A mix of swift-sailing production yachts and equally speedy West Indian workboats is what makes the Anguilla Regatta something special. Set for May 11-13, the event is based out of the beautiful Sandy Ground anchorage on the west end. “The Anguilla Regatta is produced 100 percent by volunteers, with all monies donated to the Anguilla Youth Sailing Club,” says Regatta Officer, Steve Donohue. “After nine regattas, we are proud to have taught the sport of sailing to over 200 youngsters with half on full scholarship.”

Visiting sailors are welcome to enter in spinnaker, non-spinnaker, open and multihull classes. It’s also possible to jump aboard as crew on an island-crafted Anguilla race boat (get ready to hoist the sandbag ballast on tacks) or wooden workboat after chatting up one of the owners at registration or the kick-off blast at Roy’s Bayside Grill.

All races are round-the-buoys. Sailors can expect 13-18 knots of breeze in May, with some challenging wind shifts when rounding offshore keys and marks located close to some of the island’s Five-Star resorts. Spectators can join in ‘Land Race’ where locals and visitors alike pile into pick-up trucks and drive to various vantage points to watch the racing from shore. “Sandy Ground is home to some of Anguilla’s best nightlife,” says Donohue. “Enjoy burgers, tapas or a sit-down meal just five minutes from your mooring. anguillaregatta.com

New name for Cap Cana Billfish Tournament

Stay on your vessel in the largest inland marina in the Caribbean, or in one of the new stunning Mediterranean-style villas at the Fishing Lodge at the Cap Cana Resort in the Dominican Republic for this year’s Fishing Lodge International Cap Cana Billfish Shootout May 17-22.

“The Chivas Regal Division has its set of team and individual angler awards for boats participating in the Calcuttas, while the Brugal Rum Division is similar, but with no money,” says Tournament Director, Rick Alvarez. “It’s like two tournaments in one!”

Over 30 vessels from the U.S., Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St. Martin and Aruba are expected to compete. Last year, it was Watson Canivess’ boat, the 59′ Caroline, built by Paul Spencer, that won by releasing 15 white marlin and 1 blue marlin in three days of fishing. The marlin fishing grounds are as close as three miles from the Marina Cap Cana’s entrance.

Nightly parties include the Beach Caribbean Rum Bash featuring the 28-piece Brugal Rum Orchestra, a ‘Golf Scramble’ on the lay-day morning at the Jack Nicklaus-designed course in Punta Espada, followed by the Cap Cana Cook-Off where anglers and crews can show off their galley skills. intlbillfishtourns.com/currentEvents/capCanaShootout2012.htm

Classic Plastics welcome at 

Foxy’s Wooden Boat Regatta

Fishing lodge at Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic. Richard Gibson photo

It’s not just wooden boats that are welcome at Foxy’s Wooden Boat Regatta, set for May 25-27 on the British Virgin Island of Jost Van Dyke. “We’ve included a Classic Plastic open fleet for boats of a design over 30 years old to swell the participation and make a good party,” says Mike Kirk, one of the West End Yacht Club (WEYC) organizers. “Foxy (Callwood) was suspicious at first, but he hasn’t complained at the increased bar take!”

Two races daily leave ample time for daily partying and prize-giving. Everyone wins something.

The WEYC will again run its Goslings Cup Series, which kicks off with Foxy’s regatta and includes the Firecracker 500 in July, Gustav Wilmerding in December, and Dark & Stormy in March 2013. For more information, email: martin@sailsistership.com.

Great racing in Montego Bay

Spend Easter in Montego Bay, Jamaica, hunting down the competition in fun races where yachts hop from one bay to another in the Montego Bay Yacht Club Easter Regatta, April 4-9.

The sailing kicks off with the famous Great Yacht Race, the social event of the year, which inspired the same-named 1999-published book by witty Jamaican author, Anthony Winkler.

“Boats cruise down the night before and overnight in Mosquito Cove before an upwind adventure on Thursday to Montego Bay,” says organizer, Richard Hamilton. “Friday is a rest day and the weekend through to Monday will see two or three races per day, some to Round Hill, some to Half Moon and some in and around the bay itself.  Races will be class dependent. Typically, we have two fleets—one of J22s and one cruiser class. This year, the Royal Jamaica Yacht Club in Kingston has planned a round-the-island cruise to coincide with the regatta, so we hope to have 8 to 10 cruisers. Visitors are welcome!”

