C A R I B B E A N
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C MPASS
JANUARY 2017 NO. 256
The Caribbean’s Monthly Look at Sea & Shore
ARC 2016
TIM WRIGHT / WWW.PHOTOACTION.COM
HOLIDAYS CARIBBEAN STYLE!
Story on Page 24
See story on page 22
JANUARY 2017 CARIBBEAN COMPASS
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The Caribbean’s Monthly Look at Sea & Shore www.caribbeancompass.com
JANUARY 2017 • NUMBER 256 CHRIS DOYLE
GUY DEAN
DEPARTMENTS Info & Updates ...................... 4 Business Briefs ....................... 10 Eco-News .............................. 14 Regatta News........................ 17 Y2A ......................................... 25 Book Reviews..................37, 38 Meridian Passage ................. 41 The Caribbean Sky ............... 42
Weather Sources SSB & online forecasts ....... 8, 9 EPIC
Look Out For… ...................... 44 Cooking with Cruisers .......... 45 Readers’ Forum ..................... 46 What’s On My Mind .............. 47 Caribbean Market Place ..... 49 Calendar of Events ............... 52 Classified Ads ....................... 53 Advertisers Index .................. 54
Meet Slurpy! Rhum and Ruins
Caribbean Calendar
Exploring Martinique ............ 32
The events of 2017 ............... 27
Importing parts in paradise .. 40
Getting It
Art, Design & Production.........Wilfred Dederer wide@caribbeancompass.com Administration.........................Shellese Craigg shellese@caribbeancompass.com Advertising compass@caribbeancompass.com
Caribbean Compass welcomes submissions of articles, news items, photos and drawings. See Writers’ Guidelines at www.caribbeancompass.com. Send submissions to sally@caribbeancompass.com. We support free speech! But the content of advertisements, columns, articles and letters to the editor are the sole responsibility of the advertiser, writer or correspondent, and Compass Publishing Ltd. accepts no responsibility for any statements made therein. Letters and submissions may be edited for length and clarity. ©2017 Compass Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication, except short excerpts for review purposes, may be made without written permission of Compass Publishing Ltd. ISSN 1605 - 1998
Cover: ARC2016 participant Hanna makes her ARC2016 landfall at sunset — the finish line team is there day and night, and so is photographer Tim Wright. See ARC2016 story on page 22 Compass covers the Caribbean! From Cuba to Trinidad, from Panama to Barbuda, we’ve got the news and views that sailors can use. We’re the Caribbean’s monthly look at sea and shore.
Santa Marta Cartagena
Click Google Map link below to find the Caribbean Compass near you! http://bit.ly/1fMC2Oy
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‘Everybody knows the Caribbean Compass is essential reading for anyone who is sailing, cruising or related to the water in any way in the Eastern Caribbean. It is always thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining to read.’ — Rosie Hoggarth
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
Keeping the water clean ........ 15
Publisher..................................Tom Hopman tom@caribbeancompass.com Editor...........................................Sally Erdle sally@caribbeancompass.com Assistant Editor...................Elaine Ollivierre jsprat@vincysurf.com
JANUARY 2017
Caribbean Compass is published monthly by Compass Publishing Ltd., The Valley, P.O. Box 727, Anguilla, British West Indies. Tel: (784) 457-3409, Fax: (784) 457-3410, compass@caribbeancompass.com, www.caribbeancompass.com
Info & Updates Martinique Eases Duty-Free Rules for Yachts Douglas Rapier reports: Following major efforts by the Martinique Yachting Association (MYA) to get the French islands in line with the rest of the Caribbean regarding full duty-free and VAT-free practices for visiting yachts, the government
JANUARY 2017
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
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BEN FARNHAM
has agreed as a first step to a simplification of existing duty-free and VAT-free rules for repair and maintenance for visiting yachts. For all visiting pleasure yachts, the duties and taxes that these procedures can avoid are: • The duty called “octroi de mer” on all materials; its rate is typically about ten percent.
• The Customs charge due on all materials imported from a non-European Community country (USA, Canada, Latin America, etcetera); its rate varies from four to 12 percent. • VAT at the time of sale; it is 8.5 percent on materials, labour and services. Definition of a visiting pleasure yacht: ANY yacht that is within the 18-month visitation window allowed between its clearance in and its clearance out. All yachts flagged in European, North and South American, or any other countries are eligible for these procedures. Exception: Yachts flagged in Martinique and Guadeloupe are NOT eligible for these procedures. The duty/VAT savings of the above can be achieved through a company offering a one-stop Customs portal for visiting yachts: • To import bona fide ship’s stores duty-free and VAT-free (via “PST” procedure). • To have all repairs and maintenance done VAT-free on parts and VAT-free on all professional labour (via “PA” procedure). Douglas Yacht Services (DYS), located in Le Marin, has arranged with Customs to be a one-stop Customs portal in order to provide these services to visiting yachts. DYS has put in place a transit bonded warehouse to facilitate handling of any specific demands, such as shipments arriving in advance of the yacht’s arrival. DYS has engaged a Customs bond in order to be able to offer these services. With these procedures, Martinique is now well positioned to offer its high level of technical competence to the international yachting community. With the recent investment in a high-class haulout facility with two new travel lifts of 80 and 440 tons (up to 50 metres LOA), the yachting base in Le Marin is now in a strong competitive position. Indeed there are over 1,500 yachts based here in the bay of Le Marin all year round. This facility is backed up by the existing float-in/float-out dry-dock in Fort de France with a capacity of up to 170 metres LOA. Contact Douglas @yachtservices.fr for more information. Venezuela Clearance Updates Venezuela gives visiting yachts an 18-month cruising permit on entry, but this must be renewed every three months. To check in you will need the following: boat documentation or registration, clearance from last port of call, passports for all crewmembers. Note that US passport holders will need a visa before entry to the country. This is strictly enforced. At the current time the Port Captain requires a fee of US$17.70 paid by wire transfer to a bank in Uruguay. In Puerto La Cruz, this can be handled by Keigla Boat Services at Marina Bahia Redonda (Keigla speaks Spanish, English and French); the current cost there including bank transfer fee is US$69.70 ($17.70 for the Port Captain and $52 bank transfer fee). The total cost for check-in as of November 2016 — including taxes, agent’s fees, and Immigration — is US$80, plus a separate $17.70 to the bank in Uruguay for the Port Captain’s fee (if Keigla Boat Services does the transfer for you it is $69.70 total for the Port Captain’s fee and bank transfer). If you decide to do the clearance yourself, the captain and crewmembers must go to the Immigration and Customs office. The nearest office to Puerto La Cruz is located in the city of Guanta, about a 20-minute drive. You will have to go to a bank and make a deposit, and you will have to buy the relevant tax stamps. After you have cleared Customs and Immigration, you need to visit the Port Captain’s office. —Continued on next page
*
Built by sailmakers dedicated to building the finest, most durable and technologically advanced sails possible. British Virgin Islands Doyle Sailmakers BVI, Ltd Road Reef Marina Road Town, Tortola Tel: (284) 494 2569 bob@doylecaribbean.com
Barbados Doyle Offshore Sails, Ltd Six Crossroads St Philip Tel: (246) 423 4600 joanne@doylecaribbean.com
www.DOYLECARIBBEAN.com Antigua & Barbuda Star Marine Jolly Harbour
Jamaica PJG Kingston
St. Vincent Barefoot Yacht Charters Blue Lagoon
Bonaire IBS b/v Kaya Atom Z
Martinique Voilerie Du Marin 30 Bld Allegre
Trinidad & Tobago AMD Chaguaramas
Panama Regency Marine Panama City
USVI St Croix Wilsons' Cruzan Canvas Christiansted
Curacao Zeilmakerij Harms Kapiteinsweg #4
Puerto Rico Dominica Atlantic Canvas & Sail Dominica Marine Center Fajardo, Puerto Rico Roseau St Lucia Grenada Rodney Bay Sails Turbulence Sails Rodney Bay True Blue St George * Dacron and HydraNet only
—Continued from previous page It is located near the Con Ferry pier, about a five-minute drive from Marina Bahia Redonda. Cruiser Diana Thompson says, “Some cruisers do their own check ins, but frankly it pays to have Keigla Boat Service do the legwork — the process goes so much faster. It can take multiple trips to get everything done. Keigla will arrange everything and provides transportation to and from Guanta.” CHRIS DOYLE
Prudent mariners advise cruisers currently wishing to visit Venezuela’s mainland to proceed directly to a marina in Puerto La Cruz
fications about their vessel or vessels, crew and passengers while transiting the Caribbean region. Users of SailClear simply submit their voyage details in its entirety in the first instance thereafter only minor alterations and edits are needed for ongoing/future voyages. Visit http://sailclear.com for more information. The Late Hurricane Otto In late November 2016, marine interests in the Western Caribbean were affected by the passage of the named storm Otto. As Hurricane Otto, this storm hit the coast of Costa Rica and Nicaragua on November 24th as a Category 2 storm on the fivepoint Saffir-Simpson scale. On November 22nd, cruisers in Panama reported maximum sustained winds of 60 knots, gusting to 75, with torrential rain and waves crashing over the top of the breakwater at the entrance to Shelter Bay Marina, although no damage in the marina was reported.
The checkout process requires the boat’s Venezuelan Cruising Permit, boat documentation, crew passports, and an inspection of the vessel by Guardia Costa. (Keigla’s cost for exit clearance is US$100 as of November 2016. This includes all taxes and port fees.) You will visit Immigration to clear out of the country. The Port Captain will issue your zarpe (clearance). The Guardia Costa will inspect your boat for drugs and contraband. You must leave immediately after the inspection. Make sure all your paperwork is in order before leaving. The Guardia Costa is patrolling the waters surrounding Venezuela. They might want to inspect your boat and review your clearance paperwork. Contact keiglaboatservices@gmail.com for more information.
Puerto Rican Station Wins SSCA Award Jeanne and Ann Lassus of Salinas, Puerto Rico have won the Seven Seas Cruising Association’s Bateman International Cruising Station of the Year Award for 2016. —Continued on next page
The Last of their Breeds...
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
SailClear Now Available in Barbados Peter Gilkes reports: We are pleased to confirm that the training of the staff who will be using SailClear has been completed and that the system is up and running for yachtsmen to use in Barbados. SailClear is an optional service available for use by yachts and other pleasure craft operators who wish to submit their Customs declarations in the form of electronic notifications, prior to arrival in countries where the system is available. This facility enables registered users to access the system to enter and update noti-
In Portobello, as many as 19 boats were damaged or sank in the anchorage, where sustained winds of 80 knots were reported, but boats in Linton Bay Marina were reported safe. Cruisers in the San Blas islands reported 40 knots of wind and five-metre seas. According to Jeff Masters of Weather Underground, in records dating back to 1851, Otto was the only tropical storm or hurricane whose centre moved over any part of Costa Rica. And according to Colorado State University’s Dr. Phil Klotzbach, Otto’s hurricane landfall was the latest in any calendar year on record in the Atlantic Basin.
JANUARY 2017
Editor’s note: Yachts choosing to sail to or from mainland Venezuela are strongly advised to take all possible security precautions, as reports of attacks on various types of vessels in Venezuelan waters are ongoing. In December, the US State Department warned US citizens against travel to Venezuela. Also, as of January 2017, the old 100-bolivar bills are no longer legal currency; they were replaced by new bills of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000 bolivars starting from December 15th. The old bills will be replaced by coins.
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Perkins M135 Marine Engine
Perkins M225Ti Marine Engine
The Perkins M135 and M225Ti are the last new non-electronic 6 cylinder marine engines available on the market. The engines are now discontinued but we have a stock of the last of them. Contact Parts & Power today whilst stocks last!
auction will be held at the Black Pearl Restaurant (formerly Gingerbread) on the waterfront in Belmont, Bequia on Sunday, February 5th. Viewing starts at 12:00 noon and the auction at 1:00PM sharp. Donated food and drink will be on sale, with all proceeds going directly to the school. Lend your support by donating items for the auction such as boat gear, art and handicrafts, unwanted gifts, household goods, jewelry and other new or gently used items (donations can be dropped off at the school during regular school hours), or by attending the auction itself and bidding for that rare gem that you just can’t resist! For more information visit www.bequiasunshineschool.org.
—Continued from previous page Founded in 1952, the SSCA is one of the oldest and largest organizations of cruisers in the world. Cruising Station hosts — over 150 of them worldwide — welcome visiting cruisers and offer information, guidance and assistance in many ways. Visit https://ssca.org for more information. St. Croix Christmas Boat Parade 2016 Fran Geocaris reports: Nineteen boats competed in the 17th annual St. Croix Christmas Boat Parade, held on December 10th, 2016. Even the Coast Guard vessel was decorated for the occasion! First-place winners in 12 categories were: Sail Boats - Time Out, Power Cats – Adventure, Power Boats Under 25 Feet – Saorise, Power Boats 26 to 32 Feet – Firefly, Power Boats 33 to 39 Feet – Benita, Power Boats 40 Feet - Irie Feelin, Power Boats 41+ Feet - Reliance (SCUBA), Best Lights – Tie between Living the Dream and USCG, Best Decorations - La Vie En Rose, Best Animation - Cat Chi, Best Music - Turn & Burn, and
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ELLEN SANPERE
Best Creativity - Live the Dash. The winner of the prize for Best Boat Overall was the Heineken Barge! This event could not have happened without the diligence of Sal Sanpere of Olympic Car Rentals. Every year, Sal works tirelessly to raise funds for the spectacular fireworks show which follows the boat parade. Sal’s committee, chaired by Trish Rhodes, works hard to make the entire day come together, from decorating a tree downtown to coordinating vendors, a steel pan troupe, moko jumbies and bouncy houses to getting boaters to participate in judging — and finally to thanking all who were involved with beautiful (donated) prizes. Special thank you to all sponsors, SCUBA for course set-up/teardown, DPNR Patrol Vessel, VIPD Marine Unit, Coast Guard – great way to join in the fun with boat decorations — and to Santa Claus and his “elf”. Sailors’ & Landlubbers’ Auction in Bequia The Bequia Sunshine School is a non-profit organization for children with special needs. The annual Sailors’ & Landlubbers’ Auction has become a significant source of income for the school and a huge source of fun for all who attend. The 2017
UB40 to Perform at St. Maarten Heineken Regatta The 37th edition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta will take place from March 2nd through 5th and promises a “Legendary Night” to close off the final evening. The organizers have announced the chart-topping band UB40 has been confirmed as the headline act for the evening of March 5th on Kim Sha Beach. UB40, featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue, will close out the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta’s four days of top-notch sailing and four nights of amazing music festivities.
Entrance to the performance on Sunday will be free of charge to regatta sailors and official active volunteers of the 2017 regatta. For VIP tickets, ticketing and information about the show, contact regatta@heinekenregatta.com. Visit www.heinekenregatta.com for more information about the regatta. Welcome Aboard! In this issue of Caribbean Compass we welcome new advertisers Re/Max Realty on page 53. Good to have you with us! Happy New Year! We take this opportunity to wish all of our readers, contributors, advertisers and supporters a very Happy 2017 from the entire Compass Crew!
THE DIFFERENCE IS what we do and the way we do it. AMENITIES • 282 Fixed Slips • Wide Concrete Finger Piers • On-Site Fuel Dock and Diesel Delivered on all Slips except on Dock “A” • Safety, Cleanliness and Service is our Primary Concern • Whole Area Patrolled by 24 Hour Security • Camera Surveillance • Official Cruising Station of SSCA
• Complimentary Cable TV and Wi-Fi • Boat Chandlery On Site • Water and Electricity • Restrooms and Showers • Laundry Facilities • Nearby Ship's Chandlery and Convenience Store • Near Small Eateries and Upscale Elegant Restaurants such as El Conquistador Hotel and Casino • US Custom and Immigration Located 1/2 mile Away by Dinghy • Ample Parking
Join us today and be part of our family.
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T: 787.863.0313 F: 787.863.5282 E: sunbaymarina@aol.com Parcelas Beltrán, Bo. Sardinera, Fajardo, Puerto Rico
Close to:
JANUARY 2017
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
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True Blue, St George’s Grenada
GUY DEAN
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JANUARY 2017 CARIBBEAN COMPASS
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Selected Caribbean Shortwave Weather Reports Winter 2017
The insurance business has changed. No longer can brokers talk of low rates. Rather, the honest broker can only say, “I’ll do my best to minimize your increase!” There is good insurance, there is cheap insurance, but there is no good cheap insurance. You never know how good your insurance is until you have a claim. My claims settlement record cannot be matched.
UTC AST* STATION & REPORT DESCRIPTION FREQ** TYPE MODE 0930 0530 Daily Offshore Forecast A Voice USB 1000 0600 Daily Caribbean Weather 6215 kHz (Uncontrolled 1000-1200) 1030 0630 Trinidad Emergency Net 3855 Voice LSB/Ham 1030 0630 Carib. Emergency & Weather Net 3815 Voice LSB/Ham 1100 0700 Eastern Carib. Weather (Chris) 4045 & 8137 Voice USB (Note 1) 1100 0700 Carib. Maritime Mobile Net (George) 7250 Voice LSB/Ham (Mon-Sat) 0720 (local time) Bahamas Weather C6AGG Net 7096/3696 Voice LSB/Ham 1130 0730 Bahamas Weather (Chris) 4045 & 8137 Voice USB (Note 1) 1200 0800 Coconut Telegraph 8170 Voice USB 1215 0815 KPK Cruising Safety Net (sponsor SSCA) 8104 Voice USB 1230 0830 US E.Coast, W. Atl. N&W of Bermuda Weather (Chris) 8137 & 12350 Voice USB (Note 1) 1330 0930 W. Caribbean Weather (Chris) 8137 & 12350 Voice USB (Note 1) After 1300 0900 East & ESE sponsoring vessel requests (Chris) 8137 & 12350 Voice USB (Note 1) 1530 1130 Offshore Forecast A Voice USB 2130 1730 Waterway Carib. Cocktail & Weather Net 7086 Voice LSB/Ham (Note 2) 2130 1730 Offshore Forecast A Voice USB 2200 1800 Carib. & Atlantic Weather (Chris) 8137 & 12350 Voice USB (Notes 1 and 1a) 2230 1830 Caribbean Emergency & Weather Net 3815 Voice LSB/Ham 0330 2330 Offshore Forecast A Voice USB 24/7/365 24-Hour Maritime Mobile Net (Emergency, Weather & Cruiser Assistance) 14300 USB/Ham * Note: Atlantic Standard Time (AST) does not shift to DST in winter
I have been connected with the marine insurance business for 47 years. I have developed a rapport with brokers and underwriters at Lloyds and am able to introduce boat owners to specialist brokers in the Lloyds market.
** Frequencies (in kHz): A) NMN, Chesapeake, 4426, 6501, 8764, 13089, 17314. Caribbean Sea approximately 25 minutes later. NMG, New Orleans, 4316, 8502, 12788. Caribbean Sea approximately 25 minutes later. B) 4316, 8502, 12788, 17144.5
Marine Insurance
e-mail: streetiolaire@hotmail.com www.street-iolaire.com
Private crewed yachts wanted for charters Grenada-Grenadines, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe Yacht must be in good conditions with at least one cabin and separate washroom for guests. Two persons crew required. Year round income. Call Sabine in Grenada (473) 444 4717 or email sabine@caribservice.com
www.caribbean-sun.com
www.karibikreisen.com
Private Jachten mit Crew für Charter gesucht Grenada-Grenadinen, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe Jacht muss in gutem Zustand sein mit mindestens 1 Kabine und eigener Nasszelle für Gäste. 2 Personen Crew. Ganzjähriges Einkommen. Johannes in Grenada anrufen (473) 444 4717 oder Email ja@caribservice.com
www.caribbean-sun.com
www.karibikreisen.com
Note 1: Unless severe weather threatens, this net is not conducted on Sundays. When there are active Tropical systems in the Atlantic, Marine Weather Center (Chris) runs a net at 2300 UTC/1900 AST on 8137, Voice USB. Note 1a: Please hail Marine Weather Center (WCY) 15 minutes before the net so that Chris knows where to aim his antenna to reach you. This net is geared primarily to offshore Atlantic and Pacific passagemakers. For schedule updates see www.mwxc.com Note 2: This net now operates during hurricane season only • WWV has World Marine Storm Warnings (Voice) at 8 minutes after each hour and Solar Flux information at 18 minutes after each hour on 2500, 5000, 10000, 15000 & 20000 (Switch to AM mode) • During hurricane activity, information can be found continuously on the Hurricane Watch Net on 14325 USB/Ham. • Anyone, licensed or not, may legally operate on Ham frequencies in the event of life-threatening or DISTRESS situations. • For cruiser info, check out the Coconut Telegraph at 1200 UTC [0800 AST) at 4060 USB. Also of interest, with weather, security and general info segments, is the Panama Connection Net at 1330 UTC on 8107 and the Northwest Caribbean Net at 1400 UTC on 6209. • A more complete schedule of eastern North Atlantic and Caribbean cruising nets is available at docksideradio.com/east_coast.htm SELECTED CRUISERS’ VHF NETS (Local Time) Nassau, Bahamas 0715 Ch-14 St. Martin/Maarten 0730 Ch-10 Monday-Saturday English Harbour, Antigua 0900 Ch-68/06 Daily Rodney Bay, St. Lucia 0830 Ch-68 Monday-Saturday Bequia, SVG 0800 Ch-68 Daily Grenada & southern Grenadines 0730 Ch-66 International Monday-Saturday Note: If the 66 repeater is unavailable, listen on Ch-69 for this net in southern Grenada, Carriacou & Union Island Chaguaramas, T&T 0800 Ch-68 Daily Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela 0745 Ch-72 (as available) Curaçao 0745 Ch-72 Monday-Saturday For more details on Caribbean Cruisers’ VHF Nets, see article on page 37. Thanks to cruisers for this information. As this issue of Compass went to press, it was correct to the best of our knowledge. Corrections and comments are welcome. Please send them to sally@caribbeancompass.com
NASA
SELECTED ON-LINE
WEATHER SOURCES
When was the last time you tapped the barometer to check the weather, or really observed the changing clouds? Yet weather prediction occupies a large part of a Caribbean sailor’s attention. How do we look for weather forecasts today? According to Wikipedia, it was not until the invention of the electric telegraph in 1835 that the modern age of weather forecasting began. Before that time, it was not widely practicable to transport information about the current state of the weather any faster than a steam train. By the late 1840s, the telegraph allowed reports of weather conditions from a wide area to be received almost instantaneously, allowing forecasts to be made from knowledge of weather conditions farther upwind. In the United States, the first public radio forecasts were made in 1925. Television forecasts followed in the 1940s. The Weather Channel began broadcasting in 1982. The technology used to disseminate weather forecasts is continually evolving. Although it’s been a long time since people tried to predict the weather by examining onion skins or seeing whether or not the groundhog went back in his hole, it has also been a while since mariners routinely listened to WWV radio for marine storm warnings. The use of once-popular weatherfax has been replaced by GRIB.
