Those traveling on the DAR cruise were awakened this morning to the sounds of steel drums welcoming us to the port of St. Johns on the island of Antigua (an-tee’-ga). The day dawned with bright sunshine as we embarked on a day filled with adventures and history. Any rain that happened to briefly fall was quickly referred to as “liquid sunshine!”
Antigua is a small volcanic island located midway along the Leeward Islands in the eastern Caribbean Ocean. It is a relatively dry island receiving little rainfall – although some rain forest areas do exist. Guides explain that there are no rivers per se on the island. As such, drinking water is captured in water catchments – think of these as large cisterns in which rainwater is then filtered and made available for domestic use. With few natural resources, the island nation today has developed its tourism industry to support the local economy. In addition to the storefronts located near the pier, drivers and tour guides abound -- all knowledgeable and proud of their nation’s history.
Historically, the island was sighted by Christopher Columbus during his second voyage in 1493. He named it “Santa Maria de la Antigua” after an icon located in the Catholic cathedral in Seville, Spain. Prior to this, however, Amerindians resided on the island. During the early 1600’s sugar cane plantations were established to grow the “white gold.” Native peoples fiercely resented the arrival of settlers which led to confrontations. With the introduction of European and later African diseases, the native populations soon disappeared.