a little too much for a first voyage in an unfamiliar and untested boat with a totally-green-never-been-sailing Spanish crew with no maritime vocabulary whatsoever but that didn’t stop us. We had worked hard and waited so long for the day that winds of 15-18 knots and big Atlantic swells out by the reef were no deterrent.

With only a few awkward moments, we found ourselves power reaching. The boat really moves! We were skittering down the face of waves with the dagger board half way up and spray flying, both of us hiking out, everything vibrating and humming. With the self-bailer sucking water like a wetvac and us hooting and a hollering, we sailed the mile and a half across the bay in just moments, tacked and were back in less! We had such huge speed grins on our faces that our jaw muscles actually cramped up!

It took a while to assemble all the missing pieces of the boat. I found several parts when I went home in December. Antigua Rigging made up the essential diamond wires I was missing and a wire jib halyard. I made a tiller out of a scrap piece of mahogany and a new set of grab rails out of driftwood teak. New hiking straps came from seatbelts out of a wreck at the junkyard.

I didn’t have a name at her launching but soon settled on ‘Fwa!’ which comes from Javier, my novice crew, who uses it as a catch-all expression so many times that his students actually call him that behind his back. On that first day, he uttered it every time we tacked, jibed or headed off the wind and came up on a plane. In English, it might be understood as, ‘Wow!’, ‘Holy Sh*t!’, ‘WTF?’, ‘You’ve Got to Be Kidding!’, ‘Oh My God!’ or, as I prefer, ‘That’s Frackin’ Fast!’

Stuck in the Mud

2010-01-22T07:43:00.000-08:00

On a recent Sunday, I received a call from a colleague who had managed to get his car stuck in the mud on the way to a secluded beach. I rallied to help him and threw some boards and various lengths of thick rope in the back of Subi and headed out. By the time I arrived, six or seven Antiguans were in the process of lifting the back end of the stuck car onto firmer ground. The pulling power of Subi in low 4 wheel drive and the pushing power of, by that time, eight or nine helpful Antiguans was what was needed to get the car out of the greasy, clay-covered and deeply rutted road. With the car finally freed, we all shared smiles and thanks and continued our days, albeit, with greasy, muddy clay splashed over our clothes.

A Mountain on the Move

2010-01-15T12:50:00.000-08:00

On an unusually clear and windless day two weeks ago, we were hiking atop Signal Hill, one of the higher points in Antigua’s southwestern mountain range. At the summit we were treated to an amazing view of the Soufriere Hills Volcano on Montserrat some 30 miles to the west. A recent increase in activity within the volcano sent a plume of ash skyward and the lack of wind made it tower over the island. I wonder if there is any relation to the activity in Montserrat and the earthquake in Haiti as we are all on the Caribbean Plate down here. The Montserrat Volcano Observatory has a great website that keeps islanders and the world updated on what is happening. http://www.montserratvolcanoobservatory.info/ Ferry service to Montserrat has just resumed and it’s on the list of my upcoming destinations.

More Signs from Antigua

2010-01-06T14:08:00.000-08:00

Second installment in a continuing series.

Visitors from the Cold North

2010-01-06T13:59:00.000-08:00

My friends L & J came to visit for a week and get away from the cold that is beginning to tighten its grip on New England. We had a great time touring the island and visiting some sights I haven’t seen. Hiking, snorkeling, body surfing, swimming, beach combing, and fossil hunting were just a few of the things we occupied ourselves with. Of course, rum mixed with locally made ginger beer made a nice starter to our tasty evening meals.
Although it is a bit far, a similar agenda awaits anyone who ventures a visit here!

Christmas in Antigua

2010-01-06T13:54:00.000-08:00

It was a refreshing change to spend Christmas here in Antigua. The holiday is observed but not at the same level as back in the USA. There is not the push to purchase gifts and one is not inundated with an overwhelming sense of commercialism. I only noticed two houses that were decorated with lights, albeit, one was entirely covered! I spent the day relaxing and visiting Nelson’s Dockyard at English Harbor where champagne is served to the sounds of a reggae band. We then journeyed to a friend’s house for a great meal and a walk through her grapefruit orchards, filling bags of the sweetest fruits I’ve ever tasted.
The absence of familiar traditions and family was made easier by new friendships and warm Caribbean weather.

A Craft Takes Shape Over Willoughby Bay

2009-12-22T14:12:00.000-08:00

I think I'm a sensible person. I'm living on an island. There are no cold days that prevent wimps like me from being out on the water like back home in New England. There are incredible coral reefs, mangrove swamps and distant beaches to explore. I love working with my hands. So what do I do? I decide it really is just the perfect spot to begin building another kayak! The stitch and glue 17' Arctic Tern kit arrived last week and, now, with a little vacation time, some help from budding young boat builders, K4 is starting to take shape in my driveway. Stay tuned for construction updates and a launch party!

Island Signs

2009-12-20T04:12:00.001-08:00

A few pictures of signs I've captured.

Field Trip!

2009-12-20T03:39:00.000-08:00

The last week before Christmas break is a great time to take the class on a hike as their energy and excitement knows no boundaries. We had a great day climbing up through the rain forest to the exposed summit of Signal Hill. We endured a few warm rain showers and slid on the muddy trail. Only a small number of my students had done any hiking before so it was a new experience for them. The usual complaints (“How much longer?”, “I’m tired!”, “My feet hurt!” ) were issued but fell on deaf ears and soon afterward we reached the summit. At the lunch stop, the boys engaged in fishing with their hands in a small pond and couldn’t help getting soaked. On the trip back, I went into principal mode and got angry at two boys who ran ahead ignoring the essential rules of staying as a group. They were lucky they didn’t take one of the many other trails that intersected ours and end up lost in the thorn tree forest. Back at the park at the base of the hill we collected one large garbage bag of litter and replenished our water bottles. The class did have a great time but I don’t think it made a dent in their energy level!

The Land of a Thousand Rainbows

2009-12-20T03:27:00.000-08:00

Antigua is known for its 365 beaches; one for each day of the year. But spending time here, one quickly notices the rainbows. During this time of the year, there are daily rain showers that pass over the island. They are small showers only lasting a few minutes as the clouds coming off the ocean get a chance to drop their burdens. The sun is always shining somewhere through the partly cloudy skies and this produces rainbows. You can see three or four every day. They come in different intensities and shapes from a little segment to a complete horizon-to-horizon arc. They're just another thing that makes living here interesting.

