I’ve been away with big groups before, but never one like this. It’s a true family holiday, everyone from my Mum, Dad, brothers, sister, nieces, and nephews all boarded the bus for a once in a lifetime holiday. With so many sailors in one family we couldn’t go somewhere without getting on the water, it’s been a long time since I got on a boat, but Antigua changed that.

It seams misfortune can bring good times as this is the reason we are all here. Several of the family have had cancer; Mum was first to undergo treatment followed by me a few years ago. This year my sister-in-law had just finished her treatment when Dad had to start his. Mum said enough was enough and we were all to go on one trip together before the grandchildren didn’t want to holiday with the folks.

Trying to get us all together was hard enough, but the thought of Antigua soon pulled everyone together. With Dad’s and Rob’s history in sailing, Antigua was the logical spot, plus Rob supplied the boats to Sunsail and they could also cater for the twenty-three of us.

I’ve only sailed once since I was fourteen and tried windsurfing, but then I always was the black sheep. I guess I stopped sailing to get out of the shadow of Dad and Rob. It seamed that every time I got in a boat I was swarmed by others wanting to pass me just because I was a White, the funny thing I didn’t have a clue what I was doing anyway.

It seemed nothing had changed as I left the shore in a cat with my wife and daughter onboard, “you know how to sail a boat don’t you Dad”. The look on her face was a treat when I said “no”, think that was also the point the wife (Sally) started to panic and insist we head back in.

We’ve been here for two days so far and I’ve been sailing (boats) more than any other time in my life, all the kids have been out, not just on boats, but windsurfing as well. So far we’ve kept it upright, but then the wind hasn’t really shown its face, it’ll be interesting when it does.