Rated #1 hotel in Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda by TripAdvisor.com, recommended by Frommer’s and The Best of the British Virgin Islands and named the best value in Virgin Gorda by Travel+Leisure Magazine, Nail Bay offers numerous distinctive villas, apartments and rooms with magical sunset views and three sun bleached, deserted sandy beaches with great snorkeling. Come enjoy our 148acre luxury villa resort nestled below Gorda Peak
within a 19th century historic sugar plantation on almost a mile of waterfront with newly paved concrete roads and underground utilities including reliable water supply and two large stand-by generators. Nail Bay also offers modern conveniences such as ADSL internet service, satellite television and radio as well as DVD players and iPod stations, not to mention maid service and great dining at the SUGARCANE Bar and Grill.
Choose villas such as
FULL CIRCLE VILLA A luxurious 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath house built on 1.8 acres of beautifully landscaped beachfront property with historic sugar mill ruins. Gorgeous lap pool with easy access for children. Large living area with a spacious kitchen and dining area with lots of covered and uncovered outdoor space. Extraordinary sunset views.
or
SUGAR MILL HOUSE Imagine yourself in the rooftop pool with a 360-degree view of the Copper Mine Ruins, Gorda Peak, the Dog Islands, Anegada, Tortola and St. John or in a pool by a tropical garden looking out to sea in this architecturally unique villa with its curved stone walls, terraces and balconies, and porthole windows on each floor allowing views of the cascading waterfall from the rooftop pool. A one-of-a-kind property based on a replica of a historic sugar mill, this brand new villa sits with a breathtaking view over looking Savannah Bay, Little Dix Bay and Long Bay.
book online at www.nailbay.com Why rent a hotel room when a private villa can be yours for less? Excellent choice of apartments and villas from $225 to $1715 per night.
Telephone 1.284.494.8000 Fax 1.284.495.5875 Toll free from the USA 1.800.871.3551
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THE CREW Copy Production Owen Waters, David Blacklock & Traci O'Dea Advertising Production Colin Rathbun & Nick Cunha Advertising Sales Owen Waters :: owen@alookingglass.com Graphic Design Richard George & 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: Endless Summer Photo courtesy of Sail Caribbean.
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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letter from the editor Welcome to Yacht Guide's August issue. In the yachting industry on the islands, August is sometimes called the doldrums. Many private crews flee the area for hurricane insurance protection, and charter bases on the island begin a lengthy process of hurricane prep and intense maintenance. On the water, it does seem quiet. That can be a good thing for other activities. Whilst the wind calms, visibility becomes better for diving and also a traditional pastime—fishing. I was lucky enough to spend a day with Captain Donnell to scout blue marlin, and why not? Whilst we are in the height of hurricane season, we can say very little except be prepared for anything, and we bring you a couple stories about storms past and shared experiences, in particular Traci’s adventure with the Husky Salvage crew, a vital part of our island’s hurricane management and a gang that I have been lucky enough to do some grunting alongside in the past. We also bring you tales of the youth and their summer adventures: summer camps across our islands with Sail Caribbean celebrating thirty years and youth regattas for the BVI youth sailing team. We are also proud to include a profile feature focusing on women in the sailing industry. Our skipper brings us his best knowledge on hauling out, in case you thought all boats just sat pretty over the summer. As to the rest of the summer, well, storms are on every islander’s mind. Information is vital, and whilst the coconut telegraph will spiral named devil-winds at us, keep a close eye on actual facts from the media. One thing you can predict is that people always keep their humour in hurricane season—mostly at the speculation of each storm. Whilst hurricanes are no laughing matter, safety is paramount and worse things do happen at sea. As an island, we are technically at sea, so the same motto applies in terms of batten down those hatches, chin up, ride it out and clean up after. Should we get hit, what will astonish you is the community spirit of cleaning up. Everyone does and will help each other as they have proven in the past. From me and a few other surfers I know, some of those near misses can make for some pretty outrageous rides, all of them named. I have a buddy who lives and surfs in Cape Verde who rides the winds before they become hurricanes to us. He fables anyone able to ride the devil and then let it go to live another day.
Be safe and see you on the water.
Owen Waters
AUGUST 2009 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
Owen Waters
Managing Editor Owen Waters :: owen@alookingglass.com
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Contact us: 284 444 4444(Tortola) or 284 495 5639(Virgin Gorda)
11 Remembering Omar: From the Diary of a Tugboat Nanny
14
contents Skipper's Tips: The Laid Back Lay-up 8 Our skipper guides you through practical advice for keeping your vessel free from damage, mildew and pesky invaders while in summer storage.
Endless Summer: Sail Caribbean's Thirty Years in the BVI
Ordeal vs. Adventure 10 One man’s wreck is another man’s ride. Since Homer’s The Odyssey, shipwreck stories have enthralled readers and adventurers, reminding all that the journey is more important than the destination. Remembering Omar: From the Diary of a Tugboat Nanny 11 In the aftermath of Hurricane Omar, the Husky Salvage and Rescue team helps revive St Croix. Traci tags along and watches the crew’s salvage efforts while watching 18-month old Victoria Rowlette. Shoreside Review: Cruzin’ Bar & Grill in Carrot Bay 12 Cruzin’ might as well be called Limin’ or Relaxin’. Located in a shady, breezy, roadside spot in Carrot Bay, Cruzin’ is the perfect place to spend an afternoon or evening with good friends and great food. Endless Summer: Sail Caribbean’s Thirty Years in the BVI 14 For the past thirty years, Mike Liese and company have been putting kids to work, providing them with confidence and skills they’ll use for the rest of their lives.
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Women on the Water: Spending Time 18 Dana Candel-Waters knows how to manage her time and also how to make sure her charter clients make the most of theirs.
Looking for that Big Ting
Provisioning: Extreme Wahoo 18 Visitors to the BVI want fresh fish, but sometimes they take it a little too far. Chef Susie draws the line at wahoo macaroni and cheese and instead offers up a zesty recipe for fish tacos. Looking for that Big Ting 20 Fishing off the North Drop results in some big catch on Big Ting, but only whets Owen’s appetite for the next big thing. We also provide all the necessary information on fishing licenses and regulations. Fisherman’s Day Every year, the BVI celebrates our fishing industry with a day of fishing contests, food and music at Long Bay, Beef Island.
