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THE CREW Copy Production Owen Waters, David Blacklock & Traci O'Dea
letter from the editor
Advertising Production Colin Rathbun, & Nick Cunha
Welcome to the September issue of the BVI Yacht Guide
Advertising Sales Owen Waters :: owen@alookingglass.com
Whilst we have been monitoring trends in the traditional low season out here, we are starting to notice that several trends seem to be coming along quite nicely to the BVI. In light of recent downturns in the US economy, sadly many St Thomas companies have had to head back to the mainland in search of bigger volumes. David brings us the full report of how some of the USVI tourists, seeking adventurous attractions that are now missing from the USVI, are making their way to the BVI to enjoy the facilities we have to offer. We would like to refer to that as having the best of both worlds. Keep it coming! Other industry insights tell us that they are having a busy summer, too, which means that the season ahead looks even more promising. In other insights, our local boy Alec Anderson did well abroad this season, and his coach Chris Watters has been providing us with some excellent updates of his progress. We hope you enjoy the star fruit recipe from Susie Younkle, and as we continue to enjoy some sunnier weather between torrential downpours, we take some heart that like many of you travelling this summer, that as good as it is to get away, there really is no place like home and that being an island is pretty special all round for everyone. Enjoy the summer winds and explore while you can, with smiles.
Graphic Design Akiya Brewley & Nick Cunha Executive Producer Colin Rathbun, aLookingGlass Publishing colin@alookingglass.com For additional information contact Nick Cunha or Colin Rathbun at aLookingGlass or visit www.bviyg.com aLookingGlass #7 Road Reef Plaza, P.O. Box 3895 Sea Cows Bay, Tortola, British Virgin Islands t 284.494.7788 f 284.494.8777 www.alookingglass.com | info@alookingglass.com
On the Cover: Veritas Cover photo by YachtShotsBVI
See you out on the water.
Owen Waters
aLookingGlass Ltd., publisher of BVI Yacht Guide, assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the content placed in its publications. For the avoidance of doubt, aLookingGlass gives no warranty or guarantee in regards to any information placed in its publications. BVI Yacht Guide and its contents are the intellectual property of aLookingGlass Ltd. Neither this magazine nor any part of it may be reproduced without written permission from aLookingGlass Ltd.
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Owen Waters
Managing Editor Owen Waters :: owen@alookingglass.com
contents Provisioning: A Stellar Fruit Salad Carambola, better known as star fruit, is in season this month. Chef Susie enlightens us to the difference between the two types of the fruit and offers up some serving suggestions for both.
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Skipper's Tips: Radio Active 7 How do you test your radio? And what's the proper response to someone who's trying to test their radio? Our skipper tells you what to do. Reef Check:To Catch a Lionfish 8 The BVI Conservation & Fisheries Department has joined forces with the Caribbean Lionfish Response Program in an attempt to eradicate the lionfish from our waters.
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Shoreside Review: BVI Inside Art Gallery 10 Carol Vanterpool, artist and owner of BVI Inside Art Gallery, hopes to break the stereotypes about Caribbean art by introducing abstract art into the range of styles offered by BVI artists. Spreading the Net 12 Dolphin Discovery scoops up cruise ship tourists from the USVI and brings them over to the BVI for an adventure that benefits their business and BVI tourism in general. How a BVI Airways Pilot Spends His Day Off 15 BVI Airways pilot and CEO Luke Smith takes his family on a daysail to Norman Island aboard Veritas, an impressive, classic yacht. EDGE: Sailing on the Road What happened when sailing coach Chris Watters and BVI sailor Alec Anderson spent 45 days travelling together? You'll be surprised.
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BVI Yachting Directory 19 Look here for the most up-to-date yacht charter and broker listings. It's a great place to start if you're looking to buy or charter a yacht in the BVI.
