Antigua - back to the warmth at last! - Jan 14th-21st

What is it about arms?? We arrived back to Antigua, and this time it was Eddy who has broken his arm (Jimmy had hurt his arm when we returned to the boat in Trinidad, and Charlotte broke her arm when we returned to the boat last year).

We were soon settled back on the boat, pleased to be back in the warm weather - we will never complain that its too hot again! We were now flying an Australian flag, having sold the boat to an Australian just before Christmas. Being a less common flag than the US flag, we are now often approached by Aussies, keen to bump into someone from their homeland! A New Yorker, Londoner and Floridian, from Bermuda is not quite what they are expecting!!

A few days in Jolly Harbour, getting sorted, and then on 21st January we headed to St Martin. One of the few, more downwind sails, heading NW. The 10-15 knot NE forecast started off very light (looked like it would be a motor job) and ended up at 25knots from the SE - the forecasts are often quite reliable in the unreliability of them!! We left at 8.30am (never quite managed the planned 5am start!). When darkness fell we were just passing St Barths, and arrived into Simpson Bay, St Martin at about 8.30pm - made good time with a 12 hour sail.

Visiting Mickey Mouse in Ski Jackets!!

We arrived in Orlando 7th January to the coldest temperatures in 80 years!! Same temperature as it had been in Austria!! But we still enjoyed 2 days in Disney World - a great place no matter what the weather. It didn't stop the crowds from turning up and we closed the place both nights - but we were thankful we had our ski jackets with us!! Charlotte got to visit all her favourite princesses etc


Included in our week in Florida, Charlotte got to meet more cousins while visiting Jimmy's sister Rita and her family in Daytona. And a couple of days visiting Jimmy's brother Billy and wife Susan in Palm Beach. We headed to Miami, stopping at the hospital that Charlotte was born at, to fly back to Antigua just as the weather started to warm up again!


What a relief to get off the plane in Antigua today and feel that nice blast of hot air to warm our bones - we will never complain about the heat again!! We will be back on Heat Wave by the weekend.

Snow in UK

Back in London from 3-7th January to stay with my sister Hilary and her family. Charlotte got her wish to make a snowman. Record snow in several years, Gatwick airport closed for 20 hours and we were lucky to make our flight out - Alan had to push our car out of the drive at 5am as the wheels were sliding!! It was cold... By now we realised that we are tropical people and do not like cold weather! We were looking forward to getting to Florida for some warm sunny weather!!........

New Year Skiing in Austria

We headed over to St Anton, Austria for 4 days of skiing over New Year, with my sister Denise and some of her friends. Charlotte's first time skiing - obviously Jimmy had no intention of skiing but wanted to enjoy the scenery. It was beautiful in the snowy alps and crystal clear nights with a full moon. Charlotte took to skiing very well, so do doubt this will not be our last ski trip!

Christmas in UK

Despite BA's threat to strike, on 23rd December we flew to UK to have Christmas with all of my sisters, at Sheila and Bob's house in Poole. Charlotte's first Christmas in UK and the first time all of my sisters had been together for Christmas in about 18 years (a few less children back then!). Charlotte was very excited about the prospect of seeing snow for the first time.