MODERN MECHANICS
Caribbean National, Regional and Island Weather Websites • Barbados Weather Radar: www.barbadosweather.org/barbados-weather-Radar-SABDriver.php • Barbados Weather Satellite: www.barbadosweather.org/barbados-weather-dir-Sat.php • Caribbean Weather: http://weather.org/caribbean.htm • Cuba Met Institute: www.met.inf.cu (in Spanish) • Curaçao Met Department: www.meteo.cw • Martinique Weather Radar: www.meteo.fr/temps/domtom/antilles/ pack-public/animation/animMOSAIC_ant.html (in French) • Panama Weather: www.hidromet.com.pa/index.php (in Spanish) • St. Martin: www.windguru.cz/51227 • St. Martin/SXM Cyclone: www.sxmcyclone.com (in French) • Trinidad & Tobago Weather Radar: www.metoffice.gov.tt/radar • US National Weather Service (for USVI and Puerto Rico): www.srh.noaa.gov/sju Commercial Marine Weather Service Websites • Buoyweather: www.buoyweather.com (supplies free two-day Caribbean forecasts for Cuba, Caymans, Haiti, DR and Puerto Rico plus Central America and Western Caribbean. Paid subscription custom forecasts available for other global areas) • Chris Parker’s Marine Weather Center: www.mwxc.com (paid subscription custom forecasts); also Facebook https://m.facebook.com/marineweathercenter • Crown Weather Services: www.crownweather.com (provides a good Tropical Weather page in addition to paid custom forecasts) Hurricane Information Websites • Caribbean Hurricane Network: www.stormcarib.com (latest local updates from correspondents on the islands) • US National Hurricane Center: www.nhc.noaa.gov (offshore reports) www.nhc.noaa.gov/marine/graphicast.php?basin=at#contents www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/tracking_chart_atlantic.pdf (print out for offline reference) • Weather Underground: www.wunderground.com/hurricane Special Treats! • Surf forecasts (great for those “iffy” anchorages): http://magicseaweed.com — see the animated swell height and swell period charts • Weather conversions: http://weather.org/conversion.htm Happy weather windows!
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General Weather Websites • Caribbean Rainbow Loop: www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/east/carb/flash-rb.html • Mike’s Weather Page: www.spaghettimodels.com • NOAA Marine Forecasts: www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/home.htm • PassageWeather: www.passageweather.com/maps/caribbean/mappage.htm (provides seven-day wind, wave and weather forecasts to help sailors with their own passage planning and weather routing) • US National Weather Service (for SW Atlantic): www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/swatlanticbrief.shtml • www.windyty.com (shows speed and direction of the wind for 14 days in about three-hour increments)
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
Although SSB radio is still indispensable, especially offshore, with WiFi so widely available in the Caribbean, increasing numbers of sailors now get their weather information from on-line sources. Here we present a selection that various Caribbean cruisers have recommended. Is your favorite weather website not listed here? Let us know!
JANUARY 2017
An article from Modern Mechanics magazine, 1932
JANUARY 2017
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
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BUSINESS BRIEFS
Budget Marine Grenada Wins Excellence in Tourism Award It is unusual for a chandlery to win an award for Excellence in Tourism but that is exactly what happened during the 2016 Grenada Chamber of Industry & Commerce Awards Ceremony when Budget Marine Grenada comfortably walked away with this award. Budget Marine’s leadership has been solid and consistent over the past decade and management’s constant attention to detail and the staff’s commitment to extraordinary customer service has resulted in loyal customers who make it their duty to return to Grenada every year to enjoy yachting. Nonetheless, Budget Marine has still found ways to Budget Marine Grenada’s Lera Griffith and Simeon further improve their way of doing business, giving them a Joseph receive Excellence in Tourism Award from well-deserved win for the Christine Finney Excellence in Tourism Award. Budget Marine Grenada has recently undergone expansion of its store to provide a wider range of products for its customers. In response to demand from the boating community, the store has added 1,200 square feet to its current retail space, providing an entirely new boatbuilding material section, as well as 400 square feet of additional warehousing and much-needed office space. This has resulted in an increased range of products offered as well as improved sales floor representation and service. The company has also improved their customer service even further by teaming up with Spice Island Marine Services, arranging training and preparation to create a service-dealer partnership for products that Budget Marine sells, thus providing better before- and after-sales service to its customers. On top of that, Budget Marine offers a free bus service to customers located on the southern coast of Grenada that enables them to visit the store once a week, free of charge and in comfort. Budget Marine does not only think about business but also its community, being a very strong supporter of Youth Sailing in Grenada. In addition to donating towards various events, Budget Marine has been the title sponsor of the largest fishing tournament in the southern Caribbean, the Budget Marine Spice Island Billfish Tournament, for the past six years. To show their commitment to sports tourism in Grenada, Budget Marine has recently signed on until 2019, bringing extra activity and business to the island. Nicholas George, manager of Budget Marine Grenada, stated, “I want all members of staff to understand that we could not have been nominated, much less win this award, unless it was seen from the outside that we are making a considerable contribution towards tourism here in Grenada. It just shows that it doesn’t really matter the number of staff you have or the type of business you are into, once you go the extra mile to ensure that visitors to this island are treated the way they are supposed to be, you will be recognized accordingly. We are very proud of receiving this award and will be setting it up prominently on the shop floor.” Affordable price range, outstanding leadership in the marine industry, tireless efforts to bolster the marine industry and that special bond between management and staff, making every effort to find solutions to problems whether marine related or not, has made this company stand out. For more information on Spice Island Marine Services see ad on page 26 For more information on Budget Marine see ad on page 2. WIND Named Seajet Distributor of the Year Adam Fiander reports: We at Seajet paints are pleased to present our Distributor of the Year award to Bruno Marmousez and his team at WIND (West Indies Nautical Distribution) of Martinique. Bruno is one of our longest-serving distributors and his pioneering work with the 038 Taisho antifouling as an excellent “eco-responsible” alternative to our other products has helped increase turnover by 55 percent this past season. Always looking for innovative ways to market Seajet products, Bruno got Seajet Taisho mentioned on Caribbean TV when, back in July, he organized a well-attended press and media social event that coincided with the lifting out of the cataBruno Marmousez of WIND in Martinique accepts Distributor maran Clement — of the Year award from Seajet’s Emily Schreurs which had been coated with Taisho some 15 months previously — showing only a coat of slime and no other type of fouling in evidence (see full story on page 12 at http://www.caribbeancompass. com/online/august16compass_online.pdf). WIND are also working with the St. Lucia-based charter company Jus’ Sail (www. jussail.com), who have agreed to test Taisho on their Carriacou sloop, Good Expectations, which is based in the tough fouling environment of Rodney Bay Lagoon, St. Lucia. The owner of Jus’ Sail, James Crockett, loves the idea of using only eco-friendly products with low toxicity and has agreed to test Taisho in the coming season. James says, “To date we have tried five different brands and varieties of antifoul over the past five seasons with varying levels of nasty toxins in them and to date none of them have kept our hull slime free and barnacle free over a season… We will be posting updates on the state of the hull over the coming season. Fingers crossed for a positive result!” For more information on WIND see ad on page 55. For more information on Seajet Paint see ad on page 10. —Continued on next page
—Continued from previous page Get Your 2017 Island Water World Catalogue in Print, PDF or USB Celebrating five decades in business, Island Water World’s new catalogue is bigger than ever — with 576 pages fully loaded with new and existing products. It has been in circulation in print since November and is also available online at islandwaterworld.com as a searchable PDF version and ready for download. As in previous years, customers can request a USB key version in IWW stores, next to the printed copy. For more information on Island Water World see ad on page 56. Ti’Ponton: Martinique’s Boating Directory — 12th Edition Now Available Ti’Ponton is the most comprehensive information resource for the boating business in Martinique and is packed with practical information, useful addresses, the right contacts and all the things that help yachtsmen and their crew make the most of their Caribbean cruise. Also included in the Ti’Ponton 2017 edition: a comprehensive boating directory for St. Lucia and — new! — a boating directory for Guadeloupe. Ti’Ponton is a free publication and can be picked up all around the island all year round. For more information on Ti’Ponton see ad on page 38.
JANUARY 2017 CARIBBEAN COMPASS
Mercury’s VesselView Mobile Available for Download in North America Mercury Marine, the world leader in marine propulsion and technology, announces that the VesselView Mobile app is now available for free download on the App Store & Google Play in North America (Canada, Mexico and the USA). Available for iOS and Android mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets, the VesselView Mobile app instantly provides users access to their boat’s SmartCraft digital data in the palm of their hand. The product also recently won a prestigious IBEX innovation award. The VesselView Mobile module, which is needed to fully utilize the app, is available for purchase at participating Mercury Marine dealers, from the VesselView Mobile app or on www.vesselviewmobile.com. The product is compatible with all Mercury SmartCraftcapable engines built since 2003. One module supports single through quad engine applications. SmartCraft is a fully integrated suite of digital technologies, including marine gauges, sensors, vessel systems and computer-controlled features, giving users a higher level of control over their boat’s propulsion and electrical systems. Now, with Mercury Marine’s VesselView Mobile, users can see SmartCraft engine data right on the screen of their mobile device. The app also includes useful new features such as Fuel Information, Maintenance Reminders, Mapping, Performance Summary, and Fault Code Diagnostics. Mercury Marine’s VesselView Mobile app also provides users with a web-based account that gives them and their preferred dealer an even deeper connection to their boat. Mercury Marine is the world’s leading manufacturer of recreational marine propulsion engines. For more information on Mercury Marine dealers in the Caribbean see ad on page 48. You’ve Asked — and Clarkes Court Has Listened
Clifton Wilson Retires from Island Water World Birgit Roethel reports: As Island Waster World prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary in March, it will also be honoring Clifton Wilson, who will have spent nearly 45 years working for the company. Affectionately known as “Cliffy”, Clifton joined Island Water World in 1972 when the premises in Cole Bay, St. Maarten had just been built. He was employed as the bookkeeper and oversaw a rather “diversified” marine business. In Cole Bay, Island Water World focused on the local fisherman, selling a lot of little Seagull outboards and a smattering of Evinrudes and Johnsons. Fishing tackle was also available, as well as a small assortment of resins, paints and antifoulings. “If there were ten suppliers, it was a lot,” recalls Clifton. At this time Island Water World also had a small store in Philipsburg, just outside the Court House, which specialized in Sunfish boat rentals — but was not beyond selling wooden Dutch clogs and Dutch windmill bedside lamps! —Continued on next page
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Arlene Telesford reports: Clarkes Court Boatyard & Marina in Grenada is known for listening and we are doing just as you requested. We are extending our Early Bird Offer to January 31st! Book a six-month haulout and receive a ten-percent discount for the 2017 season (special conditions apply). For vessels 90 feet and over we’ve got a special rate for you, too. Send your inquiry to info@clarkescourtmarina.com to receive your Large Vessel Special Rate. Those booking early: you have a chance to receive one of our T-shirts or a pair of flip-flops at the office upon your arrival, along with our welcome rum punch. “That’s really nice!” you say. Sure it is, because you are the reason we haul boats! For more information on Clarkes Court Marina and Boatyard see ad on page 7.
—Continued from previous page From bookkeeping, Clifton progressed to purchasing, which at the time required letters being sent to suppliers — with up to three weeks’ delay in getting an acknowledgement — only to find much on order was not available. “Things improved somewhat with the installation of a Telex machine at the telephone office in Philipsburg, which required a weekly drive over the hill to place orders,” he says with a smile. In time, and with the advancement in technology, Clifton was instrumental in computerizing the company in the late 1980s with a Commodore computer. With this installation Cliffy found his forte and has presided over the company’s information technology ever since — a legacy he can be justifiably proud of, as Island Water World now has a worldclass retail information system and much of it can be credited
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to his efforts. Goodbye Cliffy, from all of us here at Island Water World and all your friends in the marine industry; we will miss you! For more information on Island Water World see ad on page 56.
St. Kitts Marine Works S BOAT YARD - Haul & Storage
LOCATED AT NEW GUINEA, ST.KITTS Long 62º 50.1’ W Lat 17º 20.3’ N LO
“QUALITY SERVICE AT A GREAT PRICE”
Special - 5% discount for full payment. Haul and Launch $ 11 / ft. Storage $ 8 / ft / month. Beat the Hurricane season rush. Have access to your vessel to be launched at any time and not get stuck behind other boats. Tie down available ($3/ft), backhoe available ($100/hr) to dig hole to put keel down in etc. Pressure wash, Mechanics ($45/hr), Electricians ($45/hr), Welding and Carpenters available. Our 164 ton Travel Lift has ability to lift boats up to 35 ft wide and 120 feet long. We allow you to do your own work on your boat. No extra charge for Catamarans. Payments – Cash (EC or US$) Visa, Mastercard, Discover & travellers checks (must sign in front of us with ID) 24 hr manned Security, completely fenced property with CCTV. Water and electricity available. FREE high speed Wifi.
www.skmw.net E-mail: Bentels@hotmail.com Cell: 1 (869) 662 8930 REGULAR HOURS FOR HAUL: Monday to Thurs 8am to 3pm, Fridays 8am to Noon
Agents for:
Lesley Hayes Joins Horizon Yacht Charters Grenada James & Jacqui Pascall, owners of Horizon Yacht Charters Grenada, are pleased to welcome Lesley Hayes to their team. Lesley joins the Reservations Department based in Port Louis Marina in St. George’s Lagoon. Lesley is originally from the northwest of England, and the only boat she had been on before the age of 29 was a cross-channel ferry. That all changed when she met a sailing instructor and soon found herself on a 37-foot yacht, sailing across the Bay of Biscay. After four years of cruising the Mediterranean during the summer and working as a probation officer back home in the winter, she left England behind her and settled in Greece, where she quickly found a job working for a yacht charter company. Here Lesley gained several years of valuable experience in all things “yachting” and particularly handling reservations. Then the man in her life planted the seed of buying an ocean-going boat and crossing the Atlantic. The seed grew into a plan and in November 2015 they took part in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC). Since then they have stayed in the Caribbean, basing themselves in St. Vincent and getting to know and love the island, the Grenadines and Grenada. Recently Lesley had to acknowledge that even though she loved the cruising life, she actually missed going to work. The timing proved good, as the position at Horizon was being advertised, and now she is back where she is happiest, helping people find the best sailing holiday to suit them. Horizon Yacht Charters is a small, privately owned and managed yacht charter company with bases in Grenada and St. Vincent dedicated to tailor-made vacations into the Grenadine Islands onboard a growing fleet of modern charter yachts. James Pascall commented, “As the company has recently opened a new charter base in Blue Lagoon, St. Vincent, we are ideally placed to offer our charters from either end of the Grenadines chain. Lesley has tremendous character and energy and will be a great asset to us in developing our business — welcome aboard!” For more information on Horizon Yacht Charters see ad in the Market Place section, pages 49 through 51. Elf Aquitaine Goes Even Greener Conrad Colman raced in the 45,000-kilometre Vendee Globe roundthe-world sailing event without a drop of fuel, demonstrating that the regenerative Oceanvolt energy management system is providing for all of his energy needs. In the Caribbean, we at Greenventuresltd.com are also making a positive change by upgrading the conversion of transatlantic recordbreaker and Route Du Rhum winner Elf Aquitaine to renewable-energy autonomy to influence the Caribbean sailing community that it’s time to save our marine environment. Following the report in the August 2016 issue of Caribbean Compass (www.caribbeancompass.com/online/ august16compass_online.pdf, Business Briefs) we have done the following upgrades. Her port Oceanvolt SD10 is being given a power boost by… —Continued on next page
—Continued from previous page …converting it to a SD15 and an additional SD15 is being installed in her starboard hull. With this we are doubling the size of her computerized Super-B lithium ion battery bank. Under sail, the two SD15s provide up to four kilowatts per hour via the computerized regenerative charging button. Because of Elf Aquitaine’s 35-foot beam there was more than enough space to accommodate an increase in the size of her solar roof. The addition of eight more 190-watt solar panels to her existing twelve 190-watt solar panels, plus a Solarcloth mainsail, will provide 3,800 watts of solar power. Once connected to WiFi or a satellite communication system, all the Oceanvolt systems’ energy management software is upgraded automatically. This also enables remote monitoring and control from your smart phone or computer from anywhere on earth and provides real-time remote warranty monitoring and service. The motor’s software is upgraded from the SD10 to the SD15 remotely by one of the Oceanvolt engineers in Finland. There is no risk of electrocution with a 48-Volt system, making Oceanvolt installation safe.
Welcome to Bequia Plantation Hotel, where the staff promises an unforgettable stay
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Suzuki Del Caribe to Showcase Latest Outboard Trends at Open House Suzuki del Caribe is ready for the upcoming boating season and will showcase the latest in outboard trends during its second annual Suzuki Open House. The event takes place on January 29th at the Foreign Trade Zone in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The Open House will feature a display of outboards and boats, designed with the latest in technology and innovation, which the nautical community is bound to enjoy. “For the second year in a row, Suzuki is gathering all boaters in one place to give them a preview of what Suzuki Marine has for them in the New Year,” says Erving Rosario, sales and marketing manager of Suzuki Del Caribe. “In this event, they will get detailed information about our products and services, and learn more about our distribution network in the Caribbean.” The event will feature tours through the Foreign Trade Zone, as well as brief workshops and expert advice from Suzuki’s authorized dealers. There will be raffles, music and activities for the whole family to enjoy. “We want everyone to start experiencing the Suzuki Way of Life and know that we are the best power option as they prepare for the upcoming boating season,” Rosario adds. For more information on this event, visit Suzuki Marine’s official Facebook fan page https://www.facebook.com/SuzukiCaribbeanMarine or its webpage www.suzukipr.com You can also follow the company on Instagram under Suzuki Caribbean Marine. For more information on Suzuki Del Caribe see ad on page 41.
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Make Memories in Bequia! Arlene Telesford reports: Exciting times await you at Bequia Plantation Hotel with our New General Manager, Connie Kirkpatrick (former owner of Mad Mongoose in Antigua) and Chef Oshea Dunning on board with a whole new menu on offer. Together they promise to make your stay and dining unforgettable — experiences that would make memories that would last a lifetime. Bequia Plantation Hotel will be hosting the Bequia Mount Gay Music Fest on the night of January 20th and on the afternoon of the 21st and the annual Action Bequia Dinner & Benefit held on February 11th. Mark your calendars for these events as they promise to be exciting and enjoyable. For more information contact info@bequiaplantationhotel.com and see ad on page 15.
JANUARY 2017
Grenada Tourism Authority Retains CAMC The Miami-based PR agency Cheryl Andrews Marketing Communications (CAMC) has been appointed by the Grenada Tourism Authority to manage its communications and social media strategy in North America and the Caribbean, raising awareness of the new “Pure Grenada – the Spice of the Caribbean” brand message in target niche markets. Following an extensive and competitive review process, CAMC was selected as the agency of record and officially began to manage the destination’s public relations efforts in the US, Canada and Caribbean markets on December 1st, 2016. “We are delighted to now have public relations representation in the USA, Canada, and the Caribbean after many years. CAMC has years of industry knowledge and PR experience and emerged as the best agency after an intensive process to deliver the quality marketing support that the GTA wants,” says Rodney George, Chairman of the Grenada Tourism Authority. “Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique cater to the discerning traveller looking for serene escapes and soft adventures off-the-beaten path, so strategic, targeted outreach is important to us.” The Grenada Tourism Authority launched the “Pure Grenada” brand with the intention of highlighting the island’s untouched and unspoiled outdoor offerings. The idea is to maintain the island’s authenticity and eco-friendly experience while appealing to the key niche markets such as sailing and yachting, cruising, diving, soft adventure, and romance. “We’ve been representing island destinations in the Caribbean for 30 years and are confident that we can connect Grenada with media and travelers in a way that will drive business for the island and its stakeholders, says Cheryl Andrews, CAMC president.
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CARIBBEAN ECO-NEWS VI Reef Fest Teaches Community and Visitors About Marine Environment Hundreds of community members and tourists turned out in St. Thomas, USVI, on November 12th to learn about environmental conservation at the seventh annual Reef Fest. Held at Coral World Ocean Park, the free educational festival featured environmental science presentations, marine life exhibits, raffle prize giveaways and live music. Attendees learned about topics including the dangers of microplastics and also invasive lionfish, which they had the chance to sample through a live cooking demonstration. Scientific concepts such as “blue carbon” were also part of the program; as opposed to green carbon, which is stored in forests, blue carbon is absorbed and stored by coastal and ocean ecosystems such as mangroves and seagrass beds. Booth exhibits from local schools and community groups were displayed. Students from Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School, Addelita Cancryn Junior High School and Lockhart Elementary School were among the presenters, as were representatives from the Department of Planning and Natural Resources and the Caribbean Oceanic Restoration Education Foundation. Reef Fest raises funds for the Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service, which works to bring awareness to marine resources and environmental issues, and Blue Flag USVI, a program that gives environmental awards to beaches and marinas that work to meet sustainability standards. The event also raises funds to help infuse an educational model, known as Eco-Schools, into the territory. Eco-Schools is the world’s largest environmental education program. The model incorporates environmental education into every subject area to reinforce the importance of ecosystem conservation. This year’s Reef Fest focus was marine debris — improperly disposed of trash that intentionally or unintentionally ends up in the ocean. Howard Forbes Jr., St. Thomas coordinator for the Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service, said it was a fitting year to focus on marine debris: “We’re honing in specifically on marine debris given the legislature just banned plastic bags, which will be effective in January.” Migratory Birds, and Treaties that Protect Them, Celebrated on 20 Caribbean Islands As migratory birds arrived to settle in the Caribbean for the winter, a series of festivals celebrating these birds swept through the region’s islands as well. In Cuba, a group of local and international students learned about how birds are captured and banded for research, and identified a plethora of migrant warblers in a birding walk. Students in the Dominican Republic visited the National Botanical Garden to spot migratory birds and participate in a bird art competition organized by Grupo Acción Ecológica. Members of the public in St. Martin were treated to a variety of presentations and activities in a daylong event, including learning about aquatic insects that sustain migratory birds in a Portable Pond Discovery Station, and how two women laid the groundwork for major conservation treaties in efforts to save egrets from exploitation by the fashion industry. In Puerto Rico, a group of students were delighted to learn how to use binoculars to spot different terns, gulls, and Brown Pelicans feeding in the waters of the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. What was all the fun about? It was the annual fall celebration of International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD), a hemispheric festival highlighting the fascinating story of bird migration. The festival is coordinated in the Caribbean by BirdsCaribbean, a regional non-
profit dedicated to raising awareness about and conserving the region’s birds and habitats.