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Provisioning
A Stellar Fruit Salad
by Susie Younkle
People often think of mangoes as the quintessential fruit of the British Virgin Islands. The massive and easily identifiable trees are prevalent throughout the BVI and few fruits are more delicious than a mango at the peak of ripeness. When it comes to aesthetics, though, mangoes are no match for this month’s in-season fruit: carambola. The gorgeous but much lesser known carambola, also called star fruit, has a threeto five-inch long elliptical shape with five ribs running lengthwise. When sliced crosswise, the ribs form the tips of a five-pointed star, hence the alternate name of star fruit. A carambola has a waxy appearance and nearly translucent flesh. The entire fruit is edible, although occasional large seeds should be removed. Look for firm fruit with light brown ridges but no brown spots. If the fruit has a greenish tinge, allow it to ripen until fully yellow with a fruity aroma. The fruit’s simple beauty belies a surprisingly complex and hard-to-describe flavour, variously described as a combination of plum, apple, papaya and grape with hints of citrus. I first sampled carambola during my teenage years in the States where star fruit was, and still is, an exotic fruit. That first taste was of a sweet fruit, and thereafter I assumed star fruit was always sweet. Upon moving to the BVI, I rented an apartment on a lush property with a variety of spectacular fruit trees. When September arrived, the carambola trees were filled with enticing offerings. Though they looked and felt ripe when I picked them, the fruits I sampled
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were so tart that they made my mouth pucker. I was disappointed by the lack of sweetness and assumed that the trees were producing inferior fruit. For the rest of the season I ignored the trees and watched as birds ate the fruit. As I’ve since learned, there are two types of carambola: sweet and tart. Distinguishing between the two can be difficult, although the sweet variety typically has ridges that are thicker and more widely spaced than the tart variety. Sweet carambola can be eaten straight out-of-hand and used as a garnish for foods and beverages. My preferred use is in fruit salads, where the stunning shape creates a beautiful and festive addition to a mélange of fruits and berries. The tart carambola are better suited to savoury salads or salsas and pair well with fish or shellfish. What a shame that I didn’t know about the sweettart distinction when I had tart star fruit trees in my backyard and local fish in my freezer from some good days on the water. Perhaps carambola is truly the “quint”-essential fruit of the BVI! YG
Sponsored by
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Tropical Fruit Salad Serve this colourful salad with a variety of local pastries and strong coffee for an impressive but easy breakfast. 2 small carambola, sliced 1/4” thick 2 kiwis, peeled, halved lengthwise, sliced 1/4" thick 1 C red grapes 1 C papaya, peeled and diced in 1/2” pieces 2 C pineapple, peeled and diced in 3/4” pieces 2 Tbl lime juice 1 1/2 Tbl honey 1 Tbl rum (optional) 1 banana, sliced 1/3 C fresh grated coconut Combine all ingredients except for bananas and coconut in a bowl and stir gently. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Add bananas immediately before serving then grate coconut on top. Serves four.
Riteway Food Markets provisioning service offers a number of services to help your visit to the British Virgin Islands be a fuss-free, enjoyable experience. Time is of the essence for you and our 20 plus years' experience in provisioning has enabled us to tailor our services to suit the needs of all concerned by providing a wide selection of choice foods, beverages, liquor and dry products. So, whether it is your private getaway schooner, or a Super Mega yacht, each order, no matter how large or small, is given the same amount of detailed attention and delivered directly to you. After all, it's the Riteway way of doing business!
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by David Blacklock
Skipper's Tips Radio Active “Any vessel, any vessel, Titanic looking for a radio check. Over.”
“Titanic, hearing you loud and clear from Benures Bay.”
