English Harbour is a natural harbour on the South tip of the island of Antigua in Caribbean. This safe haven is full of history and has its roots all the way to 17th century. The Harbour area itself has two marinas and docking options, as well as anchorage and mooring area. right in front of the channel entrance you’ll find Freemans Bay and Galleon beach, a wonderful beach hang out spot and a great anchorage that many cruisers love.
It’s a popular sailing and yachting destination and you will find a vibrant town filled with restaurants, sailing schools and bars. The area is surrounded by cliffs, hiking trails and paths followed by cactuses and goats.
Just next to the best anchorage around the cliffs are located the Pillars of Hercules, one of the nicest snorkelling and diving spots just in front of natural geological rock formations.
The next little creek to the East side from English Harbour is called Indian Creek, a beautiful quiet getaway and it’s entrance you’ll find a Sunken rock that is a lovely dive site, when the weather allows the diving.
It’s lovely to be back in Antigua! Hit me up if you would like to join for diving adventures, need crew or skipper, or dive instructor or a guide!
We did these next mentioned two dives around English Harbour from 40ft monohull, and 2.5 hp dinghy in January – February. Water temperature was around 28 C°, visibility around 10-15 metres.
Pillars of Hercules
17°0.081’N 61°45.726’W
Anchor:
Closest over night anchoring spot is in front of the Freemans bay in front of Galleon beach, which you’ll find opening on your starboard side when entering the channel to English harbour. There usually are more than a few other cruisers and on the high season you’ll need to squeeze in. Great spot with beach near by and easy dinghy ride bot to Nelsons Dockyard and to Slipway marina. Hiking trails up to Shirley heights start from Galleon beach.
Sandy bottom, There are some old anchors and lines on the bottom, check your anchor! Overall good holding. Stern to Mediterranean mooring also possible, if you tie stern lines to the rocks on the SE part of the bay. Reef on the S.
Alternatively you can anchor deeper in the harbour area, past Nelsons Dockyard and Slipway in the mangroves, but there you’ll need to watch out moorings (and mosquitoes).
Good holding4-7 metres depth, shelter from N, NE, E, SE winds, swell unusual
Dinghy:
Ride short ride just outside the reef at South of the entrance. You’ll find three dive moorings spread in front of the Pillars of Hercules. Small dinghies easy access, dinghies only. Swell often picks up when you leave the harbour, and waves can be crashing to the rocks.
Dive:
Rocks formations and natural geological pillars, brain- and soft corals in 7-10 meters that all slowly slopes into lower reef and eventually sandy bottom. Double reef can be found in 20 meters depth. Dive sites spread out from the dropping in of the moorings, and you can choose your direction. Slow descend to 10 metres from the mooring ball, heading to E you’ll follow the Pillars and the coastal rocks. S, S/E you’ll find occasional formations and the double reef spreading out. S/W reef continues and you might bump into local coral garden. Looping around is easy, but straight line with 180° turn is recommended on your first dives around the area..
We saw a few day octopus, turtles, lots of schools of fish, filefish, parrotfish, many scorpionfish, soft, brain and fan corals and on every dive an eagle ray camle and flew by us for our delight.
Indian Creek / Sunken Rock
17°0,136’N 61°44.301’W
Anchor:
Suppousingly depending of your dinghy, you can stay in Freemans Bay and drive over, but closer point to drop your anchor is in the actual creek itself. You can follow the Creek all the way to the end having the depth 5-3 meters. At the end you’ll find an opening amongst the mangroves, and you can drop your anchor to the sandy / mud / seaweed bottom.
When approaching the creek be aware of the sunken rock at the entrance, it is easy to spot. Stay in the middle and keep an eye of the depths while going down the creek as the bends have shallower depths. Anchor approx 3-4 metres depth, good holding and great shelter. Doesn’t get swell, but mosquitoes might bug you in the middle of the mangroves.
Dinghy:
You will see the sticking rock or waves crashing to it when you’re driving towards the entrance of the Creek. There is no mooring, you will need to use a small anchor, or leave a person to hover on a surface. If using an anchor, Anchor the dinghy near the closest little beach of the rock on the East side of the Creek. There is overall sandy bottom with patches of seaweed so check your tender anchor.
Dive:
You can dive around the rock, or follow the rock wall from the beach that you left your dinghy. The deep part is on the S/E about 35 meters. Shallows mainly towards N 5 meters, and gradually slopes down towards S. You’ll be able to see to rock on the surface, take compass bearing towards it, and follow the Creek wall until drop off / opening.
Shallows rocks, pinnacles, corals, formations. Seaweed patches. In S about 30meters you’ll find a drop off and a sandy bottom, having another reef stretching out after the sand. Make sure to not surface near the rock as it is where the water breaks.
We saw big schools of fish, scorpionfish, day octopus, trumpet and cornet fish, starfish, eels, Hawskbill turtles and an eagle ray surprised us here too.
Sailing Divers 