Jammin on Anguilla

April 6-April 11 Easter and Jammin’ in Anguilla
We set anchor in Sandy Ground, Anguilla on Friday afternoon, met the friendly Custom ladies, and headed down the beach for cold beer.  We walked to Sammy’s and found music, great t-shirts and shared a table with a couple from England.  Wanting to get a  sampler’s plate of the ambience we left after one beer and headed down to Elvis’s but we were too early for their Happy Hour .  Having walked as far as the beach stretched, we turned around and walked the full length down the other way to Roy’s Grill.  Kiwi rode on Dave’s shoulders.  There was a great crowd of locals, a closed kitchen, but a few open bar seats. 
Another beer or two later we packed up and headed slooooowly back to the boat.  With a two year old a walk on the beach is a lesson in patience.  Birds to chase, planes to wave bye bye to and watch disappear from sight, seashells to collect, chickens to chase and mimic, sand to squeeze into sand balls and throw at the advancing and retreating waves, a game of chase and hide toes from the same waves, watching other children playing in the surf and trying out what the 5 to 12 year olds are brave enough to do without thought or caution.  We had forgotten what goes on in a 2 year old mind, and the three of us wished we could have planned ahead and packed a 6 pack for the walk back to the dinghy.  Over an hour later we packed the stroller, bags, and granddaughter (who was now head to tow sand dune) into the dinghy.  How well we all slept that night!
Saturday was a sleepy, lazy day with a walk, and many talks with the locals, as we wandered the beach front and the road front of Sandy Ground.  Once again we ended up down at Roy’s and met a couple from Florida who had been coming here for over 20 years.  Still trying the sampler’s plate of atmosphere we found ourselves at the Pumphouse for an early dinner and were treated to an intro of the music being featured that night.  Backing up to the lagoon, we enjoyed the rustic décor, the pirate theme, and t-shirts with pirate mosquitoes downing their Rum blood punch, and sprayed the free bug spray all over our bodies.
Sunday started slower than Saturday with no one rolling out of bed early and the Easter Egg hunt was delayed until before noon.  Music started at Johnno’s and the Jammin’ crew went in to listen to the jam session.
Of course Kiwi had to run in the waves, and do what the other kids were doing.  She is fearless in the surf and sputters when she finds water has entered her mouth.  With a swipe to get the damp hair off her face, she stands and runs back in over and over again.  The music was great, and we all let the good vibes in and the sounds roll through our bodies till we were all swaying like palm fronds in the wind.  Little did we realize all the calm of the afternoon could be blow out of us in less than two hours.