“Any vessel, any vessel, Titanic looking for a radio check. Over.” So goes the plaintive cry echoing over a thousand VHF radios—or the three that happen to be turned on and tuned in to channel 16 at any given moment. Sometimes there might even be a response—“Titanic. Loud and clear.” It's a step in the right direction since you now know that the comms are working. The VHF is a wonderful instrument, but the operator's need-to-know is dependent upon someone answering his or her call. The best response, the most informative, to a call for a radio check is: “Titanic, hearing you loud and clear from Benures Bay.” There is an easier way to get a radio check, one that involves a dinghy, a handheld VHF
and a fellow crew member. If you are in a marina, you don't even need the dinghy, just walk up the dock. When out on the water, though, the trick is to put the crew member in the dinghy, point off in the distance and ask them to monitor their radio. Send them a half-mile away and call them up. If they hear you and respond, Titanic's in business. If they can't hear you, or if they can, but you can't hear them, there's an obvious problem. But there's a solution. Take the handheld VHF from the crew member and repeat the first sentence: “Any vessel, any vessel....” Someone's bound to answer—eventually. If they don't, just turn off your radio—you might be breaking regulations, but you won't be missing much. YG
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To Catch a Lionfish
By Traci O’Dea
On July 14, 2010 the Conservation & Fisheries Department hosted Joe Gulli and Jonathan Brown from The Caribbean Oceanic Restoration and Education (CORE) Foundation, home of the Caribbean Lionfish Response Program whose motto is: “One Caribbbean, One Problem, One Solution.” explain the importance of getting rid The Caribbean Lionfish Response of this particular fish,” said Shannon Program (CLRP) is designed to curb Gore of the Conservation & Fisheries the impact of the lionfish invasion Department. She informed me that the in Caribbean waters by raising department has made presentations awareness of the fish, distributing on local radio and television stations. lionfish markers to anyone who “Posters have also been given to the local goes into the sea, and training first dive shops as well as various businesses,” responders to retrieve marked fish. she told me and added that the CFD The presentation was attended by dive operators and members of government. is ordering postcard-sized flyers to distribute to the public and local To address the issue of raising businesses so that everyone can identify awareness, Conservation & Fisheries the lionfish in the water. Since Yacht officers have taken a real lionfish to Guide’s May article on lionfish, which was schools and businesses “to show and
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printed just after the first lionfish was caught in BVI waters, six more lionfish have been caught in the territory. Lionfish markers (made from a wine cork, survey tape and a 3/4" washer) play a key role in the capture of lionfish because they allow those that aren’t trained in lionfish retrieval to mark the spot where a lionfish is spotted so that a trained diver may come and collect the fish. Joe Gulli of CORE reported great success with the lionfish markers, but some of the dive operators at the meeting expressed concern
generally slow-moving fish. Since every situation is different, he advised that divers should have a small cache of nets and tools at their disposal. Once the diver reaches the marked spot, he or she should cautiously approach to assess the location of the lionfish then retreat and devise a plan for capture. Attempting to seize the fish without a plan could result in it hiding or escaping. The CFD has purchased kits for the first responders that include two clear vinyl collecting nets, puncture-resistant gloves, a large dry bag, lionfish markers and heat packs which Every diver and snorkeler should carry a lionfish marker work to break down the proteins in the venom in the case that a diver contacts a with them each time they enter the water. lionfish's venomous spine. Once spotted and marked, the lionfish can be recovered For more information, contact the Department of Conservation and Fisheries at 284.494.3429 or visit the by one of the trained first responders—a team of BVI divers, CORE Foundation’s website: www.nolionfish.com. YG mostly from local dive shops. Jonathan Brown from CORE, who has extensive experience capturing lionfish in St Croix, demonstrated methods to the divers on how to catch the about the lionfish markers littering the water. Mr. Gulli responded that the markers are always collected with the lionfish, and another diver recommended that each diver should write their names on the cork so that they are held accountable for their markers in the water. Every diver and snorkeler should carry a lionfish marker with them each time they enter the water. In the BVI, the fish have been spotted in depths as shallow as two feet and as deep as ninety plus feet.
Jonathan Brown from CORE demonstrates how to catch a lionfish. Photos by Traci O'Dea.
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by Traci O'Dea
Shoreside Review: BVI Inside Art Gallery “A country without art is a country that has no history.” —Carol Vanterpool
Vibrantly coloured and detailed with gingerbread-style ornamentation, the outside of the BVI Inside Art Gallery is one of the most photo-worthy, traditional-looking buildings on Main Street. But inside, the artwork is far from traditional.
