Tag: Caribbean

Turks and Caicos

The Turks and Caicos are waiting for you… and so are their ponies. And puppies.

He said, “Facebook it, Twitter it, whatever it is you all use, use it. Turks and Caicos is open and ready for business. People don’t know we’ve recovered. Show them we have!”
Those were the words of Ian McLeod, Operations Director of Ocean Club Resorts in Turks and Caicos, to a group of travel writers (myself included) in December. He’s not wrong in his criticism. We’re living in a time where reporters mix up Bermuda and Barbuda on national television, so it can be understandably difficult for cruisers to know which islands in the British West Indies and the Caribbean have recovered from Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and which have not.

McLeod encouraged our group of writers to extensively document everything on our visit to show how well the island had weathered and recovered from the unprecedented storms of 2017. “There was no electricity on the property, so I made my way to the airport to check on the flight status to get guests off the island. And all of a sudden, here they come,” he says, referring to the British aid and recovery workers, who arrived at the Providenciales International Airport. “It was an incredible thing to witness.”

I must admit, I was taken aback at how green and abundant the landscape looked as I took my initial taxi ride across the island of Providenciales, known locally as Provo, to Ocean Club West. My perceptions prior to arrival were as McLeod had feared. I had assumed I’d be traveling to a decimated island ruined by hurricanes. I asked our driver, Virgil, of Virgil’s Taxi Service, if all the vegetation had been destroyed during the
storm. “Most everything was gone,” he said. “It was brown or it was blown away.” But less than three and a half months later, the greenery and life have returned to the small island chain. Now, Turks and Caicos are just waiting on the return of visitors and tourists,
and when they do make the inevitable return, they will find a haven of relaxation at both of Ocean Club Resorts’ locations on the island.

“We’re unique in that you can stay at one resort but enjoy the amenities of two,” said Nathaniel ‘Nat’ Rigby, Ocean Club West’s Resident Manager. He would know—Nat started
his career at the original Ocean Club before moving to Ocean Club West when it opened in the late 1990s, and he’s been there ever since. It’s easy to see why he stayed on. The two Ocean Club properties are located directly on picturesque Grace Bay Beach, just a 15-minute walk apart on one of the friendliest islands in the Caribbean.

The suites at Ocean Club Resorts are also unique. With full suites of varying sizes and configurations, you’d be hard-pressed to find an accommodation ill-suited to your needs. Each suite comes fully equipped with a kitchen or kitchenette and a washer/dryer combo. The airy floor plans provide sweeping views of the beach, pool or gardens, and innumerable windows let in ample sunshine that bounces off whitewashed ceilings. Accommodations include studios as well as one-, two-, and three-bedroom layouts. With
approximately 90 units per property, the overall feel is intimate and friendly without feeling small. The flowing layout of the pools and gardens offers an experience akin to your own private oasis, and the sprawling expanse of beach ensures you’ll always find a place to relax under a signature pink umbrella.

More than one location also means more than one place to eat. Ocean Club West boasts Solana, an alfresco dining experience complete with a sushi bar and rotating menu. For those who see no reason to leave the comforts of your beach towel, beachside service is
available during lunch. Order the Drunken Lobster while you relax in the sun.

The dinner menu changes, and you’ll find an Asian-fusion vibe, carefully crafted by restaurateur Ajay Vyas, who also manages three other island restaurants. Solana standouts include the grilled lobster tail and the seared grouper, but save room for the mango cheesecake.

If you’re feeling up for a ride, borrow a complimentary beach cruiser from the lobby of Ocean Club West and bike over to The Cabana Bar and Grill at Ocean Club for lunch. Cabana Bar and Grill offers an open-air dining experience for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For a more formal setting, take the free shuttle to Ocean Club and dine at Opus Wine Bar & Grille. Treat yourself to a bottle of one of the many fine wines and a menu chock-full of seasonal Caribbean flavors. You won’t be disappointed by any of locally sourced seafood dishes or the atmosphere; trees wrapped in string lights cast long shadows to create
an ethereal dining experience.

