Antigua, the Miracle Worker
By Miriam Sauls
July 2008

A stunning view from Shirley Heights overlooking Nelson's Dockyards, English and Falmouth Bay. Photo: Flickr, Curlewgirl

The old saying, "Every cloud contains a silver lining" perhaps contains a kernel of truth. The "cloud" for many of us in North Carolina is the highest gasoline prices we have ever seen and rising food prices at the grocery store. The "silver lining" is that we are blessed to have one of America's most beautiful vacation spots within 150 miles of Raleigh. It will not break your piggy bank to get there with your family, find lodging, and enjoy a large variety of activities. So come on 'Down East' … there is no need to stay home this summer. Bring your family and friends to enjoy the gem of the Southern Outer Banks, commonly known as The Crystal Coast. If you have not visited it yet, take our word for it… it will end up being a place you wish to return to for years to come.

If Horatio Nelson could visit Antigua now, he wouldn't believe his eyes. The legendary British Admiral arrived on the small Caribbean island in 1784 to develop Royal Naval facilities and declared it a "vile place" and a "dreadful hole."

Now Antigua is nothing short of gorgeous and wonderfully hospitable. With plenty to do if you are a shopper, hiker, sailor or diver, you can also do nothing but lounge on its glorious 365 beaches-as its tourist office touts, one for each day of the year.

Antigua (pronounced An-tee'ga) is located southeast of Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Barts and St. Martin. The largest of the English-speaking Leeward Islands, it is about 14 miles long and 11 miles wide, encompassing 108 square miles.

The earliest European contact with the island was made by Christopher Columbus during his second Caribbean voyage (1493). He sighted the island in passing and named it after Santa Maria la Antigua, the miracle-working saint of Seville.

Of course settlement and commerce were bound to follow, and by the middle of the 18th century more than 150 sugar cane-processing windmills were scattered around the island. Today almost 100 of these picturesque mills remain and have now been repurposed as houses, bars, restaurants and shops.

Though Antigua has an array of seaside resorts, hotels and inns, five college girlfriends and I were fortunate to stay in a private home, complete with an extraordinary staff who taught us about the native cuisine in the best way possible-feeding us three extraordinary meals a day and making us every imaginable rum drink to discover the secret of Caribbean flavors!

Chef extraordinaire "B" shows off one of his creations. Photo: Miriam Sauls

When we could tear ourselves away from the pool and rum punches, we did venture out to be tourists and were richly rewarded for our efforts. A visit to English Harbour is a must. Located on the southeastern coast, it is the site of the restored British colonial naval station known as "Nelson's Dockyard" (named after Horatio of course).

English Harbour and the neighboring village of Falmouth are an internationally famous yachting and sailing destination and provisioning center. In fact, at the end of April and beginning of May each year, Antigua Sailing Week occurs-a world-class regatta started in 1967 that brings sailing vessels and sailors from all over the globe.

But you don't have to be there for Sailing Week to walk around the docks and see breathtaking sailboats. A stroll through the dockyards is fun too. Now a national park, the historic dockyard is Antigua's most popular attraction. Beautifully restored in the 1950s, the historic buildings have been converted into inns, shops, a market, restaurants, an art center and a nautical museum.

Shirley Heights is worth a visit, and make it a Sunday evening if your schedule allows. Hundreds of people gather at the very high cliffside overlooking English Harbour at sunset to try to catch the green flash. A steel band creates a wonderfully festive atmosphere (or maybe it's the rum punches).

A favorite restaurant of ours was Catherine's Café, opposite Nelson's Dockyard. A friendly French owner offers up a dazzling menu, and the outside harbor-side setting is so pleasant you will want to order every course. We especially enjoyed the Tarte Tatin (apples caramelized in butter and sugar in an upside-down tart - yum).

Boatside view of one of the historic windmills remaining from the sugar-cane producing days. Photo: Miriam Sauls

A trip to Harmony Hall provided another nice outing. Harmony Hall is located on Antigua's east coast, overlooking Brown's Bay. Nestled in a secluded and tranquil setting, it showcases one of the island's windmills and includes a wonderful art gallery that features Caribbean painting, sculpture and crafts. Harmony Hall also has six guest rooms and offers fine dining at breakfast, lunch and Friday and Saturday nights.

The most charming and romantic hotel we peeked at was the Copper and Lumber Store Hotel. The hotel consists of 14 suites or studios, each named after one of Lord Nelson's ships. It is in the center of Nelson's Dockyard and is in one of the original buildings constructed by Lord Nelson around 1783. It was used to store copper and lumber for shipbuilding and maintenance, but was authentically restored and converted into a Georgian Inn in the 1980s.

The capital of Antigua is St. John's, and visit if you have time, but don't budget too much time away from the beaches for your excursion, because it is not so different from many other bustling Caribbean towns. There is also a rain forest that offers a zipline course, but unless you are there a full week, save that excursion for Costa Rica or some other more verdant rain forest.

Next time you're considering a Caribbean getaway, definitely check out Antigua. If Admiral Nelson could come back, he would surely agree now it's a "fabulous place" for a "perfect vacation."


B's Lobster Salad
Dressing:
6 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 t. salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds cooked lobster meat, diced
2 ripe avocados, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Lettuce of choice
cilantro for garnish

In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice and salt until salt dissolves. Slowly whisk in olive oil until well blended. Season with pepper.

In a medium bowl, gently stir together lobster, avocados, dressing, tarragon, and cilantro. Serve on bed of lettuce and garnish with cilantro.


Monica's Magic Rum Punch

1 cup fresh lime juice
2 cups grenadine syrup
3 cups rum*
2 cups fresh pineapple juice
2 cups fresh orange juice
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg, optional
Orange slices, for garnish
Pineapple slices, for garnish

*We fell in love with the local Antiguan rum, Cavalier, but any good rum will do.
The formula is: 1 part sour, 2 parts sweet, 3 parts strong, and 4 parts weak.

Mix all ingredients together in a pitcher. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (if you can wait that long-I doubt it.). Garnish with orange or pineapple slices.



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