BVI Inside Art Gallery on Main Street. All photos courtesy of BVI Inside Art Gallery
to volunteer at the Smithsonian Institution A massive tableau filled with strokes in Washington, DC. “Everybody can’t go to and splashes of yellow, blue and green Washington from here,” she said. “I can bring a with dashes and dots of scarlet greeted little bit of what I learned on that side to this me when I entered the front room. side. That’s why I have a gallery. Somebody has This is the type of artwork I’m more to give somebody that exposure.” accustomed to seeing in boutique galleries in Brooklyn or Lille, not the BVI. In addition to exposing BVI residents and “There’s a conception of art in the BVI visitors to abstract art, Ms. Vanterpool also embraces the concept that everything is art that it must be concrete,” artist and gallery by turning practical items from her past into owner Carol Vanterpool said. She mentions the contemporary sculpture. She showed me a killie paintings of palm trees, beaches and sunsets wang—a pyramid of stacked, alternating sticks that you see in many Caribbean art galleries. “If held together with wire—and explained its we continue to give [visitors] the art that they original use. “We used to make these traps to like when they come to the Caribbean, I truly catch birds, the mountain dove—the bird that’s believe they’ll never respect that we have good the official bird of the BVI right now—we used artists,” she said. “I’m not criticizing artists who to catch them when we were kids because we were here before me,” Ms. Vanterpool added, “I used to eat them,” Ms. Vanterpool said. “So now applaud their style. I can’t paint the way they I’ve turned them into art, and I know people do. I don’t have the patience to do it.” Still, I from the BVI all the way to Germany who understood what she meant—many similar collect them.” She mentioned being criticized for paintings in the region results in all art from displaying the brightly painted killie wangs. “The the Caribbean being lumped together without first time I put them up as art, one of the local recognition for individual artists. people asked me, ‘What you wanna bring that One way to distinguish the BVI artists from back for?’ I said, ‘So you wouldn’t forget who those in other Caribbean nations is by having “a you are or where you come from.’ You gotta diversity of art,” Ms. Vanterpool said, then added preserve your history. A lot of people don’t that her goal is to educate BVI residents about want to look abstract art, back on yesterday, mainly because "I can bring a little bit of what I learned on that but how’re you that’s the art she side to this side. That's why I have a gallery." going to get to paints. “You have tomorrow if you to bring a new don’t remember what happened yesterday?” perspective to the young people and the older people because there’s a lot of people here Looking to tomorrow, Ms. Vanterpool hopes that were born here, grew up here, who don’t to secure funding for a project in which she’ll understand abstract art.” And she’s willing to commission local artists to paint portraits of all take her time to educate people about abstract the athletes participating in the 2012 Olympics art in her gallery, including students from the in London. “I want to do a fundraiser here [at local schools who have visited to see a different the gallery] for them,” she said and added, “We kind of art than what they’re accustomed to. gotta cheer on our athletes.” The project would simultaneously promote BVI artists and BVI Ms. Vanterpool has been creating athletes, and Ms. Vanterpool would like to take masterpieces since childhood. “We’d paint the show to the BVI House in London after the calabash and the things that came off the displaying the work in Road Town. coconut tree,” she told me. Later, she went
Inside BVI Inside Art Gallery on Main Street. 10
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Explosive by Carol Vanterpool.
An Abstract Experience I had to rush off after my interview with Carol Vanterpool, but for the next two days as I wrote the article, I’d felt that I’d missed the whole point of being in her gallery; I didn’t spend time with the work. I returned a few days later to fully experience the abstract art that she has assembled. First, I approached the piece that had attracted me on my initial trip. The colours completely aligned with my tastes and seemed plucked from my closet—matte black, dusty brown, creamy ivory and mossy green with a few dashes of red and yellow. The piece also seemed to move—especially two strokes of ivory that flashed a hook across a dull brown background. My brain connected the hook to a column of ivory next to it and turned the grouping into an abstract jug at first, but then I clearly saw the ivory as smoke, the flecks of red and yellow below it were sparks and flames, the black beside it was the
it was still a bonfire. I had to move on to another piece. Next to the first painting were hung three parallel oblong canvases, a triptych. Each panel had autonomy and traits the others did not share, but the three were still clearly related with elements connecting them—like siblings. So I instantly thought of my two sisters and me. And smiled. That, to me, is one of the most amazing things that art can do— elicit love. I could easily identify which sister fit with each panel and why, and I became comforted at having visions of my It was a somber, erratic, empirical interpretation of sisters in the room a bonfire, but it was still a bonfire. with me. This is what abstract art does when it’s at its most to “un-see” the bonfire, but I couldn’t effective—it unlocks emotions inside convince my brain that it could be each viewer that the artist never could’ve anything else. It was a somber, erratic, imagined when she painted the piece. It empirical interpretation of a bonfire, but is infinite. YG night sky, the green below it was grass and the brown beyond it was the space illuminated by the fire. It was an abstract painting of a bonfire. I instantly cursed my brain at making the associations it had made. My intention hadn’t been to discern what I was looking at; I’ve never seen abstract art as a puzzle that must be solved. Rather, I prefer abstractions that encourage introspection, and while the piece still attracted me, I became disappointed that I’d determined what the artist had painted. I even tried
Hours vary during the off-season, but starting in October, the gallery will be open from 10am to 5pm, Monday through Friday and alternating Saturdays and Sundays. Hours also depend on the cruise ship schedule. For more information, call 284.544.0213.