22 EDGE: Coach to Kids—Prepare
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AUGUST 2009 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
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EDGE: Coach to Kids—Prepare and Think Positive 22 The right attitude can help in all stressful sailing-related situations—from planning a road trip to dealing with parents to, most importantly, succeeding on the race course. Yacht Listings 23 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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www.bvi yc.com THE B OAT S . T HE S AI L I NG. T H E E X P E R I E N C E . . . www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE AUGUST 2009
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SKIPPER’STIPS
The Laid-Back Layup
by David Blacklock
SimpLe STepS To SAFe SUmmer STorAge Somehow it seems as if only a few weeks have passed since you got the boat out of the yard and set it up for a season's cruising.You've had fun; friends and family have visited and watched as you patched up your pride and joy in various bays and coves.You've thrown back a few sundowners, eyeopeners and nooners. You even caught that pesky rat. Now it's time to get your little ship ready for a summer's storage. Whether on the hard or in the water, you should follow these few essentials for a happy season's layup. Summer inevitably brings lots of rain, which in turn can cause a multitude of problems. The biggest bugbear is humidity—all that water trickling into your bilges or infiltrating your storage areas makes for a sodden environment.When the weather turns seriously stormy, and there is wind-driven rain pouring down on your boat, running down the mast, oozing through a broken seal around a hatch or a deck fitting, the bilges can fill rather quickly. If the boat is being kept in the water, you'll want a dependable electrical supply to keep the bilge pump pumping, probably a solar panel or wind generator, or shore power if in a marina. On the hard, it is a good idea to remove a throughhull fitting, such as a depth instrument or a speed gauge—ideally one situated at the lowest point in the hull—so you're not depending on an electric pump to keep the boat from “sinking on dry land.” This method allows you to remove batteries from the boat for safe storage. The first order of business, though, is to thoroughly clean the boat. Any dust or bits of gunk lying about the boat will absorb moisture and will host mould and mildew which will smell bad. You don't want that. Before you clean, get organized. You'll be cleaning and wiping all over the boat, so have your favourite chemical weapons close to hand. If you're not sure what to use, just make up a solution of white vinegar and water—it'll wash just about anything and it's cheap. Rubber gloves are essential for all the gooey stuff. Paper towels, too. Ready? Then let's have at it. The galley is a good place to start—empty out 8
A rat is a problem, alright, as are spiders and ants, your cupboards of any and all items that might suffer though these are all clear and obvious menaces. in the heat and humidity. Cans can stay, but items Mould on the other hand, is insidious and rarely in cardboard (such as pasta) or other materials announces its presence, other than by its acrid that can absorb moisture, must go. Perishables, too, smell. A closed space baking in searing summer of course. Drain your refrigerator and freezer as heat in a humid environment will sweat and allow much as possible and flush fresh water through the the formation of moulds and mildew. A constantly plumbing to remove any particles of food left in the operating fan will ensure air movement which in hoses. Leave the refrigerator and freezer doors open. If you are storing the boat in a yard, remember The galley is a good place to start—empty out your cupboards there is a chance of any and all items that might suffer in the heat and humidity that insects and rodents might turn can inhibit the formation and growth of mildew. find their way aboard, so to protect against roaches Humidity is also an issue when it comes to stored and rats and mice, close all seacocks. Cockpit drains should have a strainer or other impediment to foreign clothing, books, charts and so forth. Anything that can absorb moisture will do so, especially electronic visitors. Stainless steel wool or a plastic scouring pad toys, whose terminals can corrode quickly. If your stuffed down the drain can help, though it shouldn't cabinets and lockers don't have ventilation slats or be too tight so as to prevent rain water flowing out. woven rattan inserts, leave all cabinet doors open Richard Coles had his boat in a yard which he won't name, “Just say it wasn't on Tortola,” he told YG. so there's at least some air flow. Products such as “Damp-Rid” which are available from most hardware There he acquired a large and aggressive rat which stores do a great job of soaking up excess moisture, either shimmied up his jack stands or up a ladder or or you can make your own equivalent by mixing salt jumped from another boat, nobody was quite sure. and dry tapioca, or half-fill a few socks with rice and But once there, it stayed. It took quite a few weeks, leave them lying about. Dehumidifiers will help as well, but Coles got rid of the rat by way of a classic spring though you will need to keep your boat's batteries trap. “On my last night in the BVI, I baited the trap well charged to provide energy for these appliances. with a bit of meat left over from dinner and placed Your boat will need to be plugged in to shore power it between some sticky pads,” Coles said. “Come or have adequate solar or wind generation to keep 1:30 AM, a loud bang and a squeal, and the rat was the electrons flowing. in the trap. I shovelled him into a plastic bag and Bedding and cushions need to be ventilated, too. unceremoniously emptied him over the side. He was Remove all sheets, blankets and pillows if possible, and last seen heading west at about two knots.”
AUGUST 2009 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
orchestra when the breeze gets up in a yard or set mattresses on their edge to ensure some air flow marina filled with a hundred yachts. around them. Clothing should be removed to avoid Layup provides a good opportunity to service mildew. If there is no place to store clothing off the your winches—salt and grime shouldn't be left to boat, place items in storage hammocks or hanging in a closet rather than leave them in drawers, but do leave all work their corrosive evil. At the very least, flush all external equipment, such as blocks and shackles, with doors and drawers open. If you vacuum cushions, clean lots of fresh water. Another suggestion is to wash, dry the insides of cabinets, and wipe all hard surfaces with a and then coat all stainless steel structures, such as damp cloth, you will give mould and mildew less chance stanchions, pulpits and radar arches with Vaseline. This of getting established. will protect the steel and is easily wiped off at the Layup time is a perfect opportunity to have rigging beginning of the new season using distilled spirits or inspected. You'll want to secure all halyards and turpentine. Be aware, though, that the oily jelly can remove sails for storage to reduce damage from soften in the hot sun and run down onto teak decks, wind and dust. If you are planning to have a sailmaker causing spots of discolouration. inspect your sails, now is the time to do so—perhaps Engines don't benefit from lying idle. It's a good he can store them for you until next season. Keith idea to change the oil before layup—this way you LiGreci of Nanny Cay boatyard says he “won't haul can run the engine and a boat with the jib still coat the piston rings and on it. Some folks will Layup time is a perfect opportunity walls with good, fresh oil pull straight up to the complete with inhibitors dock from being at sea,” to have rigging inspected and additives to prevent he told YG. “The yacht corrosion. Fill diesel tanks needs to be properly to the brim before layup, as this will reduce the chance prepared” before they'll haul it out, he said. Tortola of moisture condensing inside the tank and creating an Yacht Services suggested pulling all halyards through environment for the growth of bacteria and fungi. the mast, having attached a messenger line for There are a myriad of other steps you can take, retrieval. This way you avoid incurring months of UV but the bottom line is that you are leaving your boat degradation as well as reducing windage (in case of during hurricane season, and you have to prepare a Big Blow) and eliminating the annoying mast slap for the worst. Remove anything that will host mould that creates the sound of an out-of-tune gamelan
or mildew, ensure there is adequate ventilation, remove anything that will create windage or else secure items such as the dinghy, thoroughly. If the boat is to be left on the hard, remove a through-hull fitting so as to allow any water that reaches the bilge a means of escape. With thorough preparation and a spot of luck, your boat will be in as good shape at the end of the season's layup as it is now.The less you leave to chance, the better your odds.You can engage a management company to prepare your boat for storage and to keep an eye on it throughout the summer, but at the very least, ask a friend to take a look every now and then—it'll be worth that case of beer. The major BVI boatyards have space available, unlike previous years, when the yards were full with repeat customers. Nanny Cay's Keith LiGreci says that this year “lots of boats were sold. We usually have 250 customers returning each year, but not this season.” Nanny Cay has, at the time of writing, space for about 20 monohulls to 55 feet LOA, and space for a few catamarans to 50 feet LOA: www.nannycay.com (284) 494-2512. Tortola Yacht Services at Wickham's Cay has spaces available also: www.tysbvi.com/services.htm (284) 494-2124. Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour manager Keith Thomas says his yard still has some availability for boats up to 70 feet LOA. Catamaran space is limited to vessels with a max beam of 21 feet: www.igy-virgingorda.com (284) 495-5500. YG
www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE AUGUST 2009
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This could symbolize failure or success.
