LORDY, LORDY . . . . . NELSON

While meandering (which is the slowest form of cruising) past the islands of St. KITTS and NEVIS we, on the yacht 'ARITA', had become intriqued with the story that Lord Horatio Nelson married one Fannie Nesbitt, the plantation housekeeper, in a ceremony under a large silky cottonwood tree at MONTPELIER PLANTATION, NEVIS ................ The rest of the story we were not able to verify until we visited the Museum in English Harbour, ANTIGUA ........ For it is here that the man became famous with his strategy of keeping the English Navy ships in the Caribbean all year-round .......... The stone walls reverberate with his name, and not only the walls ............. Now most traditional ships have a figure-head beautifully carved and mounted under the bowsprit, and generally out of reach ........ The lady above, one Amanda Fenwick, is one such figurehead, and there were 'others' gracing 'Ships of the Line', all beautifully and artistically carved and painted to be 'life-like' ....... And it may have been this that influenced Lord Nelson in some special way ............



For obvious reasons we don't put figureheads on yachts anymore ......... Sad, but true ..... We now put sponsor decals on both sides of the bow, like "LANDROVER" or "ROLEX" or "HEINEKEN" or "XXXX BEER" ........



This is purported to be Lord Nelson's bed and this painting is purported to be the beautiful Emma Hamilton whose story is 'revealing' ............. (double-click on the stories if reading them is difficult) ........



The Caribbean islands were mostly controlled by the Spanish (in yellow), the French (in blue), the Dutch (in green) and the English (in red), all of whom would regularly attempt to steal islands from each other .......... And of course, pirates and privateers would attempt to steal from them all .......



Now despite all this, Lord Nelson was promoted to Vice-Admiral, the sixth highest person in the British Navy in 1801 ..... Meantime Fannie demanded he give up Emma, but he refused, and Emma gave birth to his baby daughter ....... Nelson meantime dealt with the 'Battle of Copehagen' and returned with glorious honours ..... Nelson was then appointed as Commander-in-Chief of the Naval forces being assembled against Napoleon, who had his own problems with 'Josephine', if you recall ...... Shortly thereafter both countries call the whole thing off and declare an 'Armistice' ....... Only to re-engage later, during the Battle of Trafalgar, where Nelson is eventually struck by a French sniper's lead musket ball and killed ..... His daughter, that chubby-bubby below, is named HORATIA ........



What a saga of intrigue and passion....... C.S Forester could have done so much more with his "Horatio Hornblower' stories ..... Still Lord Nelson's statue remains standing proud and true in Trafalgar Square, LONDON, if memory serves us ..... The very same city from which this beautiful 'Classic' gaff schooner "ELENA" has originated ...........



JUST BEAUTIFUL ........ BUT A BEAUTIFUL MODERN REPLICA JUST THE SAME.............. Unlike these weathered stone walls at Fort Berkeley below, ravished by hurricanes, storms and time ............. Or this 'love seat' at the Admiralty Inn in English Harbour that has seen better days ....... And could probably tell some more interesting stories .........