Date: Sunday 27 February 2022
Position: 17° 33.109’ N 61° 46.121’ W
Location: Cocoa Bay, Barbuda
Distance Sailed during the week: 116 NM
Distance Sailed total: 6787 NM
Weather: 
, 28°
Most popular on the menu: Swedish candy, an express delivery from Annika 
Animals spotted: Whale, turtles, dolphins, hummingbird
Comment of the week: “Skitgubbe!”
After some struggle to find a place where Alma could do her 6 dives to complete her Junior Open Water Diver Certificate, we managed to book a course in Deshaies. And at the same time Jonas could do 6 dives at the same dive center. We sailed from the south of Guadeloupe to the northern part of the island, to a really nice and protected bay. The first night we stayed on anchor, and next day we could snorkel and find a big mooring buoy, but without the actual buoy to connect the lines to. We managed to dive 2,5 m and connect our lines to the metal wire from the massive mooring stone. A new way for us to moor!
The dive center was a small but friendly place, supportive and focused on giving great service. Alma completed all the exercises and passed all tasks, so now she has her Junior Open Water Certificate. The best part? She really enjoyed it and she was so happy afterwards. And so did Jonas! Now both of them are looking forward to diving together again soon.
In the meantime, when Alma and Jonas were diving, Atle, Axel and Sanna were snorkeling. The bay was full of turtles and almost every day a pod of dolphins came into the bay. Atle loves his new underwater camera.
Our friends from Matilda were in the same bay, so we enjoyed their company. So many laughs were share, and we also learnt a new card game from Annika, Skitgubbe. Hopefully we can play it without having too many upset moments. Annika also gave the kids their favorite candy directly from Sweden, kind of scary how much the kids miss it, but it was sooo good!
Surprisingly, a visit to a botanic garden has become the Edholms new go to activity that (almost) all of us enjoy and where we can easily spend several hours. Who would have thought?!
After five days in Deshaies it was time to go north again. This time to Antigua for a quick visit in Jolly Harbour for the formalities to clear into Antigua and Barbuda. After a swift stop we could continue north to Barbuda. One of the places we have on our bucket list.
We have missed some of our friends that started to sail north more than a month ago, so it was pure happiness to see them again! And we couldn’t have met in a more beautiful place – Cocoa Bay, Barbuda. Just the color of the ocean, the beaches, so wonderful.
Next week – we will enjoy Barbuda, the company and celebrate Axel who turns 15!
Written by Susanna Edholm, edited by Hanna Ericksson
Liv Sailing 