During the colonial era, Antigua served as England’s command post in the Caribbean. A number of forts and gun emplacements were built to protect the island, and nine of them still dot various headlands and overlooks.
The primary naval base was (very creatively) named English Harbour – it’s a small inlet, very well protected against the hurricanes and tropical storms that threaten the island in the summer. Back when Admiral Nelson was only a captain he was assigned to Antigua, and the naval base is now known as Nelson’s Dockyard.
Many of the original buildings from the dockyard still stand, and some have been restored. For a sailor, it’s a fantastic piece of history to explore.