Quick Trip Home

2009-12-20T03:25:00.000-08:00

It was great to go home and see my family and celebrate the 101 wonderful years my grandmother lived. There was a nice service in the cemetery and a gathering afterward to share memories and visit with cousins, aunts and uncles. The weather in New England did not surprise me providing temperatures in the low 20s with 20mph winds. It was just the thing for my tropically modified blood!

To Absent Friends!

2009-11-29T13:17:00.000-08:00

My grandmother passed away two days ago at the age of 101 after a long and fulfilling life. I've been thinking that in so many ways, she is the reason that I am here.

She and my grandfather purchased a summer cottage on the shores of Buzzards Bay where I learned to sail as a gangly nine year old. The love of the sea that spending summers there instilled in me was responsible for my signing on as crew on a 55 ft ketch in Boston Harbor soon after I got out of university. I spent almost a year living on that boat and sailing most of the islands in the Windwards and Leewards. On that trip, one of my favorite stops was Antigua so it was without much hesitation that I took the job teaching here when it presented itself some 25 years later.

Granny is also responsible for the friendly, outgoing and positive qualities that my family and I possess. These qualities have made it easy for me to establish myself in a new job, in a new country, with new friends.

For all this and much more I am grateful for what she has given me.

I will miss her dearly and will carry on the toast that I first heard at her table:

"To Absent Friends!"

Movember

2009-11-25T16:31:00.000-08:00

Some of you may have heard about Movember, the renamed month of November, where men around the globe grow MOustaches to raise awareness of and money for prostate and testicular cancer. A group of us here at school have been working hard during the past month cultivating a variety of styles of below the nose and above the mouth adornments. This weekend, we will celebrate our efforts with a party and official shaving-off ceremony. Our little group has raised over $3000EC. If you'd like more info or are interested in donating, go to Movember.com. You too, can become a MoBro!

Thanks in advance for your support.

Prairie Island

2009-11-25T16:22:00.000-08:00

When one thinks of a Caribbean island like Antigua, images of pristine beaches, aquamarine waters and swaying palms come to mind. After getting around the island a bit, some of the landscapes seem surreal, as if they are from a different place in the world. One landscape that grabs my attention is the grasslands.

When driving by or walking through some parts of the island, open spaces full of high, wavy grass are visible. Sometimes they have requisite livestock grazing laconically in the tropical sun. Often, they are as clear as a Kansas wheat field marked only by a solitary tree bending with the wind. The grass reflects the sunlight and, depending upon the time of day, gives off a variety of earthy hues.

Mt. Obama

2009-11-25T16:02:00.000-08:00

On a recent Saturday, I climbed Mt. Obama, Antigua’s highest peak at 1327 feet above the surrounding azure seas. Until this past summer, the mountain was called Boggy Peak. The government chose to change the name to honor Barack Obama’s election.

The most accessible route to the summit is by the access road that was built to install and maintain the communication dishes and antennae at the summit. There is a foot trail that winds up through the rain forest, but that will have to wait until I get to know the island a little better.

I was to meet two other teachers, Mark and Chris, at ten in the morning but car troubles postponed their arrival until 11:30, just as the hottest part of the day commences. Luckily, we carried extra water. The road is full of switchbacks and has some of the steepest grades I’ve ever seen. Near the summit the pavement is slick with moisture and mossy plant growth making for slippery footing. I certainly would not want to drive Subi up or, especially, down on this road. It makes the Mt. Washington Auto Road look like stroll in the park.

There are good views of the island as you climb. Unfortunately, the summit is disappointing because it is fenced off and one is not permitted inside. We tried to get views by climbing an antenna outside of the fenced-in summit to get above the surround treeline. I can only hope they open it up for President Obama if he ever visits! After all, he has reached quite a summit of his own.

Green Island

2009-11-15T09:31:00.000-08:00

On the eastern side of Antigua lies Green Island, an uninhabited island with many small beaches and great snorkeling. Some of the Italians that Abi works with venture there regularly to spear fish and cook out on the beach. I was lucky enough to join them on their last voyage. Two small boats brought us out to a secluded beach with beautiful white sands. We set up the grill and soon had a fire going to grill some tasty chicken and beef cuts. Serafina, the youngest member of the landing party at 14 months, basked with us in the warm shallows. The raggazzi donned wet suits, weight belts and snorkels and were gone for nearly three hours. When they returned with lobsters and several fish, we unfortunately had to break camp and head home as the mosquitoes came on with a vengeance.

Sailing to Mushroom Beach

2009-11-15T09:29:00.000-08:00

My neighbor, M, generously gave me use of his sailing dinghy, a Vanguard 15. It’s a 15 foot, fast planing hull with jib and large main. He and I have sailed a few times and after getting used to her ways, I’ve taken friends out when M is not around. Last week I took the triplets and their mom on a light wind day up to the head of Willoughby Bay. With one triplet between N and I, and the other two on the leeward side of the boat, we tacked upwind for an hour or so swapping sides in a delicate choreography every time we came about.

The waters are laced with coral heads, reefs, patches of sand and weeds. N stood watch on the dagger board ready to raise it quickly if we got into shallow waters but we managed to maneuver through all the varied colored waters with ease. We even came up with a saying to guide us; ‘Blue is True, Green is Keen but if it’s Brown or Black, it’s Time to Tack!’

We ended up reaching ‘Mushroom Beach’, a remote spot we’ve hiked to while fossil hunting. We took turns holding the boat off the beach while we swam in the gently rolling surf. On the downwind run home, we pulled up the dagger board and skirted over the shallow parts we had to avoid on the upwind leg. The kids hung over the sides peering into the shallows trying to spot rays, gar fish, conchs and other sea creatures. We surprised what we guessed was a rather large basking sea turtle as there was a huge thrash and splash ten feet off the bow. A nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon in November!

Countdown to Splashdown

2009-11-09T03:44:00.001-08:00

The two person, 14’ sailing dinghy I acquired is getting closer to her first dunking under new ownership. Michael, the bondo expert, was over to help with hull repairs and some general male bonding. I’ve located several missing standing and running rigging parts that should arrive in a few weeks from the states. The mast has been polished and messenger lines have been fished inside awaiting new halyards. She will no longer be a ‘ship without a rudder’ as I’ve managed to find a used blade in S. Carolina. Some prospective crewmembers have helped in fairing, waxing and polishing the hull and a trip to the sailmaker is in the works to repair a few spots in the mainsail. With more hard work, some luck, a name and a bottle of champagne for her christening, the dinghy should be ready for launching and exploring Willoughby Bay, and beyond, sometime in December.

