Anguilla Local News

Seven-year old Kaitlin of Raleigh North Carolina was impressed with Anguilla. . . .

[Click to read Kaitlin's book.
 October 15, 1997 - Site Map.

From the Mouths of Babes

Kaitlin was so excited by her stay in Island Harbour this summer that she wrote and illustrated a book about Anguilla. Her parents, grandparents, and 2 younger sisters stayed in apartments at the Harbour Villas. They rented jeeps and went beach hopping.
"We often had the beach to ourselves. Palm Grove was a favorite because of the privacy and the location being so close to Island Harbour. This was one of the most relaxing vacations we've ever had. Kaitlin and her sister had the vacation of their lifetime. They still enjoy hearing the oohs and ahs of their classmates when they tell them about the octopus they saw in Junks Hole or the fish they caught with a string in Little Bay. And they loved the clean turquoise water with the gentle waves that could play in. Now a swimming pool stands in second place.
Kaitlin's "Anguilla" book has been published on the Internet at web.ai/kaitlin/

After you read it, you and send her fan mail at [email protected]


News Items from Anguilla

Cap Juluca Changes Hands. Cap Juluca has been re-acquired by its original developer Dion Friedland of South Africa. Mr. Friedland will be putting in place people who were involved in his original creation of the resort. For example, Eustace Guishard, General Manager; John Mezzanotte, Finance; andSue Ricketts, reservations, sales, marketting, and public relations. Visit their web site, capjuluca.com for more details.

Call-Forwarding Causing Problems. If you or your business use call-forwarding in Anguilla, don't forget to reset to the newly required 7-digit phone numbers. Lots of people have been caught and the poor customer or friend keeps getting a strange message telling them to "call again, later", lots later!

Carnival 98. If you are planning your 1998 calendar, Carnival runs from July 30th to Sunday August 9th.

Want a quick way to tell a sheep from a goat? Goat tails stick up, sheep tails lay down.

Restaurants reopening after September break: Blanchards with new swordfish and snapper dishes, Hibernia, Serenity, Sonesta/Casablanca, Zara's Oct 17, Frangipani October 25 with new menu around Thanksgiving. Straw Hat before November 1st. A new restaurant Oliver's is open at Long Bay.


Wallblake House Needs Help

[Click to visit Wallblake House]

Wallblake House Trust has some great t-shirts for sale. The Trust is organized to save this beautiful historic house before it collapses. Hurricane Luis caused a lot of damage and Hurricane Erika was a near miss, wake-up call. Anguilla is too small a place to raise all the money for this project alone, so they need help from Anguilla's off-island friends.

If you visit Wallblake.ai, their web site, you can find out how to mail order for t-shirts with the logo pictured above. Why not get a hundred for Christmas presents? New items on their web site: letter from the Governer encouraging and recommending the project, and the September progress report


Introducing Villas.ai

There are so many villas for rent on Anguilla, and so many of them now have web pages, that it was becoming overwhelming. So we have created villas.ai, a comprehensive guide to villa web pages. This "Anguilla Villa Guide" categorizes all the known web pages into quick comparison tables and lists their key features.

We thought about what we would want to know about a villa's amenities before we rented and decided the most important thing for us was how many steps to the beach - and which beach! We've also included other more mundane pieces of information like number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the usual.

Click here to see Villas.ai!


New Scuba Shop at La Sirena

Click to enlarge view of dive boat As of November 1st, La Sirena hotel in the West End will have a branch of Island Harbour's Anguillian Divers on site. This was confirmed by Wim Haagedoorn and Frieda Vandenplas of Anguillian Divers:
"You have to listen to the customers. They said it was too far to drive from the West End to Island Harbour.
Wim and Frieda also mentioned that they can do charter fishing. For a fun story, ask them about the experience on the Grady White at Goat Bay. Anguillian Divers can be reached at 264-497-4750 and La Sirena at 264-497-6827.


Maps of Anguilla

Click for larger, annotated view.

Anguilla isn't very big (only 16 miles by 3 miles at the widest spot), but it has a lot of places of interest, few road names, and few signs. Anguilla is the most northerly of the Leeward Islands, about 35 square miles, located at 18N, 63W, 150 miles east of Puerto Rico. Our friend Bill from Vancouver has been studying Anguilla intently because he is considering retiring here, but hasn't had time for a visit yet. He feels the need for a map to keep all the Anguilla place names in order. So here are a number of the maps of Anguilla from around the Internet, ranked and rated!