Ordeal vs. Adventure
by David Blacklock
Often we hear tales of unpleasant things happening to sailors upon the deep ocean. Only a few weeks ago, reports surfaced of a couple who had encountered a hard object, perhaps a whale, about 50 miles SE of Virgin Gorda and were forced to watch their pride and joy sink beneath the waves. Their rescue and subsequent adventures make for some fine reading at http://helenmarygee.wordpress.com.The kindnesses shown to this heartbroken couple are quite astonishing and will do much to restore your faith in Caribbean culture. Not all adventures are equal, however. Just recently I was brought up to date on an adventurer with whom I had some personal acquaintance. This man, known to me only as the Polish Taxi Driver (PTD hereafter), came to my attention by inhabiting a previously abandoned small sailboat anchored off the mangroves by Wickham's Cay. The boat he had boarded belonged to a charter captain who had left the island a year or so prior and who had apparently struck a deal to sell his boat to our friend, PTD. I became aware of this new presence in the anchorage when I saw a stranger hoisting and handing sails,
10
plucking standing rigging and generally fussing over the boat. Soon a diver came to scrape the crusty bottom. My attempts to converse with PTD were not good—his English was only barely better than my Polish. I did learn, though, that the engine wasn't working, and the batteries were weak. He was determined to leave. He was sailing to Poland. I asked if he had checked the rigging and what about the engine? "Engine?" he shouted at me. "Engine? Not need engine until Poland!" I offered to tow him out into the harbour when he was ready. Soon that day came, and I tied my dinghy to his aft quarter whilst he was busy raiding an old wind generator from another yacht abandoned nearby. Off we went under the gaze of some cruise ship passengers. He hoisted sail and made ready to go. I gave him my card with my email address. "Let me know," I shouted to him.
AUGUST 2009 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
I heard nothing until a couple of weeks ago when a friend told me there had been some contact with the original owner, the one who had sold the boat to PTD. This man had been adamant that PTD check the sails and rigging before undertaking any voyages, since the sails had crossed the Atlantic three times already. It turned out that PTD had lost his sails pretty early on out of the BVI. He had continued north under the storm jib, reaching Bermuda in 28 days. Exhausted, he tried to tack up a narrow channel but had lost the yacht on the rocks. After his rescue by Bermuda Coast Guard, PTD contacted the man who had sold him the boat. "Amazing!" he’d said. "Fantastic adventure! Great time! Thank you!" The best $2000 he ever spent, for that was the cost of the boat. And there's the lesson—the difference between an adventure and an ordeal is simply attitude. YG
Stroller, tugboat
and nanny
by Traci O'Dea
Day One: Five days after Hurricane Omar, somewhere between Tortola and St Croix, the Husky Salvage and Rescue crew and I were aboard Lakota, a 96-foot tugboat, and I felt like I weighed 3000 pounds. I had never been seasick before, and I certainly didn’t expect it to feel like I was visiting another planet with a stronger gravitational pull than Earth.The heaviness wore me out so much that I napped on the wraparound sofa in Lakota’s living room, catching snippets of Little Britain between wakefulness and sleep. We travelled at nine knots, and the boat rocked incessantly. Bamboushay Pottery dishes shifted in the cupboard where I’d stored them—padded by 18-month old Victoria Rowlette’s stuffed animals and squishy puzzle pieces. Four and a half hours later, when we arrived in Gallows Bay, I was pleased I hadn’t puked. I began unpacking the stemware and setting up for dinner. Once Lakota docked, I settled into my new lodgings in the wheelhouse with a 360-degree view of Christiansted, including the impressive, mustard-walled Fort Christiansvaern and a lopsided, hurricane-wracked, 100-foot steel ketch. Day Three: I strapped Victoria into a baby backpack, and after fording some posthurricane flooding on Port Street, we arrived at a nearby shopping centre. Victoria’s top-of-the-head ponytail caused many giggles and comments. I searched for a notary, and a woman at the hardware store pointed across the street. The ladies at the notary office sent my fax to the States at no charge—thanks, no doubt, to the aforementioned ponytailed toddler. Everyone we met seemed cheerful, aware the hurricane damage could’ve been much worse. Day Seven: We moved from Gallows Bay to Christiansted Harbour. The tiny island of Protestant Cay’s beach served as my view out the stern. Looking over the port, I saw the harbour scattered with boats at unnatural angles that made me think of broken limbs. I walked Victoria to the boardwalk where we were welcomed by the local business owners—especially when they learned we were part of the Husky Salvage and Rescue family. We lunched at the Fort Christian Brew Pub and watched Victoria’s parents, Kevin Rowlette and Becky Paull-Rowlette, along with the crew, Wayne Stafford and Nico Grove, and Husky’s USVI partner, Sea Tow, begin salvaging a vessel that was tipped alongside the boardwalk in front of the restaurant. Patrons were asked to move from outdoor tables as a precaution, but the crew removed
the craft without incident in a job that ended up taking many more hours, liftbags and rescue boats than originally predicted. After lunch, Victoria and I watched the final release from the top deck of Lakota, whose power was ultimately needed for the job. Day Eleven: Wayne and Nico found a baby sea turtle atop a floating mattress among a wreck’s debris. They named him Dude, washed the oil off him and released him out to sea. Day Twelve: The team extricated a sailboat from where it was lodged under the boardwalk and had cracked and splintered dozens of boards in front of Stixx on the Waterfront. From above the water, this removal appeared to be more complicated than the one in front of the brewery, but it took less time and fewer boats to haul it up. The crowd that gathered to watch cheered after the team freed the boat. Just beyond the crowd, Victoria napped in the shade after spending most of the morning crawling all over the fountain and benches in nearby Hotel Caravelle. Her agility assured me that she’ll be a valuable member of the Husky crew in the future. Day Nineteen: Christiansted Harbour appears less like an ER waiting room—strewn with slumping, injured patients—and more like a schoolyard playground— sprinkled with bouncing, colourful youngsters. The boardwalk itself, though still bedecked with bits of glass, foam rubber and cement, is clear of overhanging masts and lines. All in all, Husky and Sea Tow pulled up 28 boats from Christiansted and surrounding areas. The 100-foot ketch in Gallows Bay, for which the team scheduled a whole day, took less than an hour to lift, while a 30-foot sailing vessel in Green Cay, where I was told we wouldn’t even have time to hop out for a swim, took two days with the Husky team detaching the buried keel from the hull in order to liberate the sailboat. On the ride back to Tortola, Victoria napped. Once I deemed seasickness unlikely, I took a bath in Lakota’s Jacuzzi-style tub where I experienced the bizarre sensation of a double float—my body floating in the bathtub while the boat was floating on the sea. And instead of the heaviness that anchored me to the couch on the ride over, I felt twice as buoyant. YG
lodge to dis pare boardwalk e r p evin ath the and K ne Becky t from be a o b the
Victor
ia on at Pro the beach testan t Cay
Another vessel that crashed into the boards
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by Traci O'Dea
Shoreside Review
Cruzin’ Bar & Grill in Carrot Bay
Grilled shark steak topped with peppers and onions
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The Carrot Bay breeze shakes the seed pods of the three large mother-in-law trees that provide shade for the outdoor seating area at Cruzin’ Bar and Grill. The pods’ percussive rattle accompanies the classic reggae music coming from the speakers behind the bar. A few waves ripple against the shore, adding a layer of ambient sound, interrupted by a thunk thunk thunk from the kitchen—Chef Lena’s knife rhythmically chopping fresh vegetables. On a sunny Thursday afternoon, I sit at Cruzin’ with Chris Watters and Emma Paull from the Royal BVI Yacht Club and Mason Marcus and Dan O’Connor from the BVI Beacon. We sip our perfectly iced soft drinks and admire the perfectly azure sea. I call it the summer sea—when the water seems lit up from below. We peruse the chalkboard menu which changes daily based on the local, fresh ingredients available to Lena. Options abound for vegetarians, pescatarians and meat eaters. After we order from our attentive waitress Melissa, I stroll over to the gift shop. Coconut birdfeeders, shell-trimmed tote bags and paintings by local artists nestle on shelves among flip flops, BVI baseball caps and island greeting cards. A small table hosts a delicate collection of antique china
AUGUST 2009 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
teacups. I head back toward the table but first stop and browse the potted plants for sale—most likely replanted cuttings from the well tended garden on the grounds. Lena’s son William swings on a hammock chair nearby. Everything about Cruzin’ relaxes. I rejoin the others as our food arrives. Emma’s deep bowl of spicy lemon chicken salad ($15.00) is served with romaine lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, red onions, toasted French bread and strips of grilled chicken. Both Dan’s grilled shark steak ($18.00) and Mason’s veggie roti ($16.00) come with side salads and a generous helping of rice. Refried beans, sour cream, salsa and guacamole garnish my spinach and onion quesadilla ($8.00). Chris’s hand-patted cheeseburger ($10.00) rests beside a decent portion of hand-cut French fries. Since I’d heard about Lena’s grilled pizza, I had to order one for everyone to share. And we do. The pizza goes fast. The homemade crust is grilled on each side then topped with the freshest vegetables. A typical veggie pizza at most restaurants comes with mushrooms, olives, green peppers and onions. This pizza is not typical. Piled on it are the freshest squash, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, onions, local peppers, herbs, sauce and cheese. “A medley of vegetables,” Emma says in her best restaurant reviewer voice.