Up in the Hills

2009-11-05T17:09:00.000-08:00

On a recent hike to Strawberry Hill, Javier and I began climbing a trail through the coolness of the rain forest. We ascended gradually to an open ridge that was covered in chest high fields of lemon grass. Lemon grass emits a strong lemon scent when crushed between your fingers and makes for fragrant strolling. Once, when we lost the trail, the lemon grass turned into masses of sharp edged blades that rasped and scraped into our shins. Near the summit we came across several donkeys happily munching away. Some were tethered and tangled and we spent some time untangling them to increase their grazing radius. Just beyond the donkeys we came across two small ponds that contained brown water and small fishes, an unlikely sight at an elevation on a normally dry island. The view from the windy summit (approx. 1220’ elevation) was panoramic with long views of close and distant hills, roads, and villages all rimmed by the green of the sea.

Keeping In Touch

2009-10-31T07:46:00.000-07:00

I brought my tired old LG cell phone with me but had it ‘unlocked’ before I came. This enabled me to remove my ATT Sim card and replace it with one from the local cell provider here. I’ve set up my account with ATT so when I return home, I just swap the cards and will have my original number activated again. In Antigua I signed up as a pay as you go customer with LIME, otherwise known as Cable and Wireless. The rates are pretty good and you can ‘Top Up’ your account in most roadside stores, supermarkets as well as online. Coverage on the island is excellent as many of the hills are topped by cell towers. Being a very English place, phones here are not called ‘cell phones’ but simply ‘mobiles’ as in “I’ll give you a ring on your mobile after work.”

Me Like Mr. President

2009-10-30T12:25:00.001-07:00

As we approach the first anniversary of President Barack Obama’s election, the impact of that historic moment is evident here in Antigua. Boggy Peak, the highest mountain on the island was officially renamed ‘Mt. Obama’ during this past year. Signs of his popularity amongst the people can be found in many places. Tee shirts with his image are readily available as well as a special version of the island’s famous Susie’s Hot Sauce.

Road Obstacles

2009-10-30T06:40:00.000-07:00

It’s not often that you can say you almost hit a cow on your way to work unless you are from Texas or living in Antigua. There are always various forms of livestock on the sides of the roads here and the cows drag long ropes or chains that are fitted to collars around their necks. The animals are used to cars and people but they sometimes act in unpredictable ways and accidents do happen. I came very close to increasing the ground beef inventory on the island the other day but managed to avoid a collision. In the event that I manage to produce some bovine road kill, I am thinking that the victim’s horns would look good mounted on Subi’s front grill. I’ll just have to get a cowboy hat to match!

National Exams

2009-10-28T12:54:00.001-07:00

Last week my school took part in administering national assessments in Language Arts and Mathematics. All 3^rd and 5^th graders on the island are tested each year to see what they learned in 2^nd and 4rth grade. The tests took about 90 minutes for students to complete. For two days this week, I left my class in the care of substitute teacher and I joined fifth grade teachers from schools all over the island to mark the tests. About 60 of us sat down and worked on heaps of papers. Each test had to be checked twice and teachers with smaller classes helped those with large enrollments. It was interesting to chat with teachers from the government (public) schools and to look at their students’ work. For the Language Arts test, students had to write to the prompt: ‘Tell about a time you were punished’. It was quite evident that corporal punishment is alive and well in some of the schools here as students recounted the number of ‘licks’ they received for a variety of misdemeanors ranging from stealing lunch money to wearing pants too low on the hips.

Campus Visitor #2

2009-10-22T18:09:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in a previous blog posting, the campus surrounds fields that are home to many creatures. It is not uncommon to look out the classroom window to see one. It always causes a stir with the students and some good discussion on a variety of animal related topics.

Coconut Palms

2009-10-22T18:03:00.000-07:00

On a recent hike in the Body Ponds watershed, we came across some coconuts that were sprouting. We carried them home and planted them in a pot. I hope to transplant them on the grounds of Sea Breeze to provide some shade. They are beautiful plants that grow quite tall and provide good fruit as well as a constant rushing sound as their fronds rasp against each other in the wind.

Mango Frenzy

2009-10-20T17:27:00.000-07:00

Julie Mangoes are the highly coveted variety during the mango season. They are small, firm when ripe and have an intense sweet flavor. They also have a small pit/seed without too much fibrous matter. In the markets here, they appear in crates from Antigua and Dominica and it is a matter of days before they are ready for eating.

Eating ripe mangoes takes a little bit of forethought as the juices start flowing down your lower jaw on the first bite and if you’re in your work clothes, it can cause a problem. I prefer to eat a ripe mango while standing in knee-high water at the beach and then rinse off in the cool waters. Some say that fresh mango juice acts as a shark repellent too.

Boys and Their Boats

2009-10-18T06:35:00.000-07:00

When friends here invite some of the new staff at the school out on the water, it is hard for me to say no. We arrived at the dock with our masks and snorkel and plenty of sunscreen. With everything stowed and the twin 250hp outboards warmed up, we headed down the channel to open water. The coastline we passed is highly variegated with all kinds of little coves, points and beaches. Our hosts buzzed us around to the far eastern side of the island to a small deserted cay where we dropped the anchor and swam for hours among beautiful coral heads and brightly colored fish. On the return trip we swung by a beach-front restaurant for a wonderful afternoon meal. With all hands pushing, we managed to dislodge the stern of the boat from the sandy bottom where it had settled during our lunch. We sped back to port following the setting sun. A great day out on the waves!

Steelworker for a Day

2009-10-18T06:26:00.000-07:00

On the campus grounds of the school, there are some old dilapidated buildings that were damaged during a past hurricane and have become derelict. The long-term plan is to renovate them for classroom space or other school use. One Saturday morning, I volunteered to help with the removal of a twisted net off steel beams, rafters and posts that posed a major obstacle to future rehabilitation work. I met a few other staff members and Stephen, a metal worker from a local shipyard. He brought his acetylene torch and gas bottles and within minutes was cutting pieces that we were able to lift and pile to the side. The force of that long past hurricane was evident in how tortured some of the pieces were. As the pile of smaller pieces diminished, we focused our attention on the more dangerous overhead heavier pieces. Before each cut was made, we used our amateur engineering skills and discussed at length the safest place to stand, which way the steel would fall when released and good escape routes. Luckily, our ‘safety first’ approach worked and within 3 hours, the whole site was cleaned up.

