A Travellerspoint blog

A Sweet Return to Anguilla, Pt. 7: It's Like an Oven in Here

The first time we ever visited Anguilla's Little Bay, the ride was short and the boat was small, but the leap of faith was huge.

2015_AXA_Crocus_tovelv_12.jpg
1997

Based on an early, primitive version of TripAdvisor called "word of mouth," we'd managed to find a man identifying himself as Calvin (last name unknown, but Gumbs or Hodge is always a good bet) hanging out under a big tree near Crocus Bay. After a short discussion, he agreed to drop us off at Little Bay and pick us up three hours later. It sounded simple, but in ye olden times, before the internet, cell phones, and instant background checks, it was akin to accepting a ride from a stranger in a rusted-out van with the windows blacked out. And so it wasn't until we watched this Calvin Gumbs-Hodge motor away, his boat getting smaller and smaller and our sense of dread looming larger and larger, that the thought occurred to us: No one else on the planet knows where we are. If Calvin should get drunk with his buddies under "de big tree," spring a leak in his boat, end up in the doghouse with his wife, or develop a sudden case of amnesia . . . not a living soul in the world would have any idea what had happened to the two of us, except that the little one had tried to eat the big one before both of their skeletons were found.

2015_AXA_LittleBay2_12.jpg

2015_AXA_LittleBay2_10.jpg

2015_AXA_LittleBay2_32.jpg

Now, of course, Little Bay has been discovered by every private yacht, catamaran, and party boat from here to St. Martin, and you have a better chance of being marooned on Sandy Island than at Little Bay. The only saving grace is that most people like to sleep in when they're on vacation, and so we dragged ourselves out of bed as early as possible to beat the crowds.

We stepped outside and were greeted by this eight-legged leaf? flying snow pea? on the front porch steps, which is reason #1,642 why you should never, ever get up early.

2015_AXA_Crocus_tovelv_13.jpg

After I climbed out a window to avoid exiting via the porch, we headed over to Crocus Bay and waited for Calvin to arrive.

2015_AXA_Crocus_tovelv_10.jpg

2015_AXA_Crocus_tovelv_01.jpg

large_2015_AXA_Crocus_tovelv_07.jpg

2015_AXA_Crocus_tovelv_06.jpg

2015_AXA_Crocus_tovelv_02.jpg

2015_AXA_Crocus_tovelv_04.jpg

large_2015_AXA_C..tlebaboat_1.jpg

I'm no Navy Seal, but even I know that it is never a good sign when your boat driver shows up armed with a roll of duct tape.

large_2015_AXA_Crocus_tovelv_08.jpg

Apparently the canoe Calvin uses to access his "real" boat had sprung a leak, and so we watched as he nonchalantly duct-taped it back together. Then, trying not to think about the spit, glue, and wadded-up Kleenex that might be holding the real boat together, we went ahead and climbed aboard.

2015_AXA_Crocus_tovelv_05.jpg

Calvin immediately recognized Angel's "Little Bay Boat Service" shirt, which has held up surprisingly well over the years, especially considering that Calvin admitted to giving them away to his friends once he discovered that all the lettering kept peeling off. (Ah - yet another use for duct tape.)

2015_AXA_LittleBaySm_01.jpg

2015_AXA_LittleBaySm_02.jpg

2015_AXA_LittleBaySm_12.jpg

large_2015_AXA_LittleBaySm_14.jpg

2015_AXA_LittleBaySm_11.jpg

Soon we rounded the bend into Little Bay, which was just as stunning as we remembered.

large_2015_AXA_LittleBay2_11.jpg

2015_AXA_LittleBay2_20.jpg

large_2015_AXA_LittleBaySm_06.jpg

2015_AXA_LittleBaySm_09.jpg

large_2015_AXA_LittleBaySm_08.jpg

2015_AXA_LittleBay2_19.jpg

2015_AXA_LittleBay2_07.jpg

We spent the better part of the morning blissfully alone, exploring the rock formations and snorkeling just offshore.

large_2015_AXA_LittleBay2_29.jpg

2015_AXA_LittleBaySm_05.jpg

2015_AXA_LittleBay2_27.jpg

2015_AXA_LittleBay2_16.jpg

2015_AXA_LittleBaySm_04.jpg

large_2015_AXA_Crocus_tovelv_09.jpg

2015_AXA_LittleBay2_31.jpg

large_2015_AXA_LittleBay2_13.jpg

2015_AXA_LittleBay2_30.jpg

TraceyLB.jpg

large_2015_AXA_LittleBay2_25.jpg

Well, mostly alone.

large_2015_AXA_LittleBay2_14.jpg

There is an old episode of "Seinfeld" where George Costanza's boss accuses him of having advance knowledge of a bomb threat called in to the office. "You know what I think?" the boss asks. "I think you knew about that bomb ahead of time, George. You climbed under that desk because you have E.S.P. What am I thinking right now? MMMEATBALLS!!!"

You may not have E.S.P., but I'm pretty sure you already know that we didn't drive all the way to the east end just to spend a few hours at Little Bay.

large_2015_AXA_CeBlue_09.jpg

Located just above Crocus Bay, CeBlue is a small complex of just eight villas carved into the mountainside, each topped with a pale blue roof to mirror the crystalline waters of Crocus Bay below.

large_2015_AXA_CeBlue_01.jpg

2015_AXA_CeBlue_18.jpg

2015_AXA_CeBlue_16.jpg

The Blue Bar is bright and airy, with a bird's-eye view of Crocus Bay and beyond.

