28 Nov 19 Antigua (St. John’s), Antigua & Barbuda

This post is based primarily on Don's notes, occasionally supplemented with MT's notes from our cruise in 2019. When information from other sources is added—for further explanation to readers or to satisfy our own curiosity—that is set off in a text box (as this one).

Most of the photos that accompany this post are from Don’s camera (with a caption indicating the time it was taken); those from MT’s iPhone are indicated by “MT” placed at the beginning of the photo caption. Photos from any other source (such as the public domain Wikimedia Commons), occasionally used for clarification, indicate that source in the caption.

The weather forecast for Thanksgiving Day in the Viking Daily newsletter said: “Mostly Sunny 83° F / 28° C.”

The Viking Daily newsletter and Viking Cruise Documents described Antigua (St. John’s), Antigua & Barbuda as follows:

“Blanketed with tropical forests that lead to sheer cliffs overlooking azure waters, Antigua has a rich past as a naval outpost of the royal Crown. It is the largest of the Leeward Islands and one of the most British in the Caribbean. Perhaps its most famous resident hailing from London was Admiral Horatio Nelson, sent here to command the fleet in 1784. Today, Antigua and neighboring Barbuda, along with several smaller islands, comprise an independent country. Its capital, St. John’s, has been an administrative center since 1632, and the baroque twin bell towers of the cathedral attest to a long British influence. The nation boasts a powder-sand beach for every day of the year.”

The night before, MT had asked at the Explorers’ Desk if we could change our included shore excursion start time from 8:15 to 1:30 or 2:30, and they said we could just show up then and see. That way, Don hoped to run on the Deck 2 jogging track in the morning (finally).

We woke at 6 am. Don ran 3 miles (12 laps) on Deck 2, while MT walked.

We had ordered room service breakfast at 7:15, but it came at 7:05. Then both of us showered.

The Viking Sea was scheduled to arrive in St. John’s at 7:30.

Map of Antigua and Barbuda (By OCHA, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31103180 ).

Antigua and Barbuda is an island sovereign state in the West Indies, lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands. The permanent population is about 95,900, with 97 % being resident on Antigua. The capital, largest city, and largest port is St. John’s on Antigua. The country is divided administratively into Antigua (divided into 6 parishes) and two dependencies (Barbuda and Redonda).

Antigua was first settled by Amerindians around 3100 BC. Later, the more bellicose Caribs also settled the island. The island of Antigua was explored by Christopher Columbus in 1493 and named for the 12th-century Church of Santa Maria La Antigua (Church of Saint Mary the Ancient) in Valladolid, Spain, or perhaps after an icon in the Seville Cathedral in Spain. The Spanish did not colonize Antigua because of its lack of fresh water and the presence of aggressive Caribs. However, a combination of European and African diseases, malnutrition, and slavery eventually killed most of the native population.

Antigua was colonized by Britain in 1632, and Barbuda was first colonized in 1678. Tobacco and sugar were grown on plantations worked by a large population of slaves from West Africa, who soon vastly outnumbered the European settlers. The English maintained control of the islands, repulsing an attempted French attack in 1666. There were slave revolts in 1701, 1729, and most notably in 1736. Slavery was abolished in the British empire in 1834, affecting the economy.

Antigua and Barbuda joined the West Indies Federation in 1958. With the breakup of the federation, it became one of the West Indies Associated States (of the United Kingdom), with full internal autonomy, in 1967. In was granted independence from the United Kingdom in 1981 but remains a member of the British Commonwealth. English is the official language. The culture is predominantly a mixture of West African and British cultural influences.

Antigua is Spanish for “ancient,” and barbuda is Spanish for “bearded,” which is thought to refer either to the male inhabitants of the island or to the bearded fig trees present there.

St. John’s (pop. 22,193) is the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda. The settlement of St. John’s has been the administrative center since the islands were first colonized in 1632, and it became the seat of government when the nation achieved independence in 1981.

Viking Map of Antigua (St. John’s is on the inlet on the northeast corner of island; we would also visit English Harbor, on the southwest corner).

Viking Map of St. John’s; callouts on back side for the following places on this map:

  1  Port

  2  Museum of Antigua and Barbuda

10 Vegetable Market

11 Heritage Quay

12 Redcliffe Quay

13 Mount St. John’s Medical Center

14 Cathedral of St. John the Divine

For the included shore excursion “Amazing Antigua,” we ended up going to the ship’s gangway at 9 am to check on the tour scheduled to begin at 9:10. We were able to go in it with the guide named Issy. (Twice during our bus ride, there were sprinkles on the windshield, but none when we were outside.)

The Viking Cruise Documents describe the included excursion “Amazing Antigua” as follows:

“Rich History and Lush Landscapes

“Uncover Antigua’s British-flavored past and its lush landscapes as you travel to the heart of the island. Drive with your guide into the tropical countryside, passing picturesque everyday villages and gently rolling hills. At English Harbor, used by the British fleet in the 18th century, you will take in fantastic coastal views from Shirley Heights Lookout, 446 feet above the sea on a sheer cliff. This was the principal British fortification. Back at the harbor’s edge, stop to explore Nelson’s Dockyard, one of the Caribbean’s most celebrated sites. The yard was named for Admiral Horatio Nelson, who commanded the navy here for three years. It is the last Georgian dockyard still in use today. Explore the Admiral’s Inn, the excellent museum and the art gallery. You will have time to admire the sleek yachts tied to the old stone quay. Enjoy a drink here before returning to your ship.

Thursday, November 28 9:20 AM – St. John’s: gates of St. John’s Cathedral (Anglican), viewed from bus window as we passed.

The iron gates on the south face of St. John’s Cathedral are flanked by pillars topped by statues of St. John the Divine and St. John the Baptist, which were taken by the British HMS Temple in 1756 from a French ship destined for Martinique.

Don would come back to the Cathedral later. The bus continued to the southeast of St. John’s.

9:30 AM – St. John’s: sign for “National Heroes of Antigua and Barbuda” on road between St. John’s and Shirley Heights, viewed from bus window as we passed.

9:30 AM (Cropped) – St. John’s: sign for “National Heroes of Antigua and Barbuda” with photos (clockwise from top right) of King Court Tackey, Dame Georgina “Nellie” Robinson, Sir George H. Walter, Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Lester B. Bird, and Sir Vere C. Bird, the Father of the Nation.

