The New Generation of Bahamian Sailors

By Keesha Claudia Bethell Photographs courtesy of Robert Dunkley and Matias Capizzano

Optimist North American Championship 2019 held in Montagu Bay, Nassau Photo Courtesy of Matias Capizzano

Ellianne Higgs The current top female Laser sailor in The Bahamas Photo courtesy of Robert Dunkley

The beautiful turquoise waters of The Bahamas—it’s the perfect backdrop for any outdoor sport. But in the islands, the water is the “home court” for a sport that is a pastime for locals, but revered the world over. We’re talking about sailing. In The Bahamas, Sloop Sailing is defined simply as sailboat racing. It’s regarded by many as the “National Sport of The Bahamas”. Major regattas are held annually in a circuit format, throughout the archipelago, giving boat builders and skippers from each Bahamian island the opportunity to showcase their skills and talents, in different parts of the country where sailing conditions are naturally different. It’s a tradition that has transcended generations.

In the midst of Sloop Sailing, Junior Sailing developed in The Bahamas. It’s an international sport that has been a part of the Bahamian storybooks for more than 60 years. Its first international convoy represented the country in 1960. That page of history was made possible under Bahamas Sailing Association (BSA)—its governing authority operating under the guidance of World Sailing (the world governing body for the sport of sailing, officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee).

BSA was established in 1952 and serves as a “Member National Authority of World Sailing, as well as, the Bahamas Olympic Association (BOA) and Pan American Sailing Federation (PASF)”.

As the years went by, seasoned competitive sailors like Jimmie Lowe and Robert Dunkley, who started off as junior sailors, realized that the number of youngsters interested in the sport was on a sharp decline.

Lowe and Dunkley said a major factor of the sport’s decline was that it was elitist. The major task to recharge Junior Sailing was to crush the stigma and create a bridge to the next generation and raise awareness.

While representing The Bahamas at the 2003 Pan Am Games in the Dominican Republic, Lowe and his teammate Peter-Bruce Wassitsch engineered a plan to revitalize Junior Sailing in The Bahamas.

Upon their return home, they shared their plan with Dunkley, John Lawrence and other seasoned Bahamian sailors. A blueprint was created and the rest is history.

By 2004, the Bahamas National Sailing School (BNSS) was established by Lowe, Lawrence and Wassitsch under the guidance of the BSA.

The purpose for BNSS is the further development of Junior Sailing with offerings for school children, ages 8 to 18 including: a Year Round Program— for youngsters in all communities; School Sports Program—for mainly public schools; Summer Sailing Camp—for youngsters everywhere as an introduction to sailing and International Race Team Program—for advanced, race-oriented sailors. Students are trained in the operation of fleets in primarily the Optimist Category but, also, the Laser, Sunfish as well.

By 2005, the first Junior Sailing class was in session with 30 students from four Bahamian public high schools.

In their dedication to bringing the sport to more young Bahamians, they succeeded at four things: i) preservation of sailing; ii) making it accessible to all social classes; iii) using the sport to expose youngsters to the world and iv) making a positive impact on their lives.

Dunkley has been sailing for 67 years and currently serves as director of BNSS and as a coach. While he is proud of the school’s progress, he said it wasn’t easy to get the sport to where it is now.

Using his financial background and business acumen, he became intimately involved with BNSS to make it more viable from a business standpoint and build credibility to get the financial support needed to keep the program going and growing.

“What’s so important for any organization is to build that credibility where you don’t have to knock on doors,” he said. “Now, corporate sponsorship comes to us to offer backing because they see the success of the program and its structure. We have also gotten parents involved to organize annual fundraising activities. The culmination of it all has helped the school in so many ways.”

As of March 2022, Lowe, the present BNSS director of operations, estimates that 5,000 students were engaged in the sport through the BNSS program. Additionally, the school has expanded beyond its home base on the island of New Providence where classes were held between the Nassau Yacht Club and the Royal Nassau Sailing Club (RNSC).

Zane Munro Crossing ahead of Craig Ferguson KPMG Annual Championship 2022 Photo courtesy of Robert Dunkley

Under its umbrella, BNSS has five Bahamian Family Islands: Abaco, Eleuthera, Exuma, Grand Bahama and Long Island.

Keir Clarke is a member of the BNSS network as the sailing coach at the Lyford Cay Club and Lyford Cay International School on the island of New Providence. Clarke grew up in Ireland and has gained sailing and maritime experience over the years in countries stretching across the globe from the United Kingdom to Abu Dhabi, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. From his perspective, The Bahamas stands out the most as a “sailing country in its own right with diversity and community support”.

“When you look at all the Bahamian sailing champions, they come from working-class families,” said Clarke. “I’ve never seen that before and I think that’s amazing. Plus, parent support is through the roof—it really is a family affair.”