Subi the Mitsubishi

2009-10-14T04:42:00.000-07:00

For a vehicle, I ended up with a 1999 Mitsubishi L200 pickup truck. It’s rather tattered around the edges but the 2.5 liter turbo diesel engine runs strong. She’s a right hand drive with a 5-speed manual transmission that I had to learn to shift with my left hand. Subi’s a four-door with a short bed and four-wheel drive. The four doors are great because they also double as a changing booth for the after work swim. In a sense, it’s the perfect car for the roads of Antigua, which are rough and will make a newer car feel old very quickly.

Subi’s four-wheel drive and high clearance enable me to explore some remote places on the island such as Body Ponds, a rich watershed in the interior of the island and Savannah Beach, a beautiful sandy patch with good waves that is always deserted. These places and many others yet to be explored are only accessible with a vehicle like Subi.

The truck was not road ready and for the price, that was ok with me. With help from some friends here, I found a reliable mechanic who got her running well for a very reasonable fee. Subi passed inspection at the Transportation Board with flying colors even though one taillight was patched up with tape and she tends to belch out a bit of smoke from her diesel engine. High on character and emissions too! A new set of injector tips will help with the smoke issue but I’ve been told that all Mitsubishi diesels have the same problem.

I spent some time cleaning the engine compartment, scraping off stick-on graphics from the previous owner and sprucing up the interior with new, matching seat covers. The CD player works, it has tinted windows and can fit five adults inside and 6 outside. She gets about 22 miles to the US gallon but this may not be accurate because of the several conversions required. Namely, the odometer is in kilometers, the pumps at the gas station give you Imperial Gallons, you pay for fuel in EC dollars and you drive on the left side of the road!

A Yacht of My Own

2009-10-11T12:36:00.000-07:00

Soon after I arrived and noticed the wonderful bay that I live on, I put the word out that I was in the market for a small sailing dinghy so I could take a friend or two and explore some far off beaches or an outer reef. I was fortunate to come across M who was willing to depart with an old Laser 2 if I would simply take it away. It is missing some important parts, mainly the rudder and shrouds, but the hull and sails are in good shape. Early this morning Javier and I picked up the boat and brought it to its new home at Willoughby Bay. It will take time before she is fit for sea and her commissioning ceremony takes place, so stay tuned.

Prickly Things

2009-10-11T12:32:00.000-07:00

There are many species of cacti that thrive in the dry climate of Antigua. We took a walk recently through a spot where Turk’s Head cacti were everywhere. They are beautiful plants that have delicate pink flowers and produce a small pink fruit called a cactus strawberry. It tastes a little like kiwi fruit. You’ve got to watch your step though as there are plenty of things that will scratch you!

Baby Goat on Campus

2009-10-07T18:03:00.000-07:00

A baby goat appeared on campus and interrupted classes with a high pitched bleating. There are some fields near the campus with cows, donkeys and many goats and it somehow, was separated from its mother. My students rushed to the window to see what was making the commotion and the third grade teacher, Mrs. M, picked up the little guy to move him outside the fence. The goat kept on coming back and called loudly for its mother. Some sixth grade students tried to carry the goat up the hill to reunite it with the herd but had no luck. Success was met when K, the campus caretaker, was able to find the herd and return the 3 week old to its mom.

Our Neighboring Island

2009-10-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

Montserrat is only 40 or so miles to the SW of Antigua and is visible when conditions are right. It is a British Overseas Territory with a population around 6000. It is smaller than Antigua but has an active volcano that currently is at a Hazard Level of 3 on a 5 point scale. Yesterday, the volcano emitted a fairly large ash cloud. The last major volcanic explosion was on January 3 of this year. Check out more info at:

http://www.montserratvolcanoobservatory.info/

Moon Over the Bay

2009-10-06T07:12:00.000-07:00

Willoughby Bay is a great setting for the rising of the full moon. This happened two nights ago and the view was amazing. I am working on getting a small sailing dinghy in order to explore the island and there would be nothing better than to cross the bay some evening guided by the light of the moon. Stay tuned!

Mystery Holes- Solved!

2009-10-03T14:05:00.000-07:00

Mystery Holes- Solved!

Warning: The following is not for the faint of heart. I am not sure if I want to write this for fear no one will come to visit me while I am here, but since I’ve set up the suspense, I must follow through. The mystery holes belong to small, cute, white-feathered ground doves that chirp pleasantly and are easily tamed. They are in their summer feeding grounds now but will be returning to the island soon. I wish that were the case.

The moment I uttered the question to my neighbor N, I knew I wouldn’t like the answer. “Why, those holes are where tarantulas live!” was her reply. “But they only come out if it rains.” she added quickly as she saw the look of disbelief and discomfort on my face. Now, I’m not an arachniphobe by any means but I’ve never been around spiders any bigger than a daddy longlegs let alone ones with venomous fangs or ones that have more hair than me.

The skeptic in me thought maybe N didn’t know what she was talking about as she has only lived here for 25 years, so the next time it rained, I grabbed a flashlight and cautiously tip toed out into the yard to have a look for myself. The rain brings out the tree frogs and I saw many of these small frogs on the grass making their pleasant chirping calls. “That’s really who makes the holes!” I tried to convince myself. “Tree frogs that live in the ground! Yes! That’s it! It has to be!”

But then, I scanned my flashlight to see if I could find a frog in a hole and the beam caught what I didn’t want to see. There, at the opening of one of the holes, were the spindly, hairy legs of a tarantula reaching out into the night. Its little eyes caught the glare of the flashlight and in a moment it was gone. I came upon another hole and saw a second spider peering out. The third sighting convinced me that N was right as this time it appeared that the spider was retreating into its den with a frog! So much for my theory!

The next day, N called to say here brother-in-law had dug up a tarantula’s hole while gardening and captured the occupant. I grabbed my camera and snapped away at the slow moving spider. N went on to say that they are not a danger to people. They tend to stay out of houses especially those up on stilts like mine. She did say that they like to crawl into shoes and that’s how she was bitten once. “Just like a bee sting!” she grinned. So now, I am in the habit of knocking my shoes together before tucking in my tender, tantalizing toes. That’s all you have to do, as well, when you come to visit so don’t worry.

