English Harbour, Antigua

Monday was finally time for our sightseeing tour of the Dockyard museum which is housed in the old Clerk’s house, there are displays on two floors and lots of old photos archaeological remains, accounts of life at the time in the British Navy and Army and the building and history of the dockyard. The Patrick O’Brien series is renowned as one of the best researched historical novels of all time, nearly all of the events being actual battles and ships of the time but using fictional characters to portray the story therefore Nelson is referred to regularly as a hero of the Navy. It was also great to see the cannons and carronades mention plus detailed explanation of how they are loaded the different parts of the ship and even a model of the Diane and brig which Captain Aubrey commands in the series. We spent an hour or more in the museum reading all of the information and seeing the various artefacts. We had a beer in the Cooper and Lumber store now converted to a hotel which has been immaculately decorated with period furniture, although it does not serve English bitter as we had hoped. I then had a wander round the gift shops and Kevin round the boats before the squalls set in again and we decided to head back to the boat for more Patrick O’Brien reading, now I understood some of the terms better!


Looking forward to the entrance - Sail Loft & Guard House


Clerks House - now the Museum


Copper & Lumber Store