Montego Bay Yacht Club offers bayside anchorage and berthing facilities on a finger pier where water, diesel and ice are available for sale. Club facilities include a swimming pool, laundry service, restaurant and bar. montegobayyachtclub.com

Classics take to the seas

A record-breaking 60-plus fleet of classic ketches, schooners and sloops are expected to set sail in the 25^th Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta.

“The biggest and most exciting entry is Athos, a 183-foot new Andre Hoek-designed schooner, and the largest entry,” says chairman, Kenny Coombs. “Elena of London, a 180-foot Herreshoff gaff-rigged schooner is also returning, as is Kate, a 1908-built 60-foot Alfred Mylne design.”

Racing takes place from April 19-24, 20 miles off Antigua’s south coast with spectator-friendly starts and finishes just outside Falmouth Harbour. Shoreside activities include nightly parties. In addition, the Officine Panerai watch company’s flagship, Eilean, a 1936-built 72-foot two-masted Bermudian ketch, will make her homecoming to Antigua with special exhibits planned.

“We’ll also host a new event where a couple of famous speakers—Halsey Herreshoff and Terry Nathan—will conduct a question and answer session on classic boat design,” says Coombs.

For more information and results, visit: antiguaclassics.com.

Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta 2011. Joseph Jones photo.

B.V.I. celebrates official opening 

of YCCS Clubhouse

The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS), based in Porto Cervo, Italy, officially opened its Clubhouse in North Sound, Virgin Gorda, on January 3^rd.

“Members of the Board and Club wanted to open a second base in the spirit of internationalization,” says Jan Pachner, YCCS Secretary General. “Having a YCCS base in the Caribbean offers a winter destination for members. It is also an attraction we expect will draw yacht owners and sailing enthusiasts from this side of the Atlantic who want a comfortable, safe and sociable base from which to cruise.”

Accompanying the Clubhouse is a 38-slip marina with central T-shaped dock that accommodates yachts up to 328 feet with 30-foot draft. Facilities include onshore electricity, potable water, WiFi, garbage removal and pump-out stations. yccsmarina.com

Racing Around the Islands

Racing in the St. Croix International Regatta. Dave Barnes Photo.

The 20^th Anniversary St. Croix International Regatta, held out of the St. Croix Yacht Club on the U.S. Virgin Island, will be held a month later than usual, from March 9-11, with the same signature prize of the winning skipper’s weight in Cruzan rum. Also new is more distance racing, says race committee chair, Jim Kloss. “We’ll introduce the new ‘Hook’ race around Point Udall, the easternmost point of the United States.” The ‘Island Challenge’ is yet a third first-time change. Visiting sailors simply record their elapsed time from departure to arrival at the Coakley Bay marker off the island’s north shore, and the yachts reporting the fastest passage on corrected time will have their registration fees refunded. For information, call (340) 690-7317; scycregattadirector@gmail.com; or visit stcroixyc.com.

Ten straight days of racing 

Competitive sailors seeking maximum racing bang for their vacation-time buck should book themselves a flight to the Virgin Islands in March. Race, cruise and even match race during a 10-day stretch that starts with the 39^th annual International Rolex Regatta (IRR) hosted by the St. Thomas Yacht Club March 23-25, and finishes up with the 41^st Annual B.V.I. Spring Regatta (BVISR) out of Nanny Cay Marina on Tortola, which concludes April 1^st.

Even those who don’t own a yacht won’t be left on shore this year at the IRR. Crew and charter opportunities abound. For example, women are welcome to sail with the U.K.’s Captain Annie O’Sullivan on her Elan 37, Diamonds are Forever, under her Girls For Sail race-charter program. O’Sullivan is also booked to race in the B.V.I. too, which makes it perfect for those who want to sail the back-to-back regattas on the same yacht. Gals and guys who want an adrenalin-pumping experience can sign on to crew aboard the Open 60 Le Pingouin, which won the Velux 5 Oceans Race. A Beneteau 36, Farr 40 or 65, and several IC-24s are available for charter as well.

