All
the signs pointed towards Antigua. The largest of the British Leeward
Islands had warm, steady winds, a complex coastline of safe harbors, and a
protective, nearly unbroken wall of coral reef. It would make a perfect
place to hide a fleet. And so in 1784 the legendary Admiral
Horatio Nelson sailed to Antigua and established Great Britain's most
important Caribbean base. Little did he know that over 200 years later the
same unique characteristics that attracted the Royal Navy would transform
Antigua and Barbuda in one of the Caribbean's premier tourist
destinations.
The signs are still there, they just point
to different things. The Trade Winds that once blew British men-of-war
safely into English Harbor now fuel one of the world's foremost maritime events,
Sailing
Week. The expansive, winding coastline that made Antigua difficult for
outsiders to navigate is where today's trekkers encounter a tremendous
wealth of secluded, powdery soft beaches.
The coral reefs, once the bane of marauding enemy ships, now attract snorkelers
and scuba divers from all over the world. And the fascinating little
island of Barbuda
-- once a scavenger's paradise because so many ships wrecked on its reefs
-- is now home to one of the region's most significant bird sanctuaries.
Location:
Antigua (pronounced An-tee'ga) and Barbuda are located in the middle of
the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean, roughly 17 degrees north
of the equator. To the south are the islands of Montserrat and
Guadaloupe, and to the north and west are Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Barts,
and St. Martin.
Size:
Antigua, the largest of the British Leeward
Islands, is about 14 miles long and 11 miles wide, encompassing 108
square miles. Its highest point is Boggy Peak (1319 ft.), located in the
southwestern corner of the island. Barbuda, a flat coral island with an
area of only 68 square miles, lies approximately 30 miles due north. The
nation also includes the tiny (0.6 square mile) uninhabited island of
Redonda, now a nature preserve. The current population for the nation is
approximately 68,000 and its capital is St.
John's on Antigua.
Climate:
Temperatures generally range from the
mid-seventies in the winter to the mid-eighties in the summer. Annual
rainfall averages only 45 inches, making it the sunniest of the Eastern
Caribbean Islands, and the northeast trade winds are nearly constant,
flagging only in September. Low humidity year-round.
There are 365
beaches on Antigua, one for each day of the year. The great majority rest inside
the calm, protected waters of the island's Caribbean side. All are open to the
public, and so the challenge posed to a visitor is not how to gain access to the
best of them but simply how to locate the beach that suits one's taste.
Exploring on your own is the best way to do this, although it is wise to bring a
companion along to particularly isolated locations. Antiguans are understandably
reluctant to divulge their own favorites, so here are a number of good starters.
Be sure to acquire specific directions before you go.
Northwest Coast: Dickenson Bay and Runaway Bay, located along the island's developed
northwestern coast, are the place to go for those who want the fully-loaded
resort beach experience. The beaches most convenient to St. John's are Fort
James, a locally-popular public beach, and Deep Bay. Galley Bay attracts surfers
during the winter months and a joggers during the evening. The series of four
crescent beaches at Hawksbill
are also highly regarded, one of which is nudist.
Southwest and South Coast: The beaches of the hilly southwest corner of Antigua are generally less
developed than those around St. John's further north. On the road that winds
along this coast are Fryes Bay, Darkwood Beach, and the beaches around Johnsons
Point. Rendezvous Bay and especially Doigs Beach, both located on the central
southern coast at Rendezvous Bay, are especially quiet beaches worth the rough
travel necessary to reach them. Pigeon Point, near English
Harbor Town, is a convenient balm after a day at Nelson's Dockyard.
East
Coast: On the southeast corner of the island is Half Moon Bay, now a National
Park and a good choice for a family outing. Long Bay, on the easternmost point
of the island, is another good choice for families, as it is completely
protected by its reef.
It would be difficult to overestimate the impact on
Antigua's history of the arrival, one fateful day in 1684, of Sir Christopher
Codrington. An enterprising man, Codrington had come to Antigua to find out if
the island would support the sort of large-scale sugar cultivation that already
flourished elsewhere in the Caribbean. His initial efforts proved to be quite
successful, and over the next fifty years sugar cultivation on Antigua exploded.
By the middle of the 18th century the island was dotted with more than 150
cane-processing windmills--each the focal point of a sizeable plantation. Today
almost 100 of these picturesque stone towers remain, although they now serve as
houses, bars, restaurants and shops. At Betty's
Hope, Codrington's original sugar estate, visitors can see a fully-restored
sugar mill.