Students from José Horacio Cora School, Arroyo, Puerto Rico: delighted to learn how to use binoculars to spot feeding seabirds This year the IMBD theme was Spread Your Wings for Bird Conservation, in recognition of the Centennial of the US Migratory Bird Treaty, which made it unlawful to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill or sell migratory birds. Local organizations and coordinators in each island highlighted how laws, treaties and protected areas help conserve our migratory birds, and what the average citizen can do to help, such as never buying wild-caught birds, reporting the capture and sale of wild birds to the authorities, planting native trees for birds, and supporting local environmental groups that work to conserve nature. At IMBD events throughout the region, participants learned that the Caribbean islands provide a winter home for dozens of different migratory bird species. However, many of these species have unfortunately been experiencing declines in recent years due to destruction of native habitats, pollution, hunting, poaching and other threats. Abelardo Díaz Alfaro Elementary School of Puerto Rico celebrated a weeklong Migratory Bird Festival, including the creation of a beautiful collage, a mural and presentations by students about how they can help conserve birds. Meanwhile, others visited protected areas like the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge in Puerto Rico, which held a weeklong open house with presentations and videos about migratory birds and the value of the refuge and bird art activities for kids. Youth in Jamaica were treated to a field trip that included birding and a nature scavenger hunt, thanks to the National Environment and Planning Agency. After a successful 2016 festival, planning is already underway for IMBD celebrations in 2017, which will focus on the importance of “stopover sites” — places for migratory birds to rest and “refuel” during their long migrations. The Caribbean islands host a wealth of such sites, providing another opportunity to get
people outside enjoying nature and our colorful and fascinating winter visitors. Visit www.migratorybirdday.org for more information. Recycling Program Launched in Bequia Phase One of the NGO Action Bequia’s recycling is in place at the sorting station at the Sand Pit in Port Elizabeth, Bequia, next to the vegetable market. Currently the only items being recycled are aluminum cans and plastic bottles, which can be deposited in one of the many bins for recyclables around the island. Please start separating your aluminum cans and plastic bottles from your other garbage and drop them in the bin most convenient for you. The Action Bequia website (www. actionbequia.org) has maps showing where the bins are located. First Marine Climate Change Report Card for the Caribbean in the Works The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) has been working with other Caribbean agencies and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), a marine science and technology agency sponsored by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. The agencies are preparing the firstever marine climate change report card for the Caribbean, under the Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme funded by the UK government. Bryony Townhill, Marine Climate Change Scientist at CEFAS, hopes that the initiative will bring together climate change knowledge in the region so that it is both digestible and accessible “in one place,” especially for those who need it for decision-making.
Climate change working group in Belize: (l to r) Nadine Nembhard, Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations; Grace Chun, British High Commission in Belize; Milton Haughton and Peter Murray, CRFM; and Paul Buckley and Bryony Townhill, CEFAS Townhill reviewed the main themes chosen earlier this year for the review, a process which engaged a range of Caribbean experts. She elaborated on three focal themes: • ocean processes – ocean acidification, extreme events (storms and surge) and sea temperature; • biodiversity – fish, shellfish, coral reefs a nd mangroves; • civil society – fisheries, tourism and settlements. Visit www.crfm.int for more information.
An EPIC Eco-Challenge by Natalia Collier Those who live onboard are acutely aware of how much waste they create. Unlike houses, boats have clear limits to how much wastewater or trash they can hold. Although boaters are often more alert to the environmental impacts of their actions, and try to do the right thing, getting rid of that waste in a responsible way can be a challenge in the Caribbean. Those who want to provide a responsible way to dispose of waste on small islands face challenges of their own, as the non-profit foundation Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) found out. According to international law, boaters must be at least 12 nautical miles from land to legally discharge untreated sewage. Given the short distances between some
meaning they are far outside acceptable ranges for human health. Enterococci bacterial levels exceeded allowable levels in 96 percent of drainage ditch and Lagoon samples. Yachts entering and leaving the Simpson Bay Lagoon must wait for scheduled bridge openings, and pay bridge fees, making it even more inconvenient for offshore disposal of wastewater. With just two narrow entrances to the Lagoon, one on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten and one on the French side of Saint-Martin, the more urbanized areas lack sufficient water flow to dilute pollutants. This lack of circulation can lead to a foul odor and water clarity that is a far cry from the Caribbean blue that visitors expect.
reality. With a used skiff, used outboard, and a new pump and holding tank, the vessel, affectionately named Slurpy, was ready to hit the water in 2011. St. Maarten Shipyard donated dock space and a landbased holding tank where Slurpy could offload her 200-gallon capacity tank. As a non-profit foundation, EPIC isn’t permitted to receive income from the boat operations but also needs to cover operation costs. Therefore, the service is sub-contracted to a local company, the Business Point, which assists cruisers with logistics and communications. The boat operator is a licensed captain with many years of experience successfully running charter boats in St. Maarten. Then, in 2014, the vessel was badly damaged during Hurricane Gonzalo, which was forecast to be a tropical storm but rapidly changed direction and charged toward St. Maarten as a hurricane. Insurance funds were not enough to get Slurpy back to work and it wasn’t clear if EPIC would be able to revive the service. However, thanks to support from the Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority, part of the Port St. Maarten Group of Companies, EPIC purchased a brand new fourstroke outboard, renewed insurance, and began promoting the service. After many challenges, EPIC has achieved its goal of providing sewage pumpout services, offering boat owners an environmentally responsible choice while on St. Martin/St. Maarten. And that means one less challenge for cruisers who want to do the right thing. Boaters can schedule an appointment for a sewage pumpout by hailing Slurpy on VHF Channel 10, by phone at (721) 544-3315, or e-mail pumpoutsxm@gmail.com. To learn more about being a pumpout boat sponsor, contact EPIC at (721) 545-3009 or info@epicislands.org.
Below: The original Slurpy was beaten up by Hurricane Gonzalo, in 2014
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Since EPIC lacks the resources to install a sewage system for the island, the next best thing is to offer sewage disposal to yachts in the form of a pumpout boat. So, with this goal in mind, in 2008 the group began conducting surveys of boaters to figure out if people would use it. The results looked promising; some respondents voiced their amazement that no such service existed when you could get nearly anything else you needed on the island. Many were also appalled by the water quality. Natalia Collier, President of EPIC, noted, “Our survey of boaters using Simpson Bay Lagoon showed that pumpout services are expected, particularly among North American and European visitors. A total of 86 percent of respondents thought the lagoon should be designated a ‘no sewage discharge’ zone and three-quarters said they would use a mobile pumpout service.” Now it was time to raise the money needed to buy the pumpout boat. With the financial support of the local community and maritime industry, including Island Global Yachting, Princess Port de Plaisance, and Wired Sailor, as well as fundraising events, and a generous contribution by CA Technologies, the dream became
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islands, even this may not be possible, and few ports in the region offer responsible sewage disposal options. EPIC has been working to address this wastewater disposal issue for St. Maarten, a major yachting destination of the Caribbean, as part of its Love the Lagoon project. The project works to protect and restore the Simpson Bay Lagoon, one of the largest lagoons in the region, as well as other wetlands. The Lagoon is the dominant feature of the island’s landscape and a significant driver of the economy, particularly the yachting sector. In urbanized areas, the Lagoon is bordered by marinas, marine supply stores, shipyards, restaurants, and other businesses catering to the yachting industry and tourism. Other areas harbor remnant mangrovetree stands and seagrass beds, crucial homes to a diversity of marine life on this rapidly developing island. Wastewater disposal on this and other islands is not just a problem for yachts but also for those on land, where sewage-treatment systems are rarely in place and septic tanks are not maintained. EPIC’s research on water quality, in collaboration with the American University of the Caribbean, showed bacteria levels in many drainage ditches entering the Lagoon were classified as “too numerous to count” even after dilution,
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Left: The new Slurpy at your service, helping keep Simpson Bay Lagoon clean
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REGATTA NEWS
27th ARC Caribbean 1500 Wraps Up in Tortola For the third time in six years, the ARC Caribbean 1500 got off a day ahead of schedule to take advantage of a promising weather window to get the fleet south. Once offshore, it was a fast, downwind passage for the majority of the fleet, with a classic late-fall weather pattern in place, and no activity in the tropics. The annual Prizegiving held at Nanny Cay Marina wrapped up the festivities on November 18th, 2016. The first time in the event’s long history that the fleet departed from Virginia one day early to make a weather window was in 2012, following Hurricane Sandy. That established the precedent that, if needed, the rally would depart up to one day ahead of schedule in order to avoid a delay. Unlike last year, when late-season Hurricane Kate delayed the fleet by three days, this year’s weather was a more typical late-fall pattern, though an active one. As a cold front swept across the mid-Atlantic, the fleet departed on the heels of it, in a building northwesterly breeze. Once offshore, the cold front spawned a full gale north and east of Bermuda, with strong northerly winds generating a big swell and fast downwind conditions for the fleet. The long swell topped 15 feet and winds remained in the high 20s for three days. —Continued on next page
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Team Budget Marine - Micron 99 Tops Golden Rock Regatta Team Budget Marine - Micron 99 was the overall winner of the Golden Rock Regatta, which was held from November 13th through 17th, 2016. This five-day, seven-race regatta is held every year with many teams coming especially from the Netherlands to participate. The race course goes from St. Maarten to St. Barths to St. Eustatius and back to St. Maarten. The four-man Budget Marine team, consisting of Steve Ellsworth, Dan Smith and Han de Bruyn Kops and captained by Robbie Ferron, managed to particularly excel in the three short races that took place in St. Eustatius. This was made extra special as Statia Day was being celebrated together with the first recognition of the United States’ independence by a foreign power.
category and team Statia, captained by Siem Dijkshoorn, came in first in Bareboat 2. Team Budget Marine - Micron 99 came first in the Open Category and was named overall winner of the regatta. Visit www.Goldenrockregatta.com for full results.
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Caribbean Winter Circuit 5-Year Calendar Dates Published The CSA reports: The Caribbean big boat racing season now has its place firmly established on the international racing circuit. From January through early May every year, the world’s best racing yachts now set their schedule to include the Caribbean Tour. Professional sailor and past president of the Caribbean Sailing Association (CSA), Peter Holmberg, can be credited for recognizing the importance of ensuring that all the islands collaborate in order to better the entire Caribbean region. By working together with each event to select its week of the year and keep it constant in successive years, the entire region can offer one clean non-overlapping circuit for sailors to plan for. This affords owners, teams, sailors and the press a much easier time of scheduling without conflicting events. And finally, it benefits each of the different islands and events by enabling them to own their week and get the maximum marketing and economic benefit. The CSA now keeps a five-year rolling calendar of the international events for just this purpose — keeping it up-to-date on the website and working each year on a rolling basis with event managers to establish the following year’s calendar and iron out any potential calendar clashes. Of the circuit Peter says, “The Caribbean has now matured and grown into its welldeserved place on the international race calendar. Each event has the challenge and incentive to meet the demands of today’s race fleets as well as ensure it maintains its uniqueness and offers improvements each year.” He goes on to say, “Teams can help organizers by entering early. Experience tells us other boats will be monitoring entry lists for their competitors and will be more likely to enter if they see their friends are entering a particular event.” The mission of the Caribbean Sailing Association is to promote sailing within the region, and Caribbean sailing to the world. The CSA also administers Rating Rules to provide a simple and fair handicap system for racing. Additionally, the CSA serves as a forum for yacht clubs, regattas, sailing organizations and sailors throughout the Caribbean to coordinate interests and events, exchange ideas and best practices, and combine voices to achieve broader exposure to the international community. The latest version of the calendar with dates from 2017-2021 (as well as details of regional events) can be found at http://caribbean-sailing.com.
Robbie Ferron said, “We are a team of experienced sailors and we know the course well but I think we had some extra ammunition this time around. The boat was using its new Interlux sail for one, but the real secret weapon is the Micron 99 paint coating, applied over a year ago. Even after languishing in the Simpson Bay lagoon during the off season and with no other prepping than being very easily ‘wiped’ for the season, the anti-fouling performance is unheard of in the Caribbean with its tough conditions.” This year 18 teams raced in three categories: Bareboat 1, Bareboat 2 and Open Class. Team Poco Loco, captained by Michael Roach, came first in the Bareboat 1
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Sunfish Worlds Held in Cartagena, Colombia Sailors from 17 countries participated in the 2016 Sunfish World Championship, held in Cartagena, Colombia, from November 22nd through 27th. With three races per day for five days, and in a fleet of 63 competitors, Alonso Collantes of Peru came out on top despite some challenging conditions including light air of six to 12 knots, chop coming in from many directions, and two days of ten- to 15-foot swells. South American sailors dominated the competition. In second place was Edgar Diminich of Ecuador, third was David Mendelblatt of the USA, fourth was Caterina Romero of Peru, and fifth was Jose Daniel Hernandez of Guatemala. A total of seven women competed in this event. The Top Female champion, and fourth place winner overall, was Caterina Romero of Peru whose sailing prowess gets her closer and closer to possibly making her the first woman to win the Sunfish World Championship someday. Competitors from Caribbean islands included Cor van Aanholt of Curacao (34th place), Guy de Chavigny of Martinique (40th place), Jaime Torres of Puerto Rico (42nd place), Spike Stapert of Bonaire (44th place), and Jan Burgers of Curaçao (50th place). Ages of the competitors ranged from 16 to 72 years. Visit www.sunfishcolombia.com for more information and full results.
—Continued from previous page A second gale formed on another cold front a few days later, giving higher winds and seas to the fleet towards the back of the pack, with a few boats reporting gusts in the squalls ahead of the front in the high 40-knot range. There was little damage in the fleet, and all boats made it successfully to Tortola or the alternate destination of Marsh Harbor, Abacos, a sign that boats that join the rally take their preparation seriously. The big winner in the Cruising Division was the Little Harbor 63 Corsair, who took Class A and the Steve Black Trophy for Overall Winner. The Tempest Trophy was presented to the yacht that best displayed the “Spirit of the Rally,” and coincidentally was awarded to the Oyster 575 Spirit, for their immediate and professional response to a yacht that had suffered rudder damage some 300 miles offshore. “We were only a few miles northeast of their position,” said skipper Leah Sweet, who at 26 years old is the youngest skipper in the fleet, “and diverted right away after a quick briefing with the crew.” Spirit stood by the stricken yacht for over an hour while they performed their own repairs and were able to continue on their way safely. Leah has a family history of helping other boaters: her parents are the legendary proprietors of Mid-Atlantic Yacht Services in Horta in the Azores, and Leah grew up watching them help yachts transiting the North Atlantic year after year. Yachts in the ARC Bahamas fleet started with the main Caribbean 1500 fleet after the week-long pre-departure program in Virginia, then diverted south and west once across the Gulf Stream bound for Marsh Harbor in the Abacos. The Bahamas fleet enjoyed great sailing as well, reaching fast down to the islands. Visit www.worldcruising.com/Carib1500/event.aspx for more information.
RORC Transatlantic Race to Grenada As this issue of Compass goes to press, excitement in Grenada was at a peak on Day 16 of the 2016 RORC Transatlantic Race as Campagne de France took line honors for the Class 40 Division and was also the first two-handed team to finish — nearly 300 miles ahead of their nearest rivals. Meanwhile, the Swan 82 Stay Calm and the Baltic 112 Path finished within three hours of each other in the Maxi class, after sailing 2,865 nautical miles from the Canary Islands to Port Louis Marina. Mike Slade’s British Maxi, Leopard 3, had already crossed the finish line, on December 7th, to take Monohull Line Honors and win the International Maxi Association Trophy for the 2016 RORC Transatlantic Race. Lloyd Thornburg’s American MOD70, Phaedo3, has taken Multihull Line Honors for the second year running: on December 3rd, Phaedo3 completed the course in 6 days, 13 hours, 39 minutes and 55 seconds.
JANUARY 2017
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
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RORC/ARTHUR DANIEL
OECS Welcomes 2016 Karibik Trophy Regatta to St. Lucia The OECS Commission joined the St. Lucian Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Dominic Fedee, in welcoming over one hundred sailors who arrived in St. Lucia as part of the 27th edition of the Karibik Trophy, a German regatta held from November 19th to December 3rd.
Lorraine Nicholas of the OECS with Hartmut Holtmann, managing director of the Karibik Trophy regatta OECS Tourism Specialist Dr. Lorraine Nicholas said the OECS Commission had played a key role in the promotion of the Karibik Trophy at the Eastern Caribbean Village at the Boot Düsseldorf Boat Show in Germany, one of the world’s largest boat shows. “This exciting regatta, which comprises 123 sailors on 20 vessels, started in Martinique with the next stop being St. Lucia on November 21st,” said Dr. Nicholas. “The majority of sailors, who are German, will spend three days in St. Lucia and return to Martinique after which they sail on to Dominica and then on to Guadeloupe. We are extremely honoured to have welcomed them to the region and to recognize their important role in being ambassadors for the OECS yachting sector in the European market,” said Dr. Nicholas. The Karibik welcoming ceremony was held at the Pigeon Island National Park on November 21st. In addition to the OECS representative and the Tourism Minister, welcome remarks were also delivered by officials representing the St. Lucia Tourist Board and the St. Lucia Yacht Club. During the ceremony the sailors enjoyed traditional local entertainment including steel pan music. While in St. Lucia, the sailors also visited the town of Soufriere, where they enjoyed excursions including a visit to the Sulphur Springs, a hike of the Tet Paul nature trail, and visits to the waterfalls and botanical gardens.
Eighteen-year-old Anna Van Nieuwland helmed the Marten 72 Aragon across the RORC Transatlantic Race finish line in Grenada
Competitors were still at sea as of December 12th, in the race that started on November 26th. We’ll have more news in next month’s Compass. ON THE HORIZON 81st Anniversary Mount Gay Round Barbados Race Series From January 16th to 24th, Barbados is the place to be, with three days of coastal racing and the legendary Round Barbados Race, followed by an Ocean Passage Race to Antigua. The Barbados Cruising Club hosts the series. —Continued on next page
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—Continued from previous page The first recorded race around Barbados was held on January 1st 1936. Five trading schooners took up the challenge: Sea Fox, Mona Marie, Marion B Wolfe, Lucille Smith and Rhode Island. Four of the five captains were of Saban descent. The conditions were sunny, with light winds as the five boats crossed the start off Pelican Island at 7:00AM. Rhode Island took an early lead, immediately setting her five sails, however Sea Fox and her captain, Lou Kenedy, outsmarted the other boats by setting eight sails, giving her a distinct advantage. On reaching South Point, the Sea Fox was a good mile ahead of second-placed Rhode Island with another mile separating Rhode Island from Lucille Smith. By The Crane, the result was considered a foregone conclusion, with the Sea Fox far ahead of her rivals. However this did not dampen enthusiasm on shore for the spectators. The Advocate newspaper reported, “Apart from motor cars flying hither and thither, every possible vantage point, every little hillock that offered a favourable glimpse of the race was crowded on Wednesday last. It was impossible from many of these lookouts to tell with any degree of certainty which vessel it was that was described in the distance, but this made absolutely no difference to the punsters. Each one was certain that the schooner to the front was none other than his favourite, and so everyone rejoiced.” Sea Fox crossed the finish line at 5:20PM, giving her a winning time of 10 hours 20 minutes. The remaining three schooners finished the race in darkness. When interviewed after the race Mr. H.C. Boyce commented; “I consider that the race was a very successful one… I am glad to see that schooner racing is to become a regular fixture, and I hope that later we will have other vessels from farther afield competing.” Eighty-one years later it‘s far more than schooners that compete! Visit www.mountgayrumroundbarbadosrace.com for more information. Budget Marine Challenge Set for January 29th The first Budget Marine Challenge in Sint Maarten took place in 2016, going from Simpson Bay to Anse Marcel, and though small, proved successful. Owing to the renovations in Anse Marcel Marina, the 2017 event will be redesigned, with the goal of a return to Anse Marcel in 2018.
Jason Fletcher, who with his Grenada Marine crew on the Albin Stratus 36 Apero were awarded Best Performing Yacht two years in a row, says, “We will be racing our newly built Caribbean 33, Apero 2, in GSW 2017 racing class. She is a 33-foot sloop built with plywood and Hawk epoxy, aluminum rig, asymmetric spinnaker, glass foil with a lead bulb keel… hmmmm, what else? Oh! She will be fast! As to whether we will be able to use the weapon effectively? That remains to be seen.” With a challenging variety of courses, two friendly venues, and different musical entertainment every evening, this upbeat regatta is fast becoming a favourite for local and international sailors.
Apero 2 under construction and aiming for IWW Grenada Sailing Week 2017 Register online at www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=2901. Final registration takes place at the Grenada Yacht Club on January 30th. For information regarding participants and docking details, visit www.grenadasailingweek.com and sign up for the newsletter, e-mail info@grenadasailingweek.com, see Facebook at GrenadaSailingWeek, or Twitter @grenadasailweek Antigua Classics to Celebrate 30 Years In the international classic yachting calendar, the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta is a unique event thanks to its participants, atmosphere, scenery and racing conditions. In April of every year, four days of racing mark the end of the classic sailing season in the Caribbean, bringing together dozens of classic and vintage ketches, sloops, schooners and yawls, to create an extraordinary spectacle together with J Class,
OCC Rally US to Cuba Suzanne Chappell reports: Be part of the first ever Ocean Cruising Club (OCC) rally to Cuba. The first leg is scheduled to leave from the US between February 5th and 9th, bound for Hemingway Marina, just outside Havana. The rally then heads east in March to Marina Gaviota Varadero, the Jardines del Rey Archipelago where you can anchor in paradise, then on to Marina Vita. Our final destination is expected to be Sotavento for our departure from Cuba to the Bahamas. —Continued on next page
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Island Water World Grenada Sailing Week Starts January 30th There is still time to register for Island Water World Grenada Sailing Week and join a great bunch of racing sailors from ten different countries on the start line of the class that suits your boat and crew best. Dates are January 30th through February 4th. And given the number of registrations so far, this may be the best Grenada Sailing Week yet!
Tall Ships and Spirit of Tradition. The latter category first began in Antigua in 1996, a testament to the high status of this event within the panorama of international classic yachting. The Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta was founded in 1967 — be in Antigua from April 19th through 25th, 2017, to celebrate this anniversary! For more information see ad on page 21.
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
The second annual Budget Marine Challenge will be held on January 29th, with a morning and an afternoon race. The start will be in Simpson Bay in the morning with a finish in Great Bay. Competitors will lunch on board, on mother ships or ashore, after which a second start will take the fleet back (via detours) to Simpson Bay. The first start anchoring area will be between the Simpson Bay Bridge and Karakter. In Great Bay it will be in the area of the Walter Plantz pier. As with all Budget Marine Challenges, the races will start with an anchor start rather than a conventional starting line. In the pre-start all crew must be below deck and only when the start gun is sounded are they able to commence with hoisting the sail and raising the anchor. The Budget Marine Challenge concept with anchor starts has proven to be very successful in Curaçao, where it has become an iconic event in its ten-year history. The anchor starts provide for some seamanship demands that make the racing different. The event is open to all yacht types and courses will be adjusted to suit the entry. Contact robbie.ferron@budgetmarine.com for more information.