There are five ways to sail and win in the B.V.I. The Sailing Festival, March 26-29, features a round-trip sail for racing and cruising classes up to the Bitter End Yacht Club (BEYC) in Virgin Gorda. Sailors can race the BEYC’s Hobie Waves and Getaways in the Sailing Festival’s lay-day Nation’s Cup Challenge. Jump aboard IC-24s for the Gill B.V.I. International Match Racing Championship, March 28-29. The traditional BVISR sets sail March 30-April 1. Finally, the third annual International Yacht Club Challenge will take place during the BVISR in one-design Sunsail yachts. For more information, visit: rolexcupregatta.com or bvispringregatta.org.

New web-based Antigua &
Barbuda Marine Guide

Headed to Antigua Classic Regatta or Antigua Sailing Week in April? Go to antiguamarineguide.com. You can now research your visit on the Internet via an online version of the Antigua & Barbuda Marine Guide.

A record 60 yachts, including the 183-foot Andre Hoek-designed schooner, Athos, are expected to set sail in the 25^th Antigua Classic Regatta, set for April 15-20.

 Wet weddings and multiple hulls

Say ‘I do’ underwater in St. Barths

Looking for a romantic and nautical way to say “I do”? Then head to St. Barths where you can celebrate your nuptials in an idyllic 30-foot-deep setting amidst tropical coral reefs and teeming schools of colorful fish. That’s just what certified divers Aurelie and Sylvain Fernandez did at St. Barth-Plongee Birdy Dive Center, when they became the first couple to get married underwater in this chic French island. “We both like to dive and thought it would be nice to have a connection with the sea for our wedding,” said Sylvain.

The couple cast off with four witnesses, three dive instructors and the dive center captain and owner, Bertrand Caizergues, on the center’s decorated custom 48-foot dive boat for the 15-minute trip to the dive site. Meanwhile, several friends and family followed in a yellow submarine so that the party could watch the ceremony without getting wet. The underwater wedding package furnished a number of items including an aquatic groom’s suit and bride’s gown, as well as a bouquet of flowers. The couple swam down the aisle and, Caizergues, as the ship’s captain, performed the ceremony with vows written on underwater signs while rings were exchanged. What’s more, there was even a subaquatic toast of fine French champagne! The relatively shallow 30-foot depth didn’t offer enough pressure to prevent the bubbly from flowing freely.

“The day turned out perfectly,” says Aurelie. “It was full of emotion, done nicely and was really lovely.”

For more information visit: st-barth-plongee.com.

Multihulls in St. Maarten

There are many regattas in the Caribbean. This month alone there is the Trinidad Carnival Regatta; Sweethearts of the Caribbean & Classic Yacht Regatta in the BVI; the 11-island Caribbean 600 Race; and the South Grenada Regatta with its new addition of match racing, just to name a few. But none of these, and barely many of the others throughout the year, give multihulls as much attention as does the Around St. Maarten-St. Martin Multihull Regatta.

“This regatta is multihulls only, but all kinds, which makes it a unique event in the Caribbean,” says regatta organizer, Mirian Ebbers.

The laid-back beach-based atmosphere contrasts sharply with the fierce competition out on the water. At least seven Formula 18 beach cats sailing together in a one-design class are expected at the starting line, which will be close enough to shore for spectators to watch. A total of 25 entries are expected, including large racing and cruising multihulls such as the Corsair 36, Lagoonies Tri-Umph and the Cape Town-built Scape 51, Quality Time.

There is one race in this regatta sailing clockwise around the dual-nation island. A party and prize giving takes place afterwards on the beach at Simpson Bay. For more information, visit: multihullregatta.com.

Sport fishing & sailing take center stage on the Spice Island of Grenada

Jose “Yoyo” Berrios Photo

There’s double the fun for water sport enthusiasts this month on the southern Caribbean island of Grenada. Sport fishermen can enter the 43rd Budget Marine Spice Island Billfish Tournament (MSIB), set for January 25-29, while sailors can register for the Grenada Sailing Festival, taking place January 27-31.

