Anguilla Local News

Meet Douglas Carty, Dive Master at the Dive Shop, first Anguillian to be PADI-certified for this responsible position. . . .

[Click for closeup of Divemaster Douglas Carty]
 June 15, 1998 - Site Map - Click to enlarge pictures

Dive Shop Celebrates 15 years

Douglas is from the neighborhood, in fact he is the son of Ivor the diver (who free dives to incredible depths).
[Click to enlarge their dive boat]

The Dive Shop, located in Sandy Ground, is celebrating its fifteen anniversary. During that time, they spearheaded Anguilla's artificial reef project and the permanent mooring program (to reduce anchor damage to the delicate reefs). Their dive boat, pictured here, is the Kuriala, an Anguillian built, wide-bottom, 40-foot catamaran.
[Click to see many more fish pictures]

They have an impressive web site at scuba.ai with a full picture gallery of what you will see underwater in Anguilla. Click the fish picture on the right for more details. If you have any questions about diving in Anguilla, you can send them email at [email protected]
[Click to enlarge view of Dive Shop]

The Dive Shop is a PADI 5-Star facility. They offer a complete range of PADI and SSI certification courses. But you can dive even without the certificates; just take the Resort Course (one morning) and dive under the careful guidance of an instructor.

They are open 7 days a week from 8am to 4pm, with scheduled dives at 9am and 10:30 am daily. The partners are Thomas Peabody and Peter Burling. Griffin Lake is Captain of their Dive Boat, Christine Kay is the Chief Instructor, and Lemira Connor runs the shop. Telephone: 1-264-497-2020.




News Tidbits from Anguilla

National Culinary Team Prepares. If you recall, last year Anguilla's team of chefs were fantastically successful in the regional competition. They are already preparing for this year's competition, which is not until September. The team has 6 members: Rauol Rodriguez, owner and chef at Hibernia, George Reid, executive chef at Georges (Cap Juluca beach restaurant), Vernon Hughes, executive chef at Palm Court (Cinammon Reef), Didier Rochat, Chef at Frangipani Restaurant, and bartender Ron Webster (now at Restaurant Ici). And managers this year are Wil Fleming of Anguilla Great House and Eustace Guishard of Cap Juluca.

Maurice Leduc Injured. According to this posting on the net, Chef Maurice of Leduc's Restaurant was in a serious automobile accident and is hospitalized with a broken pelvis. Leduc's is closed, but is usually closed in June anyway. Our best wishes on a speedy recovery.

Flower and Garden Show in Feb/98. The Anguilla Beautification Club is planning a flower and garden show for February 4-6, 1999. If you want to participate, contact Lydia Gumbs at 1-264-497-6549.

Snake Week in Anguilla. The week of June 13th to 20th has been declared Snake Week in Anguilla. The Anguilla National Trust with the aid of Fauna and Flora International are planning activities aimed at heightening the awareness of the public of the plight of the harmless Anguillian Racer snake.



Pelican Washes Up On Beach

Betsy Coville D.V.M. had no idea what adventure awaited her at Carimar Resort on Meads Bay, Anguilla. She was called upon to care for an injured pelican! Here is how she describes it:

[Click to enlarge the Pelican]
After eight years as a zoo vetinarian, getting my hands on a pelican would be a piece of cake. All I needed was a few willing herders and somebody else's beach towel. His wing was not broken, but some fishing line was wrapped around his elbow and the skin was badly torn. Removing the fishing line was easy, but he was not able to fly and was very weak. He must have been floating for quite a few days before being washed up on the beach.

Any time you handle a wild animal it is very stressful for them. There are several animals that have died from the stress of human contact and restraint. Keeping that in mind, we attempted to offer him food which he could eat on his own. Luckily my father had some bait fish in the freezer. We tossed him a fish, but it hit the beach and was too sandy to swallow. We tried burying a water bucket in the sand with fish in it. We herded him to it and he would look, but not eat. He was dehydrated because he gets most of his water requirements from the fish he eats, not from drinking the salty ocean water.