Mason loves the roti and its “good coconut curry taste,” so I hop over and try it. Yum. The chutney on top complements the spicy vegetables inside. “I like a roti that makes me sweat,” Mason says as he blots his brow. Emma concurs about the level of heat at Cruzin’. “When they say spicy, they aren’t kidding,” she says of her spicy lemon chicken salad which she proclaims has “a massive amount of chicken.” Dan doesn’t say much about the shark steak, mainly because his mouth is full when I ask him if it’s good. He nods and shovels in another bite. I turn to Chris to ask about his burger and see that it’s gone. “A homemade patty? A toasted bun? Fries that were never frozen? Perfect,” he says. While eating my cheesy and overstuffed spinach and onion quesadilla, I tell myself the drive to West End seems much shorter, and I look forward to making many return trips. Cruzin’ serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Each night has a different theme: West Indian on Tuesday, Tex-Mex on Wednesday, Curry Night on Thursday, Steak Night on Friday, Italian Night on Saturday and Seafood Night on Sunday. But grilled pizza is always available—lunch or dinner. Call Lena at (284) 446-6201 for reservations or carry out orders. Also visit www.cruzins.com. YG
www.bluewaterdiversbvi.com E-mail: bwdbvi@surfbvi.com Tel: (284) 494-2847 Fax: (284) 494-0198 VHF Ch. 16 2 Locations: Nanny Cay & Soper’s Hole Marina
Chef Lena and waitress Melissa are happy to serve
Spicy Lemon Chicken Salad lives up to its name
Rendezvous Diving Padi, SSI & Universal Certifications Discover Scuba Rentals Airfills 4 Custom Dive Boats Full Service Dive Shop
Come dive the fabulous "Blue Water" of the British Virgin Islands with the longest established and most experienced dive shop on Tortola
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by David Blacklock
Endless Summer Sail Caribbean's Thirty Years in the BVI
A course of memories that will last forever
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AUGUST 2009 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
Mike Liese has the slightly furrowed brow and concerned gaze of a high school principal or a psychotherapist. As founder and director of Sail Caribbean, perhaps the premier name in the teen summer adventure programmes here in the BVI and elsewhere in the Caribbean, he knows the children in his care need his constant attention, almost as much as their parents do. Starting out in 1979 in St Thomas, Liese has kept his business growing for thirty years. In the beginning, before Sail Caribbean, it was just Mike as the captain and a couple of staff whom he dropped on Necker Island, “before it was a twinkle in Branson’s eye,” he told me recently, sitting poolside at the Moorings base. “Seven kids were doing a survival thing on Necker and seven kids were with me on the boat. I sailed around for four or five days, stopping at marinas or at the Bitter End, which had just started, and then going back and switching the seven kids. So it was a bit of survival and a bit on a yacht,” he said. That was in 1973. He worked for another company learning the ropes for five years or so and in 1979 launched Sail Caribbean. Reeling off a list of companies he has worked with over the years, Liese sounded like a charter industry historian. “West Indies Yachts, Caribbean Yacht Charters, Tropic Isle, Sun Yachts, Stardust. Now we use Sunsail, Footloose and the Moorings,” he told me. “When I first started here, CSY had a base at Hodge’s Creek, with the little gazebo and an honour bar.” Of course, Hodge’s Creek is where Sail Caribbean set up shop and remains still, along with their dive-side offspring, Sail Caribbean Divers. Mike Liese started out as a teacher in the public school system in New York’s Long Island area. “I taught for 17 years,” he said. “I ran alternative programmes for kids that were dropping out of school or were being asked to leave school because they couldn’t quite get along with the system. The traditional school system anywhere caters to the vast majority, but it’s not a system that works for everyone. I worked in this alternative programme for 12 years. It was unusual, but it wasn’t unique—there were other ones around.” Taking pains to point out that the kids in his current programmes were in no way to be confused with the troubled youth of the ‘70s, Liese emphasized that his “is not an Outward Bound or NOLS type of thing, where they have some rehabilitative programmes. Our teens generally come from fairly well-to-do families. They are looking for adventure, love being in and around the water, and don’t mind taking on responsibility. They do all the cooking, all the cleaning, they prepare all the meals—everything on board the boats. It’s not a cruise ship by any means. Some students come to learn to sail, others are interested in marine biology, but most are looking more generally for an adventure experience that is something new and fairly unique. Very few of the kids have been on big boats before.” And it is a good line on their educational resume. “We get letters
Sail Caribbean Team 2009
Teamwork on the rail
Sail Caribbean Diver Team 2009
biggest part of the programme is the personal growth is confident that parents will respond to the from students who have made their Sail Caribbean opportunities Sail Caribbean offers. “People will we see in these kids taking on responsibilities, doing experience the theme of their college application,” realise that it is a priority to have your son or things together as a team and learning how to run a Liese said. daughter have something significant happening in boat. We’re also trying to balance the responsibilities, Looking back over the years, and counting heads, their summer,” he told me. His company is not the the learning, the sailing, the diving and having a good Liese proudly let on, “we’ve had over 13,000 now.” only one offering a summer camp-style experience in time, too. You can’t just come Some of those were the the BVI either, “but we’re the oldest and the best,” he down here and work all the children of earlier students. You can’t just come down said with a chuckle. “It’s competitive. Some companies time, these are kids. There’s “Just this year, for the first time are more aggressive with their marketing than others. windsurfing, waterskiing, I have a staff member who is here and work all the time We don’t compare ourselves to the competition, kayaking along with the diving, the child of one of my first we just try to help people make good decisions for beach activities, volleyball, staff members,” he said. “The their kids.” Asked if there was room enough for all soccer, frisbees and hiking—we try to have a balance students come from all over the country, and we the competitors in the present environment, Liese of all the things you’d do when you’re on a boat and have a lot of international students as well. Many responded by saying, “It depends on the economy, sailing around these beautiful islands.” Sail Caribbean alumni and staff fall in love with the of course, but it also depends on locations. If we’re Over the years, Sail Caribbean has added new BVI and come back on vacations with their families in one area, like Trellis Bay, and I bring in five boats, programmes that bring the teens closer to the BVI and friends.” having another group there, it could get crowded, community. The Foxtrot option allows students in Finding students for the courses takes up much of so we try to keep one another abreast of what grades 9 through 12 to gain firsthand knowledge Liese’s year. “We get 20-25% of our students coming schedules we have. But is there room enough for of the BVI by getting deeply involved in habitat back every year,” he explained. “And most of our everybody? I would say probably, but it’s something preservation, through Project Reef and CoralWatch new students come to us after hearing about Sail we have to be careful of, as activities and the monitoring Caribbean from a friend or family member who well as the Government. How of the turtle population came. We encourage interested families to speak We’ve become the ‘premier many bars are you going to in collaboration with the with our alumni because they’ll learn firsthand from have in the islands? How many Territory’s Department of someone who’s done the programme. This helps dive operation in the BVI' boats are you going to have Conservation and Fisheries. people decide if this is the right fit for their child. It’s in the islands? How many A similar option for younger not good for them or for us if we have a teen who boats are you going to have in anchorages? Over Sail students in grades 6 through 8 brings them into doesn’t want to be here.” Caribbean’s 30 years, I didn’t pay much attention to One topic of interest was the state of the economy contact with local BVI kids the same age through the the competition—I just focused on delivering a great Youth Empowerment Project in addition