Over the years, a participation and catch rate—such as the near record 52 boats and 247 anglers who collectively released 95 Atlantic blue marlin in 2011—has put the MSIB Tournament on the map as one of the “must-dos” in the Caribbean. In addition, two-time title sponsor, Budget Marine, a St. Maarten-based chandlery with 13 locations throughout the islands, is sponsoring a nine-foot Ultra-Light AB Model dinghy with a 9.8-hp Tohatsu 2-stroke outboard engine as the prize for the first team to catch a Grand Slam (release of a blue marlin, white marlin and sailfish all on the same boat on the same day) at this Grenada Yacht Club-based tournament. www.sibtgrenada.com.

Similarly, it is the strong winter tradewinds and elite international and local fleets that make for stiff competition at the Grenada Sailing Festival. Held at Camper & Nicholson’s 170-slip Port Louis Marina in the capitol of St. George’s, over 40 racing and cruising yachts are expected to enter, including Charisma, a 57-foot classic racing sloop, and Maxi IDEA, a 78-foot high-tech carbon fiber Riechel & Pugh. This four-day regatta is hailed as an excellent ‘tune-up’ for the Caribbean racing season ahead.

Then, why not stick around the following weekend (February 4-5) when the Grenada Sailing Festival Camper & Nicholson’s Racing Series features a just-as-competitive local workboat fleet and a huge party on Grand Anse Beach. grenadasailingfestival.com

Casa de Campo Sailing Week 2012 debuts

The Dominican Republic is making its mark on the international sailing world. Not only has the northcoast town of Cabarete become renowned as a Laser training base for Olympic hopefuls in the region, but opportunities for larger racing yachts are expanding as well. The Casa de Campo Yacht Club will expand its popular Presidente Cup Regatta to a full week, from February 7-12, and call it International Casa de Campo Sailing Week. The first 10 international yachts to register will receive free dockage and a $1500 travel reimbursement.

“Our full-service marina and all the amenities of Casa de Campo resort, combined with ideal sailing conditions, we hope will enable us to turn Casa de Campo Sailing Week into a prestigious international sailing event,” says Rafid Ynirio, Yacht Club Secretary of the Casa de Campo Yacht Club (CCYC).

Racing, spinnaker cruising, non-spinnaker racing and multihull yachts are all invited to enter for four days of racing, including both round-the-island and round-thebuoys courses. For more information, email Ynirio at ccyc@ marinacasadecampo.com.

St. Lucia making way for cruisers, racing sailors return to St. Thomas and BVI’s host pirate ‘Fungatta.’

BVI hosts pirate-themed ‘Fungatta’

Dean Barnes Photo

A ‘Ding Dong’ start, a Crazy Eights course and the Pirate’s Ball are all part of the fun at the Gustav Wilmerding Regatta. It is hosted by the West End Yacht Club (WEYC) on Tortola on December 3rd. “This is an ‘all comers’ regatta that celebrates the local pirate hero of Great Thatch island,” says organizer, Mike Kirk. “Like any fun regatta, showing up at registration for the Friday night (December 2nd) party can get visitors a ride on one of the local entrant’s boats—usually for the price of a six-pack.”
Wilmerding, an 18th century Danish pirate who confined his plundering to the British Virgin Islands, was known to always ring a bell when he returned from a successful raid. Therefore, organizers have dubbed the start of this one-day regatta as the “Ding Dong Mark.” The pursuit-style start out of Soper’s Hole sends the fleet out on a course dubbed the “Crazy Eights,” in honor of the pirate’s most prized booty, and into the unpredictable winds and currents surrounding Wilmerding’s former hide-out on Great and Little Thatch islands. Then it’s over to The Bight off Norman Island and Pirate’s Bight Bar before the return race back to Tortola. There will be the usual Pirate’s Ball awards party at the Jolly Roger Restaurant after racing ends, which is where all entered yachts win a rum ration and prizes.
The Gustav Wilmerding Regatta is one of the WEYC’s annual ‘Fungattas.’ For more information, call (284) 495-4559.

