Leave ROC at 6:11AM for Newark and a 9:10 flight to Anteega (Antigua) on 11/16/2010. Had to fly slightly more east due to the outer bands of Tomas but still arrived at 2:00, only 15 minutes late. Breezed thru customs/immigration (we only had carry on since we were going on to Montserrat for a couple days and we sent down our Antigua suitcase with my brother a couple days earlier).
Once back from Montserrat on Monday 11/8, we got our complimentary taxi ride to Cocobay. We were a bit taken aback when we pulled onto the dirt road leading to Cocobay and noticed the 6 foot chain link fence topped with barb wire. Once on sight (or the compound as the employees refer to it) we were checked in and shown to our sea front cottage #12 (the furthest and last one on the northern end of the resort). Everything was spectacular, the view, the plunge pool, everything! Met up with my brother and new bride around the dining/bar area and settled right in. Afternoon at Ffryes beach which is right out the south side of the resort. The water was a bit murky and slightly rough due to swells they have been having for a couple of weeks but the sun and temp were perfect! That night we opted for our anniversary dinner at Sheer. There was a bit of a breeze that night but the views and ambiance could not be matched although the food was a bit average and expensive.
We booked the shuttle to St. Johns on Tuesday (leaves at 9 and returns around noon for $10US/pp round trip). There were 3 cruise ships in town and it was chaos but we managed to go to Sterlings and get some Larimar jewelry…mission accomplished! Back to the beach for quality sun and the surf.

Wednesday we had booked the extreme circum navigate tour with Adventure Antigua. Meet the boat at Jolly Harbor with 2 other couples, then off to the cruise ship docks (only one in port today) to pick up two other people then off to Sandles for the balance of the boat (total of 21). The tour was great, it goes clockwise around the island, it was not too rough on the Atlantic side and we made various stops and the crew was very informative. The boat is fast, we averaged 30 – 33 mph when in the open water going from point to point and it was breezy at that speed but nothing uncomfortable. I figured since we were the first to get on the boat we would thus be the first to get off but no such luck as we delivered all the others to their destinations and backtracked to Jolly Harbor and arrived around 3:30 or so. Had to have the crew to contact Cocobay to pick us up since we were about an hour earlier than I expected according to Adventure Antigua e-mail, but no big deal!
Thursday was sun, sand, surf day and it was a beauty! Water calmed down and it was just a perfect day!
Friday off again for a ½ day land tour with Pelican Tours. We “did” the island as you will see from the photos which will be up shortly. Back in time for lunch and quality beach time!
Saturday morning beach/plunge pool and off to airport for another uneventful flight home around 3:45.

Did I mention the bugs? Horrendous……I had read many recent reports regarding them and just wrote it off to the sunset to dusk experience but this was all day and all night, so much so that we were “gassed” twice with a billowing fog that kept them down for a bit. I would have to say that this was the worst bug experience that we have encountered in all of our travels for sure. The and flies were the worst with mossies next then throw in the occasional carnivore. Having said this, all in all this was a great Island experience and I can not say enough about the people at Cocobay, guests and staff were all exceptional!