The warm, clear waters of Turks and Caicos practically beg to be explored. Leave your boat in the slip and, instead, climb aboard the S/V Atabeyra for sailing, snorkeling and island hopping. First stop is to Princess Alexandra National Park, a conservation area off Provo’s northern coast. You’ll see plenty of fish in the preserve and dolphins if you’re lucky. Captain Matt and his crew have been sailing Atabeyra for several years and provide you with all the necessities for a day on the water: snorkel, fins, and rum punch. From there, it’s off to explore the island chain meandering up the coast and the shallow waters of Fort George Cay. Wade for sand dollars, search for sponges or collect shells. You’ll end the day salty, sandy and happy.

You’ll be equally as salty and happy if you choose an excursion at Provo Ponies, a local horse rescue turned trail ride. Provo Ponies started rescuing island horses more than 15 years ago and once they regained their strength, a business was born. Group rides are offered twice daily or you can opt for a private outing. Ride the ponies to Long Bay Beach and prepare to get wet; the horses love to get in the water to cool off.

Post-ponies, quench your thirst at Da Conch Shack—really more of a large beach bar than a shack, imbued with rum and relaxation. The menu is extensive, but who are we kidding? Get a pitcher of punch and order some cracked conch, conch salad, and the island’s best conch fritters. You’ll be invited to the weekly “Hump and Bump” party and if at all possible, you should attend to mingle with visitors and locals alike.

Salt Mills Plaza is the place to buy your requisite Turks and Caicos souvenir t-shirts and jewelry, but it’s also home to Potcake Place—a puppy rescue. Potcakes—a local term for the old food baked into the bottom of pots and pans—are a mixed-bag breed of local dogs. When litters are found roaming, locals call the not-for-profit rescue, which takes them in to find them homes. Tourists and locals can visit the (adorable) puppies, take them for walks on the beach and ultimately adopt them. Now, there are numerous potcakes in the U.S. and Canada, brought by local couriers from the island to their new homes.

On our last night on the island, a writer in our group recalled an earlier conversation about the way the island had recovered from the hurricane so well with the help of the British government. “Well, maybe,” Nat said, sipping his Campari and soda. “But really it was the locals. The way they came together and helped to rebuild, I’ve never seen anything like it. If you needed ice, if you needed fuel, someone would help you out.”

I wouldn’t have expected anything less from the people of this island community, who are intent on rehabilitating ponies, puppies, and as it turns out, each other.

Cruiser Resources for Turks and Caicos

Blue Haven Marina
An official port of entry, open for both short- and long-term berthing in Turks and Caicos.
Leeward Settlement TKCA 1ZZ
bluehavenmarinatci.com
1.855.756.7519

Ocean Club
118 Grace Bay Road
Grace Bay Beach, Providenciales
oceanclubresorts.com

Ocean Club West
54 Bonaventure Crescent
Grace Bay Beach, Providenciales
oceanclubresorts.com

Provo Ponies
32 Dolphin Lane, Providenciales
provoponies.com

Potcake Place
Salt Mills Plaza, Grace Bay
potcakeplace.com

Sail Atabeyra
Leeward Settlement TKCA 1ZZ
suncharters.tc

Da Conch Shack
Blue Hills Road, Providenciales
daconchshack.com

Story and Photos by Erin Brennan, Southern Boating February 2018

10 Facts about the Caribbean

The Caribbean is full of fascinating islands. Cruising the seas in the Caribbean is a unique multicultural experience.

From Cuba to Caicos and beyond, the Caribbean is brimming with good eats, secret islands, and beautiful sights. Impress your friends and family by knowing these Caribbean facts?

What are your Caribbean facts? Share in the comments below! 

  1. Saba Island has the shortest runway in the world, measuring in at less than 1300 feet long.
  2. Pitch Lake, in Trinidad, is the largest of the world’s three natural asphalt lakes. The surface of the lake is semi-solid and can be walked on.
  3. You can visit Tracks & Records, Usain Bolt’s sports bar, restaurant, and entertainment complex in New Kingston. The expansive menu features traditional favorites like jerk chicken, curried mutton, and janga soup, all of it, no doubt, served FAST.
  4. In Havana, Cuba, the Coppelia ice cream parlor has been named the “busiest in the world.” The establishment can hold up to 1000 guests. That’s a lot of ice cream headaches.
  5. Sandy Spit Island in the British Virgin Islands is also referred to as Corona Island because some of their commercials were filmed there. The only way to access this island is by boat.