Most Antiguans are of African
lineage, descendants of slaves brought to the island centuries ago to labor in
the sugarcane fields. However, Antigua's history of habitation extends as far
back as two and a half millenia before Christ. The first settlements, dating
from about 2400 B.C., were those of the Siboney (an Arawak word meaning
"stone-people"), peripatetic Meso-Indians whose beautifully crafted
shell and stone tools have been found at dozens of sites around the island. Long
after the Siboney had moved on, Antigua was settled by the pastoral,
agricultural Arawaks (35-1100 A.D.), who were then displaced by the Caribs--an
aggressive people who ranged all over the Caribbean. The earliest European
contact with the island was made by Christopher Columbus during his second
Caribbean voyage (1493), who sighted the island in passing and named it after
Santa Maria la Antigua, the miracle-working saint of Seville. European
settlement, however, didn't occur for over a century, largely because of
Antigua's dearth of fresh water and abundance of determined Carib resistance.
Finally, in 1632, a group of Englishmen from St. Kitts established a successful
settlement, and in 1684, with Codrington's arrival, the island entered the sugar
era.
By the end of the eighteenth century Antigua had become an
important strategic port as well as a valuable commercial colony. Known as the
"gateway to the Caribbean," it was situated in a position that offered
control over the major sailing routes to and from the region's rich island
colonies. Most of the island's historical sites, from its many ruined
fortifications to the impeccably-restored architecture of English Harbortown,
are reminders of colonial efforts to ensure its safety from invasion.
Horatio
Nelson arrived in 1784 at the head of the Squadron of the Leeward Islands to
develop the British naval facilities at English Harbor and to enforce stringent
commercial shipping laws. The first of these two tasks resulted in construction
of Nelson's Dockyard, one of Antigua's finest
physical assets; the second resulted in a rather hostile attitude toward the
young captain. Nelson spent almost all of his time in the cramped quarters of
his ship, declaring the island to be a "vile place" and a
"dreadful hole." Serving under Nelson at the time was the future King
William IV, for whom the altogether more pleasant accommodation of Clarence
House was built.
It was during William's reign, in
1834, that Britain abolished slavery in the empire. Alone among the British
Caribbean colonies, Antigua instituted immediate full emancipation rather than a
four-year 'apprenticeship,' or waiting period; today, Antigua's Carnival
festivities commemorate the earliest abolition of slavery in the British
Caribbean.
Emancipation
actually improved the island's economy, but the sugar industry of the British
islands was already beginning to wane. Until the development of tourism in the
past few decades, Antiguans struggled for prosperity. The rise of a strong
labour movement in the 1940s, under the leadership of V.C. Bird, provided the
impetus for independence. In 1967, with Barbuda and the tiny island of Redonda
as dependencies, Antigua became an associated state of the Commonwealth, and in
1981 it achieved full independent status. V.C. Bird is now deceased; his son,
Lester B. Bird, was elected to succeed him as prime minister.
English Harbor, Antigua's
graceful and evocative historic district, is focused on the fifteen square miles
of Nelson's Dockyard National Park. Developed as a base for the British Navy in
the great age of sail, the harbor served as the headquarters of the fleet of
the Leeward Islands during the turbulent years of the late 18th century.
Although the dockyard was greatly expanded at that time by Horatio Nelson, it
was gradually abandoned in the nineteenth century and was closed in 1889. Today
Nelson's Dockyard has been completely restored, and it is now the only Georgian
dockyard in the world.
Almost all of the park's other sites of interest overlook
the harbor. The closest of these is Clarence House, a residence built for the
future King William IV (1765-1837) when he served under Nelson as captain of the
H.M.S. Pegasus. Further above the harbor, at Shirley
Heights, are the partially-restored fortifications of the harbor's colonial
observation post; the view from Shirley Heights extends out over the harbor and
far across the Caribbean to Montserrat and Guadaloupe. On Sundays the vista is
enhanced by barbeque and live music at the bar there (Steel Band music from 3-6
pm & reggae from 6-9). Shirley Heights can be reached via Lookout Trail, a
nature walk that rises from the harbor through a forest of trees--descending
the trail is not advisable after dark or barbecue revelry.
Along
Lookout Trail and near Shirley Heights is Dow's Hill Interpretation Center, at
which visitors can watch an impressive multimedia presentation of Antigua's
history, from its initial settlement to independence. Observation decks at Dow's
Hill provide another fine view of the harbor, as do the ruined fortifications
of Fort Berkeley, located on the far side of the bay and reached by a walk
around its perimeter. All of these points, as well as the park's convenient
beaches, become especially popular spectator positions during Sailing
Week.