If you know another map, send the web page to be added to this list.


Anguilla's Wonderful Chefs

Not only did our chefs triumph at the 1997 competition in Puerto Rico, but now they are TV stars as well.

Anguilla Triumph at Culinary Competition Anguilla's team took home the most honours among the 19 teams competing in the "Taste of the Caribbean" Culinary and Bartender Competition in Puerto Rico: 22 awards including Most Creative Caribbean Dish: Escovitch of Red Snapper on a Breadfruit Pancake.

Pascal Baronnier of Koal Keel won Best Pastry Chef of the Year and silver medals for his whimsical centrepiece depicting a traditional West Indian cottage. Zeff Bonsey of the new restaurant ICI at Sonesta won a gold for Crispy Snapper with Roti Style Vegetables. George Reid of Chatterton's at Cap Juluca won a silver for Pan Grilled Tuna with Guinea Corn Risotta. Marc Alvares of CoveCastles won bronze for Spicy Carrot Glazed Shrimp on a Pastry Seesaw as did Vernon Hughes of Palm Court at Cinnamon Reef for his Crayfish with Caribbean Vegetable Ratatouille.

Ron Webster of Koal Keel won double gold in the bartender category for the second year in a row.

Chefs Become TV Stars: The "Great Chefs of the World" show on the Discovery Channel includes several chefs from Anguillia:

After Christmas the schedule is "to be announced". You missed "Lime Mousse Tart prepared by chef Peggy Hughes of Cinnamon Reef", which aired on Oct 1. Perhaps it will be repeated. Please Note! The schedule emailed earlier was wrong and this one is subject to change without notice.


Weather in Anguilla


Weather Summary Anguilla
Today: 84F 28C 80% Humidity, Windy October 15
Low temp in last 30 days 75F 23C
High temp in last 30 days 90F 32C
Low humidity in last 30 days 59%
Tropical storm web site Link
Weatherpost live 5-day forecast Link

While scuba diving in 60' of water last week, Wim and Freida of Anguillian Divers noted a water temperature of 29C (84F), much too warm for that depth. And the coral was starting to turn white, an unhealthy sign. Just after that, a large tropical wave moved in and dropped 6" of rain in 3 days! Is this El Nino?


Updates and Feedback

[Click to enlarge view of Choir]

Update on Police Choir. Following up on their successful concert in the British Virgin Islands, the Royal Anguilla Police Choir performed on Sunday night, October 5th, to a packed house at St. Mary's Anglican Church in The Valley. The performances were very moving. Read previous story.

Update on St. Martin Story. Last issue we told you how to take the ferry to St. Martin. Now here are some web sites that show you how to take an excursion to Anguilla while staying in St. Martin:

Update on Real Estate. In our recent article on real estate, we mentioned a number of places for sale. Now we have found an elegant house on Little Harbour with an indoor/outdoor pool, for sale at $995,000. Check the web page.

Feedback on Scilly Cay. Our article on Scilly Cay generated the following questions from Brendon:

I will be visiting Anguilla between 20-27 October, 1997. And, I am very excited to visit Scilly Cay. However, I recently read a passage on the internet that Scilly Cay is only open on Saturday and Sunday only during the summer? Is this true? Could you please provide the days and hours of operation? How much the outing will cost for two? And, do I need to bring my own snorkeling gear or is it provided for me on the island? Finally, do you recommend that I make reservations?
Scilly Cay goes back to full schedule on Wednesday, October 15th. They are open around 11am until 5pm, closed Monday. They don't stay open after dark except for special events, as Scilly Cay does not have electricity. You should budget about $100 for a couple if you plan to eat. If you are on a strict budget, you can just go over for a drink. Everyone will be just as gracious to you. You should bring your own snorkel gear. Reservations are not required.