The Most Exalted Order of the National Hero is an order of chivalry (knighthood) established by the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda in 1998. In Antigua and Barbuda, those receiving this honor may use the title “Sir” or “Dame” in front of their forename. To date, only six have been inducted into the order.

King Court Tackey (Prince Klaas) can undoubtedly be considered Antigua’s most notable and bravest hero. In 1704, a 10-year-old boy named Kwaku Takyi was captured from the Gold Coast, West Africa, which is today Ghana. He was shipped to the Caribbean, where he was purchased by a prominent sugar planter. Among the planters, he soon became known as Court, pronounced Klaas by the African slaves on the island. In 1720, his owner gave him the title of “Head Slave,” putting him in charge of his largest and most lucrative plantation in St. John’s, Antigua. This gave Kwaku the name Prince Klaas among the enslaved Africans. In 1736, he and three other slaves who were fed up with their deplorable conditions decided to plan an elaborate revolt against the slave owners. If successful, they planned to overthrow white rule and make Antigua an African Kingdom, with Kwaku enthroned as their leader. During one of the planning meetings, Kwaku was initiated as King of the black community. Unfortunately, their plot was discovered, and they were executed along with 87 of his fellow slaves. It has been said that this African slave was of royal heritage in his native Ghana. In 2000, he was posthumously made a Knight of the Order of the National Hero (KNH), the country’s highest honor. The Prince Klaas Monument in his honor stands on Independence Drive in St. John’s.

Dame Georgina Ellen “Nellie” Robinson (1880-1972), also known as Miz Rob, was an Antiguan teacher and school founder. She broke down color barriers, believing that all children should have access to learning. When she completed her schooling, her brother, Thomas Oliver Robinson suggested she found a school herself. In 1898, when she was 18, she did so, naming it the Thomas Oliver Robinson Memorial School (TOR) in remembrance of her brother, who had recently died if typhoid. It was a school for all races, classes, and faiths. In 1912, she served on the Water Preservation Committee, formed to expand access to piped water in the country. In 1915, during world War I, she was the only black woman to serve on the Antiguan Mobilization Committee. She recruited men to travel to Canada or Britain to enlist and also lobbied for improvements in the living conditions for men being shipped overseas for service. In 1931, she was one of the people who helped establish the Girl Guides in Antigua and Barbuda. In 1941, she was honored as a Member of the Order of the British Empire. In 1950, she retired after serving over 60 years as headmistress of TOR. In 2006, she was named a Dame of the Order of the National Hero and, as on 2019, she was the only woman to have received that honor.

Sir George H. Walker (1928-2008) was the second Premier of Antigua and Barbuda in 1971-1976. He won that office in 1971, defeating Vere Bird four years after the colony became a British dependency with domestic autonomy. In 2008, he was posthumously made a KNH.

Sir Isaac Vivian Richards (born 1952) is a cricketer who represented the West Indies at Test and international levels. He is regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. He retired in 1991. In recognition of his cricket playing, he was knighted by the Order of the British Empire in 1994, and in 2006 he received his country’s highest award, the KNH. In 2009, he was inducted into the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket Hall of Fame.

Sir Lester B. Bird (born 1938) was the second Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda in 1994-2004, and a well-known athlete. He was a cricket player in his youth, playing for the Leeward Islands team, and a long jump champion. He won a bronze medal in the long jump while representing the British West Indies at the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago. He attended the University of Michigan, where he was an All-American long jumper in 1960. In 2014, he was made a KNH.

Sir Vere C. Bird (1910-1999) was the first Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, 1981-1994. His son, Sir Lester B. Bird succeeded him as Prime Minister. In 1994, he was made a KNH.

9:30 AM – Antigua: stone tower (remains of the windmill of a sugar mill) on a former sugar plantation, on road toward Shirley Heights, viewed from bus window as we passed.

Today, about 112 sugar mill towers still dot the countryside of Antigua and Barbuda.

Our guide Issy said that the sugar factory we had passed was opened in 1902 and closed in 1972; after that, cane fields were burned off, but then they had a problem with snakes; so they imported mongoose from Africa, which didn’t kill snakes but ate their eggs, keeping them from propagating.

9:39 AM – Antigua: former sugar plantation, on road toward Shirley Heights, viewed from bus window as we passed.

9:39 AM – Antigua: former plantation owner’s house, on road toward Shirley Heights, viewed from bus window as we passed (telephoto 81 mm).

9:39 AM – Antigua: wider view of former sugar plantation with former plantation owner’s house, on road toward Shirley Heights, viewed from bus window as we passed.

Next, the bus passed a pink church, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church.

9:49 AM – Tyrells: pink Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, viewed from bus window as we passed.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, also called Tyrells Church, is an attractive pink structure. The Catholic church is located on Jonas Road at the intersection of Fig Tree Drive in the village of Tyrells near the town of All Saints.

We would pass this church again on our way back to St. John’s; see additional, better photos there.

A few minutes later, we passed the St. Barnabas Anglican Church in Liberta.

9:53 AM – Liberta: St. Barnabas Anglican Church, viewed from bus windshield as we nearted it.

Liberta: St. Barnabas Anglican Church – façade (Von Edgar El, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54503489).

St. Barnabas Anglican Church is located in the village of Liberta in St. Paul Parish. The building was constructed between 1824 and 1842 as a Chapel school. It was later converted into a church, after the parish church in nearby Falmouth was completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1843. Even after the abolition of slavery in 1843 (Liberta was the result of the liberation movement), the church still served only the white congregation in Liberta and nearby Swetes, while the colored population went to All Saints, where they were more open-minded. In 1989, the church was renovated and expanded, since it is one of the older buildings in Antigua. It is one of the most photographed churches in Antigua.

The small, towerless church stands on Barnabas Hill, one of Liberta’s many hills. It is built of solid green limestone, as it is quarried in Liberta and can still be found in some other houses. The church has attractive external ornamentation with brick corner blocks and cantilever arches in white limestone around the door and high windows. The gable contains a round window and two blind diamond windows, all of which are also framed with brick. The construction of the building is reminiscent of the fortress buildings in and around English Harbor, for which the mother church was responsible; so one might assume a military architect was involved. It corresponds to the Victorian Italianate style. The colorful stained glass windows are protected with grilles and large shutters, especially against damage from hurricanes.

Liberta is a large village on the way between St. Johns and the English Harbor/Shirley Heights area to the southeast.

9:53 AM – Liberta: St. Barnabas Anglican Church- facade, viewed from bus window as we passed.

We would pass St. Barnabas again on our way back to St. John’s; see additional photos there.

