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.