    Sandy Spit Island aka Corona Island

  6. You can drive THROUGH a volcano in Saint Lucia. Sulphur Springs is the hottest and most active geothermal area in the Lesser Antilles.
  7. There are more churches per square mile in Jamaica than anywhere in the world, with 1600 churches in total in the country.
  8. Only about 2% of the islands are inhabited. Private islands, anyone?
  9. The three most populous island territories are Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. About 30 million people altogether occupy these countries, which is about 75 percent of the Caribbean population.
  10. Yikes! There are 500 species of reptiles in the islands, some of which are inhabited by some endemic species such as rock iguanas and American crocodile.

That’s all folks! What are your Caribbean facts?

RORC Caribbean 600

The RORC Caribbean 600 celebrates its 10th Anniversary

The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) Caribbean 600 celebrates a decade with a stellar reputation as a must-do offshore race by some of the best teams in the world. The 600-nautical- mile, 14-island race starts outside Falmouth Harbour, Antigua, on February 19th and ends in the same place. Spectators can get a great view of the start from Fort Charlotte or Shirley Heights.

This year, entered teams include George David’s maxi, Rambler 88. David’s Rambler 100 set the still-standing course record (1 day 16 hours 20 minutes and 2 seconds) in 2011. New entries are three Gunboats: Arethusa, skippered by NYYC Commodore, Phil Lotz; Flow, sailed by owner Stephen Cucchiaro and Elvis, skippered by two-time Melges 32 World Champion, Jason Carroll.

Armchair sailors not in Antigua can follow their favorites via online fleet tracking from the event website.

caribbean600.rorc.org

by Carol Bareuther, Southern Boating February 2018

More Caribbean Updates: 

Race sailboats in the Caribbean

MarineMax Vacations is Open

 

 

Bequia Music Festival

Bequia Music Festival is not to be missed

There aren’t many places you can listen to top musicians in a locale no more than 10 feet from a sugary-soft, white sand, tropical beach. These are two claims to fame of the Bequia Music Festival. Set for January 18-21, 2018, venues this year are the Frangipani Hotel, Bequia Plantation Hotel and De Reef Bar & Restaurant, all overlooking Admiralty Bay. What’s more, one of the headliners is New York’s Sean Harkness, an instrumental guitarist who earned the BroadwayWorld Cabaret Award for Best CD Release in 2014.

Caribbean artists include Anguillan vocalist and X Factor contestant, Deanna Mussington; Trinidadian classical and flamenco guitarist, Stefan Roach; and Bequia’s own amazing singer/songwriter, Amanda “Cloud” Gooding. Most concerts take place in the evening, which gives all day to enjoy sightseeing around this 7-square-mile Grenadine island known as a fantastic cruising destination.

bequiamusicfestival.com

By Carol Bareuther, Southern Boating January 2018

More January Caribbean Updates:

Regatta season in Barbados

Spice Island Billfish Tournament

Regatta season in Barbados

It’s regatta season in Barbados

Three sailing events in one regatta are the highlight of the second annual Barbados Sailing Week (BSW). Set for January 16-24, the competition kicks off with the three-day Coastal Racing Series for racing and cruising classes as well as the J/24 Class, which will have separate courses and scoring.

The main event is the Mount Gay Round Barbados Race, a demanding 60-mile sail around this Eastern Caribbean British Commonwealth that first started in 1936. It’s not just the distance that’s a challenge; there are two major bodies of water to navigate. The Atlantic Ocean to the east can serve up potentially huge rollers this time of year, while the Caribbean Sea to the west is often calmer.