Bond by Carol Vanterpool.
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Striking a pose. All photos courtesy of Dolphin Discovery.
Spreading the Net:
Defying the Downturn, One BVI Business Chases Customers By David Blacklock
On a recent weekday afternoon, the ferry BVI Patriot, inbound from Tortola, eased its way into the Charlotte Amalie ferry terminal. Crowding around the bow, a group of about thirty tourists clutched their Dolphin Discovery souvenirs and chatted excitedly about the events of their day.
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Cruise ship passengers choose to spend their Virgin Islands time with the dolphins.
The group proceeded through customs and immigration and waited on the dock to re-board the ferry along with a couple dozen BVI-bound passengers. The ferry left the terminal and, rather than proceeding straight out to open water it headed across to the Havensight cruise ship terminal where the group disembarked and proceeded to board their ship as the ferry continued on towards the BVI. One man stayed aboard to return to Tortola—Carlos Guerrero, the manager of the BVI branch of Dolphin Discovery. Faced with reduced tourist flows through the summer, Guerrero and his company decided to act aggressively and pursue business from
across the international divide. Through the summer months, the trickle of BVI-based customers for the landmark dolphinswimming experience is augmented by the flow of passengers from the cruise ships that, whilst they don't stop in Tortola, now provide a good part of Dolphin Discovery's business.
the dolphins, after all. Consequently, you need the trainers and the cleaners and the entire infrastructure to stay in place. “We hope to make our profit,” Guerrero says, “in the winter when the cruise ships return to Tortola. Then we'll still bring the guests from St Thomas as well as servicing our BVI customers.” The demise of two of the USVI's prime attractions—the submarine Faced with the reduced tourist flows through Atlantis and the match racing the summer, Guerrero and his company experience of On deck Sailing—left decided to act aggressively... an opening in the entertainment schedule for cruise ship passengers. Dolphin Discovery reached out to ferry owner Bobby Hodge who helped put “These guests help keep our revenue in place a service that picks up passengers flowing,” says Guerrero. The dolphin business from the dockside in St Thomas, clears them has its own special needs—you can't lay off
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The dolphins are far from camera shy.
through US Customs and Immigration, transports them to the BVI and clears them through to the BVI. Once cleared in, they join buses that take them to Dolphin Discovery's facility. Later in the day, the
Creatively dealing with the challenges is the essence of business acumen.
The Dolphin Discovery representatives head to the ship to pick up USVI passengers.
process is reversed, and the guests end up back on the cruise ship dock in Charlotte Amalie. It's clearly a lot of work and effort on the part of all parties, but it's paying dividends—now that some cruise lines, such as Disney, no longer stop in the BVI, their guests are still able to enjoy the attractions the country has to offer. Creatively dealing with the challenges of the moment is the essence of business acumen. Whilst not every business can
Dolphin Discovery offers USVI visitors a trip to the BVI that they might’ve otherwise passed up.