Fantasizing About the Classifieds

Have you ever poured over the tiny classified villa ads in the back of travel magazines? Publications such as Islands Magazine and Caribbean Travel and Life. Did you wonder what the villas were really like? For example, here are two classifieds from the April 1997 issue of ISLANDS:

ANGUILLA, MEADS BAY - Nathan's Cove - 1-2 and 4-bedroom apartments from $100-$550 nightly. (301)630-3040. (264)497-2596.
It so happens that we know Nathan's Cove. We stayed there on our second visit to Anguilla in January 1994. It was new, clean, and fully furnished including washer and dryer. A few steps of sand to the water of Meads Bay. Very nice for a reasonable price. This small complex is located next door to Blanchards Restarant. A couple of suprising things: the wind blows from the back of the building, not the ocean side, so the better bedrooms for cool sleeping are on the back side; and, the vegetation blocks the downstairs view of the beach, but this gives you privacy too. The upstairs was huge. At the time it had 8 double beds in 4 bedrooms, perfect for an Anguillian family reunion. Here's another: [Click to enlarge obscured view of Seabreeze]

ANGUILLA, SHOAL BAY - 2 bedroom, 2-bath villa, Pool satellite TV, and maid service. $325/night peak season, $225/night low season. (909) 822-1169 days, (909)793-9694 nights and weekends.
This is Dick and Judy Collins' Seabreeeze villa, just to the west of Serenity Restaurant on Upper Shoal Bay, 100 steps from the water. Pictured above. The villa is almost perfectly designed for two couples.

For lots more villas, visit the Anguilla news' Villa Guide.


Web Sites About Anguilla

[Click to visit Road Primary]

Roadprimary.ai is Road Primary School's new web site. Alumni take notice! Read about the school's future plans, recent accomplishments, sports, the valedictorian's inspiring speach, and much more. They even have email!

Anguilla and the Environment. Betty Lowry has written an article about Anguilla, turtles, and the environment: "Anguilla's Great Beaches Are Only the Beginning."

Trust News. The Anguilla National Trust has posted their September newsletter on their web site. News items include the Iguana project, a Hawksbill turtle training workshop, Johnno's Beach Cleanup, and the Big Springs National Park project.

Small Hotels in Anguilla. This web page lists many of the smaller resorts. By the standards of St. Martin or Aruba, our hotels must all be small, as this page even lists Sonesta, our biggest hotel at 90+ rooms!

Covecastles.com is the new web site for CoveCastles.

Sur La Plage villa on Meads Bay now has a web page.

Anguilla News Traffic Way Up. Our web site now averages 28 Megabytes of Anguilla data provided every day. That's a lot of folks out there dreamin' 'bout Anguilla.

Caribbean Supersite-Anguilla Page. This is a comprehensive site with map, diving, etc. The information on diving in Anguilla is dated by a few years (Tamarain is now The Dive Shop), but the diving is still here.

Atevo Anguilla Page. Another comprehensive travel site with an Anguilla page:

Anguilla is a flat (highest point, 213 ft/65 m), dry and scrubby island with few trees. Its beauty lies in the miles of stunning white-sand beaches that rim the island and the clear waters that are perfect for snorkeling. ... We've noticed an interesting phenomenon regarding Anguilla: People who visit it and enjoy it tend to adopt it as if it were their own private hideaway, returning year after year.

Maintour Anguilla Page. A brief overview of Anguilla that may have been lifted from an old travel book, since it lists the Warden's Quarter as an "historical site", but this has been the Koal Keel Restaurant for a long, long time.

www.luxuryvillas.com is the new web address. for Anguilla Connection, who arrange villa rentals.

Beachshack.ai, Mary Ann's tropical construction page was updated October 9th with lots of news on our building project. See Johnny Rogers spray concrete on the villa walls, find out where to buy corrosion-resistant hinges, and more.



Anguilla's Fast Food

[Click to enlarge The Landing Strip] The Landing Strip restaurant serves up dependable Chinese food, quickly and efficiently. The place has a constant stream of people picking up dinner to go but you can also eat in. One night we ate on their balcony and watched the-one-airplane land. Cheapest romantic dining room with a view. Open 7 days a week, 11am to 11pm. 264 497-2268. George Hill, behind Java Wraps.