JANUARY 2017
TIM WRIGHT / WWW.PHOTOACTION.COM
Last year’s winners at the Budget Marine Challenge St. Maarten
against in previous years and even those I haven’t, to come to Antigua this year and provide some great competition. It’s going to be an outstanding week and Team Ugo is up for the challenge.” Yacht shipping company Peters & May is now title sponsor of the Round Antigua Race of April 29th. The 54-nautical mile race course anti-clockwise around the island provides dramatic views of the many beautiful out-islands, peninsulas and 365 beaches while allowing teams an opportunity to hoist every sail in their inventory and test the skills of their crew in advance of the week’s racing. The race is open to all boats, whether or not participating in Antigua Sailing Week, including classic boats finishing their season following Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, and boats in Antigua in advance of the Antigua to Bermuda Race starting on May 12th. The Notice of Race for the 50th Antigua Sailing Week is available at www.sailingweek.com/v4/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/NOR-2017-Final.pdf The Notice of Race for the Peters & May Round Antigua Race is available at www.sailingweek.com/v4/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Round-Antigua-Race-NOR-2017-Final.pdf Visit www.sailingweek.com for more information about the 50th Antigua Sailing Week.
NOR Available for 50th Antigua Sailing Week and Round Antigua Race The Notice of Race for the 50th Antigua Sailing Week, to be held from April 29th through May 5th, is now available. The 50th Antigua Sailing Week will feature the top-quality, professionally managed racing that competitors have become accustomed to over the years, and Race Officers Stuart Childerley and Stephen Parry will once again be part of the team, ensuring that nothing less is delivered on the water. Racing will feature a variety of courses designed to suit the many different types of boats and classes expected in 2017. Antigua Sailing Week is an important event on the calendars of many sailors around the world and the 67 boats that have already submitted their online entries. It is therefore anticipated that entry numbers will grow considerably over recent years, allowing competitive and fair classes to be developed for all types of boats including cutting edge racers, sport boats, ocean racers, multihulls, cruising boats, bareboats and one-design classes.
Young Belizeans in Bermuda’s 2016 National Opti Championship Forrest Jones reports: Kevin Velasquez, age 15 and Belize’s 2015 Optimist Sailing Dinghy National Champion, placed 25th out of 75 competitors in the 2016 Bermuda National Championship Optimist Regatta, held November 10th through 13th at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda. Among the 75 were visiting sailors from Barbados, Canada, the Cayman Islands, Italy, Poland, and the US. Staying in the top third of the fleet and finishing 10th, 12th, and 13th in three of the 11 races, are what Kevin accomplished in the final regatta of his Optimist career. The year you turn 15 is the last year you can enter formal Optimist regattas. This was the third international regatta that the Belize Sailing Center in San Pedro, Belize, has sent sailors to this year. San Pedro’s Caroline Sersland is only 12 and has three more years to test herself internationally. She kept herself out of the bottom third, finishing 50th, and for her age that is promising. Kevin and Caroline both train at the Belize Sailing Center, located on the beach at Caribbean Villas in San Pedro. Among the thrills Kevin and Caroline got to experience in Bermuda was visiting SoftBank Team Japan’s America’s Cup World Series 45-foot catamaran. Team Japan is known to especially value children and conducts middle-school educational programs in Bermuda (http://softbank-teamjapan.americascup.com/en/news/298_AN-AMERICA-S-CUP-CLASSROOM.html.) The overall winners in this regatta were US sailors, who took the first nine positions. The Polish National Champion, who trained with the Belize contingent, grabbed the 10th spot, followed by another US sailor. Azhai Smith, in 12th, finished highest among the sailors of Bermuda to become the new Bermuda National Optimist Champion.
Sojana will defend her Round Antigua Race record, set in 2009, at the 50th Antigua Sailing Week
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CARIBBEAN COMPASS
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—Continued from previous page To join the Rally in 2017 one person per yacht must be or become an OCC member. To qualify as a Full Member, you need to have completed a 1,000-mile passage. If you don’t have a 1,000-mile passage you can be accepted as an Associate Member. This gives you all the privileges of Full membership, except you cannot serve on committees or vote. The OCC membership runs for one year. There is a joining fee of £50 and an annual subscription of £55. Full details on becoming an OCC member are available at www.oceancruisingclub.org/index.php/ how-to-join-the-occ We charge £25 per person for the Rally. We will help with Customs and Immigration and hold a daily VHF and SSB net; hold briefings before getting underway; watch weather, swell and sea states; and it will be a joint decision by all boats to move to next destinations. It is everyone’s own responsibility to clear in and out and have all documentation ready at each port, and also to have full boat insurance for the area we are traveling. This rally has the full support of the Cuban authorities, Hemingway Marina and the UK Embassy in Cuba. Contact Suzanne.chappell@icloud.com for more information or to register.
For those less serious racers who don’t want to miss an opportunity to participate, organizers have created a Club Class, which will have a reduced entry fee, only one race per day with no discard, and ratings adjusted daily as necessary to ensure a level playing field. Antiguan sailing legend Sir Hugh Bailey, winner of the 2016 Lord Nelson Trophy, says, “I raced in the first Antigua Sailing Week in 1968 as one of the founders of the regatta and have participated almost every year since. To win the 50th Antigua Sailing Week would be a major milestone for me. I’d like to invite all the sailors I’ve raced
YOUTH SAILING NEWS
Girls Rule at the 12th Annual Sol St. Maarten Optimist Championship For the first time in the 12-year history of the Sol St. Maarten Optimist Championship, two girls took home top honors in their classes of the event. The 2016 event was held on November 12th and 13th. First Place Overall and first in the Blue Class went to 11-year-old Roos Wind from Curaçao and First Place in the Orange Class went to St. Maarten’s own ten-year-old Emese Wurth, a student of Learning Unlimited. Lorenzo Mayer of St. Barths took home Second Place Overall and in Blue Class, with Bas van der Gulik of Curaçao capturing Third Place Overall by only one point. Twenty-nine sailors ages seven to 14 years and representing six countries took part in this international two-day event sponsored by Sol St. Maarten. Six competitors from St. Maarten, eight from St. Barths, six from Curaçao, three from Antigua, five from Anguilla, and one from Colombia made up the starting line. Sailors were divided into two classes, Blue and Orange, with the Blue Class being the more advanced. Eleven races were completed over the two days, with two discards. St. Maarten Coaches Reinier Calkhoven and Jimmy Gieseke said, “It was a really close regatta and all sailors exceeded our expectations.” “Weather conditions were sublime,” said Race Officer Paul Miller of RegattaGuru. “Aside from one small squall that mixed things up for a bit, conditions were perfect for Opti sailing. No swells and nine- to 13-knot winds made for great competitive sailing outside in the waters off Simpson Bay Beach for the weekend. —Continued on next page
—Continued from previous page Sunday we were able to use a race course designed here on St. Maarten for the Optis based on the America’s Cup that provided for spectacular starts and kept all the competitors sailing together for as long as possible.”
International Judge David DeVries from St. Maarten, back from being a judge at this summer’s Olympics in Rio, was the Chairman of the Protest Committee. Taking home second place in the Orange Class was nine-year-old Shanoy Malone of Antigua, with Justin Pieterse (age 12) of St. Maarten capturing third. Ten-year-old Rhys de Rooij of St. Martin took home the Sportsmanship Trophy for the event, as decided by the Race Committee for his outstanding performance after only starting to sail in September and displaying true and honorable racing throughout the weekend in the Orange Class.
During the summer months Kidz At Sea started cooperating with the Ujima Foundation. These youths will remain part of the program and currently organizers are reviewing how to implement this in the schedule. The Kidz at Sea Foundation is looking forward to signing up a group of approximately 40 to 50 students to participate in both its programs. The Kidz at Sea Foundation was founded in 2012 as an initiative to introduce St. Maarten youth to all aspects of the marine industry by means of boat building and sailing. Furthermore the two programs will teach the students specific industry related skills and encourage personal development, giving them an advantage when applying for a job. Kidz at Sea is not-for-profit and could not be successful without all of its sponsors and supporters. Visit www.kidzatsea.com for more information.
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
First Annual Domino’s Interschool Dinghy Sailing Championship The first annual Domino’s Interschool Dinghy Sailing Championship will be held at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club on January 14th. This competition is open to all schools on the Island and there is no entry fee or cost involved, thanks to the sponsorship by Domino’s Pizza. Each school may have one team representing their school, with as many students who can sail from each school participating. This includes all students who currently know how to sail ages seven to 18 and who have some racing experience. Racing will be divided into three classes: Optimist Class, ages seven to 15; RS Vision Class, ages 12 to 18; Laser Class, ages 12 to 18. Boys and girls will compete against each other and individual trophies will be awarded to first, second and third place in each class. Overall team trophies will be awarded to the top three schools based on points scored. Contact Reinier at youthsailingsmyc@gmail.com for more information.
JANUARY 2017
Kidz At Sea Foundation Gears Up for New Season Dozens of students from the Milton Peters College attended orientations in November, organized by MPC and the Kidz At Sea Foundation, to get introduced to the sport of sailing. A new sailing season has been launched and, with that, Kidz At Sea’s recruitment of students for its Sailing Program and the Build Your Future Project. With the start of the new school year the Boat Building Program commenced and the Sailing Program has been signing up students that were keen after attending the recent orientations. On November 20th, these students participated in the first keelboat race of the season. The partnership between the Milton Peters College and the Kidz At Sea Foundation will be taken to the next level after last year’s successes in the Sailing Program and the completion of the sailboat Purple Heart, a Didi 26 sloop-rigged racing boat, the first of its kind ever built in the Caribbean by students, teachers and volunteers without any previous boatbuilding experience. This year, twice as many students as last year have enrolled in the Boat Building project. In this program, emphasis will be placed on addressing more aspects of the marine industry, including visits to relevant businesses and going sailing more often to experience the joy of this sport. Intensifying this program will provide the students with a clearer overview of jobs available in the marine industry and a better understanding of the required skill set. The Sailing Program will place more focus on teaching the students valuable skills that
will prepare them for their future. “In previous years the goal was to train for the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, after which students received a certificate. This year we want to look beyond that and get students excited about continuous sailing and racing and adapting it as a sport they love. This will include classroom sessions and practicing in smaller groups to teach more comprehensive boat handling skills individually. To add to the experience, we have included knowledgeable youth sailors who will act as mentors, in addition to the sailing instructors who have been involved in the previous years. The interaction with experienced peers will have a beneficial effect on the motivation of the students involved,” said Garth Steyn, founder of the Kidz At Sea Foundation.
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ATLANTIC RALLY FOR CRUISERS 2016
TEAM SPIRIT by Sally Erdle
E
ven family members can get on each other’s nerves. “Bags were packed and thrown onto the dock before we’d even tied up,” remarked one skipper. But this was rare. Despite a slower than usual sail from the Canary Islands to St. Lucia in the 31st annual running of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, many more of the nearly 300 yachts in the ARC2016 fleet reported that the extended time at sea actually gave the crewmembers extra bonding opportunities.
JANUARY 2017 CARIBBEAN COMPASS
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SALLY ERDLE
However, as crewmember Hanneke said at the end of 20 days at sea in her second ARC aboard Peter Von Seestermühe, a 59-foot (18-metre) yawl built in 1936: “After a trip like this, you have more in common with the rest of the crew than with many of your friends.” Course Record Broken in Bumper Fleet The ARC is a transatlantic rally for sailing yachts organized by World Cruising Club. ARC 2016 had two starts from Las Palmas: ARC+Cape Verdes departed on November 6th. Leg 1 sailed to Mindelo in the Cape Verde islands, a distance of approximately 850 nautical miles. On November 16th, Leg 2 sailed from Mindelo to the IGY Rodney Bay Marina in St. Lucia, a distance of 2,150 nautical miles. The original-route ARC departed Las Palmas on November 20th bound directly for St. Lucia, an approximate distance of 2,700 nautical miles. Defying many other participants’ slow passage times, the ARC course record was broken for the fourth year in a row, this time by George David’s Juan K-designed Rambler 88, with a time of 8 days, 6 hours and 29 minutes. The super-maxi took advantage of a small depression that formed in mid-Atlantic soon after the start, enabling her to sail a very northerly route and then have a fast reach down to St. Lucia. This was the first ARC for Rambler 88, and Project Manager Mick Harvey commented, “It’s been a really good experience dealing with the organizers of the ARC. Everyone is very helpful and it’s quite an eye-opener for someone coming from the racing side, which can be quite combative.” Not only did Rambler 88 break the course record, but it was also the first yacht sailing under the ARC banner to reach Rodney Bay in 2016. Usually, boats from the ARC+Cape Verde fleet have begun to make landfall well before anyone in the ARC direct-route fleet. With participants from 46 countries, 2016 saw the largest combined ARC fleet ever: 71 in ARC+Cape Verdes and 216 in ARC: a total of 287 boats. Not surprisingly for such a large fleet spending weeks at sea, there were a few mishaps. Crew were rescued from a sinking yacht three days after the start, an ill crewmember from another yacht was evacuated by helicopter, and one boat was dismasted 1,500 miles from the finish and taken under tow to Antigua. No serious injuries in any of the incidents were reported, and the majority of arrivals were joyous. It’s About Community Shortly after the arrival of the Swan 46 Aphrodite at Rodney Bay Marina — and having been greeted, as all ARC boats are, by Saint Lucia Tourist Board staff bearing fresh fruit and rum punch, and the dreadlocked musician Alex playing a steel pan serenade — skipper Maurizio Ricchiuto spotted one of the World Cruising Club staff walking down the dock. “I know this guy!” he exclaimed, as they both grinned in recognition; Maurizio and Victor Taburiaux had previously met during an ARC Europe rally. Not a minute later, a couple approached, and Maurizio beamed. —Continued on next page Left: After nearly three weeks at sea, Hanneke on Peter Von Seestermühe says, ‘You have more in common with the rest of the crew than with many of your friends’
CLARE PENGELLY
Below: The Italian and American crewmembers on Aphrodite “got along great”, said Sue Jostrom, fourth from left. Alex the pan man serenaded their arrival, and skipper Maurizio, second from right, discovered old friends on the dock
The typical ARC passage time for a 40-foot (12-metre) cruising boat is 18 to 21 days. But thanks largely to a broad area of light winds en route, only 35 boats had made port in time for the ARC Welcome Party at which a hundred or more are often present.
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—Continued from previous page “I know these people, too!” More happy hugs. It was fellow Italians Daniela and Fernando Liello of the Amel Super Maramu Nefeli, who sailed in ARC2013 and now help to man the ARC finish line. TIM WRIGHT / WWW.PHOTOACTION.COM
During the last 36 hours teamgeist had a friendly duel to the finish line with another X Yacht. Uli reflects that the ARC was about “the wonderful people we met, and it was fun to watch the boats on the satellite fleet tracker for a little competition.” Another of Uli and Christoph’s sons will join the family to sail on a year’s family sabbatical, with a route planned from Grenada north through the island chain before heading back to the Mediterranean with ARC Europe. While most ARC crews are composed of families and friends, there are also boats that take unacquainted crew. How does a skipper forge these individuals into a team? Every arriving ARC crew is welcomed by the St. Lucia Tourist Board with cold rum punch, a Welcome Pack of information and a basket of fresh fruit. Cheers!
Above: What’s in a name? For this German crew of family and friends, ‘team spirit’ says it all Below: Skipper Ross Applebey of Scarlet Oyster gives a welcome hug to Mustique crewmember Yuki, who says, ‘Dog bowl? No problem!’
JANUARY 2017 CARIBBEAN COMPASS
SALLY ERDLE
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Finish line supporters are liveaboards who take turns doing 24-hours shifts, welcoming all arriving boats, day and night. Lynn Kaak, aboard Silverheels III, says of the ARC arrivals, “I’m going to give them the best welcome I can, because they’re going to be part of our community.” She adds appreciatively, “The folks on [ARC2016 participant] teamgeist came out to thank us for doing the finish line and for giving them a warm welcome. Nice!” The very name teamgeist means “team spirit” in German, although owner Christoph Schubert is quick to explain that “spirit” can mean ghost, soul or even liquor as well as motivating force. Christoph, his wife, Uli, their son Phillip and his girlfriend Marina, plus two friends, Thomas and Steffen, sailed ARC2016 aboard the X-562 that they bought in April 2016 expressly for this trip. Uli described the crossing, in which they sailed as far off the rhumb line as 29 degrees north (“There was wind there”), as having wind ranging from zero to 35 knots. “We used every sail we have except the storm jib — the variation made it not boring!”
Ross Applebey on the Oyster Lightwave 48 Scarlet Oyster, having skippered racing charters since 2011, says, “I’m lucky. Scarlet Oyster’s racing success attracts likeminded competitive people, and then I suss out their expectations. I have a good idea who will or won’t fit.” He jokes, “The first thing I tell them is, ‘You’re going to eat out of a dog bowl.’ Once we’re on the water, I find out who can drive, and then crew responsibilities fall into place.” Scarlet Oyster will race in a number of Caribbean regattas this season. While team spirit on each boat can either be naturally occurring or consciously developed, the feeling of community built within each individual year’s ARC fleet is deliberately nurtured. Sarah Collins, Communications Executive with World Cruising Club, tells Compass, “The family spirit of the ARC is encouraged by early engagement — they’re part of it even before they reach Las Palmas for the start in November. Participants get their handbooks and flags in March and begin receiving newsletters; most boats start moving toward Las Palmas in June or July and meet up in different marinas (many of which offer discounts to boats with ARC flags) on the way. The entry list is public, so participants can look out for sisterships, boats in their class, or other boats with kids, for example, and this also builds engagement. “Minister Fedee [St. Lucia’s Minister of Tourism] came to Las Palmas in November, and really welcomed the participants; engagement from St. Lucia before the start was really good. “Once underway, the fleet tracker, e-mail position reports, blogs and SSB net — all the communication between boats — also builds strength. “For the vast majority of sailors, the family feeling of the event supersedes competition.” Sarah also notes that community spirit is not limited to the fleet. “When the ARC sailors arrive they are keen to explore the Caribbean. Although they’ve become very close to other ARC participants, they are open to social integration with other cruisers and local communities. The St. Lucia Tourist Board provides a wonderful welcome to the Caribbean.” Christoph of teamgeist confirms that “We feel really welcome” and adds, “As a result of talking with the Minister of Tourism, we feel needed and wanted, and we like knowing that ultimately visitors’ spending contributes to things like the local hospitals and schools.” —Continued on next page
“We know there is room for improvement and we are working assiduously to improve the yachting sector. As we go into 2017,” Charmaine reports, “yachting will be bigger. Right now, we are putting greater emphasis on the maritime sector, gathering data and working with our existing public sector agencies to develop a coordinated approach that will help to guide policy decisions, harmonize relevant legislation, and standardize and monitor the sector.” “I’m excited and the Minister is enthusiastic about yachting,” she says. “We work hard to make sure everyone who comes has a good experience.” Sean Devaux emphasizes that cooperation and teamwork are crucial to providing a smooth ARC finish experience: “As one of the three main stakeholders of the ARC arrival, with World Cruising Club and the Saint Lucia Tourist Board, Rodney Bay Marina’s main issue is space availability on the docks. This year it was especially challenging, as the ARC+ and ARC fleets overlapped. But the charter companies always cooperate to make slips available, and many of our other long-term tenants go to the mooring field or take the opportunity to use the month of December to haul out at our boatyard. “For the future, an internet upgrade is coming,” Sean says, “and for myself, doing the ARC is on my bucket list!” At the final ARC2016 prizegiving on December 17th, among all the other accolades was an award given to the yacht that best displays the general spirit of goodwill and enthusiasm that the rally creates among the fleet. It was presented to Swedish skipper Mikael Ryking, following his single-handed sail to Antigua to pick up the crew of the dismasted ARC yacht Minerva of Kip, and then sail them back to St. Lucia so that the crew could finish their ARC by crossing the line in Rodney Bay. He received a standing ovation from fellow ARC crews as he collected the Spirit of the ARC award.
—Continued from previous page Positive Impacts It’s well known that the ARC, and yachting in general, has a positive economic impact on St. Lucia. At the ARC Welcome Party at historic Pigeon Island on December 7th, Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Dominic Fedee, giving the keynote welcome speech, noted that the ARC fleet annually represents approximately eight to ten percent of St. Lucia’s yacht arrivals and is the “bedrock” of the island’s yachting sector.
CLARE PENGELLY
Minister Fedee tells Compass, “There is more than an economic impact but a social impact as well, which allows our people to better appreciate that we are not just island nations but maritime nations. ARC confirms that our wealth is connected to our waters. Shipping, sailing, diving and tourism real estate are all connected to the sea. The resources of the sea give us the best chance of competing with any continent in the world in tourism, despite our smallness. “While the direct economic impact through [visitor] spend is primarily on food, beverage and tours, the potential economic impact [on the entire country] is beyond the sky.” As World Cruising Club reports, largely as a result of sail chafe and flogging in light airs during ARC2016, and numerous breakages in squalls, “It’s not just the restaurants that have seen the influx of ARC participants; the marine businesses in Rodney Bay have been on hand to assist with repairs.” Sean Devaux, General Manager of IGY Rodney Bay Marina, who just stepped into the job on November 19th, having previously been Operations Manager, confirms, “The marina has a lot to offer — a chandlery, sail repairs, electronics, laundry, a bank, a mini-market, gift shops and many restaurants. “But really,” he continues, “the whole island is part of the attraction. And yachties are not tied to one travel agency or other entity that would choose service providers for them, so the money they spend is widely spread and gets down to the grass roots and stays on the island. Even when they stay ashore, they don’t patronize the all-inclusive resorts so much, but stay in smaller hotels. By the way, the other day I called more than six hotels to try to find room for an ARC crew, and they were all full.” Says Charmaine Joseph, of the Public Relations Unit of the Saint Lucia Tourist Board, “We are committed to creating a sustainable tourism experience for the ARC sailors, not just at the marina but throughout this island — at the village of Anse La Raye for Fish Night, with familiarization and shopping tours, and more — you’ll never get bored in St. Lucia. “We’ve done a big push about the ARC in the local media,” she adds, “so our people know what’s going on. We want to make local people feel a partnership in the marine tourism sector and to see its value to our country.
Left: All together now… Above: Minister of Tourism the Hon. Dominic Fedee welcomes ARC+ participants Barry Harmer and Irina Yatsenko of Pearl Bali to St. Lucia. Below: At Rodney Bay Marina, room is made for the bumper ARC fleet, and World Cruising staff, familiarly known as ‘Yellowshirts’, are always on hand to offer assistance, advice or just a friendly chat SALLY ERDLE
JANUARY 2017 CARIBBEAN COMPASS
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Many thanks to World Cruising Club, the St Lucia Tourist Board, Bay Gardens Inn, and all the people who generously gave their time to be interviewed, for making Caribbean Compass’s first-hand coverage of ARC2016 possible and enjoyable. Visit www.worldcruising.com for full results and more information on ARC2016 as well as future events.
