English Harbor on the island of Antigua in 2003. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east, the Caribbean Sea to the west. In Antigua, cruise ships dock at St. Johns. All other ships, boats, and vessels dock in English Harbour Town. Whereas St. Johns is a neatly laid–out town with cobblestone sidewalks, weather– beaten wooden houses, and louvered verandahs; English Harbour Town is the real place to visit on the island. It reeks with history of the British Navy and the aire of English teas.

Within the 15–square– mile National Park are many historic sites. Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Dockyard has been restored as the only Georgian dockyard in the world. Clarence House is a historic residence built for the future King William when he served under Nelson on the HMS Pegasus. Shirley Heights has been restored as the harbor’s historic fortifications and observation post. At Dow’s Hill Interpretive Center, there are multi–media presentations of Antigua’s history.

The Officers Quarters of the old Dockyard and Naval Station is now a museum. English Harbor is also the site of the famous Antigua Sailing Week, one of the top three regattas of the world. Other events of the year organized by the Antigua Yacht Club are the annual High Tide Series, Green Island Race, informal Round–The– Island–Race and the “after work” Thursday afternoon races for all–comers.

English Harbour was first used for ship careening and repairing of warships in the 1650s. A Royal Naval Yard was built in 1725 because of hostilities with Spain. During the American Revolution, the dockyard was expanded.

Capt. Horatio Nelson came to English Harbour in 1784 to enforce the Navigation Act that kept American ships from trading with British colonies including Antigua. This did not endear him to the Antiguan merchants. After Nelson left in 1787, the dockyard was prepared for war with France, which was trying to take back nearby Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, and Martinique from England.

This lovely stone house began as the Smith’s Shop for the Dockyard and is now the garden shop. After Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar in 1805, there was peace for Antigua. As steam replaced sails, English Harbour became too small to receive the Queen’s Navy and the dockyard closed down in 1878. During WWI, sporadic training was held in the harbor.

In 1928, a hurricane destroyed most of the buildings. Several colonial governors attempted a restoration of the harbor and the dockyard during the 1930s and 1940s but were not successful until a charter yacht arrived in 1949 to begin a new era.

In spite of two hurricanes in 1950, restoration and rehabilitation continued in English Harbour. When Antigua became independent in 1981, the Dockyard National Park Foundation was established with Canadian aid, and the area slowly developed with marinas, hotels, and shops.

The old East Yard Capstan House is now a fashionable hotel. Continued next week