The bus continued toward Nelson’s Dockyard National Park on the southeast corner of Antigua.

Nelson’s Dockyard National Park is a colonial historical complex located 11 miles southeast of St. John’s in English Harbor. The complex includes the Dockyard and ruins in Shirley Heights.

Viking map of area around English Harbor, with callouts for the following:

  4  Admiral’s Inn

  5  Nelson’s Dockyard

  6  Shirley Heights

  7  Blockhouse

  8  Dow’s Hill Interpretation Center

After England acquired colonial British Antigua and Barbuda in 1632, the English Harbor (or Harbour in British English) became a focal point for the establishment of a naval base. Its position on the south side of Antigua facilitated monitoring of the neighboring French island of Guadeloupe. Additionally, the harbor is naturally well-suited to protect ships and cargo from hurricanes.

Over the last 300 years or so, the English Harbor has been known for its safety. Therefore, it is not surprising that it is now home to a yacht marina and, together with nearby Falmouth Harbor, has become a world-renowned yachting center.

English Harbour is also the name of the main village in the south of Antigua. Most stores are based in and around either Nelson’s Dockyard or Falmouth Harbor Marina.

10:07 AM – approaching Blockhouse, viewed from bus windshield.

The Blockhouse, located in Blockhouse Hill on the easternmost part of the Shirley Heights complex, is a brick ruin sitting high above English Harbor in Nelson’s Dockyard National Park. It was designed as a place of last refuge, which is the meaning of the name. On a perch overlooking the southeast coast of Antigua, the circa-1787 site encompasses an Officers’ Quarters and those of servants, as well as stables. The Officers’ Quarters is in ruin, as are the out buildings, servant quarters, married quarters, and stables. The Powder Magazine (an ammunition storage space built in 1789), a catchment, and a cistern have been restored in recent years. The windswept cliff top provides wonderful views of the southeast coast and out to sea but also down to Eric Clapton’s house on a distant peninsula and his Crossroads Centre addiction treatment facility.

10:07 AM – ruins of Blockhouse, viewed from bus window.

10:10 AM – view from Blockhouse Hill to north and east, with Eric Clapton’s house at far right end of peninsula (and possibly Freetown in distance).

Eric Clapton’s house, Standfast Point, sits on 45 acres of rugged hillside on a peninsula on the southern end of Antigua, with stunning views of Montserrat and Guadeloupe. The 14,000-square-foot complex consists of four buildings: the main house, the owner’s living quarters, and the guest quarters (all three linked with interconnecting terraces), and the caretaker’s house (at the entrance gates). There are covered terraces surrounding the property, with outdoor dining areas and two swimming pools. The property sleeps 14 and rents with a full staff. As on 2009, Clapton was offering to lease it out for $50,000 a week. He had originally spent $14 million for Standfast Point in 2000 [our guide Issy said it was $80 million].

10:12 AM – view, from Blockhouse Hill, of Eric Clapton’s house at far right end of peninsula (telephoto 156 mm).

MT 10:07 AM – MT with view, from Blockhouse Hill, with Eric Clapton’s house at far right end of peninsula.

MT 10:07 AM – MT with view, from Blockhouse Hill (telephoto 72 mm).

MT 10:08 AM – Issy and MT with view, from Blockhouse Hill, with Eric Clapton’s peninsula at far left.

MT 10:13 AM – Don with view, from Blockhouse Hill.

10:11 AM – Blockhouse Hill: old cannon (cannons used to surround the inlet) (telephoto 81 mm).

10:11 AM – Blockhouse Hill: old cannon with barrel broken off (cannons used to surround the inlet) (telephoto 187 mm).

10:18 AM – Blockhouse Hill: ruins of Officers’ Quarters.

10:19 AM – Blockhouse Hill: restored Powder Magazine.

                                10:18 AM – Blockhouse Hill: view back toward entrance.

      

10:31 AM – Blockhouse Hill: more ruins, from bus window on the way out.

10:31 AM – Blockhouse Hill: ruins of Officers’ Quarters, from bus window on the way out.

Next, the bus took us to the Shirley Heights Lookout.

MT 10:26 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: Don and MT with English Harbor in background.

MT 10:26 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: Don and MT with wider view of English Harbor in background.

10:35 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: view of English Harbor; at far right, our guide Issy is holding a reversible topsy-turvy doll.

Shirley Heights (c. 1780-c. 1850), at the most southernly (southeastern) tip of Antigua, is a military complex, within a short distance from Nelson’s Dockyard. It is not named for a member of the fairer sex, but after Sir Thomas Shirley (1727-1800), Governor of the Leeward Islands, who strengthened Antigua’s defenses in 1781, when Britain has lost all its other West Indian colonies. Therefore, much effort was expended on Antigua’s defenses, mainly because of its sugar production and the important Dockyard. It is now part of the Nelson’s Dockyard National Park.

Today, the complex is mainly in ruin except for the Lookout, which has been reutilized as a restaurant. The splendid arches of three Officers’ Quarters were destroyed by various hurricanes. They now need to be rebuilt with saved original masonry. The site is still a fine tourist attraction, mainly because of two of the best views on the island (of the Atlantic, English Harbor, and Falmouth Harbor). On clear days, one can see Guadeloupe to the south and Montserrat to the southwest.

Shirley Heights may be divided into three sections: the Blockhouse, the Ridge and Artillery Quarters, and the Lookout. The Ridge, on which several ruins can be seen, leads to the Heights.

The Lookout is the highest point (about 490 ft) and affords a superb view of English and Falmouth Harbors, the best view in Antigua. Today, it has been rebuilt and reutilized as a restaurant. Behind the gun platform is the site of a flagstaff that once sent signals all around Antigua.

10:35 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: our guide Issy holding a reversible topsy-turvy doll, showing the purple side, representing slavery.

10:35 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: our guide Issy holding a reversible topsy-turvy doll, showing the purple side, representing slavery.

10:35 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: our guide Issy holding a reversible topsy-turvy doll, showing the side dressed in red, green, and white, representing freedom.

10:35 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: our guide Issy pointing to the English Harbor, saying they used to pull a chain across the mouth from the point on the far side to keep out unwanted ships; she is holding a reversible topsy-turvy doll, showing the side dressed in red, green, and white, representing freedom.