St. Lucia welcomes yachtsmen

The picturesque peaks of the Pitons; activities ranging from hiking a volcano to scuba diving in a marine park; and two full-service marinas and an international airport with direct flights to the U.S. and Europe. These are all just some reasons why the Windward Island of St. Lucia is so attractive to visitors. Now, thanks to the efforts of the St. Lucia Ministry of Tourism and its Yachting Director, Cuthbert Didier, this 238-square-mile island located south of Martinique and north of St. Vincent is especially welcoming to yachtsmen.
More specifically, in a bid to boost visitation by private and charter yachts, the government has just approved a number of new policies. For example, yachtsmen can now stay in St. Lucia waters up to six months. Then there’s a 100 percent import duty and tax waiver on yachts, yacht safety equipment, and water sports equipment. Next, yacht owners temporarily living on St. Lucia can do so duty and tax free for up to three years. Folks who wish to set up a marine business will find it easier with a 100 percent waiver on income tax during the first five years of operation for a local charter company that has at least one captain and three crew members, as well as a fleet of three or more vessels. There’s also a 100 percent five-year waiver on import duties and taxes on imported materials used to set up a yacht service business.
“Yachting is real tourism,” says Didler, “and we must ensure it remains a tourist product that benefits all.”

New sailing festival for Puerto Rico; St. Lucia eases restrictions for visiting yachts.

“Discover the Caribbean” Series becomes a sailing festival

The Ponce Yacht & Fishing Club (PYFC) in Ponce, Puerto Rico, will turn its annual “Discover the Caribbean” Series (DCS) into a Sailing Festival this year.
“We’re celebrating PYFC’s long sailing history as well as having a regatta,” said Sailing Director, Joel Santiago. “We want everyone to join in the celebration, so we expanded our shore-side events to create an exciting festival for spectators, families and sailors.”
New shoreside activities include food and beverage kiosks in the regatta village; childrens’ activities and a volleyball tournament; motorbike race, fashion show and live music. On the water, the traditional sailing series kicks off with a feeder race from Fajardo to Salinas November 5th, then back-to-back big boat regattas on November 11-13 & November 18-20, and finally a dinghy regatta November 25-27.
“The race committee has added classic boat and couples cruising classes to existing divisions such as one-design, bareboat, racing, cruising and multihull,” said Santiago.
Competition will be keen. For example, two North American Sunfish Champions—Fernando Monllor and Ivan Aponte-Taboas—are registered, as are sailors such as Efrain ‘Fraito’ Lugo, who won the IC-24 Class eight times at the St. Thomas’ International Rolex Regatta, and Jorge Santiago, a J/24 Silver Medalist at the 2011 CAC Games. This year’s event will welcome a new match racing exhibition with Lugo and Santiago as the star skippers.
The 168-slip PYFC offers free dockage to DCS participants one week before and after the races. Those who are sailing in from over 60 miles away will receive an extra week of dockage free. Among the Club’s facilities are a restaurant, swimming pools, mini golf, playgrounds and tennis courts. The regatta entry fee is $375 for big boats and $110 for dinghies and includes free breakfast, dinner and cocktails during all race days in addition to the free dockage and prizes. For more information, contact alice@aeronetpr.com or Candido Pou at 787-842-9003 or visit discoverpyfc.com.

St. Lucia waives taxes, visas to encourage yachts

St. Lucia’s government has approved a series of new policies that will faciliate clearing in and out of the country, easing taxation and offering other benefits to encourage cruising in its waters. A government statement—released just as we went to press—says that visiting yachts may now stay in St. Lucia waters for six months and yachts with owners who are only on the island temporarily will be allowed to remain there free of duties and taxes for up to three years, after which those taxes will become payable on current value.

Also included in the new policies:

• 100 percent waiver of import duties and tax on yachts imported into St. Lucia.
• 100 percent waiver on income tax from operations for the first five years for local charter companies with a minimum of one captain and three crew in a fleet of three or more vessels.
• Formation of a new Yachting Committee, which falls under the purview of the Ministry of Tourism to regulate the yachting sector.

CMA brings about reforms with “Many Islands, One Sea” and Rescue 21 is here to help.