Betty's Hope was the first large sugar plantation on
Antigua, and its success led to the island's rapid development of large-scale
sugar production. Although the only surviving structures are two stone sugar
mills and the remains of the still house, the site's importance in Antiguan
history has prompted the government to begin developing it as an open air
museum. About a hundred stone windmill towers dot the Antiguan landscape, and
the two restored examples at Betty's Hope provide a dramatic sense of the way
these mills must have dominated the island during the hundreds of years that
sugar production was the dominant industry. Betty's Hope was built by Sir
Christopher Codrington, who came to Antigua in 1674 from Barbados, and was named
for his daughter.
Indian Town National Park
Indian Town Point, on the eastern extremity of the island,
is thought to have been an Arawak campsite prior to the arrival of European
colonists. Devil's Bridge, a large, natural limestone arch on the shoreline of
Indian Town Point, offers one of the most spectacular sights on the island. At
high tide, the rougher waves of the Atlantic force enormous geysers of water
through boreholes in the rocks near the bridge. Guided tours of the site are
available.
Fort James
Built in the first half of the 18th century, this
picturesque bastion was intended to guard the harbor of St. John's. The walls
remain in excellent condition, and a few of the cannons are still intact - but
the main attraction today is the excellent view of the surrounding harbor.
Nearby is Heritage Quay, which comprises a hotel, four duty-free shops,
restaurants and a casino, all part of the newest development in downtown St
John's.
Fig Tree Drive
Antigua's most picturesque drive meanders from the low
central plain of the island up into the ancient volcanic hills of the Parish of
Saint Mary in the island's southwest quarter. The none-too-smooth road passes
through an area of lush vegetation and rainforest and rises to the steep
farmlands around Fig Tree Hill (figs are what Antiguans call bananas) before
descending to the coastline again. Along the way are banana, mango, and coconut
groves, as well as a number of old sugar mills and pleasant little churches.
Nelson's
Dockyard
Although St. John's has long been Antigua's capital city,
the island's historic heart is across the island at English Harbor. One of the
finest natural harbors in the Caribbean, and located at a highly strategic
position, English Harbor was used by Admirals Nelson, Rodney and Hood as a
secure home for the British Navy during the Napoleonic wars. Today, Nelson's
Dockyard forms part of a designated national park, complete with a museum.
shops, hotels, restaurants and a yacht haven. The park embraces the whole of
English Harbor and Shirley Heights.
Green Castle Hill
The 'megaliths' that initially drew curious visitors to
Green Castle Hill are almost certainly geologic features, but they are no less
impressive and picturesque for being natural features. Green Castle Hill also
provides an excellent view of the island's interior, including both the
southwestern volcanic mass (of which it is a part) and the interior plain. (due
south of St. John's, btw. Jennings and Emanuel).
The coasts of Antigua are ideal for yacht cruising and
racing, with constant trade-winds, and many harbors for exploration. Easily a
week could be spent cruising around this picturesque island of the Caribbean.
The sister island of Barbuda has shell laden beaches so long that they dip below
the horizon.
There are good airline connections with North America and
Europe and Antigua is centrally situated for Caribbean cruising.
English Harbor and Jolly Harbor make ideal yacht
headquarters. For English Harbor's fine facilities, see the following site: Nelson's
Dockyard.
Other events of the year organized by the Antigua Yacht
Club are the annual High Tide Series, Green Island Race, informal
Round-the-Island-Race and the "after work" Thursday afternoon races
for all-comers.
Both Antigua and Barbuda are
almost completely surrounded by well-preserved coral reefs, walls, and
shipwrecks. The southern and eastern coasts of Antigua and virtually the entire
coast of Barbuda are surrounded by shelves, providing excellent conditions for
spectacular shallow diving and snorkeling. There is little or no current in most
places, and the water temperature averages about 80 F (25 C). Underwater
visibility ranges from 50 to 140 feet, and tropical marine plants and animals
are diverse and plentiful. Snorkeling is possible at many of both islands' most beautiful
beaches; one of Antigua's best-known offshore sites, Cades Reef, is now
partly contained in a designated underwater park. Another popular destination is
the wreck of the Andes, a three-masted merchant ship that sank in 1905 and now
rests in less than thirty feet of water in (ironically enough) Deep Bay.
Antigua's dive facilities are far superior to those available on smaller
Barbuda, and so most of the sites that have been established as dive
destinations are Antiguan. The southern and eastern coasts are considered to
offer the most consistent diving; for more advanced divers, the ledge of Sunken
Rock on the south coast is a popular site. Dive depths generally range from 25
to 80 feet and can reach 180 feet; distances from shore to site are in some
cases no more than five minutes and at most 40 minutes away.
Barbuda's encircling reefs contain an enormous number of
wrecks, most of which are yet to be explored; in fact, the Codrington fortunes
on Barbuda were intimately linked to their acquisition of rights to the wreckage
in the 17th-century. To dive off Barbuda, it is best to make arrangements with a
dive shop on Antigua to have the necessary equipment taken over by air or boat.