[Click to enlarge the Pelican]

Without food and water he would definitely die. We had no option but to force feed him and hope he could handle the stress. All the volunteers had their assignments - bird holder, bottom beak holder, top beak holder, water pitcher holder, fish bucket holder and me! We got a long thin rubber tube from a douche bag, lubricated the end with egg white and passed it down his throat to put water in his stomach. Then I pushed down several fish, which he swallowed. It was dusk, so we released him in the field next door and he leapt up to a low branch and perched for the night. I was afraid to look for him the next morning. There are a lot of stray cats on the island. ...

For the rest of Betsy's story, click here.



Upcoming Events in Anguilla

The Anguilla Local News has a Calendar for the year showing events, holidays, and activities.


Click to enlarge carnival

Start planning your visit to Anguilla for Carnival and boat races this summer. By the way, there was another boat race on the June 1 Whit Monday holiday, which UFO won again - three race wins in a row.

Read all about last year's events. Carnival opens on Thursday, July 30th with a free show at the Carnival village and continues with activities every day until August 10th:


July 31. Band-O-Rama Aug 3. Afrika Revisited Aug 7. Parade of Troupes
Aug 1. International Night Aug 4. Boat Race, Talented Teen Aug 8. Food Fair, Kids N'Karnival, Calypso Contest
Aug 2. Youth Nite. Aug 5. Boat Races. Calypso Monarch Aug 9. Champion of Champions Boat Race, Grand Finale
Aug 3. J'Ouvert Mornin. Boat Races Aug 6. Boat Races. Miss Anguilla Aug 10. Last Lap street dance



This is "The Place" (Guest Review)

[Click to enlarge The Place] Actually this is the most incredible 'bar' I have ever seen or imagined. More like being in someone's home! Gary took me here one night when I expressed the desire to go to a 'local' bar, not a tourist place. But it really is open to anyone.

It's up on the West End road, just before Leduc's, heading West. ...

Don't go expecting to sit at a cozy little table, sipping drinks with your sweetie. DO go if you want to lounge on a couch, falling frequently to the floor with tears in your eyes from laughing at everything Marilyn says. She was a nurse back in New Jersey and her stories will make you howl! People pop in and out, the drinks are CHEAP, and if you don't know what you want, let her make something up for you. You are immediate family as you walk in the door, and a perfect place for anyone slightly shy. Also a perfect place for anyone wackily extroverted!
Location on Map

This is the kind of place you can tell your friends back home about, 'that tiny, undiscovered local bar' that is NEVER in the guidebooks. Marilyn and her husband "the other Captain Hughes" used to operate 'under the trees' behind their home, but after Luis, decided to put a building around the bar.

Guest article by Laine Parnell




The Queen's Birthday Parade

[Click on any of the images to enlarge it] Smart, sharp and spectacular are words to describe the troops performing in the Queen's (Official) Birthday Parade at the Ronald Webster's Park on Monday June 8th. Even though the attendance was poor compared to the Anguilla Day Parade on Friday May 29th, there was no stopping this show. Several march passes, special drills by the Royal Anguilla Police Force, a 21 gun salute, and I almost forgot, the usual three cheers of "Hip-Hip-Hooray!" for Her Majesty were performed with perfect (well... almost perfect) coordination. Everyone stood at attention for the National Anthem "God Save the Queen" and for the National Song "God Bless Anguilla". [Click to enlarge this image]

Radio Anguilla was there to provide coverage, but it was an extra special treat for those who came to see the parade in person. The troops comprised of the Royal Anguilla Police Force, Boy Scouts, Pathfinders, Girl Scouts, Brownies, Cadets, Christian Assembly Conquerors and the Police Marching Band directed by Mitch Geisner. Her Majesty Governor, Mr. Robert M Harris inspected the troops and presented two "clasp" awards in recognition of over 25 years of qualifying service in the Royal Anguilla Police Force to two senior members of the Force. The recipients of awards were Inspector Carl Ruan, CPM. and Commissioner of Police Donald Connor, CPM. JP.