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deliver their own customers in the way that Dolphin Discovery has, many are capable of using aggressive means to boost revenue and attract new customers. The BVI has always been a destination for USVI-based companies such as power boat of the moment rental company Nauti Nymph. The restaurants and bars that benefit from the flow of customers from the US side, such as the beach establishments in White Bay, JVD, or at Norman Island have been mostly passive beneficiaries of this flow. Dolphin Discovery has clearly rewritten the playbook for getting new customers and, in an economic downturn that shows little sign of abating, such creativity will become an essential tool for any business that wants to survive. YG
How a BVI Airways Pilot Spends His Day Off: Sailing Veritas to Norman Island By Owen Waters
Veritas in its standing glory in the BVI. All photos courtesy of YachtShotsBVI.com.
I can tell you each time I interact with BVI Airways, I’m impressed. I flew from Beef Island to St Maarten in order to catch a connecting flight to France and was only in air for a short 25 minutes (23 as Captain and CEO of BVI Airways Luke Smith told me). Having extra time to get a croissant and a coffee in St Maarten before my connection was a plus, and it made the start of my European experience, which was a lot of traveling from there on in, pretty painless. Luke knows the importance of that extra time, that down time, those precious, relaxing minutes or hours. And he knows how to make the most of them. His last down time was spent sailing to
Norman Island with his family aboard Veritas—a 57’ classic yacht based out of Nanny Cay skippered by Todd Patterson. SV Veritas was built by the famed Abeking & Rasmussen yard in Germany in 1962 but now makes it home in the BVI. Whilst Luke with wife Adrienne and daughter Olivia spoke of their day out snorkeling and sailing with Todd as one of their most relaxing days yet, the elegantly styled Veritas also enters classic yacht
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bright and airy living quarters and separate dining area. The interior layout and decor is a testimony to the luxury of a bygone but fondly remembered era, complete with lamps, brass compass and sextant. As we sip coffee at Nanny Cay, Todd told me that he is no stranger to modern technology and makes sure that Veritas, though Veritas is style from a day gone by and offers the classic classic in appearance, has yacht experience to those who can only savour it. every technological asset on board to facilitate the classic yacht experience to those who longer journeys on the ocean, including air can only savour it. Below decks, oversized conditioning to which he smiled and asked, portholes and pale wood accentuate the “Hey, why not have it all?” racing and does day charters for corporate events as well as private charters in the Caribbean—travelling further afield. When I look at it, I feel it's built for adventures on the high seas. Boasting a spacious teak deck, Sitka spruce spars and a mahogany coach house, Veritas is style from a day gone by and offers
This attitude seemed to correspond with Luke and family’s experience. “You know I landed a flight from St Maarten,” he said, “we went sailing for a day and had the best experience ever and would have been able to fly back if I was scheduled, but wanting to enjoy the experience to the max, we made a full day and night of it. It’s one of the experiences we encourage visitors to the BVI to have.” With a flight time of 23 minutes, I’m not going to argue with that. And now I’m thinking that I could be in St Maarten tonight and back to the office for work in the morning…with croissants for everyone of course. YG
Salute to Norman Island, a day sail from Veritas berthed at Nanny Cay
Summer Special Tortola to St. Maarten fares as low as $99
Booking Agent
284 494 2347/8 and 284 340 2347 travelplan@romascobvi.com Romasco Place, Admin Drive, Road Town, Tortola BVI. VG1110 284 495 5580 and 284 340 5580 Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, BVI VG1150 16
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EDGE by Chris Watters
Dinghy racers start their day in Largs, Scotland at the Laser Radial Worlds. All photos by Chris Watters.