A topsy-turvy doll is a double-ended doll, typically featuring two opposing characters. The doll has two heads with their upper bodies on both ends, joined together at the hips. A long skirt flips to conceal one face or the other. The lining of one dress is the outside of the other’s. This most likely originated on plantations in the American South in the early 19th century and were probably made by enslaved women. At that time, the doll was made with one side representing a white girl and the other a black girl. Some historians believe that these dolls enabled enslaved children to have something that was forbidden—a doll that looked like them. When the slave master was present, the child could easily switch the doll to the white girl side. Others theorize that the doll could have been a means for young girls to understand their role in society and as women. Black girls may have desired a white doll, possibly like the children their mother looked after. White girls may have viewed the black figure as a “Mammy” or maid of the house.

Our guide Issy told us that, in her part of the world, the doll symbolizes emancipation. Both sides have black faces, but the one with the darker (on this case purple) dress symbolized slavers, while the one with the bright-colored dress (red, green, and white) symbolized freedom.

10:28 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: our guide Issy, with topsy-turvy doll (red, green, an white side), pointing to English Harbor.

10:36 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: hand of our guide Issy pointing to sailboats in harbor (telephoto 93 mm).

10:36 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: view out to sea; our guide said we could see Guadeloupe from there, very faint on horizon (telephoto 119 mm).

10:43 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: view of Guadeloupe from there, very faint on horizon (telephoto 156 mm).

10:38 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: view of English Harbor.

10:38 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: view of English Harbor, with Fort Berkeley (see red circle) on a small peninsula on the far (west) side of the mouth.

10:39 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: view of Fort Berkeley on a small peninsula on the far (west) side of the mouth of English Harbor (telephoto 218 mm).

Fort Berkeley (1704-c. 1850) is only a 10-minute stroll from Nelson’s Dockyard, and the unfolding views of the harbor are spectacular. The fort, which is situated on a peninsula forming the west entrance to English Harbor, was started in 1704 two decades before the first Dockyard was built. The fort’s defenses were extended in the 1740s, including a line of battlements added in 1745 by Commodore Charles Knowles, who once commanded the Dockyard; it was once known as the Charles Line, named after him. In this strategic position, the fort commanded the entrance to the anchorage where naval captains careened* their ships and sheltered from hurricanes. At the end of the peninsula is the site of the first 1704 battery. Looking out toward Guadeloupe is a 24-pound (5.5-inch) cannon cast in Scotland during the reign of George III of England in 1805. There were 20 other guns in the round bastion at the extreme end. Fortunately, English harbor was not attacked; so the fort was never used in earnest, although it must have been a clear deterrent against assault by enemy ships.

*Careening is the practice of grounding a sailing vessel and causing the ship to lean or lie on one side in order to expose one side of its hull for calking, cleaning, or repair below the water line.

10:42 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: MT taking photo of cactus.

MT 10:34 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: MT’s photo of cactus.

10:44 AM – Shirley Heights Lookout: view back to Blockhouse as we departed Lookout (telephoto 105 mm).

Next, the bus took us to Nelson’s Dockyard in English Harbor.

11:42 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: sign at entrance (mild telephoto 56 mm).

Nelson’s Dockyard (By David Stanley - Flickr: Nelson's Dockyard, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24985439).

Nelson’s Dockyard is a cultural heritage site and marina in English Harbor. It is the only remaining Georgian dockyard in the world, designed to maintain wooden sailing warships of olden times. From the mid-17th century, the harbor had been used for shelter from hurricanes. By 1707, British naval ships used English Harbor as a station, but no facilities had yet been built for ship maintenance or repair. In 1723, it further gained a reputation as a safe harbor when a hurricane swept ashore 35 ships lying in other ports in Antigua, while the two ships moored in English Harbor suffered no damage. Soon, British naval officers petitioned for the building of repair and maintenance facilities in English Harbor. In 1728, the first Dockyard, St. Helena, was built on the east side of the harbor and consisted of a capstan house for careening ships, a stone storehouse, and three wooden sheds for the storage of careening gear. There were no quarters for dockyard staff or visiting sailors, and the seamen themselves conducted all work and repairs on the ships.

(Careening is the practice of grounding a sailing vessel and causing the ship to lean or lie on one side in order to expose one side of its hull for calking, cleaning, or repair below the water line.)

Naval operations in English Harbor soon outgrew the small original dockyard, and plans were made to develop the western side of the harbor with more facilities. Construction of a modern Naval Dockyard began in the 1740s, using enslaved laborers from plantations in the vicinity. By 1745, a line of wooden storehouses had been built on the site of the present Cooper & Lumber Store Hotel, and reclamation of land to provide adequate wharves has been started. Building continued between 1755 and 1765, when quarters were built for the Commander-in-Chief on the site of the Officers’ Quarters. Additional storerooms, a kitchen, and a shelter for the Commander’s “chaise” (carriage) were also erected. The first part of the present Saw Pit Shed was constructed, and a stone wall was built to enclose the Dockyard. Between 1773 and 1778, the boundary walls were extended to their present position; the Guard House and the first bay of the Canvas, Cordage, and Clothing Store were built; and the first Naval Hospital was built outside the Dockyard.

Admiral Horatio Nelson, the famous British hero of Trafalgar (1805), was here as Senior Captain in 1784 (27 years old) through 1787. As a zealous naval officer, he enforced the Navigation act, which stated that only British ships could trade with British islands. Since the United States had become independent, Nelson severely upset the Antiguan merchants by suppressing their long-standing trade with the former British American colonies. The Dockyard’s main function was to maintain and careen ships, thus saving the long voyage to North America for docking.

The Dockyard was used by the Royal Navy during the French wars that persisted on and off throughout the 18th century until peace was finally declared in 1815. During its heyday, the labor force was 5 officers and 327 men, most of whom were enslaved African shipwrights, caulkers, sail makers, and laborers. After the peace of 1815, the yard fell into decline.

Many of the buildings in the Dockyard today were constructed between 1785 and 1794; this building program overlaps with Nelson’s tenure in the Dockyard. The Engineer’s Offices and Patch and Tar Store (now the Admiral’s Inn) were built in 1788, and the Dockyard wall was extended to enclose the new building.

The Sail Loft was built in 1797 adjacent to the Engineer’s Offices and Pitch and Tar Store. Around 1806, the Pay Master’s Office was built, and in 1821 the Officers’ Quarters building was constructed to accommodate the growing numbers of officers who accompanies their ships to the yard. The Naval Officer’s and Clerk’s House (now home to the Dockyard Museum) was built in 1855.