I am still interested in getting the croquet set and thought it would be a neat challenge to play barefoot croquet in the rain with headlamps. Anyone game?

Reading Competition -Part 3

2009-10-03T14:03:00.000-07:00

Thursday’s competition was between 8 semi-finalists from Antigua and two from our sister island of Barbuda. My students carried books with them to keep them occupied during the down times. I had some time to chat with some of the other teachers who accompanied their students and was pleased at the commonalities that we share as colleagues despite our varied experiences.

Thursday’s reading selection was from the newspaper and, therefore, did not have as much opportunity for dramatic expression. It did have more challenging vocabulary and many of the contestants stumbled over words such as: ‘Halcyon’, ‘distinguished’, ‘officiated’, and ‘mediation’. Our E performed valiantly and in the end tied for third place with a student from Piggots Primary School earning herself a trip to the island wide finals on Friday. Yet another field trip for our class?

The principal and I agreed that three days out of school would be too much for the class and so E went on Friday with her teacher from last year. We anxiously awaited the news and tried to find the contest on the radio where it was supposedly being broadcast. Soon after lunch, one of the girls shouted, “There’s E!” and the whole class piled out the door to greet her as she came across the courtyard. A smile of relief was on her face as she announced that she did not win but came in second by one point! We all showered her with comments that showed how proud we were of her and her efforts. The class is now excited about holding a school-wide reading competition based on what we had seen.

Reading Competition – Part 2

2009-10-03T13:56:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday we reboarded the bus for the trip to the House of Culture. We arrived early and then had to wait for a while before all the student groups from the island joined us. Eight different schools were competing and all wore their full dress uniforms. Soon, the MC introduced all 10 competitors from Zones 3 and 4 as well as the no-nonsense panel of judges comprised of retired school teachers.

All competing students were ushered to a room out of earshot of the podium, then entered one at a time, stood on a cinder block riser and read the prescribed piece with as much effort as they could muster. Our classmate did a wonderful job reading the story about a child with a bad case of hiccups who looked to her parents for help. E read with great expression and brought a round of giggles when she replicated the actual hiccups in a high, shrill voice.

The last reader finished and the judges took time to tally their scores. My class was getting itchy after sitting for so long without moving. Finally the MC announced the 4 winners who would advance to the semi finals on Thursday. We were ecstatic to learn that E was selected. Back to school for another round of quick permission slips and talks with the principal and E’s parents to plan for the next unannounced field trip.

Mystery Holes

2009-10-03T13:43:00.002-07:00

Mystery Holes

My lovely cottage with the view here has a wide green lawn that slopes gently downhill away from the veranda. There are a few flowering shrubs around the perimeter and a large dildo cactus (true name, for real!) in the middle. I’ve thought it would be a great spot for a challenging game of croquet so I’ve been keeping an eye out for a set.

Throughout the lawn are a series of perfectly round holes the size of a quarter. There are one or two of them every ten square feet. The curious mind that I possess had me peering down into one of them recently trying to figure out who or what had created it. I stomped lightly around the hole hoping to rouse out an occupant but to no avail. There are many small lizards here and land crabs as well and maybe they could be responsible. Stay tuned as I work on the mystery.

The Reading Competition- Take One!

2009-10-03T13:37:00.000-07:00

In the third week of a new teaching job here, I was approached by the office administrator, who informed me of an island-wide reading competition for students in grades four and five. The best oral readers from all of the primary schools in Antigua were invited to a series of ‘read-offs’ where students would be given a portion of some unforeseen text, allowed 30 seconds to read it to themselves and then read it aloud for a panel of judges who award points for pronunciation, attention to punctuation, dialogue, expression and rate of delivery. The best oral readers are to succeed through local semi-finals, advance to the island wide finals and then travel to Dominica to compete against the best readers from all of the English speaking Caribbean.

With the help of last year’s grade four teacher, I was able to identify the best fifth grade reader to enter the contest. Forms were filled out and the next day we were informed that the entire class would be invited by the Ministry of Education to attend the competition and root for our classmate and a bus would be provided at no cost. What could be better than an unplanned field trip! The class was very excited. After a flurry of permission slips and a quick practice session with E, we were ready to head to the ‘House of Culture’ for Friday’s competition.

On Friday morning, we had a wonderful assembly at school to observe the World Day of Peace and soon after were called to the front office to board the bus to the House of Culture. When my group of 16 excited fifth graders in full white and blue uniforms entered the bus, we were greeted by children in brown and beige plaid uniforms from the Buckley’s Primary School. When we arrived at the House of Culture, we were informed that the competition was postponed because there was no current- the power was out- and we would be contacted when the event would be rescheduled. No worries, this is Antigua and back on the bus we piled and finished off the day in ordinary fashion.

Mrs. J

2009-09-27T09:37:00.003-07:00

We met Mrs. J on a recent trip to the Saturday market in St. Johns. Javier was interested in taking pictures of people in the market and I was on the hunt for some herbs and spices to enhance my culinary endeavors. It was in the middle of the market that we stopped to ask a vendor about a curious shaped seedpod that was among the wares she was selling. ‘Mrs. J’ was more than happy to provide us with all sorts of facts about the pod. We learned the pod is affectionately known as ‘stinky toe’, which refers to its shape and the scent it emits when it germinates.

Mrs. J was curious about where we were from and we began a friendly banter that lasted most of 30 minutes. We learned that she worked in the Kings Cross train station in London for British Rail for 11 years followed by another 14 years in a smaller station before moving back to retire in her home island. All of her children, grandchildren and other family are still in the London area. One granddaughter is attending an excellent university there and her pride bristled when she spoke of her.

One of Mrs. J’s brothers died in England when she was in Antigua and she traveled to England for the funeral. In her suitcase were thirteen 1.5 liter bottles of Cavalier rum for the gathering after the service. Although she doesn’t drink it was imperative that she bring a taste of home for her brother’s family and friends in England. She smiled as she told of the customs officer at Heathrow who did not charge extra duty when she learned that Mrs. J had traveled from the Caribbean to bury her brother. ‘Ders good people all over dis world!” she exclaimed with a toothy grin.