2015_AXA_CeBlue_20.jpg

2015_AXA_CeBlue_17.jpg

DSC_0545_2.jpg

We snagged a cliffside table and a couple of Coconut Mamas, which came topped with a floater of dark rum and a dusting of freshly-grated nutmeg.

2015_AXA_CeBlue_04.jpg

large_2015_AXA_CeBlue_05.jpg

They were like piña coladas . . . sans piña.

2015_AXA_CeBlue_08.jpg

Then it was on to the main event: A baking dish filled with MMMEATBALLS!, then topped with Neapolitan-style tomato sauce, ricotta cheese, fresh mozzarella, and baked to bubbly perfection in CeBlue's brick oven.

2015_AXA_CeBlueM_1.jpg

large_DSC_0586_2.jpg

Of course, you can't just have meatballs for lunch, so we ordered a couple of pizzas to go with them.

Angel decided on the Romana, topped with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, chicken, roasted peppers, and caramelized onions, while I stuck with a classic pepperoni.

large_2015_AXA_CeBlue_12.jpg

large_2015_AXA_CeBlue_13.jpg

And the remaining meatball sauce made the perfect dipping sauce for our pizza crust.

2015_AXA_CeBlue_15.jpg

During my junior year of college, some friends and I decided to stay at school over Thanksgiving break and prepare our own turkey dinner. The guys next door decided to stay over break as well, so we offered to cook dinner for them, too. (We were no dummies -- they were old enough to buy booze.) And to add to the festivities, we included a Secret Santa gift exchange. As something of a joke, the person who drew my name got me a foot-long submarine sandwich, just to see if I'd actually eat it after our enormous Thanksgiving feast.

All of this is a long way of saying, if you were sure that I couldn't possibly have finished an entire pizza after those meatballs, you wouldn't be the first one to lose money on that bet.

2015_AXA_CeBlue_21.jpg

DSCTay.jpg

After lunch, we took a drive over to Shoal Bay East.

large_2015_AXA_SerenityV_08.jpg

2015_AXA_SerenityV_07.jpg

large_2015_AXA_SerenityV_10.jpg

We were already in the neighborhood, so we stopped by Serenity for some rum punch and a quick swim.

2015_AXA_SerenityV_01.jpg

2015_AXA_SerenityV_14.jpg

2015_AXA_SerenityV_04.jpg

2015_AXA_SerenityV2_5.jpg

Serenity has a lovely open-air restaurant overlooking the water, along with a funky little beach bar right on the sand.

large_2015_AXA_SerenityV_02.jpg

2015_AXA_SerenityV_12.jpg

large_2015_AXA_SerenityV_13.jpg

2015_AXA_SerenityV_23.jpg

large_2015_AXA_SerenityV2_3.jpg

2015_AXA_SerenityV_06.jpg

We spent a lazy afternoon alternating dips in the sea with sips of rum.

2015_AXA_SerenityV_20.jpg

2015_AXA_SerenityV2_4.jpg

2015_AXA_SerenityV_24.jpg

2015_AXA_SerenityV_22.jpg

Later we took yet another dip -- this one in the pool back at Sweet Return -- before cleaning up for dinner at E's Oven.

large_SerenityPool.jpg

E's is one of the unsung heroes of Anguilla's restaurant scene: Warm and friendly, with a cozy dining room, gentle prices, and food to rival some of the best restaurants on the island.

2015_AXA_EsOven_14.jpg

2015_AXA_EsOven_11.jpg

2015_AXA_EsOven_05.jpg

On this night, we started with an amuse bouche of tuna crostini, followed by E's smooth, velvety pumpkin soup.

2015_AXA_EsOven_01.jpg

2015_AXA_EsOven_06.jpg

Then it was on to the real stars of the show: E's sweet-and-spicy coconut-crusted grouper over white bean ragout for Angel, and tender chicken in a creamy mushroom sauce for me, ordered up with a side of E's cheesy potato gratin.

large_2015_AXA_EsOven_07.jpg

large_2015_AXA_EsOven_08.jpg

2015_AXA_EsOven_09.jpg

2015_AXA_EsOven_02.jpg

We finished the meal by candlelight, sipping our wine and reflecting on what we both agreed was one of our favorite meals of the trip.

2015_AXA_EsOven_16.jpg

Which is saying a lot, considering there weren't any meatballs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Click here to read Part 8!

Can't wait for Part 8? Click here for older Anguilla posts!

Posted by TraceyG 05:52 Archived in Anguilla Tagged serenity sweet_return e's_oven little_bay ceblue crocus_bay march_10

Email this entryFacebookStumbleUpon

Table of contents

Comments

Tracey - add me to the folks who are totally amazed at your ability to eat and remain slim, you are one lucky dog.
As usual, your pictures are stunning, your clothes are beautiful, and your writing is divine.
Loved every bit of it.
Ellen

by EllenLV

The colour palette of that was just fantastic!! So much was blues and greens and the occasional splash of hot red, pink and orange with your clothes, drinks, vegetables - someone even parked their red car to add to the overall effect. The whole thing was a work of art. Loved it!!
So. Much. Food. --- Respect!

by Jan Clydesdale

3 hours at Little Bay? I hope you brought a snack! Did you ever jump off the rock?

by Donna

Comments on this blog entry are now closed to non-Travellerspoint members. You can still leave a comment if you are a member of Travellerspoint.

Login