Sailing on the Road
Summertime for dinghy racers is the peak in the sailing-year calendar. It brings out the big events—the worlds, continental championships and given the right year, the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, Pan Am Games and the Olympics. BVI sailor Alec Anderson, coming off a successful college sailing year, would pick and choose his events just right, to time 45 consecutive days sailing on the road.Timing of events often foresees how the summer will run, while events are staggered to allow a dinghy racer to use smaller events early on in the summer to prepare and peak at the big ones. Kicking off with Laser Gulf Coast Champs and then Laser Radial North Americans, both in Texas, and throw in a quick stop in Halifax, Nova Scotia for training, and you have Alec’s first half of the 45 days. These act as preparation events for the Laser Radial Worlds in Largs, Scotland, two ISAF Grade 3 match racing events in Chicago, and this year, marking the last year before the Olympics, sailors from the Central Americans and Caribbean got a chance to race against each other in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Using the first two events as preparation for the big ones, Alec showed he was ready by placing first in both. Being crowned the Laser Radial Gulf Coast champion, then seven days later the Laser Radial North American champion would leave Alec confident and fast going into the second half of his
summer. With a quick stop in Halifax, Nova Scotia, home of some of the fastest Laser sailors in the world, Alec got three days of top-notch training just to make sure everything was up to speed. Arriving at the Worlds, Alec teamed up with three sailors from the USA and in arrived in not only the oldest camper van there, but by far the coolest (see photo).Worlds proved to be tricky not only for the competitors but also for the race management with only six of the planned twelve races being able to be sailed over the six days. Alec started the event with
Chris and Alec enjoy some down time on their trip (top). The VW camper van the boys called home (above).
Twenty five days down, twenty to go. Off to Chicago to link up with BVI sailors Colin Rathbun and Chris Brockbank. Alec and I capped off the remaining two sailors needed for the Tom 28’s, to compete in two International Sailing Federation Grade 3 match race events. With Colin at the helm, Alec on That didn't keep him from boasting some top results and mainsheet and tactics, capping it off with a first in race six to leave him tenth yours truly trimming and Brockbank on the overall at the Laser Radial Worlds. pointy end, we finished with an even record of wins to losses, and had a near second, overall slip to a a “Black Flag” which scores as a last plus one point fifth, in the very last race. Great action and by far the for being over the starting line early. This didn’t keep best-run event of the summer. him from boasting some top results and capping it So that brought us to day 31. By now the novelty off with a first in race six to leave him tenth overall at of sailing on the road had worn off. I no longer the Laser Radial Worlds.
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give medals? Gold, Silver and Bronze. Amongst us in our villas are 6’6 female beach volleyball players from Mexico, archers who actually have arrow holders with arrows on their backs, judo players waking us up with "hi-yahs," and the handball players using our That didn't keep him from boasting some top picnic tables and results and capping it off with a first in race six to villa steps to run training exercises leave him tenth overall at the Laser Radial Worlds. which often end in loud Spanish cheers. What they were saying, spends more time in the sand than David no idea, but we got excited to race, and Hasselhoff. But we do have it in us for one last being surrounded by athletes, all at the peak event, the CAC games. Did I mention they had any clean clothes, so Alec and I found ourselves washing clothes in the sink and hanging them out to dry. I have perfected, and I mean perfected Tiger Woods ‘08 for Nintendo DS which infuriates Alec who
of their fitness and strength, got us excited. Again tricky conditions left the race officers with only seven races out of the schedueled twelve over the five days. This marking Alec’s first big Laser full-rig regatta, a very respectable sixth overall out of the 25 sailors leaves him with a taste for next year’s Pan Am games, and a desire to hang more gold around his neck then Ludacris. That was day 45. Then one brief night back in the BVI for the Jolly Roger's closing party and Festival Village, and I was shipped back to Halifax. Until regatta season, BVI. YG
Alec hauls his craft.
Results: Laser Radial Gulf Coast Champs: 1st out of 67 racers Laser North Americans: 1st out of 94 racers Chicago Match Racing record: 11-13 Laser Radial Mens Worlds: 10th out of 98 racers Laser Central America and Caribbean Games: 6th out of 25 racers
Stats:
Total flights between myself and Alec: 23 Total countries visited: 5 Nights in a camper van: 12 Days on the water: 34 out of 45 Number of first place finishes in a race: 16 (including the match racing) Hours spent playing Tiger Woods Golf: 123
Upcoming Races Pete Sheals Match Racing Willy-T Virgins Cup Race BVI Schools Regatta Drakes Channel Treasure Hunt Round Tortola Race O'Neal & Mundy Commodores Cup & Prizes
2 - 3 Oct 9 Oct 30 - 31 Oct 6 Nov 20 Nov 18 Dec
And if that's not enough, check out the forum on www. IC24.org for more weekly beercan racing action right off the southern end of Nanny Cay. IC24s are the new fad in racing and spreading fast to the rest of the Caribbean and North America.
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