New shipyard in Jamaica boasts
Caribbean’s largest lift

You won’t see the banana carriers immortalized in Harry Belafonte’s calypso tune Day-O (the Banana Boat Song) when you arrive at Boundbrook Wharf on Jamaica’s northeast coast. What you will find is the Caribbean’s largest marine Travelift at the new Port Antonio shipyard. The 250-ton lift is capable of hoisting yachts up to 150 feet with beams of up to 35 feet. The shipyard encompasses all of the existing Errol Flynn Marina, plus a major portion of the massive Boundbrook Wharf, located directly across from the marina.
The shipyard has already been designated a “Free Zone” which will permit it to be extremely competitive with the traditionally low prices of such yachting centers as Saint Maarten in the Eastern Caribbean. The large land area of the yard allows for boat and hurricane storage, plus an expansive covered area suitable for sheltering up to four megayachts simultaneously. Ample electrical service plus a 375 kVA stand-by generator is on hand to ensure a constant power source of 50 or 60 cycles.
Port Antonio is also ideally situated between the Panama Canal and South Florida, just off the Windward Passage, and is a routine fueling stop for yachts transiting the canal. errolflynnmarina.com

U.S. Coast Guard’s Rescue
21 comes to the Caribbean

The cutting-edge advanced direction-finding communications technology, called Rescue 21, allows the USCG to locate mariners in trouble and save lives and property at sea. It will be operational in the Caribbean—specifically the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands region—this month.
The Rescue 21 system will function across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands the same as it does across other regions in the U.S. where it has been implemented. The coverage radius will extend 20 miles out from the Rescue 21 towers located in Crown Mountain, St. Thomas; Blue Mountain, St. Croix; and sites at El Yunque, Cerro Maravilla and Monte del Estado, Puerto Rico. All vessels equipped with a reliable VHF marine radio can benefit from this system regardless of their nationality. Rescue 21 will also enhance the logistics of joint agency operations, foreign and local, in the Caribbean.
In order for this capability to function properly, a radio must be connected to the onboard GPS and be registered at boatus.com/MMSI to get an MMSI number, which is then programed into a DSC capable radio. Vessel operators can find more information about DSC by visiting the Rescue 21 website: uscg.mil/acquisition/rescue21/benefits.asp.

Caribbean Marine Association Reforms

Representatives from eight Caribbean nations met in June to bring the Caribbean Marine Association (CMA) back to life and back into business. The CMA is a regional association dedicated to promoting and protecting the interests of the recreational marine industry throughout the Caribbean. In addition to increasing awareness of the industry, protecting the marine environment and enhancing visitor safety, one of CMA’s major goals is to promote the region under the theme “Many Islands, One Sea.” This means working towards more fluid and harmonized entry/exit procedures for private yachts as they leap-frog along the Caribbean island chain.
“Visiting yachts will most benefit from the CMA’s work if we are successful in achieving a simplification of entry and exit procedures and movement between different islands,” says John Duffy, the Antigua-based CMA president. “A step in that direction will be eSeaClear, the Caribbean pre-arrival notification system, but it is much more the attitude and procedures of Customs and Immigration which needs addressing before we will get any noticeable change to yachts visiting the Caribbean. Before that happens, there has to be the political will from the politicians to drive forward a change in attitude and procedures. The French islands have done it, so why not the rest?” eseaclear.com

News on island time

Fly in and fish San Juan’s 58th
International Billfish Tournament

There’s no need to BYOB (bring your own boat) to Puerto Rico to fish the 58th International Billfish Tournament (IBT), set for September 4th. Club Náutico de San Juan has an ‘Armada’ of over 60, 40-plus-foot sport fishing boats. “International anglers love to fish our tournament because they receive VIP treatment. It’s also hassle-free,” says Frankie Mirandés, tournament chairman. “Anglers simply need to arrive to the Club each morning, enjoy a complimentary breakfast and head out to their assigned yacht for the day’s fishing. Four days of fishing, breakfast daily, and all nightly parties cost only $1850 per angler.”

The IBT is definitely a ‘must-do’ for the best sports fishermen in the world. The big draw is ‘Marlin Alley’, a mile-and-a-half deep trench off the north coast of San Juan where blue marlin swim in abundance. And there’s not only big fish, but lots of fish. Catch-and-release is the rule in this conservation-oriented tournament and in the 1988 IBT, the fleet released a record 190 blue marlin in 4 days.

Club Náutico’s IBT also bears the dual distinction of being the longest consecutively held big game fishing tournament in the world and it is also one of the top 10 favorite tournaments in the world as ranked by Marlin Magazine. The IBT is also a qualifier for the prestigious Rolex/IGFA Offshore Championship that takes place each May.

