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New ways to see the islands

Sail to Montserrat

Volcanic spurts and burps are still a way of life on the southern half of this Leeward Caribbean island, although life and tourism have resumed on the north. For those who would like to sail to Montserrat, but not go it alone, Ondeck, a sailing school and race charter company with bases in the U.K., Portugal, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Antigua, offers a new sailing trip to Montserrat from Antigua.

Up to 15 guests and a professional crew depart Falmouth Harbor in Antigua at 8 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays aboard Farr 65 round-the-world racing yachts for Little Bay, Montserrat. Guests are encouraged to take an active part in all aspects of sailing with full instruction given to novices. The return voyage to Antigua departs at 1 p.m. the same day, taking approximately five hours. The schedule is flexible so that passengers can choose to return to Antigua the same day or stay overnight in Montserrat. The trip costs $189 per person. For more information, visit ondeckoceanracing.com/antigua/montserrat-adventure.htm.

Yacht Moorings Available in

Prince Rupert Bay, Dominica

Yachtsmen now have moorings to use when visiting Prince Rupert Bay, located on the northwest corner of Dominica, thanks to Dominica’s Portsmouth Association of Yacht Security (PAYS). The cost to use the moorings is $10 per night, $50 per week, $90 bi-monthly, and $170 monthly. Eddison Tours and Providence Water Taxi are the two collectors of moorings fees; both carry identification and provide receipts. All fees collected go towards maintaining the moorings and supporting the security provided by PAYS, a non-profit association established in 2007 to run nightly security patrols from November through May in the main yacht anchorage of Portsmouth. To raise additional funds specifically for night security in the bay, PAYS now hosts weekly Sunday night barbecues. Admission is $20 per person and includes a rum punch drink, dinner, live music, and dancing. For more information on the BBQ, e-mail cabritsdive@cwdom.dm.

Optinam 2009 Set for

Dominican Republic

For the fourth time in five years, the IODA North American Optimist Championship (Optinam) will be held in the Caribbean. The championship will take place June 30 through July 8 in Andres Bay in Boca Chica in the Dominican Republic. The sailing venue is a short walking distance from the Hotetur Dominican Bay, the event’s official hotel. “Andres Bay is a beautiful tourist beach located only thirty minutes from Santo Domingo and five minutes from Las Americas International Airport,” says regatta director, Eduardo Verdeja.
By April, teams from 22 countries had registered to compete in the event. Eduardo says, “At the IODA Annual General Meeting held in Turkey during the 2008 World Championship, it was approved to invite the best teams from each non-American continent, making the Optinam a world event.” For more information, visit optinam2009.org.