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Y2A BY ELLEN BIRRELL
MAKING HEADWAY! Youth2Adult — Y2A — is a series of articles celebrating sailing’s role in youth development for Caribbean children.
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Ellen Birrell attributes her opportunity to cruise the Caribbean aboard S/V Boldly Go to life skills built in childhood. Believing swimming and sailing are essentials for island youth, she supports grassroots and competitive junior sailing and serves as chair of sailing development for Caribbean Sailing Association (http://caribbean-sailing.com/sailing-development/ the-future-of-caribbean-sailing).
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
region. We also actively work to place our students on locally owned keelboats to give them the experience of racing larger boats. “Only about 25 percent of our students are children of adult club members. Many are local school children and several are sponsored by generous community businesses and corporations who realize the importance of the SMYC Youth Sailing Program. Our job is to promote sailing not only on St. Maarten but Caribbean-wide. We are grateful to local sponsors and look forward to raising as many champion youth sailors as possible.” Michele Korteweg of the St. Maarten-based Kidz at Sea program, also weighs in, “Getting the youth interested in sailing is the first step in introducing them to the marine industry, which is one of the largest industries in St. Maarten. In order to be able to hire skilled and qualified laborers in this particular industry, we need to teach them at a young age and show them the different aspects of the industry. Sailing is integral if they want to work on charter boats or megayachts, but that’s only one aspect of the industry. By taking them to businesses like riggers, sailmakers and marine electricians, the children realize at a young age what opportunities are out there and can work towards developing a suitable skill set for a particular job. In addition, our program offers the children the opportunity to develop their personal skill set, such as teamwork, confidence, leadership and discipline.” • Few Bahamian youth sailors compete in sailing events on islands other than Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. Regarding getting their youth sailing in Caribbean events, Lori E. Lowe, President of the Bahamas Sailing Association, said, “Florida is significantly closer to the Bahamas than the Eastern Caribbean. I believe the only direct flights from The Bahamas to the Caribbean are to Jamaica, Cuba and the Cayman Islands. While culturally and as a small island nation state our preference would be to have our youth compete in the Caribbean, it is hard to get past the fact that we are on Florida’s door-
JANUARY 2017
SMYC
Perspective is everything. For sailors, we each have our stories and perspectives based on the locale(s) and way(s) in which we learned to sail. For me, it was racing dinghies in southern California. How about for you? Not taking away anything from the hard work and efforts of many people over many decades teaching and advancing sailing within the Caribbean, my insights began with a 2009 Caribbean foray. With my partner, I began living on a 40-foot sloop actively cruising in the Eastern Caribbean. I was immediately drawn to West Indian children, and local children’s reading programs and junior sailing were where I found my niche, ultimately supporting youth development through Learn to Sail programs. To enlist regionwide support it became necessary to include racing along with recreational sailing. Here’s a look at recent headway made in youth sailing in ten Caribbean nations. • Sharon Hardwick, Chair of the Belize Sailing Association (BzSA): “Seven years ago there was only the Belize Sea Scouts that were using three Bosun boats originally designed to train Royal Navy sailors. About five years ago some individuals got together and formed the Belize Sailing Association. The starting point of this association was an Optimist program. The founders raised, through corporate sponsorship, funds for the purchase of 26 Optimists that were principally based in Belize City. This rapidly generated interest in other parts of the country and we now have eight clubs and over 50 Optimists. The interest and membership of the clubs ebbs and wanes as children age out and move onto bigger things. The Optimist program has spawned attendance at several international Optimist events and the beginnings of a Laser fleet.” • Peter Holmberg, professional sailor and 1988 Finn Olympic Silver Medalist served as the Caribbean Sailing Association’s president from 2011 through 2015. “One of my proudest achievements while at the helm of the CSA as president was to help form the Sailing Development Committee and incorporate it as one of the pillars of our CSA organization when we created a set of bylaws in 2013. Thanks to Ellen Birrell and her committee that launched the initial program, it is now growing and achieving great steps to ensure growing the very roots of our sport of sailing.” • In St. Vincent & the Grenadines and St. Kitts & Nevis, local sailors propelled support for youth sailing in their respective island nations to the higher levels. Each formed a national sailing federation. Bequia’s Eddie Brown commented in 2015: “The idea behind it [formation of a federal sailing organization in St. Vincent & the Grenadines] is that the push for [local traditional] double-enders keeps tradition alive, but if we want to go farther afield we need to do it in Optis and other international classes. That was the idea behind forming the association. That is the idea: to be able to move forward with assistance from ISAF (now called World Sailing). The traditional boats are not recognized outside the Grenadines.” • In St. Kitts & Nevis, it was Mark Theron leading the march toward a national sailing association, beginning in 2011. His goal: “To establish sustainable youth sailing.” After finalizing the paperwork and legal elements to create the St. Kitts & Nevis Sailing Association (SKNSA), he and his association team worked to become recognized by their National Olympic Committee. Within the past year, Mark launched an effort to establish a CSA Sailing and Training Certification program that, as a new CSA Board Member, Mark hopes to present to the CSA Board for confirmation within the upcoming year. (That is the subject of a future Y2A article.) • No bigger strides to advance the teaching of sailing to all island children were made than those made in Antigua. In the 2009 timeframe, then Antigua Yacht Club Commodore Elizabeth Jordan was reaching out to yachtspeople who entered Falmouth Harbour. She suggested they donate one US dollar for each foot of boat length to support Antiguan youth sailing. At the same time she approached the Antiguan government and gained its support for teaching Antiguan children an RYA (the UK’s Royal Yachting Association, which
provides internationally respected qualifications) curriculum within the country’s elementary school system. In 2010, driven largely by Mrs. Jordan, the Antigua National Sailing Academy (NSA) was incorporated as a non-profit (charitable) organization under the laws of Antigua & Barbuda and is administered by a board of volunteers. Since then, NSA leased a sizable piece of property along the bayfront, converting some of its buildings into revenue-generators providing lodging accommodations, kayak and paddleboard rentals, and qualified sailing instruction. All funds sustain NSA. NSA’s motto: “Kids Get Sailing”. (For more information, check out nationalsailingacademy.org.) • “Youth sailing is alive and thriving at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club in Simpson Bay at the Dutch bridge!” says Ariel Jamil, Manager of the Sint Maarten Yacht Club. “We have over 60 students in our program during the school year, as well as a very active camp over the summer. We employ two fantastic certified sailing instructors who teach everything from beginner sailing to advanced racing tactics, and we conduct a monthly dinghy regatta series. We send our racing students to St. Barth’s Mini Bucket and Anguilla’s Dinghy Regatta annually. The SMYC hosts the Sol St. Maarten Optimist Championship every November, one of the largest dinghy regattas in the
step. Time and money are big factors in a program that runs on donations in a tax system that does not promote donations. That being said, the Bahamas Sailing Association would be happy to promote Caribbean racing to our youth sailors and to assist our Optimist Fleet in organizing an International Regatta or introducing our youth to possible donors.” • While the Grenada Sailing Association (GSA) has existed for decades, its principal function had been supporting large keelboat racing and supporting regional regattas that include both yachts built to the latest racing rule, old IOR racers, other cruising yachts competing under the CSA racing rule and local boats that don’t appear to race under any rule. Since 2009, we’ve watched GSA, largely through the efforts of board member Jacqui Pascall, take a stronger communication and administrative role for youth sailing development. Creating grenadasailingassociation.org in 2013, GSA acts as a central communicator between youth programs. There is now regular training of youth sailors to become the coaches of tomorrow by sending them to training clinics in Trinidad as well as having World Sailing training clinics held in Grenada. As simultaneous administrator of both Grenada’s World Sailing Member National Association and the GSA, Jacqui connects youth sailing organizations to information about youth events, training and shared resources. It is ever a work in progress, and each locale around the island has indefatigable sailing supporters such as Laura Fletcher, Rees Evans, Allison Caton, Kevin Banfield, Rene and Daniela Froelich, Terry Neilson, Sarah Baker and others. Grenada can now report youth sailing occurring at Grenada Marine in St. David’s, the village of Woburn, Grenada Yacht Club in St. George’s, Gouyave Sailing School, and L’Esterre Junior Sailing in Carriacou. • Mark Loe of Trinidad & Tobago Sailing Association (TTSA) has this to say: “We expanded and now have sailing schools in two other locations on the island (Trinidad). Currently they are run by interested parties/parents, and the instructors are trained and salaries paid by government assistance. These schools offer mostly free sailing to the communities with some assistance from corporate entities in their areas. We have plans to expand further with two more schools, one of which will be in Tobago. Financing is the eternal problem and with our economy recently struggling, government funding has been cut drastically. We are now stepping up our pursuit of corporate sponsorship.” • “St. Thomas Yacht Club is introducing a unique concept of sailing instruction, boat access and racing through the opening of the St. Thomas Sailing Center,” says Margo Lynch. “Now, with our fleet of IC-24s, sailors from the Virgin Islands and around the world — from beginners to seasoned racers — can enjoy greater access to boats, programs and sailing waters than they might typically expect in a private Caribbean yacht club setting.” • Jay Steed tells us, “Now coming to the end of my first year as Commodore of the Montserrat Yacht Club (MYC), we are enthusiastic about having a youth sailing program. However, having only three dinghies ready to sail, and with no stable clubhouse or revenue coming in, we’ll start resurrecting all of the dinghies we find hiding beneath the ash and ponder how to restore MYC.” Even 20 years after Montserrat’s Soufriere Hills volcanic eruption that devastated the island, there is limited recorded data from their clubhouse. Given an island population of fewer than 5,000 and current MYC membership’s median age of 65, Steed says, “The injection of a younger generation of sailing enthusiasm may be what it will take to regenerate MYC from its (current) dormant state. We are now forming a sailing academy sub-committee, and are hopeful that 2017 is the year that Montserrat Yacht Club Sailing Academy’s sails will be unfurled and catch the wind!” To think that in the past seven years, three Caribbean nations formed national sailing associations driven by passion for youth development through junior sailing, as well as the past and current presidents of CSA pledging it as their priority, puts wind in our sails. We are making headway into this New Year!
JANUARY 2017 CARIBBEAN COMPASS
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CARIBBEAN COMPASS
SEE LINK ON HOMEPAGE
JANUARY 2017
YEARLY CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2017
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PAGE 28 CARIBBEAN COMPASS JANUARY 2017
YEARLY CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2017 SEE LINK ON HOMEPAGE
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
SEE LINK ON HOMEPAGE
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YEARLY CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2017
PAGE 29
PAGE 30 CARIBBEAN COMPASS JANUARY 2017
YEARLY CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2017 SEE LINK ON HOMEPAGE
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JANUARY 2017 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 31
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ALL ASHORE…
St. Pierre Walkabout Part Two:
IN SEARCH OF RHUM AND RUINS
JANUARY 2017
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
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by Chris Doyle
Up the Hill to Rhum If you look at a map of St. Pierre, Martinique (see page 34), you will see that behind the remains of the old theater that was destroyed in the volcanic eruption of 1902 is Boulevard Laigret. This peaceful backroad, somewhat shaded by trees with some lovely views, usually has no traffic. It is the best way to make the first leg up the hill in search of rhum. It joins the main road at Cité Artizanale, a group of businesses just off the road to the right. These include an excellent machinist and a carpenter. Also a coffin maker, whom I hope you will not need to visit. If you walk past these, you soon come to a small road/pathway on your right, which takes you to a waterfall. I used to write about this and come here for a quick dip whenever I was in St. Pierre, but the trail, which did not seem to be public, became worse and worse until I found myself scrambling over galvanized iron fences and skirting pig pens, at which time I gave up. A major and expensive path is now being created, with big rocks and bulldozers. This removes the hidden aspect of the falls and causes you to notice that it is quite small. (All this work for that little thing?) It might be very nice if it were turned it into a gardened area. We shall see. In any case I was happy to have a way in again and, even at its most unimpressive in the dry season, there is a little pool you can stand in to cool off. After the pool break, return to the main road and continue uphill. This main road does have traffic, but the views over the valley are pleasant. After ten or 15 minutes the road takes you over the river and, shortly after, you leave the main highway for a small and delightful road on the left. This takes you down to the river and uphill again with several beautiful old trees. Very shortly after this you come to Habitation Depaz, the large distillery that is our main destination. It is hard not be impressed with this place as you walk up the big driveway lined with palms, set in lovely countryside, with the sleeping volcano Mt. Pelée staring right down the road at you. If you go in the main entrance, you can take a tour of everything by following the route marked with paint (red, if I remember rightly). Do spend some time at the grand and stately old millionaire’s plantation house with its formal garden, and explore the back as well. The house is sometimes open to the public, but never has been when I have gone. —Continued on next page
A wall, seemingly frozen in time as it began to fall, makes a fun photo opportunity
JANUARY 2017
—Continued from previous page The trail takes you right round the rhum factory, with big posters explaining the process. It leaves you at the shop for visitors, where you may partake in free rhum tasting: what is there not to like? If it is time for lunch, Habitation Depaz has a very acceptable Creole restaurant overlooking the cane fields. It sometimes gets crowded so it is not a bad idea to book when you arrive. They have a serve-yourself bar, and you tell them what you had when it’s time to pay. Finish with a double espresso, because now it is time for the second half of the walk. At least it is mainly downhill. Down the Hill to Ruins When you come out onto the road, turn right. You can try to take the first right-hand fork you come to, which diverges very slowly from the main road and brings you out at the big stadium. Or you can continue downward to the next one (Rue D’Orleans). In either case, when you get to a T junction, turn right on Rue de la Reine, which takes you northward along the east side of the stadium. This will bring you to the next attraction: the Centre de Decouverte des Sciences de la Terre. Although people had written to me approvingly about this museum over the last couple of years, I never realized what exactly went on there, so I took an opportunity to visit. It is a strange ultra-modern building, and houses the best museum about the Mt. Pelée volcano and the St. Pierre tragedy that I can imagine. By the time I came out I almost felt like I had lived through the 1902 eruption myself. When you go in, they give you an electronic tour guide in English or French. These conduct you round each exhibit explaining it, and you will view many great photos from the era. Make sure you also see the movie; it is the best. If it were on Imax, I think I would run out screaming. But before the next showing, you may want to ask the person who shows the film to add the English subtitles. —Continued on next page
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
Even in the dry season, the waterfall behind St. Pierre hikers offers a place to cool off
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The marina supplies fresh running water and 110/220/360V 60Hz electricity, satellite TV with security guards on duty 24 hours a day. For your convenience there are showers and ice machines available. Contact us by phone at +297 588-0260 or visit our website: www.renaissancemarina.com Operating Hours: Mon - Sat, from 8am to 6pm
JANUARY 2017 CARIBBEAN COMPASS
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—Continued from previous page Visit over, it’s time to wander back. Along the way there are a few more ruins worth a quick look. Follow the road on the west side of the stadium, but turn right as soon as possible to get on the parallel road just below it. This will bring you to some military church ruins, which may be good for a photo. Continue down the same road to a rather extraordinary place where a wall has fallen over the road. It must have done so in very slow motion, because at some point pillars were built to stop it leaning further. You cannot get a car past this but it is fine for pedestrians. Economax is now just a few yards ahead on the main road, so you can pick up a few things on your way back to the boat. Follow the waterfront back: they have been remodeling, so it is interesting, too.
The grounds of the Depaz rhum distillery and its old plantation house are worth a stroll
MOVING FORWARD CARIBBEAN
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See why the Caribbean is worth defending. Join The Nature Conservancy and help us Defend Paradise. The Nature Conservancy works throughout the region to protect seas, coastlines, and coral reefs on which we all depend. We need your help to protect our waters and our way of life. To ďŹ nd out how you can make a lasting impact on conservation in the Caribbean and to join our campaign to Defend Paradise, visit nature.org/defendparadise.
At 35, Virgin Islands Guide Going Strong
JANUARY 2017
The Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands — a complete guide for yachtsmen, divers and watersports enthusiasts, by Nancy and Simon Scott, 18th edition 20172018. © Cruising Guide Publications. Paperback, spiral-bound, 432 pages. Color photos and sketch charts throughout. ISBN 978-0-9978540-0-8 Congratulations to Cruising Guide Publications on its 35th anniversary and on the publication of the 18th edition of its flagship publication, The Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands. Cruising Guide Publications was created by Simon and Nancy Scott while living aboard their sailboat in the British Virgin Islands, and continued to evolve as they worked in the bareboat charter industry for 20 years. Nancy and Simon, along with Chris Doyle, were preeminent among those in the early 1980s who saw a market for a new type of cruising guide — a comprehensive book of not only pilotage and sailing directions, but one that also ventured to include expanded information on where to get supplies and equipment or have work done, fun things to do ashore, local culture and history, native flora and fauna, safety tips, nitty-gritty such as sample taxi fares and much more. Carrying advertising — which earlier guide writers such as Hart & Stone and Don Street eschewed — kept the price of the books down and added another layer of information. The Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands is updated every other year and over the years, advances in technology have prompted inclusion of GPS waypoints, tips on cell phone and internet accessibility, and abundant high-resolution color photos including useful aerial photos of anchorages as well as some tasty local eye-candy. As laid moorings proliferated in the Virgins, tips on their usage were added, too. Rum-drink recipes, hints on deterring mosquitoes, how to help protect coral — it’s all there. But so, still, are the essentials: the reliable and up-to-date navigation and piloting information, the current notes on anchorages and marinas, that elevate a cruising guide above a tourist guide. A waterproof planning chart of the cruising grounds from Anegada to St. Thomas is a free bonus. Available at chandleries and bookstores and from www.cruisingguides.com.
by Ken Goodings Grenada. Many yachters in Grenada monitor the Ch-66 repeater as well as the cruisers’ calling channel of 68. This radio repeater facility may be used for longdistance communications whenever the morning net is not on the air. The free and exclusive cruiser use of this unique 66 repeater, which was installed especially for yachters, is due to the financial generosity and ongoing technical support of a private Grenadian. This person
Ken Goodings in the ‘radio shack’ aboard his Niagara 35, Silverheels III generously provides the location, tower infrastructure, radio antenna, and pays our electric bill too! • In Trinidad you can participate in the cruiser’s morning net, seven days a week on Ch-68 at 0800. Since VHF radios are both our lifeline and primary form of communication while cruising, it all comes down to mutual consideration and respect. VHF nets are a great way to ease into the day while sipping your morning coffee. Your active participation in these early nets will help keep you in tune with what’s happening in the bays around you. Calling Channels for Cruisers in Eastern Caribbean It’s a worldwide boating practice to listen to VHF Ch-16 while your vessel is underway. Yachters who are new to these sun-drenched islands of the Lesser Antilles might like to know that many of their fellow cruisers are using VHF Ch-68 as an informal calling channel while they are “limin’” in the various anchorages.
Some cruising boats monitor 68 overnight as a security measure while at anchor. After stopping for the night we switch from 16 to 68 so that we don’t have to listen to ships, pilot boats, port control stations and coast guard weather announcements when we’re not at sea. Scanning both Ch-16 and Ch-68 during the daytime is a great idea if you don’t want to miss anything. Then you’ll hear all of the commercial traffic on 16 and cruisers on 68 calling one another as well. Note that as Ch-68 is one of the ITU ship-to-ship channels, from time to time you’ll likely hear fishing boats and other chatter from a freighter’s deck crew. When sailing along between anchorages while conversing with a friend on 68, there’s a great likelihood that a great number of yachts are listening to every word on their agreed calling channel. The informal use of 68 as a cruiser calling channel is only an ad hoc convention, not an exclusive right. Whenever you happen to hear someone unknowingly chatting away on a local calling channel such as 68, please try to be kind. Keying over someone with your microphone won’t solve anything and this kind of passiveaggressive behaviour is considered to be boorish, low class and infantile. Politely advising them that there may be a hundred or more boats hearing their conversation on 68 is probably sufficient. Cruisers often forget to switch to a working channel. At the end of their conversation, it’s quite amusing to hear them say on 68, “This is Soggy Bottom going back to 68 — oops!” I should mention now that in St Martin, cruisers have adopted Ch-10 instead of 68 for their morning net and calling channel while at anchor. Ken Goodings cruises the Eastern Caribbean with his wife, Lynn Kaak, on S/V Silverheels III. As a Designated Maritime Radio Examiner with Industry Canada, he taught and examined students in VHF and HF-SSB DSC Maritime Radio boating classes in Toronto from 2002-2008. Working as a broadcast television and radio electronics technologist for 38 years at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario, Ken was licensed for Canadian Amateur Radio in 1981 with Ham call sign VE0SH.