This rambling array of gun emplacements and military
buildings is best known today for the absolutely breathtaking prospect that it
offers. From the Heights one can look far out over English Harbor, and on
Sunday afternoons the view is accompanied by barbecue, rum punch, and the
plangent strains of steel band and reggae music. The site is named for General
Shirley, Governor of the Leeward Islands when the area was fortified in the late
eighteenth century. Close by is the cemetery, in which stands an obelisk erected
in honor of the soldiers of the 54th regiment.
Sea View Farm Village
Antiguan folk pottery dates back at least to the early
18th century, when slaves fashioned cooking vessels from local clay. Today, folk
pottery is fashioned in a number of places around Antigua, but the center of
this cottage industry is Sea View Farm Village. The clay is collected from pits
located nearby, and the wares are fired in an open fire under layers of green
grass in the yards of the potters' houses. Folk pottery can be purchased at
outlets in the village as well as at a number of stores around the island.
Buyers should be aware that Antiguan folk pottery breaks rather easily in cold
environments.
Harmony Hall Art Gallery
Harmony
Hall, in Brown's Bay at Nonsuch Bay, is the center of the Antiguan arts
community. Exhibits change throughout the year, but the annual highlights are
the Antigua Artist's Exhibition and the Craft Fair, both in November. The sugar
mill tower around which Harmony Hall is built has been converted to a bar and
provides its patrons with one of the island's best panoramic views, including a
fine prospect of Nonsuch Bay.
This charming museum tells the story of Antigua and
Barbuda from its geological birth through the present day. A cool oasis in the
middle of St. John's, the museum contains a wide variety of fascinating objects
and exhibits, ranging from a life-size replica of an Arawak dwelling to the bat
of Viv Richards, one of the greatest cricket players of all time.
SUPPORT THE MUSEUM by becoming a member of the Historical
and Archaeological Society, a vibrant and dedicated group of persons
interested in preserving the past to enrich the future. Membership entitles you
to:
Monthly Field Trips
Quarterly Newsletter
Access to excellent Research Facilities
Discounts on Items Bought at the Museum Gift Shop
For full details, write:
Box 103, St. John's, Antigua West Indies
Fax: (268) 462 1469
e-mail: museum@candw.ag
We entertain your research enquiries.
All
the signs pointed towards Antigua. The largest of the British Leeward
Islands had warm, steady winds, a complex coastline of safe harbors, and a
protective, nearly unbroken wall of coral reef. It would make a perfect
place to hide a fleet. And so in 1784 the legendary Admiral
Horatio Nelson sailed to Antigua and established Great Britain's most
important Caribbean base. Little did he know that over 200 years later the
same unique characteristics that attracted the Royal Navy would transform
Antigua and Barbuda in one of the Caribbean's premier tourist
destinations.
Antigua (pronounced An-tee'ga) and Barbuda are located in the middle of
the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean, roughly 17 degrees north
of the equator. To the south are the islands of Montserrat and
Guadaloupe, and to the north and west are Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Barts,
and St. Martin.
East
Coast:
English Harbor, Antigua's
graceful and evocative historic district, is focused on the fifteen square miles
of Nelson's Dockyard National Park. Developed as a base for the British Navy in
the great age of sail, the harbor served as the headquarters of the fleet of
the Leeward Islands during the turbulent years of the late 18th century.
Although the dockyard was greatly expanded at that time by Horatio Nelson, it
was gradually abandoned in the nineteenth century and was closed in 1889. Today
Nelson's Dockyard has been completely restored, and it is now the only Georgian
dockyard in the world.
Along
Lookout Trail and near Shirley Heights is Dow's Hill Interpretation Center, at
which visitors can watch an impressive multimedia presentation of Antigua's
history, from its initial settlement to independence. Observation decks at Dow's
Hill provide another fine view of the harbor, as do the ruined fortifications
of Fort Berkeley, located on the far side of the bay and reached by a walk
around its perimeter. All of these points, as well as the park's convenient
beaches, become especially popular spectator positions during 
Betty's Hope
This
regatta has become one of the foremost classic yacht regattas. 
Shirley
Heights
Harmony
Hall, in Brown's Bay at Nonsuch Bay, is the center of the Antiguan arts
community. Exhibits change throughout the year, but the annual highlights are
the Antigua Artist's Exhibition and the Craft Fair, both in November. The sugar
mill tower around which Harmony Hall is built has been converted to a bar and
provides its patrons with one of the island's best panoramic views, including a
fine prospect of Nonsuch Bay.