The yard was abandoned in 1889, after the sugar industry had waned, and it fell into decay, battered by hurricanes and earthquakes over the next 60 years. Half-hearted attempts at restoration of some of the buildings started in 1930, but tourism and yacht chartering had not yet started; so restoration failed. In 1951, full restoration began, and the yard, previously called His Majesty’s Antigua Naval Yard, became known as Nelson’s Dockyard. The National Parks Authority took over the site in 1984, and it is part of the Nelson’s Dockyard National Park. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2016.

11:03 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: interesting rock formation just inside entrance.

11:03 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: view from just inside entrance; our Guide Issy, in yellow shirt, leading the way and MT in center foreground.

The first building we came to was the Dockyard Museum, in the former Naval Officer’s and Clerk’s House.

11:07 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: sign by Dockyard Museum for “Naval Officer’s and Clerk’s House 1855”; the logo at the top right is for “Antigua & Barbuda National Parks,” and the text at top right reads:

“This 1855 house, one of the last to be built in the yard, was for the Naval Officer and Storekeeper in charge of the Dockyard. It has been called the ‘Admiral’s House’, but it is known that no admiral ever lived in the Yard. The bakery behind was originally a kitchen.”

Naval Officer’s and Clerk’s House (1855). This was once the Store Keeper’s residence and office. The wooden building is the most recent in the dockyard complex. The Victorian building exhibits Georgian Vernacular style with large two-story verandas on three sides. The Dockyard Museum is now on the ground floor, while the military story of English Harbor is told upstairs. Although this is sometimes called the Admiral’s House, no admiral ever lived there; the name is just another effort to emphasize the Horatio Nelson motif.

11:20 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: Dockyard Museum – front, with entrance, and cannon out front.

11:28 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: Dockyard Museum – wooden statue of Nelson by entrance door (telephoto 93 mm).

MT 11:21 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: Dockyard Museum – MT with standee on veranda near entrance door.

MT 11:22 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: Dockyard Museum – Don and MT with standee on veranda near entrance door.

11:04 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: side of Dockyard Museum with sign pointing to “Dockyard Bakery … Located back of Museum.”

Later, after visiting the museum, we went to the Bakery around back and bought an apple turnover ($2), which we split.

11:32 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: Dockyard Bakery.

A bakery, dating back to 1772, is a small stone structure built into the perimeter wall of the dockyard. It still contains three ovens that once supplied the compound with fresh bread and meals. Today it continues to operate as a bakery.

MT 11:27 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: sign at Dockyard Bakery: “Laugh A lot, Cry a Little, Be Grateful for everything …[Tha]nk You.”

The next building was the Copper and Lumber Store.

11:20 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: Copper and Lumber Store (behind trees), and same cannon out front of Dockyard Museum; just behind the cannon is a sign for the “Copper and Lumber Store.”

11:08 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: sign by Dockyard Museum for “Copper and Lumber Store 1798”; the logo at the top right is for “Antigua & Barbuda National Parks,” and the text at top right reads:

“Built in 1789, the store housed copper and lumber on the lower floor with quarters above for seamen whose ships were being careened. The building was restored between 1955 and 1963.”

Text in red just below that reads:

“LOOK FOR

“The four semi-circular water cisterns, two on the south side, two on the north.”

The caption next to the drawing reads: “Worker transporting copper around the yard.”

Nelson’s Dockyard: Copper and Lumber Store with two of its cisterns (By Kognos - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77522809).

The Copper and Lumber Store (1789) is architecturally the most significant building in the dockyard complex. Under the dormer roof, sailors used to hang their hammocks, while below, copper for ships’ bottoms and lumber was stored. Today the building is a hotel of the same name.

11:08 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: Copper and Lumber Store, with cistern on outside.

11:09 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: old anchor near capstan and cannon; beyond the water is the Clarence House.

This is one of several 7,000-lb anchors, the size used by the largest battleships of the day, found under the stones of the 1820s stone wharf when it was being restored. Their rings had been used extending from under the stone wharf for mooring ships.

This one is probably the Camelford Anchor. Legend has it that the anchor marks the spot where Lt. Lord Camelford shot Lt. Peterson over an argument of seniority.

11:10 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: Clarence House; our guide Issy said it was used for the honeymoon of Princess Margaret and Lord Snowden it is now used for weddings, etc.

The Clarence House is an elegant colonial-era landmark set on a hilltop above the eastern banks of English Harbor, with a view over Freeman’s Bay and Nelson’s Dockyard. It was  the residence of the Commissioner of the Royal Navy Dockyard and later senior dockyard supervisors until 1856, when it became the official country residence of the Governors of Antigua and the Leeward Islands. It serves today as the residence of the Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda in addition to being a venue for private events such as weddings.

The house was once a home and favored vacation spot of British royalty and naval captains. Among the house’s esteemed past guests are King William IV, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret (several times, including her honeymoon with Lord Snowden in 1960), Prince Charles (with Camilla), and Prince Harry (with Princess Diana and later with Meghan Markle).

The stone building seen today was built in 1804-1806 on the remnants of an earlier structure that popular legend holds was built for the Duke of Clarence, Prince William IV, during his tenure on Antigua while serving in the Royal Navy around 1784. In 1871, it was severely damaged by a hurricane and was subsequently rebuilt. Each resident governor added to or altered the structure according to his needs, and by 1890 it had reached its maximum capacity with numerous extensions and additions. In the wake of two hurricanes in 1950, major repairs and alterations were again conducted in 1951, and the structure was reduced to its present size. During the 1990s, three hurricanes devastated the residence an outer buildings, and the once elegant architectural masterpiece became a complete ruin. In 1996, the Governor-General initiated a major project for restoration of the house, but it lacked funding until a British businessman donated more than £2 million in 2013. The final restorations were carried out in 2016 (in preparation for the arrival of Prince Harry and then-girlfriend Meghan Markle).

Clarence House is now a major addition to the magnificent collection of Georgian architecture in the Dockyard, which designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016. It shows aspects of Georgian and Palladian architecture, with stone steps leading to a loggia-style balcony (a long veranda).

The house bears a plaque that reads: “Prince William Henry, Duke of Clarence, and afterwards William IV, lived here when Captain of HMS Pegasus at the Leeward Islands Station. 1787.”

11:12 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: old anchor near three capstans and a yacht.

Ropes would be tied to a ship’s masts and then wound around the three massive capstans. Then as many as 125 men would turn the spokes of the capstans, slowly careening the ship onto its side.