to providing and how that was affecting Sail Caribbean’s business. experience for the students. The competition makes it an introduction to hands-on marine science. And this “We’re down over twenty per cent,” Liese said. “The a bit harder these days, but I haven’t changed. I’m still year, Sail Caribbean is honoured to participate in the economy is affecting everybody. In any year, there focused on putting together the best Sail Caribbean Premier’s Cup International Youth Regatta, which is are some marginal families that can go or not go, so programmes I can.” hosted by KATS (Kids And The Sea) and the Rotary this year we didn’t get those families, I’m sure. Our The Sail Caribbean brand encompasses more than Clubs of the BVI. In this year’s regatta, Sail Caribbean focus is to help families understand that this is more the summer educational programmes. Sail Caribbean teens join other youth sailing teams from Mexico, than a real exciting adventure programme. Our Divers is the underwater arm of the company. CoCayman Islands, Anguilla, Annapolis (USA), Turks and students take on a lot of responsibility, rotate through directed by Course Director Mike Rowe and his wife Caicos, St Lucia, St Thomas and St Croix. leadership roles, and are accountable for what they Melisande Rowe as Dive Director, Sail Caribbean For all the economic uncertainties, Liese have to get done on the boats. In fact, we believe the www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE AUGUST 2009
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Divers’ full service, 365 days a year dive centre,” Divers has been in business in the BVI since 2002, Rowe told me. “Our biggest customer was still our though the relationship with Mike Liese and Sail summer programme, so June, July and August we Caribbean had begun a few years earlier. Mike Rowe took care of our own company and for the other grew up in England and joined the British Merchant nine months of the year we were a stand-alone entity,” Navy at age 17 and spent a total of 12 years as a Rowe said. Sail Caribbean is the only teen program navigating officer in that service, sailing the world that provides diving through its own year-round dive a couple of times around. In 1991, he relocated to centre, using custom dive boats and professionally Texas where he decided to turn his hobby of diving maintained equipment – other teen programmes into a profession. “In 1996, I was running a Career carry their equipment and dive off RIBs and their Development Centre for dive professionals in Texas,” Mike Rowe told me recently in his storefront office at yachts. “In the last six years, we have continued to focus in the summer on our teen programmes, which Hodge’s Creek marina. “I received a phone call from have grown exponentially, and as a dive company we Mike Liese who was running a summer programme have become, and here I’ll quote from other sources, for teenagers, Sail Caribbean. He was looking for ‘the premier dive operation in the BVI,’ ” Rowe added. qualified, young, enthusiastic dive instructors to work As the self-described “energetic young guys on the for his programme, so I set up a relationship with block,” Sail Caribbean Divers him where I would train quickly wrote contracts and filter out the ones that I We brought a much-needed with Cooper Island Beach thought would be best-suited. Club and with Norwegian In 1997, I sent him the first energy to the dive community Cruise Lines—and this in group. One of those persons their first year of operation. was my girlfriend at the time, “We brought a much-needed energy to the dive Melisande, who came down here that first summer community,” Rowe explained, “so we were wooed. and was asked to stay on as Dive Director for the We were asked to be the operator at Cooper, we summer programme.” were asked to be the operator at Norwegian, and Melisande returned to Texas and resumed her we still have those contracts, seven years later. Over university studies which involved a feasibility study the period of six or seven years, we’ve expanded on turning the seasonal dive experience in the BVI to 10-12 full-time professionals, from one boat to into a sustainable year-round business. “We worked four dive boats, from one cruise ship contract to on the project together,” Mike Rowe told me, “and six or seven, and we have two satellite facilities, at we presented the proposal to Mike Liese, who was Cooper Island and just recently at Norman Island. in full support of the concept.” Using the existing We’re involved with BVISO, the Marine Association Sail Caribbean inventory of a 50-foot sailboat and a and work closely with VISAR, so we think we’re 36-foot custom diveboat, Mike and Melisande started entrenched in the community, we enjoy doing Sail Caribbean Yacht Charters. “The teen programme community service programmes and giving a little for adults was how we started this company,” Rowe back,” he said. “We’ve been the Sunsail dive operator said, “and we were very successful, in as much as we since 2002, and even though they’ve changed did 22 charters the second year. It was a way to use locations, we’re still their operator because of our the inventory and justify keeping it for nine months. reciprocal loyalty and committment.” However the sailboat got tired and the phone kept Sail Caribbean Divers are well known for their ringing more and more with requests for diving. We spotless boats and spotless crew, and Mike says were flying in and out those first couple of years and this is no accident. “That is an absolutely deliberate whenever we were on island the phone kept ringing attempt at being exceptional in every way. We call it with the same request—'Can we go diving?’—so ‘showroom condition.’ When the boat is locked up at that’s when we put the master plan into effect.” night and when we step aboard it in the morning, it Sail Caribbean Divers was launched in September must be in showroom condition. I like to think that 2002. “We opened the doors to Sail Caribbean
A giant step toward newfound conficdence
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AUGUST 2009 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
Laser racing
Survivor: Sage Mountain
Smiles on the water
clean is easy—soap, water and a little energy. I would attribute our success and our high profile to the efforts, commitment and attitude of our professional staff out on the water. Without a doubt, they are an incredible group of dive professionals. We have a structured in-house training programme,” Rowe said. “I’ve been in this business twenty years—I train instructors— and in the industry we see that typically the lifespan of a scuba instructor is about five years. I like to think of them as a nomadic tribe. Often they are either escaping from their real job or they’re taking that year off between college and
Clean is easy—soap, water and a little energy a profession. They are enthused, energetic and they’re using their instructor ticket as a vehicle to travel the world. A very admirable quest. So we try to retain and harness their energy, keep them young and motivated, because it’s a very physically demanding job.” Rowe’s view of the economy is a little rosier than some. “Over the years we’ve tried to recession-proof our company. We’re diverse enough that we have a cruise ship season, we have a summer programme that no other dive operator has, so that justifies the three months of the summer. Where other people are perhaps closing down or cutting back on staff, we’re ramping up—we go on hyperdrive. The struggling months are the September and October months, like everyone else in the industry. We plan on continuing what we’re doing. We’ve experienced rapid growth, and now our business plan is to fill the voids in the slow months, and with our diversity we hope to accomplish that.” The confidence of the Sail Caribbean crew is palpable— they know where they’re going and they know how to get there. With Mike Liese’s wisdom, gained from many years of Caribbean experience, and with the energy and focus of Mike and Melisande Rowe, the Sail Caribbean brand’s reputation for excellence looks safe for the foreseeable future. In a people business, where your good name is in the hands of strangers, perception is everything. By providing a customer experience that exceeds expectations and by training its staff to live out their vision of youth, energy and positivity, Sail Caribbean is managing that perception exquisitely. YG Telephone: (800) 321-0994 or (631) 754-2202 Email: info@sailcaribbean.com Fax: (631) 754-3362 www.sailcaribbean.com www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE AUGUST 2009
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Women on the Water Spending Time
by Traci O'Dea