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Many popular anchorages in the Eastern Caribbean have morning VHF nets to announce safety and security bulletins, share weather forecasts, promote cruiser activities, and to advertise local events. Nets operate on a common set of procedures to keep some semblance of order to these “On Air” meetings. There will be one station designated as a net controller, who acts as the “Chair” of the meeting. All comments and responses should be coordinated through this single station. If you have something to say, wait until the net controller has invited members to transmit. Then state your boat name clearly, not just “Break” or “Info,” and wait for the controller to tell you specifically to go ahead. Transmitting to the group before you have been recognized will result in a mashup, as the net controller or someone else might be transmitting at the same time. VHF nets allow only one speaker at a time. With upward of 100 people participating, an unstructured net will turn into anarchy if everyone tries to speak at once. Always identify yourself by boat name and wait for the net controller to acknowledge your boat name. A Selection of Eastern Caribbean VHF Nets Note: All times are Atlantic Central Standard Time • In St. Martin, participate in Mike’s (a.k.a. Shrimpy) popular and entertaining net from Monday to Saturday on Ch-10 at 0730 hours. • From English Harbour Radio in Antigua, you can often hear weather and other announcements on Ch-06 at 0900. • Rodney Bay in St Lucia enjoys a regular Monday to Saturday weather and security net. It’s held by volunteers in the marina on Ch-68 at 0830. • From Bequia’s Admiralty Bay, Cheryl Johnson at The Fig Tree restaurant runs an excellent and informative net every morning on Ch-68 at 0800. • The Grenada Cruiser’s VHF Net is held from Monday-Saturday on Ch-66 (International VHF Band Plan) at 0730. This net originates from various volunteers on yachts in Grenada. The net utilizes a powerful VHF repeater in Grenada that transmits on Ch-66 Duplex and has a large coverage area. To participate fully, please ensure that your VHF radio is set to International Band Plan, not Canadian or US. When listening to the Grenada repeater on 66 (not 66A as some radios are equipped to do), if you don’t hear the musical “beep” after every transmission, your radio is not on the correct setting. You’re probably in US mode and you won’t be able to hear everything that’s said. Operating from southern Grenada, this powerful Grenadian repeater affords cruisers reliable 24-hour communication between yachts, most anywhere in
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
VHF Nets in the Eastern Caribbean
BOOK REVIEW BY J. WYNNER
The Golden Years
JANUARY 2017
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
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Cascade, by Barbara Lalla. University of the West Indies Press, 2010 publication, 299 pages. ISBN 978976-640-233-4
The best anchorages are only in Don Street’s Caribbean pilots Other guides are best for shore-side information & are provided to the charter fleets so what harbours & anchorages they do include are more crowded. Street’s pilots include: south east & east coast Grenada, the south & east coast of Carriacou, & the east coasts of Cannouan & Martinique. These are not covWhen cruising the Caribbean be sure ered by other guides but Street considers them the best in the eastern Caribbean to have Street’s guides on board as your primary PILOT. Only Street has: now Venezuela is no longer safe. The perfect pilotage companion x Inter-island and harbour pilotage for all the other guides x Tidal information Order online x All eastern Caribbean anchorages USA/Caribbean: iUniverse or Amazon Street’s pilotage information is time- (search Donald M. Street) less and is your key to a quiet night’s UK/Europe: www.imray.com sleep in unspoilt anchorages! (search: Don Street)
Cascade — Miss Ivy’s country guest-house in the scenic Jamaican mountains overlooking the sea, where a group of middleclass, elderly friends intend to make their retirement home — is the title of Barbara Lalla’s 2010 movingly written novel. Looking at the book’s delightful cover photograph of the front of a charming old wooden house surrounded by flowering hibiscus shrubs, creeping vines, begonia plants and wild banana leaves with blue sky above, and the title, Cascade, I visualized a nearby waterfall with gushing water flowing over a hillside, and an adventure story linked to the waterfall. Miss Ivy later confirmed that I was not too far off course. “Now as I catch in the distance that sound of water, rolling down and slapping the stone of the hillside, and back parting and d as my mind d turns b k to the h foam f d swirling together again like a veil, I think they are right about the name for the home. Cascade.” But on reading, I discovered that far from the delightful image portrayed on the cover, Barbara Lalla’s eloquent narrative was a profound story with a devastating theme — that of the aging process, and Alzheimer’s disease in particular. And as it turned out, Miss Ivy’s assessment of the name of the guest house also has bearing on the plot, especially with its “parting and swirling together again” of Miss Ellie, one of the leading characters. For Lalla sends her two main characters — the elderly husband and wife, Dan and Ellie — off to their daughter, Rachel, and her family in Trinidad, after they are terrorized by armed bandits in their Kingston home. Though far removed from their friends, and Rosemarie, Dan’s sister with whom they had only just been reunited, they keep in touch by mail and phone. However, Ellie’s mental instability increases, while Dan remains mentally alert but suffers gradual physical deterioration. As their son-in-law Rabin observes, “But Mom. Brilliant, joyous Miss Ellie, first in denial and fury, then conscious of erosion, clutching at clues, desperate to avoid becoming a burden as gaps widened between flashes of clarity. “Such a pair, inseparable. I had looked at Rachel with them — they were well and strong then — and I thought, yes. I want this. In the end I saw Dan watching Ellie, knowing what lay ahead; I saw her seeing him slip away. Then I watched Rachel watching them watch each other. Tortured gazes interlocking, the matrix against which to get through the day. And yet, still, the laughter was never far.” Prior to the inevitable, Ellie sees, “From the pillow where his hand rests he raises two fingers in my direction and I know a blessing when I see one. “Et cum spiritu,” I respond.” When Dan passes, Ellie, even with her turbulent mind, displays her both compassionate and stoic nature. “Quickly I kiss him before they separate us. Straighten my back, straighten, raise my head, cooperate, make it easy, poor baby, one thing less to give her pain, take the chair facing the TV to ease her up. Face it. Face. Compose face.” Afterwards, when Rachel, her husband and son want to go on a holiday, Ellie is back at Cascade. “But I don’t recall a flight, not at all,” I assure Rachel. “I know this part of the country though.” “We getting close. You’ll soon see Rosemarie.” “Is that so? Great! Does Dan know? Is he with her? Wait. She was in…in a…” Rachel stares at me in surprise. “Rummy is at the home, at Cascade. I didn’t know you would remember. You’re staying with her for a few weeks. A little holiday while we go to Canada.” … “She’s at Miss Ivy’s old place, but they fixed it up. Remember about Cascade?”… As time goes on, the home, ineffectually managed by Miss Ivy’s nephew — who is also Rosemarie’s stepson, and a scheming businessman — Ellie’s tricks of the mind increasingly merge with real events, accelerating danger, not only to her, but also to other vulnerable elderly residents of the home. Rachel returns not a bit too soon for Ellie and takes her back to Trinidad where we see Ellie dancing in her room with her grandson on his wedding day, bringing an end to “the parting and swirling together again.” Although Cascade is a heartrending tale, there is a golden glow to the story as if the words on the pages are being illuminated by the author — a Professor of Languages and Literature at the University of the West Indies’ St Augustine campus, Trinidad — who superbly captures the nuances of the characters’ speech and memories, relating a very sensitive and touching story about aging.
A Roving Commission
But my love for the region went deeper than sailing from island to island. Somerset Maugham, in his book The Moon and Sixpence, expresses it as follows: “Sometimes a man hits upon a place where he mysteriously feels he belongs. Here is the home he sought, and he will settle amid scenes that he has never seen before, among men he has never known, as if they were familiar to him from his birth…”
by Roger Burnett
In 1969, with my wife and nine-month-old daughter, I sailed the last surviving Yorkshire Keel Barge, a direct descendant of the square-sail Viking ships, from the canals of England to the waterways of France. A year earlier, tempted by Weston Martyr’s book A Two Hundred Pound Millionaire, I had given up a secure job in an engineers’ drawing office and converted the barge into a floating home and studio. What was left of our savings amounted to no more than five pounds. Within a week the money was spent and my paintings became the songs for our supper. Five years later, having explored the canals of Ireland and proved that I could earn a living afloat, my sketch bag was stowed aboard a 30-foot ketch that we sailed from England to the Caribbean. On arrival in Antigua the purchase price of a longed-for Heineken beer came from the sale of my first painting of Nelson’s Dockyard. Those were the days of wooden boats and sailors cruising on shoestring budgets. In each anchorage I came across others working to eke out their slender savings. Their occupations were so many and varied that I collected them together in a little book entitled 101 Ways to Earn Your Living Afloat.
In the 1990’s my books Virgin Island Sketches and Caribbean Sketches became regional best sellers. By way of sketches and hand-written notes the books record my travels throughout the region. They take the reader from market places to grand estates, from sugar mills to hidden trails and secret anchorages, from Santo Domingo in the north to Port of Spain in the south. For those sailing the Caribbean the books are an encouragement to savour the very essence of life as it is lived in the islands. Dominica is “the Nature Island of the Caribbean” and well worth exploring, either by rented vehicle or by foot along the island’s 115-mile Waitukubuli National Trail. Either way you’ll pass my studio and I welcome visits from those sailing the islands. For further information about my books or to arrange a studio visit, e-mail me at antrimstudio@gmail.com or telephone (767) 449-2550/225-5470/615-5010.
The Caribbean became my adopted home and over the next 15 years a red-bearded Yorkshireman with a sketch bag slung over his shoulder was a familiar sight on the islands between Hispaniola in the north and Trinidad in the south. My subject matter was not palm-fringed beaches but the way of life of the islanders. The warmth of the tropics speeded the drying times of my watercolours, and this enabled me to capture an elusive moment in seconds.
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Island Insights
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
A second voyage from the UK followed in 1980, this time aboard a 16-ton gaff cutter that I built on the banks of Constable’s River Store. I designed the boat specifically with work and the tropics in mind. She had a spacious saloon-cum-studio, stowage space for hundreds of paintings and an ample supply of artists’ materials. She was named Born Free, not in recognition of the lions but as a reminder of the truth in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s statement: “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.”
JANUARY 2017
Born Free was designed and built by the artist to be a seagoing studio in the Caribbean
The 1980s saw the publication of my books, Virgin Island Sketches and Caribbean Sketches. By way of hundreds of sketches I attempted to capture the very essence of life as it was then lived in the islands. The illustrations resulted in the Crown Agents commissioning two series of postage stamps on the theme of boat building. By selling copies direct to visiting yachtsmen on my sunset round of anchorages I could lay claim to being the world’s one and only boat-to-boat bookseller! As the traditional village scenes declined, my work increasingly turned towards the beauty of the islanders. Twenty-five years ago, from my studio on the shore of Maya Cove in the British Virgin Islands, I began a series of paintings and sculptures entitled Daughters of the Caribbean Sun. The project is ongoing and continues from my present studio on the island of Dominica. By way of hundreds of paintings and scores of sculptures, I pay homage to the beauty of the Afro-Caribbean woman. In the 1990s I completed a series of major sculptural commissions for the UK, one of which won the national award for figurative sculpture. While working on these projects I published a daily diary on the internet that can lay claim to being the world’s first “blog”! My current on-line diary is accessed by artists and art students in over 50 countries and can be found at www.sculpturestudiodominica.blogspot.com In my 74th year, I am attempting subjects that I dared not contemplate in my youth. It has been said that, however much skill an artist may develop in later life it cannot result in great work if, by that time, he has settled down and discovered a measure of contentment. Thankfully I have not arrived at that philosophical state. My studio is on the verge of Dominica’s rainforest and below my balcony a lush valley leads down to the Caribbean Sea. A painter in paradise I may be. Nevertheless, I look down with envy at the distant yachts on passage and realize the truth in that: “Houses are but badly built boats so firmly aground that you cannot think of moving them. They are definitely inferior things, belonging to the vegetable not the animal world, rooted and stationary, incapable of gay transition. I admit, doubtfully, as exceptions, snail-shells and caravans. The desire to build a house is the tired wish of a man content thenceforward with a single anchorage. The desire to build a boat is the desire of youth, unwilling yet to accept the idea of a final resting-place.” — Arthur Ransome, Racundra’s First Cruise
Importing Parts and Packages in Paradise
JANUARY 2017
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
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by Steve Siguaw Your beautiful sailboat or motoryacht is peacefully anchored off a spectacular remote beach, somewhere in paradise. “Ah, the cruising life doesn’t get better than this,” you quietly say to yourself. Suddenly there is a strange noise coming from the electrical panel. “Low Power,” the alarm flashes. What is that? Or you try to bring up your anchor on the day of departure from that tranquil anchorage and the windlass refuses to spin. Oh, my! And yet another problem: maybe the trusty chart plotter decides to display the dreaded, “No GPS Fix”. You’re kidding, right? Life aboard in the tropics isn’t all rum punches, beautiful sandy beaches, scantily clad sailors, calm anchorages and friendly locals. No, the cruising life is also about fixing many, many things on a boat, nearly all the time, as we know. Trips to Budget Marine, Island Water World, West Marine and all of the various other chandleries and parts stores up and down the islands usually help fix any problems that occur. Well, usually. Out-of-stock parts usually have to be shipped and brought in, with associated Customs fees and broker charges, to many islands. If we cannot find what we need locally, or for a reasonable price as back home, what can we do? Of course: just order the part online or with an international phone call and have everything shipped to wherever we happen to be. It sounds easy — but there are tricks to having parts, goods or items shipped directly to your “yacht in transit”. I love the term “yacht in transit”, but it sometimes doesn’t apply when Customs gets involved. How do you go about having items sent to you or your vessel in these exotic locales? In which islands is it friendlier and cheaper to do so, you might also ask? Well, rules on every island change like our winds down in these little latitudes, so what is true today might change dramatically tomorrow. It pays to ask your fellow cruisers what Customs did this week, as opposed to last year or several years ago. Note: The yacht-in-transit importation allowances are primarily designed for parts, not for all “goods” or “items” being brought in for a yacht, so, for example, a TV set may be taxable if the Customs attending officer does not consider it to be an actual part of the yacht. Things like compasses, winches, sails, etcetera will always be considered a part of a yacht. Here are some methods that have been proven to work and are according to current rules for the most popular cruiser destinations. These tips relate to either flying into the country or having things shipped directly to you, starting with the best places in the Eastern Caribbean: Sint Maarten (only the Dutch side) No Customs fees, no Customs duty, no taxes and extremely friendly. This is a duty-free island and parts/packages can be shipped in without any hassles via FedEx, DHL, ocean freight, etcetera. Simpson Bay is home to FedEx and DHL, while Tropical Shipping is located near Great Bay. Even the US Postal Service (USPS) will ship here, using their choice of carrier. Parts brought in by air, as luggage, are also duty free, so pack those extra bags and bring them with you on the plane. By far, Sint Maarten is THE best place to have things shipped to. Just allow adequate time for your package to arrive, as with anywhere in the islands. United States Virgin Islands (USVI) No Customs fees, no Customs duty, no taxes and another great place to have anything and everything sent to you or your vessel. The USPS General Delivery will hold packages for you for a maximum of seven days, or so they say. Sometimes it is 30 days but you never know. Just give your shipment the address of the closest St. Thomas post office and boom, your package is yours for the taking. If you don’t trust the USPS there are mailbox businesses at Crown Bay and Red Hook, where you merely pay for an address (US$30 per month) and receive the package from USPS, FedEx, DHL, UPS, et al, with no problems. As with Sint Maarten, bags you bring with you on the plane are never taxed. Ocean freight (Crowley or Tropical) can also be used for shipments of parts/ packages and you will most likely need to contact St. Thomas Cargo, on the hill between Crown Bay Marina and Sub Base, to arrange to receive your items. A sign on the road shows the way to their office (just look up into the trees). Puerto Rico This used to be a great place to receive packages but, as stated before, things change. There is now an 11.5-percent tax on items shipped into Puerto Rico. Well, kind of. Packages can be sent directly to Puerto del Rey Marina and there are no Customs charges, for
some odd reason. But if you use ocean freight (Crowley, Tropical, et al), be prepared to declare your items using an online registration system (easier if you know Spanish) and paying the 11.5-percent duty online before your goods are released to you. Receipts are required and attached to the online form to determine the 11.5-percent tax. However, if you fly into Puerto Rico there is no duty on anything you bring with you in your baggage. Nada. Trinidad & Tobago There is no tax (VAT) on parts brought into the country for a “yacht in transit”. When arriving by air you
parts brought in or shipped in without paying duty, VAT or taxes. St. Lucia An agent is required to receive any parts/packages from outside the country. Ordering from Island Water World at Rodney Bay is the preferred method because they know the routine and will arrange everything, including the agent’s fee. Ocean freight can also be used for larger items but fees are paid on anything you bring to your “yacht in transit”. Customs is very strict about any parts being brought directly to your vessel as well. I even had a Customs officer follow me back to
Aboard Aspen, Maria ponders the procurement of parts in paradise
my boat as I wheeled a new transmission down the dock in Rodney Bay Marina. The Customs man left only after I managed to heave the heavy package onboard my boat and not drop it into the water. Grenada This popular Caribbean sailing destination is a true can of worms, so to speak, as far as importing items for visiting yachts. It seems as though Customs officers at the airport operate as they feel on any given day. Sometimes you are charged over 20-percent duty on parts or equipment (even if you have the correct C-14 form); occasionally you are charged over 50-percent duty on “environmentally sensitive” items, such as a portable vacuum cleaner (a true story). If you are lucky enough to have a correctly filled out C-14 form with backup receipts and this paperwork is accepted by Customs, a charge of two-percent duty is made on the spot; Customs may also require you to leave your packages/parts at the airport and hire an agent to appear at the airport the next day with a correct C-14 form to retrieve all items and deliver them to you (of course you pay the agent a fee that varies as well. All in all, Grenada is not the best place to bring in boat parts if you expect things to work smoothly. Summary The chandleries and boat stores in the Caribbean are very good at stocking necessary boat parts and ordering nearly everything else you require to keep your vessel working as well as can be expected in these tropical waters. If you still wish to source boat parts and goods from far away, the choices reviewed above will help keep you sailing and motoring toward distant destinations in the pursuit of that tropical paradise we all enjoy.
declare what parts you are bringing to your vessel while at the airport, and then you are required to proceed immediately to Customs in Chaguaramas and review the parts you are bringing onto your boat with Customs. Parts shipped into Trinidad by the main courier services go to Customs in Chaguaramas and you must appear personally at Customs with your boat papers to claim the items without paying any taxes, VAT or duty. Just plan on extra time to receive any parts if a carrier sends them to Trinidad. British Virgin Islands (BVI) It used to be easy to bring parts into the country without payment of duty as a “yacht in transit”. But things have changed and are still in an incredible state of flux. We were charged duty on parts brought in by ourselves on a ferry, of all things. But another couple with us weren’t charged anything for their parts. The BVI are sporadically enforcing regulations that have been on the books for several years. So it would be prudent to plan on paying duty on parts sent to the BVI or brought in by you, whether on a plane or ferry. Antigua & Barbuda There is no tax, VAT or duty for a “yacht in transit”. The Antigua Sailing Week website (www.sailingweek. com/v4/island-guide/first-timers-guide) states: “goods and services for genuine yachts in transit will be free of all taxes and duties including fuel and provisioning to be used by charter guests. Support containers are considered a temporary import and will be free of all duties and taxes subject to the contents being reexported and any spares consumed being shown to have been used in the maintenance of the yacht.” Antigua is another friendly and easy island to have
Steve Siguaw and his wife, Maria, sail the Caribbean aboard S/V Aspen, usually in search of a tranquil anchorage and boat parts.
CARIBBEAN CRUISERS’ TIP OF THE MONTH
Easy Onboard Storage Solutions This month’s tip is from Ken and Lynn on Silverheels III. Smallish boat, with limited storage? Large throw-pillow cases with zippers are a very convenient place to store linens, towels, and even all that un-needed winter clothing, without taking up valuable locker space. Sunglasses and other small but necessary things can be stored in some form of shower caddy attached to an out-of-the-way place on a bulkhead. Shock cord helps to hold them in place. It keeps them accessible, out of harm’s way, and harder to lose! Cruisers’ Tip of the Month is YOUR column! Send us your top tips — a little about yourself and your boat — to share. Send your tips to sally@caribbeancompass.com.
JANUARY 2017
When the night is long and the stars tell you there are still more nautical miles to cover and you question what your eyes are seeing — you sail on, Sailor.
When the dinghy used to be a good buddy, now your worst nightmare — we let it out and swear, Sailor. That one engine, that one impeller, or that pump, or even dare I say wood maintenance, the list that never ends — we repair, Sore Sailor. A drink in your hand and the feeling of much needed rest soon to come you are in safe harbor — sundowner time, Sore Sailor. When every bone in your body aches, the bruises that are imminent on the pain… it was all worth it. You think to yourself, I would do it all over again. This is a sore sailor, a true sailor. Sail on. — Olivia Frank
JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2017 Crossing the channels between Caribbean islands with a favorable tide will make your passage faster and more comfortable. The table below, courtesy Don Street, author of Street’s Guides and compiler of Imray-Iolaire charts, which shows the time of the meridian passage (or zenith) of the moon for this AND next month, will help you calculate the tides. Water, Don explains, generally tries to run toward the moon. The tide starts running to the east soon after moonrise, continues to run east until about an hour after the moon reaches its zenith (see TIME below) and then runs westward. From just after the moon’s setting to just after its nadir, the tide runs eastward; and from just after its nadir to soon after its rising, the tide runs westward; i.e. the tide floods from west to east. Times given are local. Note: the maximum tide is 3 or 4 days after the new and full moons. For more information, see “Tides and Currents” on the back of all Imray Iolaire charts. Fair tides! 20 0614 8 2123 January 2017 21 0658 9 2222 DATE TIME 22 0742 10 2318 1 1441 23 0828 11 0000 (full moon) 2 1530 24 0918 12 0012 3 1616 25 1005 13 0103 4 1703 26 1055 14 0152 5 1752 27 1145 15 0238 6 1848 28 1236 16 0333 7 1942 29 1326 17 0452 8 2038 30 1416 18 0536 9 2137 31 1505 19 0621 10 2733 20 0708 11 2338 February 2017 21 0756 12 0000 (full moon) 1 1505 22 0845 13 0037 2 1555 23 0935 14 0133 3 1645 24 1026 15 0226 4 1737 25 1117 16 0315 5 1831 26 1208 17 0402 6 1937 27 1258 18 0447 7 2025 28 1349 19 0531
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Pulling the sheets with the rawness of nature in your hands, it leaves its mark — you hold tight, Sailor.
MERIDIAN PASSAGE OF THE MOON
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
THE SORE
Isla Po nd ets SAILOR
THE CARIBBEAN SKY: FREE SHOW NIGHTLY!