A guide (not Issy) said Nelson had barnacles cleaned from ships hulls here instead of having to return to England. The capstans were used to pull a ship up on its side to be cleaned. A fiddler would play on a capstan top to put heart and soul into the jolly tars hauling down the masts of their ship. It took about 6 months because the workers were paid in rum and were usually drunk.

11:12 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: sign for “Historical English Harbour”; the logo at the top right is for “Antigua & Barbuda National Parks,” and the text at top right reads:

“During the 17th and 18th centuries English Harbour was regularly used as a hurricane refuge and became a major dockyard and careening centre for British vessels stationed in the Eastern Caribbean.

“After sailing from Europe or around the Caribbean, most ships needed to be careened. Capstans were used to haul a ship over on its side so that weeds and barnacles could be cleaned off and the bottom painted. The British Navy patrolled the thousand-mile (1,600 km) line of Eastern Caribbean islands to protect the valuable sugar trade. By being able to repair and refit ships in the West Indies instead of going to its northern colonies, Britain was able to keep a squadron of ships continually in the Caribbean. With the decline of the sugar trade and the switch from sail to steam, the Dockyard was officially closed in 1889.”

Text in red just below that reads:

“LOOK FOR

“The anchor that marks the spot where Lt. Lord Camelford shot Lt. Peterson in a duel following an argument over seniority. 1798.

“LOOK FOR:

“The sundial behind you.”

The caption next to the picture at the top left reads: “H.M.S. Esk careening. 1821.”

Below that is a map with the caption: “Location of the Dockyard in English Harbour.”

At bottom left is caption for drawing of ship, which reads:

“The 28-gun frigate Boreas, Captain Nelson’s ship, arrived at English Harbour July 1784 and stayed until 1787. When Nelson sailed home ill, he took along a barrel of rum to preserve his body in case he died.”

Nelson’s Dockyard: sundial (By Anneli Salo - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=66962337).

The sundial near the capstans was made in London, some sources say in 1777. However, an inscription on its bronze face says “Gregory & Wright – London,” and that firm was in business from 1783 to 1789, manufacturing instruments including microscopes, telescopes, and sundials. One British visitor reported that she had once seen an elderly lady pointing to the sundial in Nelson’s Dockyard and saying, “Fancy, it still keeps good time after all these years.”

11:22 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: unidentified stone building with yachts in background.

MT 11:22 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: Don with red flowers by arch of unidentified stone building with yachts in background.

11:23 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: view from Officers’ Quarters of harbor with the yacht Namaste.

MT 11:15 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: more yachts in harbor (mild telephoto 45 mm).

11:25 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: flowers on brick wall near harbor.

MT 11:17 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: flowers on brick wall near harbor (mild telephoto 61 mm).

11:25 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: Officers’ Quarters.

Nelson’s Dockyard: Officers’ Quarters; in background at right seems to be the Admiral’s Inn (By Anneli Salo - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=66961482).

The Officers’ Quarters, built in 1821, is a 2-story building built of stone, brick, and wood. A row of rooms once used for housing careening ships’ officers is built over 12 water cisterns with a capacity of 1,200 tons. Due to the lack of fresh water on the island, rainwater collected on the roofs of all the buildings in the complex was channeled into these cisterns. Today these rooms are shops and restaurants.

11:26 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: sign for “Officers’ Quarters 1821” the logo at the top right is for “Antigua & Barbuda National Parks,” and the text at top right reads:

“Planned in 1807, construction of this building was completed in 1821. Officers occupied rooms on the upper floor while their ships were being careened. On the lower floor were 12 water cisterns, 16 ft by 20 ft (4.8 m by 6 m), capable of holding 240,000 gallons (1,200,000 l) of Water.”

The drawings at the bottom are captioned (left to right): Captain, Midshipman, and Purser.

Nearby was the Admiral’s Inn, the former Pitch and Tar Store.

Admiral’s Inn (former Pitch and Tar Store) (By David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada - Admiral's Inn, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24200745).

Pitch and Tar Store, built in 1788, is an imposing 3-story building. On the top floor were the Engineer’s Offices, and below pitch, tar, and turpentine were stored over brick-lined pits. Today the restored building now houses the Admiral’s Inn, hotel and restaurant.

Nelson’s Dockyard National Park includes two charming inns, the Admiral’s Inn and the Cooper and Lumber Store Hotel, both impressively restored.

We exited the dockyard complex through the main gate in the outer protective wall.

11:39 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: front gate, which used to be closed, with view out of the dockyard complex.

Hanging over the main gate is the Tartar Bell, a ship’s bell once belonging to HMS Tartar. An earlier ship HMS Tartar had taken the bell when the dockyard was shut down in 1889. Another HMS Tartar gave the bell back to the dockyard when it was beginning to be restored in the 1930s.

11:39 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: MT by other side of front gate, with view back into the dockyard complex.

9159 Thursday, November 28 11:22 AM – Nelson’s Dockyard: sign, on way out of parking lot for dockyard complex, saying: “Thank you for visiting Nelson’s Dockyard.”

Leaving Nelson’s Dockyard, the bus headed back northwest to St. John’s. On the way, we soon came to the Gracehill Moravian Church, which we had missed seeing on the way down.

11:58 AM – Liberta: Gracehill Moravian Church – façade, viewed through bus window.

The Gracehill Moravian Church was established 1773 in Liberta Village, St. Paul Parish. The present building, of green limestone, was built in the early 1960s and dedicated in 1964. After the old church was demolished. For 102 years, members of the congregation walked to the old church from every estate in a 10-mile radius, even beyond the boundaries of Liberta. Slaves attended church services after brutal days in the fields and stayed at services until late before returning to their plantations. The church was a shrine, sacred for the slave membership. When the suggestion arose to relocate the church, the congregants put up a fight. The spot was sacred, not only to Moravians born and raised in Liberta, but Libertines as a whole, and perhaps all of Antigua. It was a hallowed place that should remind future Afro-Antiguans of the sacrifices made to build the church. A few hundred feet south of the present, relocated church is a road leading up to the original Grace Hill, the birthplace of Liberta. Directly east of the foundations of the old church is the Grace Hill burial ground. The graveyard, which is still in use, was part of the original 10 acres the Moravians bought in 1782. It is one of the few slave burial grounds left in Antigua. Slaves were not allowed to be buried in the nearby Anglican cemetery, nor were they permitted to attend services of that  denomination. Prior to the arrival of the Moravians, slaves were buried on the plantations, near their huts.

