Antigua to St Lucia: January 2004
I met Damian whilst having a drink round Libby’s at Pineapple House, Antigua. Being a typical hardcore Irish party-boy he’d probably already got through a crate of beer when he accepted my offer of crewing for him for the short trip from Antigua to St Lucia. Damian used to run the Globe Yachting school in Ireland before selling up to become a full-time skipper.
Edward, who previously had been nick-named Father Ted, had joined Damian and I was introduced to him the next day. Father Ted and I became good friends and eventually travelled round St Lucia together. Ted held the “shit we’ve got a fishing line wrapped round the prop someone get the snokelling gear on quick and grab a knife” position.
Blue Monkey was a tired old Beneteau 46 belonging to the charter company Moorings. It was our duty to deliver the boat to the Moorings base in Marigot Bay, St Lucia, in one piece. It wasn’t until we completed our task and got off Blue Monkey that the steering went, the autohelm was lost and the boat literally fell apart in front of our eyes. Thank god we weren’t sailing that across the Atlantic!
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