Multi Hull Action
‘Live slow, sail fast!’ explained Toni, our catamaran sailing instructor. Susie and I, who had met on the two-day Hobie 15 course at Sunsail’s Club Colonna, were amused by Toni’s earnest philosophy that perfectly summed-up the pace of our holiday. Club Colonna is situated at Hodges Bay on the Northern shore of Antigua, and the trade winds that kick-in for the winter blast across at right angles to the shoreline.
For Susie and I, there was more than enough wind to play with on our cat course: on the first day we were learning to tack and gybe in winds of Force 4-5 (up to 20 knots) under Toni’s watchful eye. This was actually quite difficult, especially the tacking. I kept stalling the boat at head-to-wind because I had not kept the momentum of the turn going – although Susie made it look easy.
We were exhilarated after our sessions on the water, and now it was time for some theory. Toni imparted the essentials of cat sailing to us. The most important lesson was how to sail a catamaran most efficiently: Velocity Made Good (VMG). Ideally, this means that when you sail cats, you sail them to go fast!
On the second day of the course, the winds were up to a Force 6 with gusts reaching up to 40 knots. But as it happened this did not help us to sail faster: as the lumpy waves dumped us in each trough, so we slowed down. We were lucky to get out on the water at all in those winds: the centre management put a cap on the amount of cats and windsurfers allowed out at a time.
Susie and I picked up the basics of trapezing (wearing a harness with a hook means that you can help balance the boat by hanging off the side) on shore and waited on the beach, half itching to get out there, and half terrified of the conditions we were about to be facing. Susie went first, and came back looking a little shell-shocked but really relieved and elated. ‘If I can do it, you know, then anyone can – I just took my time and got out on the trapeze when I felt comfortable,’ Susie gushed.
Soon it was my turn. I’ve trapezed a bit before, but this was really hairy. I was afraid that one of the waves would push me off and that I’d take instructor off the hull with me. Luckily, Toni had a calming presence and I was touched by his concern: ‘Are you having fun?’ he kept asking. The spray was giving my eyeballs a thorough rinsing, I was struggling to stand on the edge of the cat – of course I was having fun.
After our stints on the water, and a bit more theory, which was a useful chance to recover from the excitement of the morning’s sailing (read: hanging on for dear life) Toni told us we had passed his course in cat sailing. It had been satisfying and utterly exhausting. Maybe a slow life is a consequence of sailing fast?
Fortunately, at Colonna, there are plenty of opportunities to kick back. You can laze to your heart’s content on the beach or the pool. It is almost as good to watch the activities on the water as to take part in them, particularly on high-wind days. The spit had a ringside view of Hobies pitchpoling (capsizing nose-first), a Topaz (invincible single-hander dinghies) race snowballing out of control, and daring windsurfers jumping off the crests of the waves.
On days where it isn’t exactly blowing a hoolie, Prickly Pear Island, just off Hodges Bay, is a short motor boat ride away, and it’s a great place to chill out on the isolated little beach or go snorkelling. With some luck, you might have an underwater encounter with turtles. The brightly-coloured fish pale in comparison.
The new spa is an excellent opportunity to take relaxation a little bit more seriously. The Spa provides a range of Elemis treatments, which consist of pure and organic plant and fruit extracts. Under the surprisingly strong hands of Laura, the therapist, all of my worries were un-knotted from my shoulders, with a Deep Tissue Muscle Massage. My face was spruced-up with an Absolute Brilliance Facial, which left my skin remarkably smooth and soft. Treats like this made a lasting difference, and the massage actually helped to loosen me up for some more sailing and windsurfing.
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Back on the beach, I was impressed at the number of Antiguans employed by the club. ‘About 70 per cent of the staff are locals,’ said centre manager, Alastair. There is a training programme for Antiguans who want to become sailing instructors: they start off as riggers, learn how to sail, get taught how to teach sailing, and then are assessed by RYA trainers.
The half-board meal plan at the club is designed to support the local economy so that people can go and spend their hard-earned cash at local restaurants. Most guests don’t need the promise of fabulous food to go and explore the island, but there’s fantastic grub to be had from beach-shack barbequed prawns at OJ’s to sophisticated fare at the Montpellier Inn or Harmony Hall.
Even if you end up eating out at fancy restaurants, Sunsail’s off-peak prices ensure you don’t break the bank. Staying for a week at Club Colonna from 14 September 2007 costs only £699 per person, which is excellent value considering this includes trans-Atlantic flights, half-board and use of watersports equipment, gym, mountain bikes and tennis taster sessions.
Naturally, the price does not include drinks at the laid-back waterfront bar. If you’re looking for something more lively, head to a jump-up party at Shirley Heights. An old naval lookout, the point is famed for its sensational views of sunset over English Harbour, where Nelson’s Dockyard is the only functional Georgian naval facilities in the world. After the sun goes down, Shirley Heights becomes one big party: there’s reggae and soca music to dance to, barbecued food, like jerk chicken, and dangerously tasty rum punch.
Chartering a yacht, with or without a skipper, for the day is a great way to recover after a night’s festivities at Shirley Heights. This can be done from Jolly Harbour. You can see the Sleeping Indian hills, named after the profile of the landscape, Monserrat smoking away in on the horizon on a clear day, and you can even make like Jack Sparrow and have a go at the helm yourself.
When planning any day excursions, however, my suggestion is to look at the weather forecast before signing up to anything: you wouldn’t want to find that you had missed the perfect day for a blast in a catamaran.
Getting there
For reservations and deals contact Sunsail Clubs or visit www.sunsail.co.uk/clubs.
Getting around
Happy Trails (www.happytrailsantigua.com) offer informative off-road tours taking you to places with spectacular views, through rain forests and to interesting historical sites.
More information
For further information on Antigua, visit www.antigua-barbuda.com or call the Antigua and Barbuda Tourist Office.