But there are rewards to facing this contest—break any existing class records and the skipper wins his or her weight in Mount Gay rum. BSW concludes with the Ocean Passage to Antigua. This race is a great way to reposition for the Superyacht Challenge Antigua, January 31st to February 3rd, and the RORC Caribbean 600, which starts February 18th off English Harbour in Antigua.

barbadossailingweek.com

By Carol Barethuer, Southern Boating January 2019

Budget Marine Spice Island Billfish Tournament

Spice Island Billfish Tournament Celebrates 50 Years

One of the biggest sportfishing tournaments in the Caribbean in terms of boat and angler participation and size of targeted catch celebrates its half-century this year. The Budget Marine Spice Island Billfish Tournament takes place January 21-26 out of the Grenada Yacht Club in St. George’s, Grenada. “We are expecting as many as seventy boats this year, as we are offering a cash prize for the first time,” says Richard McIntyre, tournament chairman.

“That is, five-hundred thousand EC (USD $185,000) for anyone who catches a 1,000-pound or larger blue marlin. Many have reported seeing or fighting these monster-sized billfish in our territorial waters, so we wanted to highlight to the world what is in our backyard.” Blue marlin, white marlin and sailfish are bountiful and the basis upon which results are determined; however, anglers also target yellowfin tuna, dolphin fish (mahi-mahi) and wahoo for additional points and prizes. “Visiting boats are welcome and so are visiting anglers,” invites McIntyre, and suggests to arrive early if you’d like to get on a boat.

sibt.gd

By Carol Barethuer, Southern Boating, January 2018

Open for Business

The Moorings & Sunsail announce they’re open for business after hurricanes.

The Moorings and Sunsail, two of the most trusted names in yacht chartering, are pleased to announce the grand reopening of their British Virgin Islands charter base on December 9th, 2017, just three months after the Caribbean’s record-breaking hurricane activity.

Over the past few months, BVI staff members exhibited tremendous strength and dedication, working tirelessly to help restore operations in Road Town, Tortola, and they are eager to invite visitors back to this world-famous sailing destination.

The Moorings and Sunsail are also glad to report a combined fleet of more than 100 yachts ready for chartering. Additionally, an investment of $66.5 million will bring new fleet shipments for both brands with over 130 boats scheduled to arrive in the British Virgin Islands in early 2018.

According to Josie Tucci, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, “The road to recovery has not been easy, but we simply couldn’t be more thrilled about reopening our base in the British Virgin Islands, and in such a timely manner. Tucci goes on to say:

“The humanitarian response from customers, partners, and employees following September’s hurricanes was overwhelming, and the tenacity of the local communities has been nothing short of inspiring. We believe it is this heartfelt combination of commitment and resilience that has helped us come back so strong.”

To continue supporting the future of the tourism industry and to assist with long-term hurricane relief efforts, The Moorings and Sunsail recently joined forces to establish the Caribbean Comeback fundraiser. Created in the spirit of uniting sailors everywhere, 100% of all monetary contributions go toward the British Virgin Islands, St. Martin and Puerto Rico employees, delivering supplies that are needed such as generators, gas stoves, and miscellaneous building materials.

Please consider joining The Moorings and Sunsail in this massive effort. Every contribution, no matter the size, is immensely appreciated. To donate or to learn more about this ongoing campaign, please visit CaribbeanComeback.com

To learn more about best-in-class Sail, Power, and all-inclusive Crewed yacht charter vacations in over 20 dazzling destinations across the globe, visit moorings.com and sunsail.com. The world is waiting and new adventure beckons around every corner. Come aboard, embrace the wind and water, and create your own unforgettable passage.

Media Contact:
Leslie Montenegro
Leslie.Montenegro@thlmarine.com
727.614.7376

Watch Racing Action in Grenada

ENJOY A FRONT ROW SEAT and secondhand adrenaline rush by celebrating with the teams as they finish the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) Transatlantic Race this month at the Camper and Nicholsons’ Port Louis Marina in St. Georges, Grenada. Originally slated to finish at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) in the B.V.I. but rerouted due to hurricane damage in the northern Caribbean, the RORC Transatlantic Race is now the longest in the Club’s offshore calendar.

