Like Beaches? Try Barbuda!

Beautiful stretch of 11 Mile Beach

Mr Mac between the blue water and blue sky

Chris bringing home the coconuts

Barbuda is a long, low island north of Antigua, very different from the nearby hilly and volcano islands: Antigua, Saba, Statia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Martin. Consequently, it’s nearly invisible on the horizon until you’re nearly there. And once there…beaches. We anchored first off of 11 Mile Beach, which is just that, an eleven-mile-long stretch of white sand edging the turquoise Caribbean waters. Only one little resort and a bar marred the natural feel. Just beautiful! We spent a couple of days walking the beach and snorkeling the reefs offshore. Next we moved south to Cocoa Point. There’s a posh resort on the point, which the cruising guide says wants nothing to do with passing cruisers, which was fine with us because pose isn’t our style. Along the northern shore of the bay, another long white-sand beach, were the remains of the K Club, another resort that apparently had hosted Princess Diana. This one actually looked cute, with small cottages along the beach, each with an outdoor kitchen. Unfortunately, it was wiped out by a storm. However, the abandoned palm trees provided good forage, and Chris came back with two coconuts. We spent most of our time in the crystal-clear water. LOTS of barracuda and other fish, Christmas tree worms, a crib of lobsters (most of the area is a marine preserve, so a no-take zone), and large spotted eagle ray. One day we snorkeled the width of Gravenor Bay, starting at the reef on the east side, then dit-dotting our way west from reef to reef. When we got chilled, we just sat on the dinghy and soaked up the sun, floating in the current. Lovely.

Chris heading ashore after snorkeling, with the defunct K Club amidst the palms farther up the beach

Megayacht sailing off into the sunset