The Sky from Mid-January to Mid-February by Jim Ulik
JANUARY 2017
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
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“Have you sometimes observed the sun set over the sea? Have you watched it till the upper rim of its disk, skimming the surface of the water, is just about to disappear? Very likely you have; but did you notice the phenomenon which occurs at the very instant the heavenly body sends forth its last ray, which, if the sky be cloudless, is of unparalleled purity? No, perhaps not. Well, the first time you have the opportunity, and it happens but rarely, of making this observation, it will not be, as one might think, a crimson ray which falls upon the retina of the eye, it will be ‘green,’ but a most wonderful green, a green which no artist could ever obtain on his palette, a green which neither the varied tints of vegetation nor the shades of the most limpid sea could ever produce the like! If there be green in Paradise, it cannot but be of this shade, which most surely is the true green of Hope!” This writing was a newspaper article taken out of Jules Verne’s 1882 novel Le Rayon-Vert (The Green Ray). The character Miss Campbell vowed to never get married until she saw the green ray. So begins the voyage. If you have taken the time to look for the green flash, chances are a cloud passed in front of the Sun at that very moment. Or maybe the sail from a distant sloop obstructed your view. Seeing a green ray radiating from the Sun is rarer than seeing a green flash. In Figure 2A the Sun has approached the horizon. Warm air above the ocean causes the Sun’s rays to be mirrored upwards. That phenomenon is called an inferior mirage. The warm air layer also magnifies the separation of red and green light waves. Notice the green hue at both edges of the setting Sun in Figure 2B. If conditions are good the very last light you see will be the green flash (Figure 2C). The atmosphere acts like a prism bending green light waves more than red. Occasionally the hue of the final flash may be blue in color as in Figure 2D. As for viewing the planets, this period Mercury and Saturn are visible in the mornings just before sunrise. Venus, Mars and Jupiter can be seen in the evening sky. If you are in a dark location you may be able to see Uranus in the constellation Pisces or catch a glimpse of Neptune in Aquarius. This period also contains a number of conjunctions between the Moon and other celestial bodies. Let the Moon be your guide in celestial body identification. Thursday, January 19th The Moon will be rising just after midnight and positioned in Virgo. Jupiter will also reside in the Virgin Goddess near Spica, a double star that marks the Ear of Wheat that Virgo holds in her hand. The angular distance between the Sun and Mercury is at its greatest this morning. About 70 minutes before sunrise you will find Mercury a few degrees above the eastern horizon and below Saturn and reddish Antares. The Moon has reached the last quarter phase. From midnight to dawn Jupiter will pass overhead with the Moon and Spica. —Continued on next page
BOAT PAINT & STUFF Time Out Boat Yard Saint Martin Next to the French Bridge
The cover of Jules Verne’s 1882 book Le Rayon-Vert (The Green Ray)
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FIGURE 2
Above: Phases of a sunset leading to a green flash
Below: Using Cassiopeia to find the Andromeda galaxy FIGURE 3
JANUARY 2017 CARIBBEAN COMPASS
—Continued from previous page Friday, January 20th Looking west after sunset Venus will be located just under Mars. Turn towards the northwest and find Cassiopeia (Figure 3). When you are looking towards the northeast you will be facing the direction our solar system moves through the Milky Way galaxy. You can also use Cassiopeia to help find the Andromeda galaxy. The Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies are on a collision course. Monday, January 23rd Continuing with the conjunctions of the Moon before sunrise will find three celestial bodies in the eastern sky. The Moon, Saturn and the Heart of the Scorpion — the star Antares — will all appear close together. Tomorrow morning (January 24) the Moon shifts slightly eastward and sits directly north of a fully illuminated Saturn. Wednesday, January 25th As the Moon continues its eastern shift it pairs up with Mercury. Friday, January 27th The Moon is located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun. The New Moon occurs at 2007. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere. Can you find the star cluster near Sirius in Canis Major? The fuzzy patch was thought to be a comet in the 1600s but Charles Messier confirmed it as a star cluster, naming it M41. Monday, January 30th After dusk in the western sky Mars is located above Venus. If you draw a line from Venus through the sliver Moon and extend it another five degrees you will intersect Neptune. Tomorrow the Moon takes its place with Mars and Venus. Sunday, February 5th The Eye of the Bull — the star Aldebaran — is 44 times the diameter of our Sun. Tonight there is a conjunction between Aldebaran and the Moon in the constellation Taurus. If Aldebaran were in our solar system, it would extend halfway to the planet Mercury and appear 20 degrees across in our sky. Wednesday, February 8th The Moon is still on the move, as it is now positioned near the constellation Gemini and between Pollux and Procyon, the brightest star in Canis Minor. Uranus is in the picture, too, at three degrees north of the Moon. Friday, February 10th In the eastern sky the Full Moon is now moving toward Leo. Over the next two nights you can identify the location of the Heart of the Lion, called Regulus. This star is 150 times brighter than our Sun. If you are going to a Full Moon party don’t forget to glance up at the Moon because there is a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse starting at 1832. The Moon will pass through the Earth’s partial shadow. During this type of eclipse the Moon will darken slightly. The eclipse will be over by 2255. Monday, February 13th One of the asteroids that are closely watched is Apophis. This asteroid is named after the Egyptian god of evil and destruction who dwelled in eternal darkness. The diameter of this body is 690 to 1080 feet (210 to 330 metres). Apophis is going to make a close approach to Earth today. There should be little risk of impacting Earth until Friday, April 13th of 2029 or Easter Sunday, April 13th, 2036. Its orbit is constantly monitored for any negative changes. Tuesday, February 14th The Moon has made a complete circuit around Earth since January 19th and now resides back in Virgo near Jupiter and Spica. In the News While the funding for Earth science still exists, NASA in conjunction with JPL and Caltech are developing robotic submersibles for ocean research. Artificial Intelligence software will allow the drones to navigate and make their own decisions in real time. The drones’ decisions will be determined in part through the detection of ocean currents, changes in ocean salinity, temperature, topography, etcetera, to the levels of nutrients that are available to sea life. The first stages of experimentation have taken place and the technical papers are now being written.
PAGE 43
All times are given as Atlantic Standard Time (AST) unless otherwise noted. The times are based on a viewing position in Grenada and may vary by only a few minutes in different Caribbean locations, Jim Ulik of S/V Merengue is a photographer and cruiser.
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PAGE 44
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LOOK OUT FOR…
VANILLA:
From Here, to There, and Back Again by Lynn Kaak As you travel through the Caribbean, every month there’s something special to look out for. Vanilla is the most popular flavouring in the world — yes, it even surpasses chocolate! It is also the second most expensive flavouring or spice, next to saffron. When you understand how it is propagated and produced, its cost makes a great deal of sense. It wasn’t until the Spanish visited the lands bordering the Gulf of Mexico that Europeans discovered vanilla. However, the Totonac people, who inhabited what is now Veracruz in Mexico, knew about it long before that, and used it as an offering to the Aztecs when they were conquered by them. The Aztecs used it to flavour their chocolate. They knew the good stuff when they tasted it! Vanilla, then, is a native of Mexico and Central America. The name “vanilla” is a translation of the Spanish for “little pod”. Whether that is a better name than “black flower”, as the Aztecs referred to it, is up for deliberation. Vanilla planiforia and V. pompona are the two species of vanilla that you are most likely to see growing in the Caribbean. They both stem from the same species that originated in Mexico and were transplanted around the tropical regions of the world, particularly by the French. There was a problem with trying to propagate vanilla around the globe, though: it was only fertilized by small bees native to the region of the plant’s origin. It was eventually discovered that the flowers could be fertilized by hand, and a young slave from Reunion Island discovered that by using a slip of bamboo and a thumb, the flowers were fairly easily fertilized without having to rely on the bees. Even in the wild, the chance of fertilization is only about one percent, so this made a huge difference in the production rates. This discovery also killed Mexico’s monopoly on production. The Bourbon variety (part of V. planifolia) was developed in Reunion and Madagascar, and eventually found its way back to the Caribbean, via the French. This has the highest yield, which made it the best bet for farmers.
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The Best Stories from Caribbean Compass Now available as an eBook at Amazon.com, Cruising Life: The Best Stories from Caribbean Compass is a collection of 49 outstanding stories selected from more than 200 issues of Caribbean Compass. Ann Vanderhoof, author of An Embarrassment of Mangoes and The Spice Necklace, says, “Given a new life beyond the magazine, the pieces in this collection resonate and sparkle in a very different way, offering new pleasures. Beyond its entertainment — the first piece had me hooked — the collection is sure to spark ideas in both cruising sailors and armchair dreamers.” US$8.95 Read a preview and order Cruising Life now at www.amazon.com!
The plant is a form of orchid, and is the only orchid with a fruit that is edible to humans. It likes rich soil, and lots of water, but it doesn‘t like to live in the mud, so good drainage is a necessity. As a vine, it requires some form of support, and is often found growing on a “tutor” tree. The tree also provides needed shade, as while the orchid is very much a tropical plant, it isn’t a sun worshipper. It isn’t uncommon to see vanilla plants interspersed among other commercially useful trees and plants throughout the old estate grounds one might hike through in the Caribbean. Commercially active plantations might use a shade material providing 50 percent shade for the precious plants. Most vanilla plants are cultivated by cuttings. After about three years, they are mature enough to bear fruit, of course after a little “tickling” to fertilize the flower. The short-lived flowers, which must be worked with within a 12-hour window if they are to be used, are yellow, and are approximately five centimetres in diameter, and about two to three centimetres in length. They will fall off within a day of flowering. The flowers, with assistance, can pollinate themselves, but otherwise, a small membrane prevents self-pollination when humans aren’t involved. The pods (they are not actually beans) take five to six months to develop and mature. Depending on the variety, they may develop into a red or black colour when they are ready for harvest, with the pickers looking for the pod to start to split at the end. They all turn the familiar black quite quickly after picking. Pods generally grow to about 15 centimetres in length. The longer the pod, the higher the quality and the higher the value. The pods must be checked daily to see when they are ready for harvest, which adds to the labour-intensive nature of this crop. And of course, it must be picked by hand. Artificial vanilla flavouring may come from the castor sacs of mature beavers, or as a by-product of wood production. Ain’t nuthin’ like the real thing, baby! There is certainly nothing “plain” about vanilla.
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 3/4 Cup butter 3/4 Cup light brown sugar 1/4 Cup white sugar 6 Tablespoons fancy table molasses 1 egg Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all dry ingredients except sugar in a bowl. Meanwhile place butter in a separate bowl and bring to room temperature. Add both brown and white sugar, mixing well until nicely creamed. In another bowl, beat egg and molasses together. Add egg and molasses to butter mixture, creaming well. Add dry ingredients and mix to incorporate into a dough. Firm dough up by placing it in the cooler for about half an hour, or until ready to use. Divide dough into 18 or 20 balls and roll each in white sugar. Press each ball into flat, round shape, about 1/4 inch thick and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for about 15 minutes until nicely firmed. Let cool and serve at the helm with hot tea or coffee.
BY ROSS MAVIS
Coffee and Cookies at the Helm
PAGE 45
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CARIBBEAN COMPASS
Helm Cookies 2 1/2 Cups flour 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
JANUARY 2017
The cookies in my most recent batch were larger than usual and my wife said they would be ideal for eating while at the helm. Nothing too fiddly or crumbly would serve to appease the appetite while one hand firmly holds the tiller. Not only were these cookies hand size and firm, they had the perfect blend of sugar and spice to make them wholesome and delicious. Molasses and allspice make these cookies a real taste treat. The recipe calls for fancy table molasses instead of the heavier blackstrap type. Ginger, allspice and black pepper also make wonderful additions. A strong cup of coffee or tea is the perfect accompaniment. It was not too long ago that I discovered that allspice was not just “all spices” — a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, etcetera. The Jamaican bayberry tree produces a small berry that, when ground, produces allspice. This versatile spice has both sweetness and a kick for use in both sweet and savoury recipes. Like peppercorns, the whole allspice berry can be used successfully in poaching stock for fish and also in vegetable and pickle dishes. Ground allspice makes an excellent addition to cakes, cookies and some puddings. For barbecue aficionados, Caribbean jerk specialties use allspice as a key ingredient. English baking and some German dishes also use allspice. Try this great cookie recipe even when at anchor. These giant cookies are firm and will hold their shape nicely. They’re easy to make and even easier to eat!
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Thomas, USVI in February 1956, I bought the 46-foot cutter-rigged engineless yawl Iolaire, which was built in 1905. After we took Iolaire to Europe in 1995 I continued to cruise and explore the Eastern Caribbean on the small sloop Li’l Iolaire, until she was eaten up by a big cat dragging down on her in Hurricane Ivan. Since that time I have managed to visit the Caribbean every year, but in short periods with not that much sailing. My wife and I are celebrating our golden wedding anniversary by visiting Grenada and Carriacou. We are visiting Grenada because we lived there for 13 years — a combination of ashore and afloat — until 1979 when the People’s Revolutionary Army seized our land and houses. We continued to base Iolaire and Li’l Iolaire in Grenada, however, so we were in Grenada for 42 years altogether. We are visiting Carriacou as that is where we met. As you can see from the Compass I am still writing at age 86, and also sailing — racing an 83-year-old Dragon, the oldest Dragon in the world still sailing. Regarding writing, I need some help, which I hope some Compass readers will give me. How about readers of the Compass who are good photographers sending to us, as a Golden Wedding Anniversary present, photographs of the following to illustrate an article I plan to have published in the British yachting press: • mast steps to the lower spreaders, • someone standing on the lower spreaders eyeball navigating, • a view of shallow water from the lower spreaders, • someone standing on TOP of the bow pulpit eyeball navigating, • a wind charger on the mizzen mast, • another wind charger on a pole, • running downwind, wing and wing, with a headsail on a whisker/spinnaker pole. No one will have all the above, so single photos of the items listed would be greatly appreciated. Good sailing, Don Street streetiolaire@hotmail.com
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STREAMLINING TOBAGO TRAVEL? Dear Compass, I was pleased to read in the December issue of Compass that the VAT and Customs issues plaguing Trinidad have been addressed. Don Stollmeyer from Power Boats has long been a voice of reason and a powerful advocate for making Trinidad & Tobago more accommodating to yachts.
JANUARY 2017
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
PAGE 46
Reservations: (784) 458-3474 or VHF 68
READERS' FORUM
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The Carenage: Monday - Thursday 8 am to 5:30 pm Friday until 8:45 pm Saturday until 1:00 pm Tel: (473) 440-2588 Grand Anse: Monday - Thursday 9 am to 5:30 pm Friday & Saturday until 7:00 pm Tel: (473) 444-4573
Cartagena, Colombia — A Brand New View Shore Leave in Grenada’s Chocolate Country How Do Caribbean Cruising Couples Stay Together?
… and much more!
Another issue does exist within this country as it relates to attracting yachts and that is the lack of ease with which one can travel between Trinidad and Tobago. On our journey, we found the complexity of traveling between these two islands of the same nation to be challenging, to put it mildly. We are highly experienced sailors who have been to over 50 countries in the past four years and never have we found a Customs organization more difficult to deal with than the one in Tobago. I know that this is a surmountable issue and that Don is working to make it more “customer friendly.” Let’s hope the future brings a more streamlined system that treats seafarers with respect and welcomes them to this beautiful island. Richard Schattman S/V Atalanta
Dear Roger, We agree that providing proper recycling facilities should be obligatory for marinas these days — but some do and some don’t. We’d like to take the opportunity to invite those that do to let us know about their recycling facilities, so we can share that information with our readers, and at the same time encourage those who don’t yet provide proper recycling facilities to get up to speed and do so. Recycling marinas and boatyards, let’s hear from you! CC WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Dear Compass Readers, We want to hear from YOU! Be sure to include your name, boat name or shoreside address, and a way we can contact you (preferably by e-mail) if clarification is required. We do not publish individual consumer complaints or individual regatta results complaints. (Kudos are okay!) We do not publish anonymous letters; however, your name may be withheld from print at your request. Please keep letters shorter than 600 words. Letters may be edited for length, clarity and fair play. Send your letters to sally@caribbeancompass.com.
I FEEL LIKE A SEA BIRD Dear Compass, Today is the happiest day of my life. After a year and a half in the dusty boatyard, I am back to the water, Where I was made to be. Wow, what a nice feeling — that contact with the seawater never was so joyful. They spread my sails and I feel like a sea bird, Dancing with the waves and playing with the wind. Sign me, The boat Adverse Conditions (Luz Adriana “Nana” Quintero helped me write this) HELP MAKE DON STREET’S ANNIVERSARY GREAT! Dear Compass Readers, My cruising, exploring, chartering, racing and writing about the Caribbean started when in St. GAIL ANDERSON
Read in Next Month’s Compass:
RECYCLING AT MARINAS, PLEASE Dear Compass, Isn’t it about time all marinas and boatyards in the Caribbean provided proper recycling facilities? They profit mightily from their use of the environment, often to the detriment of small islands, by filling scarce waterfront space. Let’s see separate bins for metal, glass, and paper, for a start, and bring in local recycling companies to give something back to these little countries. Roger Lewis S/V Pleiades
WHAT’S ON MY MIND
Liveaboards: Sailing Solo versus Long-Term Lovers by Lindsay Bindman If you asked a single dude, living aboard his ship as he sailed the islands, what addition to his lifestyle could make him happier, his response would likely have something to do with companionship. Whether he wanted it for a night here and there, or a long-term partner to share the journey with, it’s easy to understand the loneliness that might come with watching the breathtaking Caribbean sunsets all by yourself each night. There’s something about sharing an incredible moment, view or experience with another person that can make it so much more meaningful. My dad was lucky enough to have more than 50 visitors join him aboard his Vagabond 47 ketch, Vagabond, in the Caribbean last year and a few more since he began his journey — including myself for long stretches — but during the times he’s alone, I always wish he’ll find good company.
‘This would’ve been pretty damn romantic if I had the right person here with me’
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CARTOON
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
COMPASS
JANUARY 2017
I can remember standing on the island that Captain Jack Sparrow is marooned on (twice) in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie. It’s located in the Tobago Cays in real life, as many of you know. I looked up from this beautiful paradise and saw a rainbow. It was a moment I’ll remember for the rest of my life, but I was alone, and I also remember thinking, “Man, this would’ve been pretty damn romantic if I had the right person here with me.” However, this brings me to the flip side. During our sailing adventures, we’ve had many a buddy-boat, and therefore met many a romantic couple. If you are someone who’s sailing around the world with their partner, I would venture to say that there aren’t too many more adventurous or romantic experiences than the one you’re sharing right now. Dropping the anchor and feeling like you and your partner are the only two people that exist in your own personal paradise must be incredible. But it can also be enough to drive a person crazy! Feeling for so much of the time like no one else exists except for the partner you share a medium-sized sailboat with!? Couples who have shore-based lifestyles usually lead different lives that they choose to come together and share at the end of each day. They probably have different jobs, their own set of friends and hobbies. Being part of a long-term liveaboard couple that’s sailing the Caribbean together means the most space you’re getting from your partner is maybe going for a solo snorkel. The friends you make are likely other liveaboard couples, a relationship you also share with your partner. And you’re always thought of as a unit — your own name followed immediately by your partner’s and then the name of your boat. Let’s not pretend that this doesn’t bring about myriad challenges. My dad and I have met many a beautiful couple, and when viewing them through my own single lens it was easy to see them as the epitome of happiness. But upon getting to know these people, I was able to see that there are two very valid sides to the same coin. I know from experience that being single as you travel through the most beautiful parts of the world can evoke a very real loneliness. But I’ve also seen that sharing a small space with your partner for months or years straight, without natural breaks from one another, can create many struggles. So, I think the moral of the story is the “when in Rome” philosophy. By this I mean that if you are traveling in a committed relationship with someone you respect, enjoy it. Enjoy the shit out of it because nothing can compare to shared happiness and the level of trust necessary to keep your relationship, and your boat, afloat. And if you find yourself alone, enjoy the freedom and simplicity — you never know who you might meet in the next port!
BILL THOMAS
DEALER NAME
ANGUILLA
MADCO
St. Martin
+590-590-510-540
ANTIGUA
Paradise Boat Sales
St. Johns
+268-562-7125
BAHAMAS
Lightbourne Marine
Nassau
+242-393-5285
BAHAMAS
National Marine Limited
Marsh Harbour
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BAHAMAS
Out-Board Services Limited
Freeport
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BAHAMAS
Spanish Wells Marine & Hardware Co. Ltd.
Spanish Wells
+242-333-4139
BARBADOS
Marine Power Solutions Inc.
Barbados
+246-435-8127
BELIZE
Belize Diesel & Equipment Co.
Belize City
+501-223-5668
BELIZE
Thunderbirds Marine
Placencia Village
+501-624-1411
BELIZE
William Quan & Co.
Belize City
+501-2-27-2264
BERMUDA
Pearman Watlington & Co Ltd.
Hamilton
+441-295-3232
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
Marine Power Service Ltd.
Tortola
+284-494-2738
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CAYMAN ISLANDS
Scott's Industries Ltd.
Grand Cayman
+345-949-4186
DOMINICA
Dominica Marine Center Inc.
Roseau
+767-440-BOAT(2628)
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Auto Marina S.A.
Santo Domingo
+809-565-6576
FRENCH GUIANA
Sovale s.a.s.
Cayenne Cedex
+594-594-359-777
FRENCH WEST INDIES
MADCO
St. Martin
+590-590-510-540
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Maximarine SAS
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+596-696-454-502
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S.A.D
Guadeloupe
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GRENADA
Anro Agencies Ltd.
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W & H Rambaran Marine
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+592-226-4523
HAITI
Matelec S.A.
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Jamaica Offshore and Marine Supplies Limited
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NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
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PUERTO RICO
Powerboat Marine LLC
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Vita's Marine Center
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SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS
Dominica Marine Center Inc.
Roseau
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SAIT LUCIA
A1 Island Marine Supplies Inc.
Castries
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SAINT MARTIN
MADCO
St. Martin
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SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
A1 Island Marine Supplies Inc.
Castries
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SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
Dominica Marine Center Inc.
Roseau
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ST. BARTS
MADCO
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SURINAME
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PAGE 48
ISLAND
JANUARY 2017
Mercury Marine offers the Verado 350 in a choice of colors. In addition to our standard Phantom Black, you also can order the engine in either of two shades of white – Cold Fusion or Warm Fusion – that will complement almost any boat design or style.
CITY
TELEPHONE NUMBER
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Corsa Marine
San Fernando
+868-657-4723
TURK AND CAICOS ISLANDS
Sherlock Walkin & Sons
Providenciales
+649-9-46-4411
VENEZUELA
A&F Marine Center
Maracaibo
+261-752-9511
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Corporacion Alba
Valencia
+241-842-1644
VENEZUELA
Engine Service Marine
Caracas
+212-267-9398
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Protienda C.A.
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+281-286-5843
U.S.VIRGIN ISLANDS
St. Croix Marine Corporation
St. Croix
+340-773-0289
U.S.VIRGIN ISLANDS
Ruans Marine Service
St. Thomas
+340-775-6595
U.S.VIRGIN ISLANDS
Ruans Marine Service
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+340-775-6595
©Mercury Marine 2016
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Project Management
Tel: (+1 473) 415 0431 or 439 1002 Email: gary@horizongrenada.com www.horizonyachtsgrenada.com
mays@mail.telepac.pt www.midatlanticyachtservices.com
CARRIACOU REAL ESTATE
OfďŹ ces in Port Louis Marina & Clarkes Court Boat Yard
Land and houses for sale
DOMINICA YACHT SERVICES - Relax! Leave the work to us -
For full details see our website: www.carriacou.net Contact: islander@spiceisle.com Tel: (473) 443 8187
Hubert J. Winston
+767-275-2851 Mobile / 445-4322 +767-448-7701 Fax info@dominicayachtservices.com www.dominicayachtservices.com
Open 11.30 - 2.00 for Lunch 6.00 - 9.00 for Dinner Tuesday to Saturday Sunday Brunch 11.30 - 14.30 Reservations recommended Phone (473) 443 6500 or call CH 16 Situated on the South Side of Tyrrel Bay. Bar open all Day
FLAGS WIND CARTE PDF
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou
JANUARY 2017
18 Victoria St. Roseau & Bay St. Portsmouth Dominica
Use our new Dinghy Dock
PAGE 49
TechNick Ltd. Engineering, fabrication and welding. Fabrication and repair of stainless steel and aluminium items. Nick Williams, Manager Tel: 1 (473) 405-1560 S.I.M.S. Boatyard, True Blue, Grenada technick@spiceisle.com
#ONSUMABLES WIND CARTE PDF
NEILPRYDE Sails Grenada
Free WiFi
Call: (473) 443-9399
Check out our website or contact us directly for a competitive quote on rugged and well-built sails that are well suited to the harsh environment of the charter trade and blue water cruising.
Jeff Fisher – Grenada (473) 537-6355 www.neilprydesails.com
☛ REMEMBER to tell our advertisers you saw their ad in Compass! continued on next page
Caribbean Compass Market Place Piper Marine Store Bequia - Port Elizabeth Lifeline and rig swage Racor filters Rule & Jabsco pumps & parts West epoxy Marine paints, varnish, and much more! (784) 457 3856 • Cell: (784) 495 2272 • VHF 68
restaurant & boutique hotel Open daily for lunch and dinner.
crescent beach,
Call 784.458.3400 for industry bay, bequia directions or reservations. PH 784.458.3400 Crescent Beach, Bequia www.sugarreefbequia.com (Industry Bay)
JANUARY 2017
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
PAGE 50
fisherman to table OpenFarm daily and for lunch and supper, 12-9pm at afrom beachfront coconut plantation. 2 miles the harbor.
