Wednesday 3^rd May 2023

North Atlantic Ocean 25^o 0.1 N 58^o 41.5 W 

Blog by David  (Time zone: BST -4)

Progress

We are continuing to make steady progress NE.  The wind has gradually been veering round aft of our course.  We are “walking a tightrope” trying to keep in a patch of wind without heading up to starboard into the high pressure, and losing the wind, nor too far to port where there is another patch of light air developing.

Around lunchtime Tuesday, the wind had veered enough to allow us to pole out the genoa and set our standard “downwind” rig. This is a very stable and secure set up and quite easy to trim and/or reduce sail. However, it’s not much cop when the wind dies – as it did later on Tuesday afternoon!   Donk On!    We motored slightly north of the rhumb-line to try to find the wind again – which Terry achieved around midnight on Tuesday.

St Kitts

The history of the chain of Caribbean Islands after the Europeans found them revolved around access to commodities.  Vast wealth was accumulated by those who could most efficiently farm sugar cane, and ship the sugar back to Europe.  So the European countries fought over their ownership with France, Holland, Britain and the American Republic each competing for possession with various degrees of vigour.

St Kitts and Nevis were much sought after - being fertile, producing good quality sugar, and a reasonably pleasant climate (drier than the more southern Windward Islands south of Antigua).   Whoever possessed the islands stationed a garrison there to protect them.

In 1690, the British were vying to retake the coastal town of St Charles on St Kitts from the French and had established a sea blockade.  They landed troops and swayed artillery to the top of what became known as Brimstone Hill – possibly 500ft high,  with sheer sides and breath taking views over the coast and beyond to Saba  - about 15 miles away to the NW.

Brimstone Hill Fortress today – overlooking St Charles with Saba in the distance

Having retaken the island, the British realised the hills strategic defensive  importance and began to reinforce it – using primarily slave labour to  build a succession of fortifications that ultimately comprised the Brimstone Hill Fortress – the garrison comprised about 850 men. In January 1782, France lay siege to the fort with 8,000 men. It took over month for the French to prevail. 

St Kitts was returned to British ownership by the Treaty of Versailles in 1783.