The fact that Dana Candel-Waters of Blue Seas Yacht Charters has reprioritized her life, focusing on time with her family by working from home, makes her the perfect person to advise potential charter clients how to get the most quality time out of their vacations. Sitting across from me on the deck at the Royal BVI Yacht Club with her auburn hair pulled back into a ponytail, Dana is confident, open and genuine. And relaxed. This, she assures me, is a result of the recent changes she’s made in her life. Dana works from home, something almost unheard of in the BVI, allowing her the flexibility to work anytime, day or night. “I get to go on every single school field trip. That’s the reward because I can work at nine o’clock at night if I need to.” She manages to maintain a separation from her home life and her work life, even though they take place in the same location. “I have really great kids. They do understand.” She beams and adds, “My four year old says, ‘My mommy works from home now, and she has her own computer that I can’t touch and a big, fancy chair.’ ” Dana describes situations when clients call while she’s with the kids and how her daughters have learned to entertain themselves as she addresses the customer’s needs. She can afford to put her clients first for those occasional moments during the overlap of family time and work time because otherwise she wouldn’t be there at all—she’d be behind a desk in an office building. And when her children are at school, she’s working, not taking care of household chores. “I don’t want my clients to get the feeling that I’m doing the dishes while talking with them.” Dana made a choice to work from home, but she acknowledges that others are starting to work from home as a result of being laid off. “It’s sad that something like this had to happen for people 18
it.” With the current economy, creativity is a must. to realize it,” she says. “People are reprioritizing A chartered, crewed yacht is a creative vacation, work time and home time. You’ll see a lot more especially now when there’s even more pressure to people trying to find something else—my reward is get the most quality time for the money. personal. I’m doing what I love to do. I’m doing what “Sometimes potential clients are scared to tell me I’m good at.” how much they have to spend, which can make it I ask Dana what changes she’s seen in the charter difficult,” she says. industry since she first arrived in the BVI thirteen I reply how that makes sense and mention shady years ago. “Ten to fifteen years ago, people used to be encounters with car salesmen and antiques dealers who sailors.” But now her clients are generally non-sailors aim to swindle the most money off the customer. attracted to the idea of a private, moving condo “But I want to find the best possible boat for surrounded by changing views of mountainous islands, them. I want to give them the most for their money, pristine beaches and blue waters. The change from not the least. I want them to come back.” mostly monohull to mostly catamaran yachts has also And they do come back. Dana has many repeat made a difference in the clientele. clients or new clients referred from previous charter “It’s a brilliant holiday. It beats a cruise ship every customers. At a recent boat show, one of the yacht day,” Dana says. One reason being the fact that the owners told Dana passengers’ time that he’d asked a is not scheduled. "I want to give them the most for their money, client why they If they’re enjoying not the least. I want them to come back." had booked with the Baths at Virgin Dana over the Gorda, they can other charter agents they could have used. The client stay as long as they want, or they can move on to replied, “Because she was the first one to phone me.” Anegada or any of the other islands. By prioritizing quality time in her life, the smiling Another difference, she adds, is that at this and animated Dana Candel-Waters knows the time she sees owners more agreeable to offering importance of every moment and doesn’t want to discounts on their boats for charter vacations. In waste her client’s time. In fact, she wants them to the past, the price was set and non-negotiable, but now, owners are willing to bargain a little. This allows have the best time of their lives. YG Dana to get the best boats at the best values for her clients. She also plans to offer a selection of budgetwww.blueseasyachtcharters.com friendly yachts in the near future. “Your bed linens BVI: (284) 541-6389 | USA: (954) 309-0967 might not be changed each night. You might not info@blueseasyachtcharters.com have lobster dinner, but you’ll have good food and good company with people who really want to do
AUGUST 2009 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
proviSioning Extreme Wahoo
Chef Susie and her catch
Sponsored by
Visitors to the British Virgin Islands often expect to eat generous amounts of fresh fish, and my friends and family who visit are no exception. One group of four friends took fish-eating to an extreme—if that’s possible. After a dinner of wahoo fish tacos their first night in the BVI, friends visiting for eight days asked if they could eat fish every day. “Sure, no problem,” I said, thinking that they’d be ready for something else after a few days. My husband Matt and I had experienced an excellent day of fishing the week before our friends arrived, so my freezer was well stocked with wahoo. However, I still hoped for a weather window that would enable us to take this group out to catch their own fish. The forecast stayed accurate, and the perfect day soon materialized. We fired up the engines on our fishing boat and headed 25 miles offshore from Round Rock in flat, turquoise water and sparkling sunshine. When we returned to the dock it was with one small wahoo. Anyone walking by as we filleted our lone fish might have assumed it was a bad day on the water. Quite the opposite. We saw flying fish, chased a school of jumping yellowfin tuna and caught (and released) a white marlin and the usual barracuda. Best of all, we witnessed numerous whales over the course of the day. That night we dined on all-you-can-eat sashimi as everyone recounted a spectacular day on the water. Over the course of the week, my friends enjoyed copious amounts of wahoo: tacos, fried fish, seviche, fish risotto, and even Kraft macaroni and cheese topped with wahoo. (I am slightly embarrassed to admit that when I went to town to run errands, my friends found “Mac & Cheese” in my stash of hurricane food and decided to top it with wahoo. They claimed it was tasty, but I’ll have to trust them on that.) On my friends’ last night in the BVI, fish tacos were again on the menu by unanimous request. True to their word, my friends ate wahoo every day. A favorite with visitors and Tortola-based friends alike, fish tacos are one of my most frequently requested meals. These tacos contain familiar island
by Susie Younkle
flavours, but are a somewhat unusual way to combine them. Think California meets the Caribbean. Serve with yellow rice and a simple salad of tomatoes, corn and avocado for a delicious rainbow-colored plate. Next time your friends land “the big one,” be sure to put fish tacos on the menu. Fish Tacos with Garlicky Lime Cream Serve with beer or a white wine such as a French Sancerre or a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Garlicky Lime Cream: • • • • • • •
1/2 C chopped green onions 1/3 C chopped cilantro 1/3 C sour cream 1/4 C mayonnaise 2 Tbsp lime juice 1 1/2 tsp finely minced garlic Salt and pepper to taste
Taco Seasoning: • • • • • •
2 tsp coriander 1 1/2 tsp cumin 1 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp garlic salt 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1 lb fish fillets (e.g. wahoo, mahi mahi or other firm white fish) • Olive oil • 8 6-inch flour tortillas, heated • 1/2 small head of red cabbage, shredded
Prepare cream by stirring together first seven ingredients in a small bowl. Combine all spices in another bowl. Lightly coat fish with a little olive oil and then rub the spice mixture evenly over the fish. Grill fish over medium heat until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork (cooking time will vary with thickness of fish fillets). Place fish on a plate and break into chunks with a spatula. Divide fish among tortillas then top with cabbage and cream. Serves four. YG
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 of way of doing business! www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE AUGUST 2009
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Looking for that Big Ting
by Owen Waters
Recently I was finishing off an assignment with Armando Jenik about the trials of catch and release in the marlin sport-fishing industry. It made my mind tick, crank and frustrate at man’s perception of looking at the surface of things and ignoring the reality of what continues below the surface. The subject, however, fascinated me, and also made me think more about the fishing industry. Days later at an alarming 4:00 a.m., I am on the way to Trellis Bay to spend the day fishing off the North Drop.
Fish on the line!