The Landing Strip Menu
  US$ EC$   US$ EC$
Soup Chow Mein
Wonton Soup 3.00 8.00 Pork Chow mein 5.00 13.40
Chicken Soup 3.00 8.00 Chicken Chow mein 5.00 13.40
Vegetable Soup 3.00 8.00 Shrimp Chow mein 7.00 18.75
Min Soup 3.00 8.00 Beef Chow mein 5.50 14.75
Chinese Soup 3.00 8.00 Curry Chow mein 4.50 12.00
Mushroom Soup 3.00 8.00 Conch Chow mein 7.00 18.75
Hot & Sour Soup 3.00 8.00 Fish Chow mein 7.00 18.75
Fishball Soup 3.00 8.00 Mixed Chow mein 7.00 18.75
Shrimpball Soup 3.00 8.00 Vegetable Chow mein 4.50 12.00
Conch Soup 3.00 8.00  
Appetizer Salad
Egg Roll1.002.68 Shrimp Salad7.00 18.75
Chicken Sate1.303.50 Chicken Salad7.00 18.75
Beef Sate1.855.00 Lettuce&Tomato Salad7.00 18.75
Pork Sate1.855.00 Mixed Vegetable Salad7.00 18.75
Shrimp Sate3.008.00  
Fried Wonton7.5020.10  
Shrimp Chip1.855.00  
Vegetarian Dishes Chicken Dishes
Catonese Vegetarian5.5014.75 Pineapple Chicken 6.00 16.10
Steam Vegetable 5.0013.40 Peking Chicken 6.00 16.10
Vegetable Fried Rice 3.008.00 Moo Goo Gai Pan 6.50 17.45
Vegetable Chow Mein 4.5012.00 Chicken with Cashew 7.50 20.10
Steam To-Fu 4.0010.75 Chicken with Cashew 5.75 15.40
Fried Bean Sprout 3.008.00 Sweet & Sour Chicken5.50 14.75
  Chicken broccoli 6.00 16.00
  Cantonese Chicken6.00 16.00
  Curry Chicken5.00 13.40
  Spanish Chicken6.00 16.00
Beef Dishes Shrimp Dishes
Oyster Sauce Beef 6.5017.45 Cantonese Shrimp 9.50 25.45
Cantonese Beef 7.5020.10 Sweet & Sour Shrimp 8.00 21.45
Garlic Beef 6.5017.45 Shrimp Chop Suey 8.50 22.80
Beef Chop Suey 6.0016.00 Shrimp Broccoli8.50 22.80
Beef Broccoli6.5017.45 Fou Yong Shrimp 6.00 16.00
Curry Beef 5.00 13.40 Curry Shrimp 7.00 18.75
Pepper Beef 5.00 13.40 Garlic Shrimp 9.00 24.10
Bean Sprout Beef 5.00 13.40 Shrimp Cutlet 7.00 18.75
Stew Beef with To-Fu 6.5017.45 Shrimp with Cashew 9.50 25.45
Pork Dishes Fish Dishes
Curry Pork 5.0013.40 Steam Fish (red snapper)    
Sweet & Sour Pork 5.5014.75 Sweet & Sour Fish 8.00 21.45
Pork Chop Suey 6.0016.00 Fish Cutlet 5.00 13.40
Stew Pork & To-Fu 6.0016.00 Fried red snapper    
Sweet & Sour Rib 5.5014.75 Curry Fish 7.00 18.75
Pork Cutlet 5.0013.40 Cantonese Fish 7.50 20.10
  Fish Chop Suey 7.50 20.10
  Pepper Fish 7.00 18.75
  Fish Broccoli 7.50 20.10
Conch Dishes Lobster Dishes
Cantonese Conch 9.5025.45 Steam Lobster 20.75 56.00
Conch Cutlet 7.00 18.75 Moo Goo Lobster 15.00 40.00
Pepper Conch 7.00 18.75 Lobster Chop Suey 15.00 40.00
Conch Chop Suey 7.5020.10 Lobster Broccoli 15.00 40.00
Conch Broccoli7.5020.10 Cantonese Lobster 20.75 56.00
Garlic Conch 9.0024.10  
Squid Dishes Mixed Dishes
Pepper Squid 6.5017.45 Mixed Chop Suey 8.50 22.80
Squid Broccoli 7.0018.75 Mixed Chow mein 7.00 18.75
Squid Chop Suey 7.0018.75 Mixed Fried Rice 5.00 13.40
Cantonese Squid 8.0021.45 Mixed Broccoli 9.00 24.10
  Mixed Pepper 8.50 22.80
  Mixed Seafood Chop Suey 11.00 29.50
Special Dishes
Cantonese Fried Rice 5.0013.40 Beef Ho-Fen 6.00 16.00
Mixed & Mixed 7.5020.10 Steam Pork Rib/blk bean5.50 14.75
Dried shrimp & fried veg 5.5014.75 Sesame Chicken 6.50 17.45



Top stories from the previous issue.
Underwater Tour of Anguilla Beauty in Concrete?
Computer Club News Ferry to St. Martin
Li'l Bit of Guinea Corn Porridge Mirrors Night Club


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Copyright 1997. Bob Green
Anguilla Local News