This January I was lucky enough to sail to the Caribbean on the MV Athena as Guest Art Lecturer. We left Falmouth on 5th January, calling at La Coruna, The Azores, Antigua, St Kitts, Guadeloupe, St Lucia, Bequia, St Vincent, Grenada, Barbados, Madiera, Vigo and finally back into Falmouth on 3rd February.

MV Athena

First things first - a very big Thank You! to my agent Peter Rushton at the P& R Agency for placing me on The Athena. 
Thanks also to all at Travelscope for being so helpful.
 Thanks to the hard working and friendly Athena crew for looking after me so very well.
And huge thanks to my friend Heather for coming with me even during a house move!
I must not forget to thank all of the lovely people who attended the art classes and helped to make them so very successful!
Below are some photos of our ports of call, the art classes and artworks produced in the classes during the Cruise.

La Coruna, Northern Spain

Elegant Architecture
 
 
 

Glassed in Terraces typical to this town

The Beach

We liked the funky yellow stuff they use to seal walls - very sculptural!

The Azores
Portuguese Islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
First we visited some lovely gardens.

A rather large rubber plant!
Next we visited a Pineapple Plantation

Yep, lots of Pineapple here.
Then we went up into the mountains to see the Two Lakes - one supposedly green, the other supposedly blue. Both were bluey greeny grey.

We drove back through the countryside and stopped to photograph this lovely view

Athena set off on the 5 day voyage across the Atlantic. Heather and I searched for whales

but when one appeared we missed it!

We must have been doing our laps too fast!!
Or were we having a little lie down perhaps?

Cabin 244

We did manage to see lots of flying fish and some dolphins though. At last we arrived in Antigua.Heather and I headed off to the beach. Our taxi driver Mr Robbie Williams - no not that Robbie Williams - took us to Sandhaven, which was so lovely and peaceful.

Here's one of Heather doing a bit of window shopping in her bikini!

 

St Kitts
We spent the morning on the Sugar Trai. Our guide was a local potter and Radio broadcaster and she gave us an excellent commentary on the island. We went through plantation fields, rainforests and villages and got a good tour of the whole island.

In the afternoon we looked round the town. 
I sketched the Cathedral in pretty Independence Square.

Guadeloupe
It was fun speaking French for a day in Guadeloupe. We shopped for clothes, spices and bags then got a taxi to the lovely Sainte Annes beach.

There was an excellent band playing on the quayside.
The ladies wore typical Guadeloupe check fabrics
 

St Lucia
We went on a thrilling helicopter ride this morning over the coast, capital, Pitons and mountains 

The Athena is the one right next to the biggest ship in the Harbour

Afterwards we went to the beach at Rodney Bay

Bequia
Princess Margaret Beach
A small island, very beautiful, lovely secluded beach!
Here's one of Cath and Janice the Craft Lecturers with Athena in the distance

Here's Heather doing the crossword!

St Vincent
We arrived late afternoon and most places were closed.
Heather bought this lovely mermaid carving from the equally lovely Noel

There was just time to drink some local St Vincent beer - very good it was too

Grenada
We climbed a very steep hill in the searing heat. When we got to the top there was a lovely clloing shower of rain! Here is a picture of Athena looking very small and dainty next to another big ship. Ahh bless her!

We spent the afternoon on the Rhum Runner! Rum punch, Calypso band, Limbo competition, even an onboard hat maker - what more could we ask for?

Grenada was such great fun - thank you Grenada!