Mrs. J went on to tell of the respect and protection she garnered in her work in the stations. She would hand out a ‘bob’ to some of the young men when they came through and told her of their plans to meet a new girlfriend. One time, a shady character bought a ticket to Brixton from her and tried to swipe the money he’d laid on the counter and the ticket as well. As quick as could be, she grabbed a pair of shears she always kept handy and stabbed the would-be thief’s hand. The bleeding thief went to the station manager’s office to complain about the mad woman who stabbed innocent passengers. The manager phoned Mrs. J to hear her story and after only a moment, turned to the thief and told him to get out before the police where notified.

It felt as if we could stay all day to hear Mrs. J’s entertaining stories of her 72 years of living in Antigua, England and her visits to New York, which she proclaimed with a forthright directness, “Me no like America. Too busy. No one will stop to talk, dey all working.” We said our goodbyes and felt so glad that we were able to stop and talk with Mrs. J.

The Mane of the Lion, Removed

2009-09-27T09:19:00.001-07:00

My neighbor, friend and colleague, Javier, the Spanish teacher has a positive, outgoing personality that one warms to instantly. Coupled with his shoulder length shock of curly sandy hair, he makes quite an impression wherever he goes.

Javier, however, did not count on the heat being as intense here and after a month, recruited me to commit a barbarian act of barberism. I traveled here with my own set of electric barber’s shears to manage my own meager crop as I’ve done for the past 20 years. Armed with these, some scissors and a set of pruning shears the gardener left behind I soon had Javier’s flowing crown reduced to a close-cropped ‘Number 2’. We paused half way through the procedure to snap pictures of a Mohawk meant to give his mother a surprise. Javier shed a tear in the loss of what he had lovingly nurtured for over 12 years but smiled at the final results.

The next day at school, there were many double takes on the part of teachers and students alike. The principal almost stopped and asked him to sign in the office as a ‘visitor’. I anxiously awaited an angry phone call from his girl friend accusing me of conspiring to strip him of his manhood but it never came. The mane, having done its job in luring a prospective mate, is now a thing of the past and Javier is more comfortable without it. Sometimes practicality wins over vanity!

Time for Ginnips

2009-09-23T06:56:00.000-07:00

It is ginnip season here in Antigua and the fruit is available everywhere. Ginnips are small ovoid fruits with shiny light green skin. Ginnips ripen in clusters on a small-leafed tree that grows to 30 feet. The tree is widespread in the Caribbean and Central America and is also known as ‘mamoncillo’. There are three layers to the fruit but only the middle layer is edible in the raw state. The outer skin is thick and somewhat brittle and easy to break with your teeth. Under the skin and surrounding the hard seed is the thin layer of pink/orange flesh that has a subtle flavor that is mildly sweet.

They are sold in bunches in every roadside stand and market and hawked by children who excel at climbing the trees to harvest ginnips. On Sunday,we passed a ginnip tree and my local friends jumped out, scavenged a long stick for picking the high bunches and were up on top of Sue B’s roof rack reaching high for the ripest clusters of fruit. I came home with several bunches and have enjoyed popping the fruit into my mouth and sucking and scraping the tasty meat off the pits with teeth and tongue before ejecting the almond sized pit. Much effort is required in eating ginnips as there is so little edible fruit per ginnip. Needless to say, ginnip jams, jellies ice cream, fruit drinks and other items made with ginnips do not exist because of the small volume of fruit per piece. The delicate taste, however, is worth it.

Hunting for Fossils

2009-09-20T15:21:00.000-07:00

Antigua’s geologic history is a mystery to me but in the month since I arrived, I’ve learned that some of the island is volcanic in origin; a dome of magma pushes up through layers of sedimentary rock and then, as volcanoes are prone to do, spews its nasty hot innards up and out to form new topography. As the volcanic dome emerged it brought up a ring of sedimentary rock around itself. This rock contains layers of fossil coral and other marine creatures that were laid down sometime before I was born. Geologic time scales never cease to boggle the small human brain that I possess.

Just across the bay from my house, there is a long rugged beach of rocks beneath steep cliffs that are stratified with layers and layers of fossils. As erosion occurs, the land gives up its bounty to the sea and the beach is littered with remnants from the past. Michael first took me there the week after I arrived and today we piled F, N and her intrepid 7-year old triplets plus three dogs into the back of Sue B for a return trip.

We fossil hunters were equipped with sharp eyes, plenty of water, some snacks and bags to carry our bounty home with. The triplets picked up many more ‘twirly whirly’ fossil shells than the adults because of their sharp youthful eyes and close proximity to the ground. A great way to spend a Sunday morning in the Caribbean!

A Beach Worth The Effort

2009-09-15T17:51:00.000-07:00

One of the nicest beaches I’ve visited so far is at Rendezvous Bay. It is a long open crescent beach rimmed by tall palms. The white sand is soft underfoot and extends 20-30 feet at a gradual incline from the waterline to a border of hardy tropical beach plants. Below the waterline, the same sand extends 50-60 feet under the water before rocks and coral start to mount up into a good sized reef that begs for further exploration with snorkel and mask. The beach faces in a southerly direction and therefore does not get the full Atlantic swell head-on which makes for smooth swimming.

The problem with Rendezvous Bay is that unless you have a helicopter, a boat of some sort or a Land Rover on steroids, you are faced with a 30-minute hike to get there. Now my New England friends will be saying, “A 30-minute hike is nothing! What’s he whining about?” So here’s the rub: the sun is relentless and makes you sweat through pores you never knew existed, the conservative amount of water you packed runs out in the first 10 minutes and the trail you’re following is not marked well and follows a wicked short-scale topography and is obstructed by all kinds of nasty thorn or spike-bearing plants, trees with dripping sap that raises welts, stinging nettles, vines with razor-like leaves and fire ant nests (do NOT stop too long to suck out the last of your meager water supply when you’re near one of these dens of frantic terror because they will be happy to see you doing the “Ow! Ow! Two-Step”.)

Some of you may be getting the solution to the equation by now. Beautiful Beach + High Degree of Inaccessibility + Adventurous Neophytes = Zero Occupants. After Dr. N and I survived the trek to the beach, we were awarded with a pristine expanse of sea and sand that you only see in brochures and there was NO ONE ELSE. We basked in the sun , the solitary atmosphere as well as our pride in ‘making it there’ and talked about ‘The Beach’, the Leonardo DiCaprio movie about a Shangri La-like beach in Thailand that ended up being a secluded place where drug lords reigned.