The Moravian church, formally called the Unitas Tratrum (Latin for Unity of Brethren), is one of the oldest Protestant denominations, dating back to the Bohemian Reformation of the 15th century. Its heritage began in 1457 in Bohemia and its crown lands Moravia and Silesia. The name by which the denomination is commonly known comes from the original exiles who fled to Saxony in 1722 from Moravia to avoid religious persecution. The Moravians have a tradition of missionary work, such as in the Caribbean, where the first Moravian mission was established on the island  of St. Thomas in 1732

In 1756, a Moravian missionary from the then-Danish island of St. Thomas arrived in Antigua to introduce the Moravian message to slaves on the island, who were totally unchurched. He was followed by other Moravian missionaries who, like him, were mostly of German birth. In 1772, one of the plantation owners, Mr. Burke, offered the missionaries a parcel of land on which to erect a place of worship but then, shortly after the congregation started building, changed his mind. The manager of Burke’s estate, a Mr. Bailey, then offered them land on his own estate on the west side of the town of Falmouth. Then Mr. Burke offered to assist with the construction of a new building on Bailey Hill. So, in 1774, the congregation had to dismantle the building they had started on Burke’s estate and cart it to Bailey Hill, where construction progressed slowly. In 1776, the congregation purchased 10 acres of land on Edgecombe Hill, about 2 miles northeast of Bailey Hill. Immediately after the purchase, they dismantled the building at Bailey Hill and moved the useable building materials to Edgecombe Hill, which they would rename as Grace Hill in 1782 when they laid the foundations for the “new church.” The church built in 1782 eventually became both too small and too damaged to continue use. A larger church was erected in 1831 and dedicated in 1882. Lower down on the hill, a schoolhouse was built in 1831 and dedicated in 1881. In 1950, two severe hurricanes damaged the 1831 church, and the building was in serious disrepair. The congregation had no choice but to tear it down and build a new church, but older members complained that the hill was too steep to climb and decided the new church should be built in the town of Liberta. However, several years passed before the plan could be carried out. The present Gracehill Moravian Church was built in the early 1960s and dedicated in 1964, after the old church at Grace Hill was demolished.

11:58 AM – Liberta: Gracehill Moravian Church – façade, viewed through bus window, with sign for “Gracehill Moravian Church – Established 1773” and “Pre-School & Daycare.”

A few minutes later, we again passed St. Barnabas Anglican Church in Liberta. (See notes from the first time.)

12:00 PM – Liberta: St. Barnabas Anglican Church – façade, viewed through bus window.

MT 11:52 AM – Liberta: St. Barnabas Anglican Church – façade, viewed through bus window.

12:00 PM – Liberta: St. Barnabas Anglican Church – façade and side, viewed through bus window, with sign that reads:

“WELCOME

To

St. Barnabas Anglican Church

One of the oldest Protestant church buildings in the Western Hemisphere

Used as a school prior to being consecrated for church services in 1843.

Built in the 17th century around the time of the sister church

St. Paul, which was built in 1672

HISTORY

1670s – 1843 Chapel School

1843              Consecrated for Worship

1987              Restoration of Church

1987              Rededication”

Then we again passed the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Tyrells. (See notes from the first time.)

12:04 PM – Tyrells: Our Lady of Perpetual Help – façade and tower, view through bus window with rain drops (none of the signs are for the church).

MT 11:56 AM – Our Lady of Perpetual Help – façade and tower (partially obscured by trees) with steps leading up from road, view through bus window.

12:04 PM – Tyrells: Our Lady of Perpetual Help – façade and tower (obscured by trees), view through bus window with rain drops (but this photo does show a sign about the church).

12:04 PM (Cropped) – Tyrells: Our Lady of Perpetual Help – façade and tower (obscured by trees), , with sign that reads: “Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church – Tyrells Roman Catholic Church.”

Then the bus returned to the port in St. John’s.

12:29 PM – St. John’s: port with Viking Sea on left and Norwegian Gem on right.

12:32 PM – St. John’s: port with Morella Explorer 2 at far left, Viking Sea in left  center, and Norwegian Gem on right.

12:33 PM – St. John’s: port with Morella Explorer in right foreground and Seabourn Odyssey behind it (mild telephoto 44 mm).

We were back onboard the Viking Sea around 12:35 and went to the Pool Grill for our favorite lunch of seared tuna (Don also had pulled pork) and vegetables.

After lunch, we had no afternoon excursion scheduled. MT decided to stay on the ship to read, by the pool on Deck 7.

Don elected to go back into the town to see the Cathedral, which we had passed at the beginning of our bus tour in the morning and which we could see from the port.

1:37 PM – St. John’s: view from port with Norwegian Gem on left and Viking Sea on right; towers of Cathedral visible on horizon (see red circle).

1:44 PM – St. John’s: High Street on the way to the Cathedral; the green building is Harper’s Office Depot, at the corner of High and Market streets.

Harper’s Office Depot is located on High Street at the corner with Market Street. This was originally the site of Harper’s Drug Store, founded circa 1870. The business was run by the Harper family until 1958, when it was sold to Alvaro Bento and subsequently grew over the years into a full-fledged department store. The business faltered in the late 1980s but received a new life when Roy Bento restyled the brand into the present Harper’s Office Depot, which is by far the largest office supply dealer in Antigua and in the Eastern Caribbean.

1:48 PM – St. John’s: St. John’s Cathedral – towers and south gate.

1:48 PM – St. John’s: St. John’s Cathedral – south gate; small sign on right pillar reads: “Caution Watch Your Step.”

St. John’s: St. John’s Cathedral – façade and towers (By gailf548 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/galfred/3154014711/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12560588).

St. John’s Cathedral, also known at St. John the Divine, is the seat of the Anglican Diocese of North Eastern Caribbean and Aruba. Perched on a hilltop, its imposing white twin Baroque towers dominate the city’s skyline. The present cathedral was built starting in 1845 and consecrated in 1848, after two smaller previous church structures. The first was built of wood in 1681. When that church fell into disrepair after an earthquake in 1683 and was too small, a second was built with English brick around 1720. The second church was also damaged by an earthquake in 1745. However, it was elevated to the status of a cathedral when the Diocese of Antigua was created in 1842. As plans were being made to make the church worthy of its new status, another earthquake severely damaged it in 1843. Next to the site of the first two churches, a new purpose-built cathedral was planned. Its cornerstone was laid in 1843, it was opened for worship in 1847, and it was consecrated in 1848.