For more information visit sanjuaninternational.com.

The Moorings 30th Interline Regatta honors spectators
as well as racers in the British Virgin Islands

Pakistan fisherman, Jay Iqbal, fights a blue marlin aboard the vessel Islamar.

The Moorings is just as well known for its parties as it is for its sailboat racing. Come October, there will be nine days of racing and unending parties beginning on October 11th and running through the 20th. During this time, five races will take place.

This year, there are many new events designed to interest everyone, including the new Spectator Day event and dinner. Cheryl Powell, COO of The Moorings, said, “Interline is about everyone having the time of their life! These spectators have traveled from all over to cheer on their favorite team, and we felt it was time to organize a day specifically for them. Also new to The Moorings is the Rendezvous Dive at the Wreck of the RMS Rhone, as well as Discover Scuba Dive, an outlet for non-certified divers. There will also be á la carte dives throughout the regatta!

This year, there will be more than 35 new Beneteau-built yachts entered across all 3 regatta classes. Interline Regatta Sales Specialist Barb Daetwyler said there are over 50 yachts racing this year. You can call 1-800-633-7348 or go to themooringsinterlineregatta.com for more details and to download the itinerary.

A Tortola marina adds superyacht berths,

and a major marlin tournament takes place

off St. Thomas this month.

Full moon brings marlin

Blue marlin are biting in the Virgin Islands! Fishing reports from the time of the June full moon showed up to six bites a day aboard boats like Therapy and Revenge, both visiting from Florida. This news bodes well for the 39th Annual USVI Open/Atlantic Blue Marlin Tournament (USVI Open/ABMT) Tournament, scheduled for August 10-14—three days before this month’s full moon and one day afterward. Based in St. Thomas, this “Super Bowl of Sports Fishing” will take place along the Virgin Islands’ famous “North Drop.”
Tournament Director Jimmy Loveland, says, “Last year’s event was a huge success. A total of 140 blue marlin were released in four days of fishing by the 41-boat fleet. All releases were on relatively lightweight 50-pound test line that requires adept angling skills. We’re expecting up to 40 boats to compete this year.”
The events start with the Kick-Off Party on August 9th at the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa. Dock parties will mark the end of each day’s fishing, including a special “Full Moon Party” at the Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas. Tournament winners will be named at the Awards Banquet on August 18th. For more information, call: 340-775-9500 or 888-234-7484 or E-mail: loveto@islands.vi. Daily updates will be posted at: abmt.vi

Slip space to expand at Nanny Cay

The number of slips at Nanny Cay Resort & Marina, located on Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands, is set to double over the next two years.
“We’ve submitted the environmental impact assessment and passed two out of three public hearings to expand the marina and yard by more than double,” says Nanny Cay Marina partner Cameron McColl, who arrived in the BVI over a decade ago on a sailing vacation, then bought and rebuilt the marina and resort. “In order to do this, we’re going to build a breakwater on the shallow rocky shoreline on the opposite end of the property and put in 220 slips, which will include 15 megayacht slips, and increase our total to 400 slips. We’ll also increase land storage from the present 100 to 360 yachts. Shoreside facilities such as restaurants, chandleries and other services will be expanded, too. We anticipate completion by May 2013.” nannycay.com

New weather buoys

Four new buoys located off the coasts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands will help to provide mariners with the latest information on sea conditions in those areas. The buoys have been placed as part of the Caribbean Coastal Ocean Observing System (CariCOOS), which is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Three of the buoys are off Puerto Rico. One is south of Caja de Muerto Island off the south-coast city of Ponce. The second is off the north coast of San Juan, and the third is one mile off Rincon on the island’s west coast. In the U.S. Virgin Islands, a new buoy is situated seven miles south of Rendezvous Bay, St. John.
The state-of-the-art buoys were designed and constructed by Dr. Neal Pettigrew and his colleagues at the University of Maine. “These buoys provide meteorological and oceanographic data such as winds, waves, currents, atmospheric pressure, water temperature, and salinity, on a near real-time basis,” says Dr. Jorge Capella, the Puerto Rico-based CariCOOS modeling coordinator. Interested users should access caricoos.org and select the desired buoy from the CariCOOS Buoys tab.