The bay’s name has its origins in an historic place where pirates, French privateers and other nefarious types would meet to exchange contraband because it was out of sight of the reigning English Navy. That history still persists today as the spot’s remote location makes it a favored spot for modern-day smugglers. We both looked over our shoulders to the verdant hillsides unmarred by house or road and wondered if we were intruding.

After a few hours of basking, swimming and exploring, we turned our thoughts to our return trek to the car and decided it would be wise to slow the pace down a bit. I fell into a ‘step-breathe-step’ rhythm that I perfected in the thin air of past hikes in the mountains of the Rockies, Himalaya and Andes and less suitable for walking at only 500 or so feet above a sea that glowed with the cool, inviting shades of blue and green.

Suffice to say that we survived the return trip and are excited about returning, albeit, with a better-equipped backpack! Hopefully by the time that you arrive for a visit, I will have my own helicopter or at least a small dinghy to make access a bit easier but I will guide you up and down the same trail if you’re up to it.

Javier's Car is POSSESSED!

2009-09-13T15:53:00.000-07:00

The door locks operate by themselves, there’s a faint image of a female face that keeps appearing in the haze of the windshield, the radio comes on under its own volition to a Spanish language channel, the battery died, the CD player keeps on spitting out CDs of strange garbled noise even though Javier is not putting any in, a door handle came off in my hand, the engine hesitates and sputters each time we pass Crab Hole Liquors and Javier thought he saw someone sitting in the driver’s seat one night when he woke up dreaming.

Mr. S, who sold it to Javier said the car was his wife’s and they didn’t have a need for it anymore. On the three occasions that we met with Mr. S at his house, there was no sign of a Mrs. S. We theorize that Mr. S actually murdered his wife in the car by carbon monoxide poisoning. He then disposed of the body at Devil’s Bridge where the sharks took care of the evidence and then sold the car to an unsuspecting Spaniard. Mrs. S’s restless spirit is still in the Kia Rio trying to find peace. Javier is looking for a priest or, at least, a devout mechanic to perform an exorcism. PS. If you look closely at the picture, you can see that the car is levitating a half inch or so off the ground!

The Snout of the Crocodile

2009-09-12T14:23:00.001-07:00

My neighbors here have triplets that are in second grade at the school. They live just down the hill from me so we’ve visited a few times and have gone hiking together as well. The triplets think that the peninsula on the other side of Willoughby Bay resembles a crocodile laying in the water. The end of crocodile’s snout is called Hudson Point and has steep rock faces that drop into the sea and are of a light colored mineral that reflects the late afternoon light in unusual ways. At this time of the year, the sun rises just over the snout and a few nights ago the moon did the same. It is an amazing feature that never looks the same each time you see it.

Car Shopping

2009-09-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

Finding cars to purchase in Antigua has been an experience. Cars are really a necessity here because there is little public transportation and the roads are laid out so that if you want to explore the island you have no choice but to hitch a ride with someone or get your own wheels. Shipping your own car into the country is not cost effective because there is a 30-40% duty taxed onto any imported goods (that includes the price of shipping too!) Bringing a left hand drive car into a drive-on-the-left country is not a good idea especially because of the frequent need to pass parked minibuses, slow moving cars, herds of goats and other obstacles on narrow, bumpy roads. You are better off sitting behind the wheel on the right side of the car so you can see what’s coming the other way!

There are many used cars that come from Japan. There is some law in Japan that says you can only have a car on the road there for so many years. After that, they must go and end up in do places like Antigua. I’ve heard, however, that some of the resellers here change the model years so the vehicle is newer on paper.

Used cars tend to be expensive because of the duty tax that the seller may be trying to recoup. Because of the condition of the roads, used cars can also have issues with suspension, tires, steering. They are hard to find as well. The newspapers are slim on classified ads and there are few dealers. We realized that the best way to locate a vehicle was by looking at signs posted in supermarkets and asking everyone we came across. People here are always friendly and willing to help out. A shopkeeper would say hold on a minute, get on the phone and within seven minutes someone would drive up with a car for us to look at. This turned out to be comical as ‘Danny’ turned up on three different occasions, summoned by three different callers with the same car that was too expensive for our budgets. The experience was even more frustrating as everyone told us there were lots of cars to choose from because of the bad economy and the repossession of cars as fallout from the Stanford banking crisis.

In the end, after driving all over the island, we both found cars. Javier ended up with a Kia Rio, a small sedan, and I found a rather tattered but strong running Mitsubishi 4WD diesel pickup truck that I named Sue B as in She Be Sue or Sue Be She!

Bougainvillea Woodshop

2009-09-06T10:08:00.000-07:00

September 5, 2009

Antigua is said to have 365 beaches and I have only been to a few since I have arrived. On those visits, I’ve collected dimensional driftwood to build tables and benches for my veranda as there is plenty of deck space but few spots to sit or place a book, fossils collected at the beach or a frosty Carib beer. An earlier foraging venture found me returning from a two-mile beach walk towing two floating bundles of recovered driftwood with rope retrieved on the beach as well. Once the desired pieces were collected and air-dried, I tossed all in the back of my new pickup, Subi, and headed over to M’s. I parked under the shade of a large Bougainvillea tree and M and I spent three hours or so with his well-equipped tool kit assembling the rough and weathered pieces that have been the trademark of my furniture making ventures. The pieces fit the deck nicely and have a pleasing aesthetic as well. As I write this entry, my feet are up on the new table along with a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird, which I am thoroughly enjoying, and a bowl of mangoes and limes.

First Day of School

2009-09-06T10:05:00.001-07:00

Sept. 4, 2009

My long awaited return to the classroom happened today in a brand new school building, in a country far from home, the day after a tropical storm dumped four inches of rain on the campus. I awoke early and was one of the first teachers at the school to finish up last minute preparations. Printing documents from my laptop and making copies is a bit of a challenge compared to where I came from so more time is needed. The building weathered the storm well although runoff from the hill behind the school swept a film of bright orange clay/mud over walkways, and the playing surface. Students could not help but get a generous coating over their uniforms during recess despite all of our warnings. The class is made up of a variety of students. Half of them are Antiguan nationals mixed with Syrian, Italian, Canadian and English expatriates. The school day progressed well as we learned each other’s names and the-oh-so-important rules/expectations that will lay the foundation for establishing a cohesive learning community. One of the highlights for my class was the tour of the campus. This is the first time in the history of the school that primary and secondary students are together on one campus and the mix of students from K-12 has caused concern for some parents. My students, however, did not seem intimidated by the presence of the upper classes and, in fact, secondary students offered guidance to the younger students at recess and transition times. The day soon came to a close and the usual chaos in the parking lot at dismissal time was made more challenging by the slick clay mud on the dirt access road. I returned to my empty classroom to pick up and plan for next week with a smile on my face, again, feeling that I made the right choice to be here!