At first, the Anglican Church catered more to the planters, who saw the Cathedral as a symbol of English power, but the black people got more involved around the time of World War I.

The Cathedral is built of freestone. The structure is dominated by twin white towers at the west end and has a distinct Baroque flavor. The towers are 70 ft high, and the cupolas that crown them are aluminum in color.

The interior is encased in pitch pine, intended to protect the building from ruin during earthquake or hurricane. It has been described as “a building within a building.” However, after the earthquake of 1974, the Cathedral needs much restoration work.

The iron gates on the south face of St. John’s Cathedral are flanked by pillars topped by statues of St. John the Divine and St. John the Baptist, which were taken by the British HMS Temple in 1756 from a French ship destined for Martinique during the Seven Years’ War. The iron gates themselves date  from 1789. Originally, the south gate was the main entrance to the Cathedral.

1:49 PM – St. John’s: sign, just inside south gate, for “The Cathedral of St. John the Divine Anglican/Episcopal” with logo for “The Brotherhood of St. Andrew” with “1883” in one quadrant of its shield and the words “Prayer,” “Study,” and “Service” in the other three.

The Brotherhood of St. Andrew is an international lay Christian religious organization with historical roots in the Episcopal Church in the United States. It was founded in Chicago in 1883. The objectives of the organization focus on prayer, Bible study, and service to the community. Its moto is “Prayer; Study; Service.”

1:50 PM – St. John’s: Cathedral – south side and towers on west end.

1:51 PM – St. John’s: Cathedral – façade with entrance on south side.

1:53 PM – St. John’s: Cathedral – wooden interior viewed from rear of nave to apse, with baptismal font at right.

1:53 PM – St. John’s: Cathedral – baptismal font at right rear of nave near door in main (west) façade.

1:55 PM – St. John’s: Cathedral – wooden pulpit.

1:55 PM – St. John’s: Cathedral – apse with main altar and stained glass.

1:56 PM – St. John’s: Cathedral – choir loft above door at rear of nave (no organ).

1:56 PM – St. John’s: Cathedral – main (west) façade with south tower; small sign to left of door reads: “Caution Construction Area.”

1:57 PM – St. John’s: Cathedral – main (west) façade with both towers.

2:01 PM – St. John’s: Cathedral – main (west) façade with both towers, view from below wall on Gutter Lane.

Then Don headed back toward the port.

2:06 PM – St. John’s: row of small houses near port, with cruise ship in background.

2:08 PM – St. John’s: view back up same street to Cathedral.

2:13 PM – St. John’s: view from port of Fort James, with bow of Norwegian Gem at left (telephoto 119 mm).

Fort James is a fortress at the northern entrance of St. John’s Harbor. It was built to guard the harbor and is one of the many forts built by the British in the 18th century, prompted by fear of a French invasion. It is located on a headland overlooking the town to its southeast. A powder magazine, several cannons, and the foundations of the fort’s wall remain. The fort was named after King James II of England (1633-1701, reign 1685-1688). Work on the fort started in 1706, and most of the buildings were constructed in 1739. Upon completion of the fort, it became customary for every vessel passing it to pay a fee to the captain of the fort or risk a shot being fired across its bow. In 1773, the fort was armed with 36 guns. In the 19th century, a gun fired salutes at visiting warships, as well as signals at sunrise and sunset. Although the fort was never involved in any battles, it certainly provided a strong visual deterrent to would-be invaders or privateers.

2:14 PM – St. John’s: local musician on pier, next to Norwegian Gem.

At 4 pm, we both went to the “Afternoon Tea” in the Wintergarden, next to the pool on Deck 7, scheduled from 4-5 pm every day. (MT had done it once before.)

The “Afternoon Tea” is a classic English tradition, complete with a selection of teas, finger sandwiches, and pastries.

With the tea of one’s choice, they served “savories” (small sandwiches), sweets, and scones.

MT 4:06 PM – St. John’s: Don with tea and pastries.

Afterward, we met our Canadian friends Tom and Nickie in the elevator, and they said they would meet us at the chef’s Table at 6 pm, although their reservation was for 7 pm.

MT 5:19 PM – St. John’s: sunset over harbor.

At around 6 pm, the Viking Sea set sail for our next stop in Philipsburg, St. Martin (92 nautical miles).

At 6 pm, we went to the Chef’s Table, on Deck 1, where the theme was “Mexico.”

MT 4:06 PM – St. John’s: Don, MT, Mike and Nickie at entrance to Chef’s Table.

Chef’s Table menu for “Mexico – Cuisine from the Inside Out” (on front cover); text on back of menu (at left here) reads:

“Mexican cuisine is extraordinarily varied, with dishes ranging from those of indigenous Mesoamerican origin to those of European (mainly Spanish) heritage—a consequence of the 16th-century Spanish conquest of the Aztec. Mexican gastronomy was also influenced by Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Middle East. The traditional basis of Mexican cuisine is corn, with other New World foods such as beans, avocados, tomatoes and chilies, accompanied by rice, which was imported by the Spaniards. Europeans introduced a large number of foods, most importantly meat from domestic animals such as beef, pork, chicken, goat and sheep; dairy products—especially cheese; and various herbs and spices. Traditional Mexican cuisine relies upon ancient cultural traditions of farming, ritual, old-style skills and culinary techniques; these traditions were recognized in the exemplary state of Michoacán by UNESCO as an intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.”

Chef’s Table menu – Mexican logo on front cove or, a stylized version of Mexico’s coat of arms.

Mexico’s coat of arms (By !Original: Juan GabinoVector: Alex Covarrubias - Own work based on: Mexico coat of arms.png, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2638888).

The coat of arms of Mexico depicts a Mexican golden eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus and devouring a rattlesnake. The design is rooted in the legend that the Aztec people would know where to build their city once they saw an eagle eating a snake.

Chef’s Table menu – inside pages with a paragraph about “Mexico” on the left and the fixed  list of courses on the right.

We were somewhat disappointed that the main course was a not-very-Mexican sounding “Short Rib,” although it did come with mole sauce.

Chef’s Table menu – insert with “Mexican Wine Pairing” list of wines served with each course; we elected to go with the “included” wines, rather than paying an additional $25 for the “premium” ones. (None of the wines, except perhaps for the premium with desert, actually came from Mexico.)

Perhaps we would have been better off going to either the Restaurant of the World Café, where the food selection would have included the makings of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

After dinner, from 9:00 to 10:30 pm, we went to the Pool Deck for “Dancing Under the Stars” with the Viking Band.