He said another unique characteristic of the sport is the Bahamian climate.

“In other countries, you can only hit the seas during certain seasons of the year. Here, the waters are a great incentive and the weather allows you to go out 365 days of the year.”

Lowe explains that passing through the BNSS program has opened doors of opportunity for students and taught them life skills. Those include: grit, confidence, sportsmanship, learning to lose, patience, responsibility, managing emotions and discipline.

Joshua Higgins on his way to winning The Bahamas Jr. Laser National Championships 2021 Photo courtesy of Robert Dunkley

Joshua Higgins, Spencer Cartwright, Joshua Welch, Paul de Souza, Craig Ferguson, Finley McKinney-Lambert and Zane Munro are among those who have excelled in the program and have been able to get amazing exposure and opportunities.

Higgins, an Eleuthera native, is focused on positioning himself to represent the country at the 2024 Olympics. Like Higgins, de Souza also aspires to qualify for the Olympics. Spencer, a four-time winner in the Optimist National Championship, is currently team captain at Roger Williams University—one of the top sailing institutions in the U.S.A. Welch has followed in Spencer’s footsteps, as the reigning four-time winner of the Optimist National Championship.

In the Optimist Class, Ferguson, McKinney-Lambert and Munro are the top sailors.

Males aren’t the only ones making waves in Bahamian Junior Sailing. Females make up 26 percent of that community and their accomplishments are also making waves.

Ellianne Higgs became the top female Laser Sailor in The Bahamas after placing first in the 2021 Bahamas Laser Nationals. She is a junior sailor out of the RNSC and is currently training to represent The Bahamas at this year’s Youth Sailing World Championship—the premier event for Junior Sailing in the world.

Then, there’s Ivanna Seymour. She went from being a student of the BNSS program to becoming the fifth-highest ranking bridge officer on Royal Caribbean International’s Navigator of the Seas. At the time of this writing, Seymour was pursuing her Master Mariner licence.

Once she accomplishes that goal, she will make history as the first Bahamian female to captain a cruise ship of that magnitude, with responsibility for 1,200 to 2,500 other crew members and up to 6,800 passengers.

Joshua Welch Winning His 4th Optimist Nationals Championship in 2021 Photo courtesy of Robert Dunkley

Considering the success of Bahamian Junior Sailing from its reboot a mere 17 years ago to present day, Clarke describes it as nothing short of amazing. He adds that the ability of a tiny country like The Bahamas to spark the interest of international sailing associations is the proof in the pudding.

“We hosted the North American Optimists Champions for the Optimist Class in 2019,’’ said Clarke. “There were 167 boats from 20 countries.”

According to Dunkley, that particular event was the largest sailing event that The Bahamas has hosted and garnered much international spotlight on the country.

The success of those championships has led to an invitation for The Bahamas to host it again a second time in November 2022. It is anticipated that 185 boats from more than 20 countries will participate.

As a whole, Lowe describes sailing as the “best fraternity worldwide”.

“You can go anywhere in the world and say you are a sailor and be accepted just like that, no questions asked, because we all have a respect for each other,” he said.

The BNSS director of operations said respect is a fundamental lesson taught to all Junior Sailing students.

One of the ways that lesson is embedded in students is a constant reminder in the form of a big and bold sign nailed to the boathouse at the Nassau Yacht Club.

On the sign is a quote by Paul Elvstrom, a Danish sailor, referred by many as “sailing’s greatest” and “a model of sportsmanship”.

Finley McKinney Lambert Racing At The Optimist World Championships 2021 in Italy Photo courtesy of Robert Dunkley

It reads: “If in the process of winning, you have lost the respect of your competitors, you have won nothing.”

In March, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge requested to see the Junior Sailing teams in action during their Caribbean tour in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of The Bahamas’ sovereign—Queen Elizabeth II. Sailing is said to be a sport that The Royals wish to expose their children to and, eventually, get them involved in.

“We are just going to go from strength to strength,” said Lowe. “There is no use stopping it. I think we hit on the right key at the right time and it’s been successful so far. It’s about self-satisfaction to see the kids evolve—how we can change their lives in a meaningful way.”

Dunkley echoes Lowe’s sentiments and shares a popular quote among renowned international sailors.

“When God goes sailing, he goes sailing in Montagu Bay and that’s here on the island of New Providence – right here in The Bahamas,” said the BNSS director. “There’s an amazing pride that comes with hearing that come out of the mouths of sailors who have traveled around the world.”

Both Dunkley and Lowe agree that the work put into the revitalization of Junior Sailing has paid off. They have the comfort of knowing that the very sport that groomed them into who they are today, is secure in the hands of this generation and those to come. UA