Tropical Storm Erica

2009-09-04T04:38:00.000-07:00

TS Erica September 3, 2009

Tropical Storm Erica charged over the island early this morning. Last night, just after a spectacular sunset, the sky to the southeast lit up with lightening for hours, a sign that something was approaching. Light rain started at 2 am and the wind started picking up. At 3:30 am, the wind was whipping past the cottage around 40 mph with higher gusts. I had to get up and shut all windows tightly as the horizontal wind forced rain through the narrowest gap. I put towels at the base of the doors to keep the water from creeping in pools across the floor. The noise of the wind combined with rain pelting the metal roof made it hard to sleep. I tried earplugs but when the power went out and the wind blew the driveway gate open with a crash, breaking its hinges, I gave up on the idea of sleeping.

I thought about packing a ‘Go Bag’ in the event Erica increased her fury and I had to skedaddle down the hill to the relative safety of J and D’s less exposed house or to the ‘bunker’ at N and P’s. I sat up and peered out the doorway on the leeward side to witness thrashing palms lit up by continuous lightening and feel the house and hillsides reverberate with incredible thunder. Above the din, I could hear the tree frogs calling, reveling in the cascades of falling water.

Luckily, the worst was over by 4:30 and I managed a few fitful hours of sleep. It is typical for most teachers to suffer from poor sleep the night before the first day of school but not because of the effects of a tropical depression! At 6:50 am I got the call I’d been waiting for: “No school today!” I knew that all of my students and their families had sleepless nights as well so we’ll call today a ‘rest day’. The warm tropical rain has continued all day with no signs of stopping. At least the cistern will be topped off.

Check out video I shot at 3 in the morning-turn up the sound!

Tropical Storm Forecast for first Day of School

2009-09-02T12:18:00.000-07:00

Well, you've heard of snow days but here we may have a Tropical Storm Day because of TS Erica situated to the south of us and forecast to pass over the island tonight and tomorrow. Phone chain is set up and ready to go.

Image courtesy of NOAA.

Check out more here:

http://www.stormpulse.com/

Commuting to Work

2009-09-02T05:33:00.001-07:00

The 20 minute ride from the south side of the island to school is all on small windy roads with obstacles that include speed bumps, potholes, drainage ditches, pulled over mini buses, goats, sheep, donkeys, cows and bulls. The drive passes through typical West Indian villages with simple, colorful houses and fruit stands.

Spanish Teacher

2009-08-31T08:45:00.001-07:00

J, the new Spanish teacher arrived on the island the day after I did. He taught high school Spanish in Virginia for the last two years. We have gone through the trials and tribulations of finding housing and cars together and now are neighbors. We also share the same birthday with J being exactly 20 years my junior.

Getting Ready for School

2009-08-31T08:29:00.000-07:00

School opens up here on Thursday. 12 students will be attending my fifth grade class as of now. Enrollment is expected to rise as the word get's out that the school is in great shape after a long construction period. The classroom windows allow the constant trade winds to pass through and cool things off. Paperweights are a must and will be on the supply list for my students. The new head of school is energetic and getting all the last minute details seen to.

Sea Breeze Cottage

2009-08-31T08:19:00.000-07:00

Sea Breeze Cottage, Red Hill, Parish of St. Paul, Antigua, West Indies

The rough dirt track climbs west into the hills above Willoughby Bay. At the crest of the hill is Sea Breeze Cottage, my new home in Antigua. The cottage sits in a large fenced in yard with various plantings including palms, yucca like plants, hibiscus bush and cassia trees. The fence is to keep out wandering goats and horses of which there are plenty.

A short stone walkway takes you to the steps of the veranda which wraps halfway around the house. The cottage has two doors, one that faces north and a double door that opens onto the veranda and the view over Willoughby Bay.

The cottage is wood framed with bead board interior walls painted white and varnished pine floors. It has one room that measures 19 by 21 feet. At the west end is a big queen size bed on a simple frame. There is a pair of curtains that can be drawn to separate the sleeping area from the rest of the space but I haven’t used them yet. Next to the bed there is a closet and shelves for my clothes. Behind the closet is the bathroom which includes a large tiled shower.

To the left of the double doors, there is a sitting area with a love seat and two comfortable chairs. There is also a flat screen TV on a small cabinet with storage space underneath. To the right of the doors is a simple kitchen table with four chairs and the kitchen area with a long counter against the south wall. The kitchen is well appointed with plates, cups, pots and pans, coffee maker, toaster as well as a gas range top and a small fridge.

There are 9 louvered windows with screens and blinds that will seldom be closed. There are some nice paintings hanging on the walls including large colorful renditions of bamboo stalks and a white and yellow tropical flower.

The cottage is uphill of three other houses that are similar in design. Two are vacant and the third will soon be occupied by J and D, two other new teachers.

As I sit and write this at the kitchen table, I look out onto Willoughby Bay and the distant Hudson Point. The bay is long and wide with a few big reefs at its mouth that the Atlantic swells break against. The color of the bay is always changing as the pattern of sun and cloud highlight different parts of the water.

The constant trade winds come right down the bay and up the hill through the doors of Sea Breeze. As I sit inside, I feel that I am on a boat because of the constant sounds of the wind. The palm trees rustle outside the veranda, the blinds swing in the windows, the veranda door squeaks as it moves on its hinges, a picture frame taps against the wall. When I move onto the veranda, I am moving onto the deck of a boat. Anything light you have in your hand must be put down thoughtfully or else it will wander away with the breeze.

Looking upwind, I can see squalls march their way towards the bay with sheets of rain shimmering in the sun ahead of the dark shadows they cast upon the sea. I’ve had to jump up and shut the double doors a few times as the wind drives the rain straight inside.

It is a spot with breathtaking views and I am very pleased with my decision to live here. It has a sense of wild remoteness to it but I am only 8 minutes by car to all the trappings of English Harbor and Falmouth.