Guest Article by Johanne Webster




New Visitor Training Program

Here is what you need to know for your first visit to Anguilla:
Comfort: 80F day and night. Casual dress. No ties. No swimsuits in town. Airco not needed.
Perils: Use sunscreen at the beach. Do not touch coral. Guard against mosquitos.
Money: Bring US cash and travellers checks, plus your credit cards. No ATM machines.
Phonet/Net:: Reliable but expensive. Consider Internet-by-the-minute.
Driving: Stay to the left. Don't worry about horn beeps. Bring your license.
Manners: Say "good morning" before stating your business. Wave to strangers.
More Tips: Power. Pets. Gratuities. Ferries. Marriage. ...



Cool Beneath Her Wraps

[Click to enlarge view of Joan] Want to look dressed, but be tropical and casual? Try one of Joan Richardson's wraps from Shoal Bay beach. Joan can usually be found under a sea grape tree, with her colorful beach wraps hung around her, making a perfect, cool "cave" for her office.

There are many ways to wear a beach wrap. Just ask Joan to show you how! Prices start at about $20 US.




Updates and Feedback

Dozens Complete the Tourist Questionnaire. Thelma Lee in Anguilla is doing an on-line survey of tourists for her MBA degree. Since her questionnaire was posted on the Net at web.ai/thelma, she has had dozens of responses. Here are some of the more interesting comments:
Try not to let the island get over commercialized.... leave it just the way it is.

Be very careful. Do not ruin what we love about Anguilla... the solitude, peace, and quiet of the beautiful place.

Our first visit was an instant love for the island, and the people, but too short a stay. We are returning again in August for 2 weeks to enjoy more. I just hope that it does not go the way of St. Maarten.



Budget Anguilla: Sea View

[Click to enlarge Sea View garden] Seeking a simple two-bedroom apartment with a kitchen for your vacation in Anguilla? Consider Sea View Apartments in Sandy Ground. Sherma Hodge runs them for her auntie, Violet Richardson, who lives upstairs. The construction was a family project -- over time, everyone designed or built a part of their cute little apartment building. .

A spacious two-bedroom apartment with ceiling fans and across the street from the beach and the Dive Shop, is only $80 per night. The one bedroom is $55 per night.
Location on Map

Call Sherma at 1-264-497-2427 or Violet at 1-264-497-3397. Email: [email protected] Inquire about longer stays.
[Click to enlarge view of xxxx]

More Pictures:




Web Sites About Anguilla

New! Live Weather from Anguilla!

Check out weather.ai, the on-line weather monitor in Old Ta, Anguilla. Miguel Connor, who works for for Offshore Information Services, set up the hardware, connected it to a computer server, and wrote the Visual Basic programs to turn it into a live web site! Very impressive for a recent high school graduate.

Package Rates to Sonesta at this web site start at $829 per person for a week, and appears to include airfare from JFK to St. Maarten, leaving every Saturdays on Sun Country charter flights. Has anyone used them?

The Anguilla Electricity Company has a web page at anglec.com and has set up an email service so that each department, and eventually each employee, can have their own email address! If you are interested in doing this for your company, email us your needs!

Anguilla in Swedish! Here is a web page with information about Anguilla is Swedish.



A Field Guide to Anguilla's Wetland

[Click to enlarge cover of Wetlands book] A new book was published on June 5, 1998, with information about Anguilla's ponds. This is a field guide, so there are maps, pictures of the bird species you may see, botanical notes of the flora, directions to find the many ponds, and room for you to make Field Notes and record your bird sightings.

The book was a joint effort of many people and was published by the Anguilla National Trust. Copies are available from the trust for US $15 each. 1-264-497-5297




Top stories from the previous issue.
Mystery Exploration Slick Carty
Coffee Lovers Guide Exam Time at School
Caribbean Property List CoveCastles Restaurant


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Anguilla Local News