Anguilla Travel

The island of Anguilla (pronounced ang-GWILL-a) was named for its eel shape and has 33 beautiful white sand beaches, crystal clear waters, extraordinary vistas and a contemporary international style. It also has more gourmet dining choices per acre than New York City. This is quite an accomplishment, considering the entire island is only half the size of Washington, D.C.

Anguilla is a British overseas territory, the most northerly of the Caribbean's Leeward Islands. It's noted for its spectacular and ecologically important coral reefs. In addition to the main island, the territory includes a number of tiny and mostly uninhabited islands and cays with names like Anguillita, Prickly Pear Cays, Seal Island and Sombrero. And let's not forget Dog Island, legendary home of the Anguilla Long Dogs.

The island's capital is The Valley. About 13,000 people inhabit the 39 square miles of the island. English is the official language and boat-racing is the national sport. Eating must rank a close second: along with over 70 dining establishments presided over by world-renowned international and award-winning local chefs, you'll find numerous roadside barbecues and beachside bistros and grills.

If you can tear yourself away from the eateries, there are gentle seas in varying shades of turquoise to swim in, soft white sand beaches to relax on, dolphins to frolic with, clear calm waters to snorkel and scuba, jazz and summer festivals to enjoy, yacht races and regattas to watch, wahoo, marlin and tuna to catch. You can even get married: Anguilla averages one church for every two square miles.

The island itself is mostly rock, its vegetation sparse, its soil and water limited. The constant trade winds force trees to remain low and oddly-shaped. But its beaches contain coral formations washed ashore intact and mysteriously beautiful. Since the island is very narrow at many points, you can often see both coasts while walking through the low bush along the shore. The Anguilla community is peaceful and joyous, known for its graciousness. And have we mentioned the food?

Anguilla Map

Danish Special Forces Storm Ship, Free Crew
Danish special forces stormed a ship captured by armed Somali pirates Friday and freed the 25 crew on board, an EU naval spokesman said, marking the first time a warship has intervened during a hijacking.

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NATO Forces Recapture Vessel Seized By Pirates
NATO forces recaptured a ship Friday that had been taken over by armed Somali pirates, a spokesman for the European Union Naval Forces told CNN.

Danish special forces foil Somali pirates
DRAMA ON THE HIGH SEAS: The crew of a ship abandoned the bridge, leaving it plowing through busy waters at top speed after elusive pirates came on board AP, NAIROBI Sunday, Feb 07, 2010, Page 6 Danish special forces disrupted the takeover by pirates of a cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, in a maneuver rarely undertaken by NATO warships, a ...

Ship held by Somali pirates stormed
February 6, 2010 -- Danish special forces stormed a ship captured by armed Somali pirates and freed the 25 crew on board, an EU naval spokesman said, marking the first time a warship has intervened during a hijacking.

Vessel seized by pirates retaken
NATO forces recaptured a ship Friday that had been taken over by armed Somali pirates, a spokesman for the European Union Naval Forces told CNN.

Danish forces free ship captured by pirates
Danish special forces disrupted the takeover by pirates of a cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, in a maneuver rarely undertaken by NATO warships, a naval spokesman said.

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Danish forces storm ship captured by Somali pirates
Danish special forces disrupted the takeover by pirates of a cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, in a manoeuvre rarely undertaken by NATO warships, a naval spokesman said.

Danish forces 'storm' hijacked ship
As part of its involvement in Nato operation Ocean Shield, Danish ship the Absalon came to the rescue of hijacked freighter Special forces from the Danish combat support ship Absalon have stormed a ship hijacked by pirates of the coast of Africa, freeing 25 hostages.

Danish special forces storm pirated bulker
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Nato special forces storm hijacked ship, capture pirates
LISBON: Nato special forces stormed a Slovenian cargo ship captured by pirates in the Gulf of Aden yesterday, freeing the crew of 25 in an unprecedented operation, a spokesman for the EU's naval force said.

Allen Stanford's liquidators, receiver in talks
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Captured ship freed by Danish forces
Danish special forces stormed a cargo ship Friday after reports that it had been captured by armed Somali pirates, with the forces approaching the vessel in an inflatable dinghy and scaling the side of it, naval spokesmen said.

NATO special forces assault hijacked ship, free crew of 25
BRUSSELS: NATO special forces stormed a Slovenian cargo ship captured by pirates in the Gulf of Aden Friday, freeing the crew of 25 in an unprecedented operation, a spokesman for the EU's naval force said.

3 hrs. ago - Danish forces disrupt pirate takeover of ship -
Ten members of the Danish special forces clambered aboard the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged Ariella from a dinghy but by that time the pirates may have already been scared off when a helicopter from a Danish warship Absalon buzzed the cargo ship.

Danish Commandos Seize Ship Taken by Somalia Pirates...
Danish forces secured a merchant ship that had been seized by pirates in the Gulf of Aden, the first such rescue carried by naval forces since a surge in Somali piracy started two years ago, NATO said.

Special forces storm ship captured by Somali pirates
Danish special forces today stormed a ship captured by armed Somali pirates and freed the 25 crew on board, an EU naval spokesman said, marking the first time a warship has intervened during a hijacking.