Exploring New Places

Exploring New Places

Sunday 26th - Tuesday 28th January 2025

We’ve had a great week cruising St John. It’s been fun to re-visit places that we have been before, such as Christmas Cove and Francis Bay, but it’s also been fabulous to explore some new and lovely places. When we have visited the Annaberg Plantation previously we thought that Leinster Bay looked a little forbidding, with a lot of shallow water and swells rolling in from the northeast. What we hadn’t realized until we hiked further along the coast is that there is a beautiful, well protected cove on the east end of the Bay. The motor along the Francis Drake Channel from Francis Bay to Leinster Bay was only about 2 miles, but it was fierce with 20 knot winds and short steep waves on the nose. We were really happy to find a number of moorings free and after some dithering we settled on one close to both the shore and Waterlemon Key. Both of these features combine to provide protection against the swells, and although we twisted and turned on our mooring, it was pretty comfortable. 

Snorkeling off Waterlemon Key was beautiful. However, the best area is on the north-west side of the island and the currents were really strong. It took some effort to swim back to where we came from and I found it a bit frightening. On Monday morning we took the dinghy into shore and hiked up to the ruins above the Bay. It wasn’t a long hike, but what an amazing view! Later in the afternoon we took the dinghy part way down the Bay and snorkeled the transition from shallow to deeper water. The visibility was incredible and again we saw lots of fish, including several Nassau grouper, a Tiger grouper (maybe!) and a large stingray. We certainly haven’t seen every species of fish in our guide books, but we feel that we have now seen the majority. We struggle somewhat with the identification of some types (e.g. grouper), but I think that’s partly that we are surface snorkelers, rather than diving down to see the deeper fish from their side.

This morning we headed back out into the Francis Drake Channel and motor-sailed our way eastwards around the tip of St John, again in steep waves with much spray and the occasional “slamming”, but soon enough we were able to turn south and sail the remaining way to Saltpond Bay on the south east coast. You have to be careful to avoid some rocks but once inside we were delighted to find a free mooring ball. In fact there are now only two balls remaining from the original six, so we got lucky. The water is a pristine cobalt blue and it’s a fabulous location. We took the dinghy into the beach and hiked the trail up to Rams Head. This was another excellent trail with fantastic views in all directions. It’s a little bit rolly here in the Bay, but we think it’s comfortable enough for the night. The other boat left and now we are in splendid isolation. We had a swim off the boat (for me au naturelle of course!), showered off in the cockpit, and are looking forward to a peaceful night.

I should mention that no anchoring is allowed in the National Park. All the moorings are first come - first served and cost $26 per night … BUT … if you have a Golden Age Pass, which Gloria does ($80 for a lifetime - the best deal EVER), the moorings are half price, or $13 for those of you who are too lazy to access the calculators on your phones! (Seriously, after teaching at FSU, it seems like mental arithmetic may be a thing of the past.)

That’s it for now, beers and dinner await.

Mike

18 18.475 N, 64 42.437 W

Ruins halfway up the hill overlooking Leinster Bay (note Cotinga left of the arch)

View through the arch

Gloria - overlooking Leinster Bay with Watermelon Key clearly visible to her side

What an astonishing view from the top - Watermelon Key provides additional protection from swells from the northeast. (Note the ring of white markers all the way around Watermelon Key that designate a boat-free swim area)

A lizard hanging out on a termite nest 

The same lizard - I think he (she) must be capable of changing color to adapt to the environment, because the face looks so different from this angle. Maybe he (she) was molting ??

Cotinga on a mooring in Saltpond Bay - pristine, blue water but a little rolly

Looking back on the Rams Head trail - we sailed south west across the water in the right hand side of the photo, before turning north around Rams Head into Saltpond Bay

The walk was reminiscent of Antigua with lots of cacti on the hills above the ocean