UNION ISLAND St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Tel/Fax: (784) 458 8918 capgourmet @vincysurf.com VHF Ch 08
THIS COULD BE
YOUR MARKET PLACE AD tom@caribbeancompass.com continued on next page
Caribbean Compass Market Place LAND FOR SALE Our Advertisers
LOTS 1/4 ACRE AND LARGER
CARRIACOU
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Spectacular Views of Tyrrel Bay & the Southern Grenadines to Grenada
the Compass…
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BEQUIA LAND FOR SALE Beautiful views of the Grenadines on this secluded plot.
473-443-7058 / 404-9280 www.caribtrace.com
A gentle gradient for easy building. bequialandforsale@gmail.com
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The Multihull Company
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Alexis De Boucaud St Martin +590 690 58 66 06
Chris Rundlett Grenada 473-440-1668
F e at u r e d Br ok e r a g e L i s t ing s
2002 Catana 581 $829,000
2013 Lagoon 52 €895.000
2003 Catana 521 $895,000
2004 Leopard 47 $295,000
1997 Catana 471 $449,000
2007 Dolphin 460 $579,000
2009 Catana 50 $879,000
2006 Privilege 745 $2,600,000
1990 Prout Quasar 50
2002 Gunboat 62 $1,500,000
2000 Catana 471 $495,000
2006 Dolphin 460 $499,000
Alexis@multihullcompany.com Chris@multihullcompany.com
Carl Olivier Virgin Islands 268-717-4536
Jaryd Forbes Trinidad & Tobago 868-680-8909
Carl@multihullcompany.com Jaryd@multihullcompany.com
Antoine Lelievre Guadeloupe +590 690 34 20 60
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PAGE 51
The World’s Leader in Multihull Sales, Service and Charter
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JANUARY 2017
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PAGE 52
PICK UP!
Ahoy, Compass Readers! When in the BVI, pick up your free monthly copy of the Caribbean Compass at any of these locations (advertisers in this issue appear in bold): TORTOLA EAST END De Loose Mongoose Hodges Creek Marina Trellis Bay Market PORT PURCELL/PASEA BVI Yacht Charters Golden Hind Chandlery Parts & Power The Moorings ROAD TOWN Conch Charters Village Cay Marina Office ROAD REEF RiteWay Prospect Reef The Pub Doyle Sailmakers BVI Ltd Tortola Marine Management (TMM) NANNY CAY Budget Marine BVI Yacht Sales C & B Superette Cay Electronics Horizon Yacht Charters Nanny Cay Resort Nanny Cay Marina Virgin Trader SOPER’S HOLE Ample Hamper D’Best Cup LITTLE APPLE BAY Sebastian’s on the Beach VIRGIN GORDA Bitter End Yacht Club Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbor
Public holiday or “recovery day” in many places (New Year’s Day); Junkanoo parades in The Bahamas; SSCA Gam in Trinidad 1–7 Crucian Christmas Festival, St. Croix, www.stcroixtourism.com/christmas_festival.htm 1–8 St. Kitts & Nevis Carnival, www.stkittsneviscarnival.com 2 Public holiday in Cuba (Victory of Armed Forces Day) and Haiti (Founding Fathers’ Day) 2 Annual Festival parade in Montserrat. www.discovermni.com 6 Public holiday in some places (Three Kings Day/Epiphany) 7 Start of World ARC 2016-17, St. Lucia, www.worldcruising.com 8 – 22 St. Barts Music Festival, www.stbartsmusicfestival.org 9 Public holiday in the Bahamas (Majority Rule Day observed) and Puerto Rico (Eugenio María de Hostos Day observed) 10 Start of Atlantic Odyssey II (Canary Islands to Martinique), www.cornellsailing.com 12 FULL MOON 12 SSCA Gam in St. Croix 14 Round Antigua Race. www.antiguayachtclub.com 14 Bonaire Maritime Film Festival, projectstormvogel@gmail.com 14 – 15 MLK Regatta, St. Thomas. STYC 16 Public holiday in Puerto Rico and USVI (Martin Luther King Day) 16 – 24 Mount Gay Rum Round Barbados Race Series, www.mountgayrumroundbarbadosrace.com 18 – 1 Feb Mustique Blues Festival, (784) 488-8350 19 – 22 Bequia Mount Gay Music Fest, www.bequiatourism.com/bequiamusicfest 20 – 22 Caribbean Laser Midwinter Regatta, Cabarete, Dominican Republic, www.caribwind.com 21 Anguilla Youth Regatta. dcurtis63@hormail.com 21 Public holiday in Barbados (Errol Barrow Day) and the Dominican Republic (Our Lady of Altagracia) 21 – 25 Spice Island Billfish Tournament, Grenada, www.sibt.gd 22 – 3 Feb Conch Republic Cup Key West Cuba Race Week, www.ConchRepublicCup.com 24 – 30 St. Barth Fun Cup (windsurfing races), www.saintbarthfuncup.com 25 Public holiday in Aruba (GF Croes Day), Cayman Islands (National Heroes’ Day) and Dominican Republic (Duarte Day observed) 28 Public holiday in Cuba (Birthday of José Martí) and Suriname (Chinese New Year) 28 – 29 Grenada Sailing Festival Workboat Regatta, www.grenadasailingfestival.com 29 Budget Marine Challenge, St. Maarten, robbie.ferron@budgetmarine.com 30 – 4 Feb IWW Grenada Sailing Week, http://grenadasailingweek.com
FEBRUARY 2 2–5 3–5 5 7 10 10 – 12 10 - 13 11 11 – 12 12 – 19 14 17 18 – 19 18 – 19 20 20 22 23 24 - 28
CLASSIFIEDS US 50¢ PER WORD Include name, address and numbers in count. Line drawings/photos accompanying classifieds are US$10. Pre-paid by the 10th of the month e-mail: shellese@caribbeancompass.com
25 25 25 – 26 27 27 – 28
World Wetlands Day, www.ramsar.org SuperYacht Challenge Antigua, www.northropandjohnson.com/events Pan Pepin International Dinghy Regatta, Puerto Rico. CNSJ Sailors’ & Landlubbers’ Auction, Bequia, www.bequiasunshineschool.org Public holiday in Grenada (Independence Day) OCC Rally to Cuba. Suzanne.chappell@icloud.com Round Martinique Regatta, www.theroundmartinique.com Jolly Harbour Valentine’s Regatta, Antigua, JHYC FULL MOON Puerto del Rey Sailing Challenge, Puerto Rico. smileandwavesailing@gmail.com Yachtie Appreciation Week, Dominica, www.sailopo.com Round Redonda Race, JHYC Antigua 360° Race. AYC Crucian Open Regatta, St. Croix. SCYC Children’s Karnaval Parades, Bonaire Start of RORC Caribbean 600 race, Antigua, http://caribbean600.rorc.org Public holiday in Puerto Rico and USVI (Presidents’ Day) Public holiday in St. Lucia (Independence Day) Public holiday in Guyana (Republic Day) Semaine Nautique Internationale de Schoelcher, Martinique, www.cnschoelcher.net/regates Cruising Outpost cruisers’ party, St. Maarten, www.cruisingoutpost.com Public holiday in Suriname (Liberation Day) Grand Karnaval Parades, Bonaire Public holiday in Dominican Republic (Independence Day) Carnival Monday and Tuesday in most Dutch and French islands, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Dominica, Carriacou, Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela and other places
All information was correct to the best of our knowledge at the time this issue of Compass went to press — but plans change, so please contact event organizers directly for confirmation. If you would like a nautical or tourism event listed FREE in our monthly calendar, please send the name and date(s) of the event and the name and contact information of the organizing body to sally@caribbeancompass.com
CLASSIFIEDS BOATS FOR SALE
41’ ROGER SIMPSON Light weight cruising catamaran. Fast & easy to sail. One of her sister ships "Ti Kanot" owned by the famous Chris Doyle for his Caribbean Cruising Guides. US$87,000. Marc One Marine Supplies Ltd. Tel: (868) 684-7720 (Luc) E-mail: ldemontbrun@hotmail.com
50’ BENETEAU 1994 Excellent condition throughout. Lying Bequia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, US$105, 000 ONO. Contact Charlie. E-mail: kenyon_charlie@hotmail.com
JOB OPPORTUNITY
34’ BENETEAU FIRST CLASS 10M Racing boat, ideal for Caribbean regattas. Yanmar 1gm 10 diesel, 2 blade maxprop, Raymarine instruments & full suit of racing sails. Lying Trinidad, US$16,000. Contact Don Tel: (868) 634-4346 E-mail: don@powerboats.co.tt
50’ BENETEAU OCEANIS 2009 Great condition, fully equipped, spinnaker, Raymarine E125 series, radar, AIS, teak deck, generator, Cruisair, solar & wind generator. Never chartered, many spare parts. Viking liferaft, US Flag. Lying Grenadines, going north later. Price US$189,000. E-mail: blefebvre@ venture-construction.com
PROPERTY FOR SALE
23’ JEANNEAU CAP CAMARAT 675 2 x 85hp 2 stroke Yamahas w/ 70hrs use, bimini, VHF, CD, anchor, life jackets, trailer. Lying Mustique, EC$62,000 ONO. Tel: (784) 533-0213 E-mail: mfindlay@mustique.vc
28’ SOUTHERN CROSS 1978 Yanmar, new canvas, bimini dodger, Monitor Wind Vane. US$9,500. Lying Trinidad. Tel: (868) 268-6865 E-mail: roman12345@mail.com
55’ TRIMARAN 1993 110 HP DEUTZ, lots of sails. US$59,000. Lying Trinidad. Tel: (868) 2686865 E-mail: roman12345@ mail.com
BEQUIA - MT. PLEASANT Residential Building Lot. Lower Mt. Pleasant road, Belmont area. Admiralty Bay view, walk to restaurants. 10,478 sq/ft. US$185,000. Island Pace Real Estate. E-mail: info@islandpace.com
RENTALS BEQUIA - LA POMPE Large 2 bedroom house and/ or 1 bed studio apartment.Big verandah and patio, stunning view, cool breeze. Internet, cable TV. 2 weeks minimum, excellent long-term rates. Tel: (784) 495 1177
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS - SALES MANAGER needed for diesel engine/equipment distributor in the BVI. Responsible for sales throughout the Caribbean for marine and industrial engines/ generators, excavation equipment, transfer switches, electrical distribution equipment, ups, power quality products, marine air conditioning and refrigeration systems, marine transmissions & other products. A minimum of 5 years sales experience, great interpersonal skills & management of sales processes is required. Job requires sales analysis, preparing reports, marketing, working with a dealer network & supervising a small sales staff. Email CV to modmgmtsols@gmail.com. BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS OUTSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVE wanted for Parts and Power for the sale of marine & industrial machines & parts. Requires excellent customer relationship building, good organizational & computer skills, minimum 5 years experience in sales. Must be able to be mobile within assigned territory & work flexible hrs & schedule. Email CV to modmgmtsols@gmail.com or info@partsandpower.com. TORTOLA- SERVICE MANAGER needed for marine & industrial service business in Tortola, British Virgin Islands. Must have strong administrative skills & technical knowledge with diesel engines & power generation with marine & industrial applications. Must have excellent organizational skills, ability to write service reports, strong communication skills, project management & cost accounting skills, & the ability to handle quality control issues. Needs minimum 5 years management experience, ability to give staff reviews, & motivational abilities. Need to maintain a fleet of vehicles & equipment. Send CV to modmgmtsols@ gmail.com.
BEQUIA- LOWER BAY Private cabin, simple, peaceful retreat, beautiful views, easy walk to Lower Bay-Princess Margaret beaches. Info & photos E-mail: tmzoffoli@gmail.com.
MISC. FOR SALE
3208 CATERPILLARS 2x3208 375hp marine engines/ZF transmissions. Fully rebuilt, zero hrs. Tel: (784) 528-7273 E-mail: rodney_gooding@hotmail.com . Cigarette 50’ converted for 24 PAX no engines, $60k. Rybovich sport fisherman 46’ project but overall good, $90k. Bring all offers! Tel: (721) 522-4861 E-mail: jelic@onebox.com NAVIONICS ELECTRONIC CHART 3XG – Caribbean & So. America - CF card & reader. New, never installed, in box. US$150, also MAC 45W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter (charger) New in box US$60 E-mail: caribpub@gmail.com
DON‘T LEAVE PORT WITHOUT IT!
☛
REMEMBER to tell our advertisers you saw their ad in Compass!
PAGE 53
40’ PILOT LAUNCH 1979 Fiberglass hull, 11’ beam, 4’ draft, GM 8V71-280 HP engine. Good condition, just need some cosmetics. No more use. Lying Union Island, US$20,000. Tel: (784) 458-8829 E-mail: palmdoc@ vincysurf.com
COMPLETE RO SEAMAKER 20 Water maker w/ remote panel system. System is new & in the box. Price US$4,195 or make offer. Tel: (784) 492-5075 E-mail: trebor@vincysurf.com
JANUARY 2017 CARIBBEAN COMPASS
“ELF AQUITAINE 1” 65' X 35' Trans Atlantic record breaking sailing catamaran, computerized solar/Oceanvolt energy autonomy. Seats 45-50, ideal for day charters. E-mail:Info@ greenventuresltd.com
38’ BENETEAU FIRST 1984 Fast cruiser/ racer. Excellent condition, ready to sail away, fully equipped. U$39,000. Tel: (473) 419-2538 E-mail: peterarawak@hotmail.com
The Bequia Tourism Association presents:
14th
BEQUIA MOUNT GAY MUSIC FEST 2017 Thur, Jan 19th - 9pm @ FRANGIPANI HOTEL: • 13-PIECE ELITE STEEL ORCHESTRA Fri , Jan 20th - 8.30pm @ BEQUIA PLANTATION HOTEL: • THE MUSTIQUE BLUES FESTIVAL IN BEQUIA FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY! Sat, Jan 21st - 12.30pm @ BEQUIA PLANTATION HOTEL: • ANDY CRUICKSHANK & IMPAC • LEISA WAY • XAVIER STRINGS • BEQUIA BLUES BAND • HONKY TONICS CHECK WEBSITE &
Sat, Jan 21st - 8.30pm @ DE REEF: • From Jamaica: FREDDIE MCGREGOR • From Barbados: 2 MILE HILL • From Dominica: SIGNAL BAND Sun, Jan 22nd - 1.30pm @ DE REEF: • TOBY ARMSTRONG • ABUZA, DYNAMITE & YAPHATTO • K-NETIK • BEQUIA KIDS ON PAN • MOUNT GAY GRAND FINALE • From Trinidad & Tobago: “SWEET SOCA MAN” BARON
Basil’s Bar Mustique
FOR FINAL & COMPLETE LINE-UP:
www.bequiatourism.com/bequiamusicfest | www.facebook.com/bequiamusicfest musicfest@bequiatourism.com | Tel: (784) 458 3286
SVG Tourism Authority
͞dŚĞ /ŶĨŽƌŵĂƟǀĞ ƌŽŬĞƌƐ͟
^ >>/E' >Kd^ K& K d^͊ >/^d zKhZ K d t/d, h^͊
ǁǁǁ͘ďǀŝLJĂĐŚƚƐĂůĞƐ͘ǀŐ TEL: 1-284-494-3260 D
PAGE 54
60' Moschini Mostes 60 1990 Quality Blue Water Cruiser $260K
JANUARY 2017
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
50' Jeanneau I50 1996 Nicely Maintained, Upgraded$149K
RED
60' Southern Ocean Hull #19 ‘79 True Passagemaker, Solid $200K REDU CED
57' Mystic 1999 Quality and Value $499K
49' Hunter 2008 Best Value In The World! $245K
48' Nautitech Dufour 475 1998 Superb Value €220K
53' Amel Super Maramu ‘90 Many Upgrades $212K REDU
CED
47' Beneteau Oceanis 473 ‘05 Best Buy on the Planet! $99K
REDU
CED
45' Freedom 45 1992 Quality Cruiser $149K
45’ Lagoon 450 2012 High Spec $499K
44' Alden 44 1978 Superb Quality, Bargain Price $95K
43' Beneteau Cyclades 43.3 ‘05 New Sails, Good Condition $72K
51' Jeanneau SO 51 1990 Fast, Comfortable Value $125K
50' Hunter 50 CC 2011 Luxurious and Fully Loaded! $359K
D
UCE
RED
47' Beneteau Oceanis 473 ‘03 Gen & Air, Amazing Refit! $129K D
UCE
RED
D
UCE
RED
43' Beneteau Oceanis 43 2010 Great Condition & Gear! $149K
D
46' Jeanneau SO 45.2 2003 Nice Upgrades, Loaded $123K
43' Hans Christian Christina 43 ‘99 Best Buy In The World! $239K
D
D CE UCE EDU Voted Best BVIRYacht Brokerage by Property and Yacht Readers Choice RED Awards in 2013 & 2014!
UCE
RED
D
UCE
UCE
RED
43' Shannon 43 1991 Ideal Offshore Voyager $139K RED
UCE
D
42' R&C Leopard 42 2003 Significantly Refitted, Solid $209K
42' Soverel 42 1982 Fast, Fully Refitted $60K
Private, Owner's Version $299K
40' R&C Leopard 40 2009
40' Van de Stadt Caribbean 40 ‘96 World Cruiser $98K
36' Jeanneau 36i 2009 Super Clean, Upgraded $62K
34' Gemini 105 MC, 2008 Beautiful Condition $115K
32' Jeanneau 32i 2009 Impeccable Condition $52K
REDU
D
UCE
RED
42' Jeanneau SO 42 DS 2010 Never Chartered,Super Clean $199K
CED
39' Beneteau Oceanis 393 ‘05
39' Hallberg Rassy 1999
Great Condition, Cruise Ready $72K
Offshore Cruising Equipped $199K
38' Sabre 386 2004 Amazing Value! $199K
dŽ ƐĞĞ Ăůů ŽĨ ŽƵƌ ůŝƐƟŶŐƐ͕ ǀŝƐŝƚ ǁǁǁ͘ďǀŝLJĂĐŚƚƐĂůĞƐ͘ĐŽŵ ADVERTISERS INDEX ADVERTISER
LOCATION
PG# ADVERTISER
Antigua Classic Regatta Art Fabrik Barefoot Yacht Charters Bequia Mount Gay Music Fest Blue Lagoon Hotel & Marina Boat Paint & Stuff Budget Marine BVI Yacht Sales Camper & Nicholsons Captain Gourmet Caraibes Diesel Services Clarkes Court Clippers Ship Cruising Life Curaçao Marine Discover Dominica Authority Dominica Yacht Services Doolittle's Restaurant Down Island Real Estate Doyle Offshore Sails Doyle's Guides
Antigua Grenada SVG SVG SVG St. Maarten St. Maarten Tortola Grenada SVG St. Maarten Grenada Martinique SVG Curaçao Dominica Dominica St. Lucia Grenada Tortola USA
21 MP 24 54 14 42 2 54 31 MP 19 7 20 44 16 9 MP 45 MP 4 38
LOCATION
Echo Marine Trinidad Edward William Insurance C/W Electropics Trinidad Fajardo Canvas Puerto Rico Fernando's Hideaway SVG Food Fair Grenada Free Cruising Guides C/W Gonsalves Liquors SVG Grenada Marine Grenada Grenada Sailing Week Grenada Grenadines Sails SVG Horizon Yacht Charters Grenada Hydrovane International Marine C/W International Inflatables St. Lucia Iolaire Enterprises UK Island Dreams Grenada Island Water World Sint Maarten Johnson's Hardware St. Lucia La Playa Grenada Lagoon Marina St. Maarten LIAT C/W
PG#
12 43 MP MP MP 46 44 45 13 17 43 MP MP MP 8/38 MP 11/56 22 MP 21 47
ADVERTISER
LOCATION
PG# ADVERTISER
Mac's Pizzeria Marc One Marine Marina Santa Marta Marina Zar-Par McIntyre Bros Mercury Marine Mid Atlantic Yacht Services Multihull Company Neil Pryde Sails Off Shore Risk Management Parts & Power Piper Marine Plantation Hotel Power Boats Re/Max Results Realty Red Frog Marina Regis Guillemot Renaissance Marina Rodney Bay Marina/ IGY Sea Hawk Paints Slipway Restaurant
SVG Trinidad Colombia Dominican Rep. Grenada C/W Azores C/W Grenada Tortola Tortola SVG SVG Trinidad SVG Panama Martinique Aruba St. Lucia C/W Grenada
46 MP 32 42 8 48 MP 51 MP 13 5 MP 15 MP 53 35 18 33 23 10 MP
Slurpy Pump Out Spice Island Marine St. Kitts Marine Works St. Maarten Sails/ Ullman Sails Sugar Reef Bequia Sunbay Marina Suzuki Marine Technick The Nature Conservancy Ti' Ponton Tobago Cays Turbulence Sails Venezuelan Marine Supply Wild Life Expeditions WIND YSATT
LOCATION
St. Maarten Grenada St. Kitts St. Maarten SVG Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Grenada C/W Martinique SVG Grenada Venezuela Grenada Martinique Trinidad
PG#
MP 26 12 34 MP 6 41 MP 36 38 MP 34/MP MP 8 55/MP MP
Antifouling 038 Taïsho
Antifouling tests in Caribbean waters have confirmed new Seajet 038 Taisho offers a 100% eco-responsible alternative with a significant uplift in underwater performance against the infestation of plant and shell growth and the prevention of slime. Listen to your conscience and protect your environment by applying Seajet 038 Taisho with ECONEA®
Premium batteries ... designed for 1600 cycles at 50% DOD Premium Line
JANUARY 2017
Deep-Cycle Flooded Batteries
Our product strategy is focused on one simple objective – manufacture the highest quality battery available in the industry which is why our Premium Line is tested to IEC standards.
Flexible panel CP FLEX deco teck 4mm (2500x1220mm) : 184.00€
Wood products :
Striped Laminate Panel 0.9mm (2500x1200xmm) white or black stripes : 148.00€
See our website www.wind.mq for an extensive overview of all our products. Z.A L’ESPERANCE 97215 RIVIERE-SALEE - MARTINIQUE 0596 68 21 28 - wind@wind.mq /windmartinique www.wind.mq
PAGE 55
Marine Plywood Sapelli 15mm (2500x1220mm) : 271.68€ Marine Plywood Okoumé 15mm (2500x1220mm) : 108.00€
CARIBBEAN COMPASS
Trojan Battery’s Premium Line of flooded deep- cycle batteries is specifically engineered to withstand the rigorous conditions of renewable energy applications. The Premium Line incorporates advanced battery features such as Trojan’s DuraGrid™, MaxGuard® XL separator and Alpha Plus® Paste technologies that provide superior performance, rugged durability and exceptionally long life.
Published by Compass Publishing Limited, Anguilla, British West Indies, and printed by Guardian Media Limited, Trinidad & Tobago