A 10lb blackfin tuna in hand, and a couple of smiles to go with
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I am not a regular sport fisher. I have been a few times—once lucky with a wahoo, a second time laughing hard at a very stubborn barracuda, or rather it at me.This time, I am going with the pros. I recognize the chair, the fly bridge and the outriggers as Big Ting, a Bertram 48, coasts alongside the dock. Captain Donnell and his two guests from Mango Bay give me a wave, and the first mate Jo, complete with grin and gold teeth, gives me the wink to hop on.We are in for a wild ride. Just my style.A jump and flip flops landed, we are set to go off to the North Drop by Anegada, 40 knots full speed ahead. Early morning coffee only lasts so long, but within 40 minutes, we are already out of sight of all land, which is fine by me and a good wake up call. It’s time to rely on wits and the elements. Captain Donnell explains the day to us all with a calm reassurance, “Once we get to the drop, which will be signified by the depth sounder going from 30 to 1000 feet, we are in big country, where all the big boys live and the wild, deep ocean is alive.That’s where we will set our lines out.”Two outriggers and rods make up for a five-line set up of 80-lb tension with lures.Two teasers are in the middle. The 80-lb line will hold anything.The guests on board want marlin. Captain Donnell explains to me very clearly, “What we never want is to fight the fish, shark or whatever we catch.There is no bravado in fighting a fish for five hours. That will wreck the fish completely. If we throw a five-hour distressed marlin back in, there is every chance it will drown or be prey to sharks. We once had a big boy fall into the
AUGUST 2009 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
props.That kind of stuff lacks the nobility of fishing. We respect our environment greatly; what we won’t eat, we put back to survive.” Captain Donnell is a veteran of fishing and a lifelong resident of Virgin Gorda. He exchanges Jimmy Buffet for The Police on the CD player, "to get things moving," he says as he sprays each line with a beer from the complimentary bar for luck. Not that long after, we hear, “Fish on the line,” and within minutes Jo ushers one of the guests into the chair. It’s a 10-lb black fin on board after a fairly easy haul in. Our tip was the birds congregating over the tuna thrashing on the surface. Not long after that, they start to come in rapidly. In between is a game of patience, like watching a fire, as you stare at the blue and white wake sensing fish chasing the lures. Everyone is transfixed on the stern of the boat, cruising at seven knots. “Fish on the line” is a call for action. Before we know it, 2:00 p.m. has arrived and already a long but incredibly fun and easy day out on the water. Fish have been caught, all tuna. No marlin today, but there was a big boy runner yesterday.The captain pipes in, “The marlin congregate between June and October out here.They are lone hunters looking for bait fish throughout the Atlantic, they can be 70 or 700lbs.There are no averages, and we have had our fair share of big boys all right.” As we speed back to land, Jo and I bounce a drink. “Come back,” he says, “bring some others and we’ll go hunt and fish. What you want to catch, we can make it happen.” Shark, I whisper. I want to catch the devil that should never catch me. “Yes, that’s fishing,” says the Captain, “You never know, and the shark tastes good.” YG
Commercial Fishing Licenses COMMERCIAL LICENSES
BIG GAME/SPORT LICENSES
PLEASURE/RECREATIONAL LICENSES
A Commercial Fishing License may be defined as a license issued to local fishermen on a basis in which the fishermen catch fish to sell as a mean of surviving. This type of license is only granted to a person who can provide proof of residential status. It is unauthorized for a foreigner or foreign fishing vessel to fish commercially in the British Virgin Island waters without permission from higher authority.
A Sport Fishing License is a license granted to Fishermen who escort mostly tourists on a fishing expedition. This type of fishing is usually carried out by Foreign Sport Fishing Companies and local fisher-persons. The majority of persons applying for this type of fishing license are foreigners. These foreigners mostly migrate from the surrounding islands e.g. U.S Virgin Islands.
A Recreational Fishing License is defined as a license granted to a person who catches fish on a catch-and-release basis. Visiting tourists usually conduct this type of fishing activity. Areas where this type of fishing may occur are called “FLATS.” Flats are situated behind reefs and near mangroves with large portion of seagrass beds. The gear used to catch these fishes is called a “FLY ROD.”
Commercial fishing consist of methods such as: • Fish traps/pots • Seining • Hand-line • Fishing rods Fish commonly caught may include: Trigger fish, Yellow tail, Red Hind, Doctor fish, King fish, Hard-nose, Angel fish, Parrot fish, Nassau Grouper, Shellfish etc. If granted by the Minister of Natural Resources & Labour (MNR&L), a Commercial Fishing License is valid for one year.
The BVI is known for its wealthy fishing banks such as: • The North Drop • The Sea Mount • The South Drop The method used in Game or Sport Fishing is the use of a Fishing Rod/ Reel, which can be termed as TROLLING. This type of fishing yields a more prosperous catch. During the year 2000, the USVI economy generated over 80 million dollars from conducting fishing excursions in the BVI waters. However, when these fishes are caught during these excursions, the boats then return to St. Thomas where a market will be made available. Species commonly caught includes: Wahoo, Kingfish, Tuna, Marlin, Sailfish, Dolphin, King Mackerel, Swordfish. It is ILLEGAL to have more than thirty pounds of fish by weight in one’s possession per boat. If granted by the Minister of Natural Resources & Labour, a Sport Fishing License is valid for one year.
PLEASE NOTE: While visiting the BVI and having any interest in fishing in the BVI, one should contact the MNR&L or the Conservation & Fisheries Department.
Fish commonly caught may include: • Bonefish • Tarpon • Snook It is ILLEGAL to have in one’s possession billfish such as Blue & White Marlin, Sailfish and Sword Fish. It is also ILLEGAL to have more than thirty pounds of fish by weight in one’s possession per boat. If granted by the Minister of Natural Resources & Labour, a Pleasure/Recreational Fishing License is valid for one month.
It is ILLEGAL to fish in the BVI waters without a valid fishing license or permit granted by the Ministry of Natural Resources & Labour. Any one witnessing the practice of illegal fishing activities in the BVI waters should either contact the Royal Virgin Island Police Force or the Conservation & Fisheries Department immediately.
In situations where persons visit the BVI for only a short period of time and are interested in fishing, a fishing permit may be granted by the Ministry of Natural Resources & Labour and this permit is valid for one month. The permit does not include catching fish for sale but catching fish for one’s personal use.
Visitors or non-belongers wanting to fish in the territory waters do need to obtain the following Fishing Applications and Registration Forms, which can be obtained from the Conseravtion and Fisheries Department.
It is ILLEGAL to catch the following during closed seasons: 1st January – 31st March Margate Fish (haemulon album) 1st January – 31st March Red Hind (epinephelus guttatus) 1st March – 31st May Nassau Grouper (epinephelus striatus) 1st April – 30th November Marine Turtles 31st July – 31st October Lobsters 15th August - 31st October Queen Conch (strombus gigas) 15th August - 31st October Whelk (cittarium pica)
Application for Local Fishing Licence Application for Pleasure Fishing Licence Application for Registration of a Foreign Fishing Vessel Application for Registration of a Local Fishing Vessel Application to compete in a Sport Fishing Event Application for a Foreign Fishing Licence - vessel less than 25' Application for a Foreign Fishing Vessel Licence – vessel more than 25' Certificate of Registration of a Local Fishing Vessel
Fisherman’s Day
by Traci O'Dea
BVI residents and visitors celebrated Fisherman’s Day on Friday, July 03 at Long Bay, Beef Island. Four lifeguards were on duty patrolling the boaters, swimmers and revellers that crowded the typically tranquil beach. Locals and out-of-towners competed for the most fish caught, measured by weight on a large scale hanging above the stage between the beach and the bar. Menu items at the booths included homemade fungi, macaroni pie, rice and peas, fried plantains, Johnny cakes, corn on the cob, grilled chicken, and, of course, fresh fish, with each vendor serving their own take of these island favourites. www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE AUGUST 2009
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EDGE Coach to Kids Prepare and Think Positive As I pack my bags for what’s planned to be one of the longer road trips for the British Virgin Islands’ sailing team to date, I can’t stop thinking back to the past regattas and trips I have participated in as a competitor.
