Recognizing Things

We saw it.  The famed green flash.  On a very clear evening, just before the sun sinks below the horizon, it really does happen in the Caribbean.  For us, it wasn’t too exciting because the hee hawing donkeys in Barbuda had already commandeered our attention.  They get real loud at sunset and the sound is great giggling material.  

Our first dive on our own went well, but sadly we didn’t see much live coral because in addition to global environmental factors, Palaster Reef likely succumbed to Irma in 2017. 

The damage to Barbuda in the category five hurricane was no doubt catastrophic, but it’s the lingering issues that may prove to be more damaging than the two hundred mile an hour winds that leveled every structure on the island.

What we hear is that all 1,500 Barbudans were evacuated to Antigua after the hurricane (not before), and not allowed to return to their home for a year or more in some cases.  During that time, two hundred year land leases were given to high bidders without the Barbudans’ consent.  This is particularly disturbing because Barbudans maintain no privately owned land.  They never have!  From what I understand, since the time that the Barbudan people were freed from slavery, their island has belonged to all of them, and the land’s use is decided by a council.  

Let me give you an example. The wonderful Enoch, who prepared grilled lobsters for us on Christmas Eve, simply asked the Barbudan council if he could use a beachfront property of jaw dropping beauty for which to construct his bar.  The council voted, “yes,” and so it was and remains to be.  He serves up cold drinks and that most nostalgic of all guilty pleasures, the beach bonfire.

In the sailing tradition, Christmas day was spent fixing something.  SYFlora’s watermaker broke, so we discovered that not only one, but two men can fit in Gerty’s ‘work room,’ if they are really motivated to repair a busted hose!

The only Barbudan inhabitants that have special land privileges are the Frigate birds.  Their mangrove city is off limits to anyone who is not traveling with an indigenous guide, but we were lucky enough to get a tour with Solomon during mating season. 

The males strut their stuff, which consists of a scarlet red pouch filled with air and water, hoping to attract a female.  According to Solomon, the white breasted females are so judgmental that they can check out a guy for two hours or more, and then decide against the match!  The birds boast a six foot wingspan with lift that is offset only by three pounds of body weight.  If it weren’t for the fact that they are sea birds that can’t get wet (they sink when their feathers submerge), I would say they are one of nature’s most efficient specimens.

The sail back to Antigua from Barbuda was my favorite thus far during our Caribbean travels.  The wind was 12 to 15 knots a little forward of the beam with calm seas. It was sunny with passing clouds that gave us shady periods of cool comfort.  Michael caught fish, big fish (two barracuda and a Mahi)!  There was nothing not to like, yet I had to fight off a small sadness leaving.  For me, it wasn’t the pink sand beaches that sucked me into Barbuda’s loveliness.  It was the time and the space to nurture friendships.  As adults, we don’t plan for that, but one mustn’t be a fool and neglect to recognize these things when they present.

Last remarks

Thank you Yuka on SY Oroboro for laughing with me as we binocular-watched Francesco (in the dinghy) chase Michael (on a kiteboard) into the sunset.

Thank you Ralph on SY Flora for phonetically and literally translating your family’s German Christmas song for us so we could join in the singing.

Thank you Michael, my best friend, for walking with me on the seemingly endless beach that we had all to ourselves again and again.

For travelers and other curious people, we recommend Barbudaful.net for more on the history and current events in Barbuda.