Upcoming Races Radial Worlds, Youth, Male, Female (Japan)
1-10 Aug
Canadian Olympic Regatta Kingston (Kingston Ontario)
13-16 Aug
RBVIYC EVENTS: 6th Back To School Regatta 2009
5-6 Sep
BVI Schools Regatta X-Mas Camp 2009, RBVIYC
7 Nov 18-22 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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In order to allow for clear thinking in preparation of the sailors for the next few weeks I have to jam to the back of my head all the worries and preconceptions of what it’s going to be like. My phone rings off the hook from parents with questions that all need answers. Some answers I know, some I don’t, but I give them a response based on what I’ve learned from past experiences: you may not exactly know everything there is to know about an event, but as long as you act as if you do, you’ll be fine! Yes, peace of mind is what allows a competitor to get a good night’s sleep. It also allows them to have confidence that everything is going to be fine and work out well. Positive thinking leads to positive results. So how can one sailor maintain positive thinking in a regatta? That goes back to the one word I use over and over again with my sailors, yes it’s PREPARATION! I recently asked past world champion Optimist sailor Raul Rios from Puerto Rico what sort of preparation he used for the worlds. His advice for young, budding 16-year-olds made perfect sense. He stated, “I knew I had weaknesses, so I trained with the sailors who were best in my weakest areas, and once I began to beat them in training, I knew I could beat them on the race course.” The first step in being confident in your sailing and preparing for a major event is being humble enough to know where your flaws are. Seeking the best in your flaws and pushing yourself to better them, is far better than the alternative—finding your strengths and exploiting them. I always remind my athletes that sailing is a mentally tormenting sport. It can make the gentlest human turn into an outright raving lunatic.
AUGUST 2009 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
by Chris Watters
Through positive thinking and structured training, sailors at all levels can gain from being confident in all aspects of the greatest sport in the world. Obtaining this profound confidence is never easy. Long hours and long days make for an exhausting experience for any human being, even if you’re 12 years old and never seem to get tired. A clear mind free of worries is far faster on the race course than one with worries. Sailors who go into an event with nothing to worry about will often show that on the race course. They’ll push themselves hard and make good out of bad. They can learn from their mistakes and realize they’re not going to win every race, but they don’t need to in order to win a regatta. I have seen sailors win world championships without winning a single race in a series. These are the guys and girls that go out and will consistently put themselves in good places on the race course. Ones that take risks will often lead to inconsistency and are usually the ones who rely more on luck than preparation. So back to the packing I go. By the time you’re reading this, the three major events that our team is heading to will be over. So why not check the results? Our five sailors on the Optimist North American team will be heading to Boca Chica in the Dominican Republic for Optinam 2009. 198 competitors from 23 nations will be on hand. Check out www. optinam2009.org. BVI sailor Alec Anderson will also be competing in two events. The first, United States Youth Sailing Championship in Connecticut. This event will be used as a warm up for the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship 2009, in Armação de Búzios in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. You can follow that event at www.youthworlds2009.org. YG
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yacht listings
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Use the map and legend to reference the companies listed below.
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12 G313FOOTLOOSE
G3 BVI YACHT CHARTERS
G4 BVI YACHT VACATIONS
www.footloosecharters.com (284) 494-0528
www.bviyachtcharters.com (284) 494-4289
www. bviyachtvacations.com (284) 499-2768
G3 THE MOORINGS
G4 SOUTHERN TRADES
www.moorings.com (888) 416-8420
www.southerntrades.com (284) 494-8003
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G3 THE MOORING SIGNATURE www.mooringssignature.com (888) 416-8420
G3 RACING IN PARADISE www.mooringssignature.com (888) 416-8420
G3 TORTOLA YACHT SALES www.tysbvi.com (284) 494-2124
G3 THE MOORINGS POWER www.mooringspower.com (800) 416-0224
G3 SUNSAIL www.sunsail.com (888) 416-8420
G4 charterportbvi.com (284) 494-7955 est. 2002 | Fleet size: 80 Sells Boats: No Charters Boats:Yes Brand(s): Non-Specific Year Make: 1923-2006 Type(s): Non-Specific www.snsyv.com (284) 545-0096
G4 AMAZING CHARTERS www.amazingcharters.com (284) 495-2647
G4 CHARTER YACHT SOCIETY
I3 pvc@provalorcharters.com (284) 495-1931
I3 patouche.com (284) 494-6300 est. 1991 | Fleet size: 6 Sells Boats: No Charters Boats:Yes Brand(s): Peter Spronk, Sea Ray, Privilege, Beneteau Year Make: 1976-2006 Type(s): Sail & Power Cats & Monohulls
14 F5 bviyachtsales.com (284) 494-3260 est. 1981 | Sells Boats:Yes Charters Boats: No Brand(s): Non-Specific Year Make: 1976-2006 Type(s): Non-Specific Boats Sold/yr: 70 Number of Brokers: 3 F5 CATAMARAN CHARTERS www.catamarans.com (800) 262-0308
F5 ISLAND TIME LTD www.islandtimeltd.com (284) 495-9993
G4 NORTH SOUTH
www.bvicrewedyachts.com (284) 494-6017
phone/fax | est. 1993 | Fleet size: 16 Sells Boats:Yes Charters Boats:Yes Brand(s): Beneteau, JeanneauFountaine Pajot power and sail, Lagoon Year Make: 1993 - 2006 Type(s): Sail & Power Cats and Monohulls
F4 barecats@surfbvi.com (284) 495-1979 est. 1993 | Fleet size: 10 Sells boats: No Charters Boats:Yes Brand(s): Fontaine Pajot, Lagoons, Leopards, Island Spirit, Robertson & Caine, Privilege, Voyages Year Make: 1997-2005 Type(s): Catamarans
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F4 123hulls.com (284) 499-0591 est. 2007 | Sells Boats:Yes Charters Boats: No Brand(s): Non-Specific Year Make: Non-Specific Type(s): Non-Specific Number of brokers: 3
F5 KING CHARTERS www.kingcharters.com (284) 494-5820
Q2 SAIL BRAVURA www.sailbravura.com (284) 443-2586
B6 VOYAGE YACHT CHARTERS
N5 DOUBLE D CHARTERS
www.voyagecharters.com (888) 869-8436
www.doubledbvi.com (284) 499-2479
F5 VIRGIN TRADERS
N5 POWERBOAT RENTALS/CRUISES
www.virgintraders.com (284) 495-2526
www.boatsbvi.com (284) 495-5542
G4 charteryachtsales.com (284) 494-4868 est. 1986 | Fleet size: 46 Sells Boats:Yes Charters Boats:Yes Brand(s): Beneteau, Jeanneau, Lagoon, Leopard, Norseman, Island Spirit, Athena, Hunter Year Make: 1996-2004 Type(s): Sailboat Cats and Monohulls www.sailtmm.com (800) 633-0155
F5 horizonyachtcharters.com (284) 494-8787 est. 1998 | Fleet size: 36 Sells Boats:Yes Charters Boats:Yes Brand(s): Bavaria, Jeanneu, Beneteau, Fontaine Pajot, Lagoon Year Make: 20022009 Type(s): Sailboat Cats and Monohulls
G4 CARIBBEAN IMAGES TOURS LTD.
F5 VACANCES SOUS VOILES
www.bvicrewedyachts.com (284) 494-6017
www.vacancessousvoiles.ca (284) 499-1711
G4 TMM
www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE AUGUST 2009
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