Crews, veteran professionals and also first-time Corinthians depart on November 25th from Marina Lanzarote in the Canary Islands and are expected to arrive in Grenada starting around December 9th. The 20-plus yacht fleet spans from big yachts like the Finot 100 Nomad IV; Volvo 70 Monster Projects; and Whitbread 60 Challenger, to the Sun Fast 3600 Redshift Reloaded. In Grenada, the 170-slip Port Louis will be the dockage headquarters for the teams as well as the site of the regatta’s awards ceremony.

Whether you’re there to meet and greet the race teams or simply cruising the southern Caribbean, be sure to check out the Parang Festival on Grenada’s sister island of Carriacou, which starts on December 16th. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy the run-up to the holidays with music, parades, and feasting. Carriacou, 30 nautical miles north of Grenada, is a great launching-off point to the northern Caribbean, where many of the RORC Transatlantic sailors will also travel to race in the region’s spring regattas.

rorctransatlantic.rorc.org

By Carol Bareuther Southern Boating, December 2017
Photos: Hank George and Claueren Morel

Hamilton History in Nevis

Create your own Hamilton adventure in Nevis

History is hot, hot, thanks to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash Broadway hit, Hamilton: An American Musical. If you’re a fan of the show and have been swept up in the recent Hamilton mania, take a trip to the Leeward Island of Nevis, where Alexander Hamilton—whose life story is the basis of the musical—was born in 1757.

From these humble beginnings, he later achieved fame as the first Secretary of the U.S. Treasury and father of the U.S. Coast Guard. Today, Hamilton House, located on the waterfront in Charlestown on the original site where the family is thought to have lived, showcases a series of storyboards that depict Hamilton’s life and accomplishments. The museum is just one of several historic sites on this 36-square-mile island, which also offers plenty of 21st-century charms.

Visiting Nevis by boat will get easier in December, when the island’s first marina is scheduled to open at Tamarind Cove, a 15-minute drive from Charlestown and the Hamilton museum.
nevisisland.com

By Carol Bareuther for Southern Boating, October 2017
Photos by Ian Holyoak/Nevis Tourism Authority and Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority. 

View additional Caribbean Updates:

Kodiak Queen
Optimist World Championships

Hospitality division grows at IGY

EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY will soon take on a whole new meaning at IGY Marinas. That’s because restaurants, hotels and resorts will become a bigger focus for this Fort Lauderdale, Florida-headquartered world’s largest international marina network, which launched its hospitality division in June. Some of IGY’s Caribbean properties will be among the first to benefit. More specifically, there will be a taste-lift and concept refresh for its Fat Turtle restaurants, located at Yacht Club at Isle de Sol in St. Maarten and the Marina at Yacht Haven Grande in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. In addition, IGY is exploring the possibility of building a second hotel on the upland at Yacht Haven Grande.

“The Caribbean continues to draw travelers from around the world, making it a target market for our growth strategy. Our plan for the close of 2017 is to have solidified other marina facilities that will join our IGY-branded hospitality portfolio,” says Charlie Irons, who was recently promoted from director of operations at the 5-Gold Anchor Yacht Haven Grande to IGY’s vice president of hospitality division.

IGY operates marinas in other Caribbean islands such as St. Lucia and the Turks & Caicos, as well as in South America, Mexico and the U.S.

igymarinas.com

By Carol Bareuther, Southern Boating Magazine September 2017

Summer Festivals in the Caribbean

Six summer festivals in St. Lucia

After a quarter century of successful jazz concerts that put St. Lucia on the map for great international entertainment, government officials have decided to spread the wealth by now offering visitors six festivals to enjoy from May through November. Soliel kicked off in May with the traditional jazz fest at Pigeon Island National Landmark. The party continues this month with Roots & Soul, June 16-18, featuring reggae, hip-hop and R&B. Then, it’s St. Lucia Carnival, a three-week extravaganza from mid-June to mid-July that revs up to the big Parade of the Bands July 17th and 18th. The tenor takes a notch down to a more laid-back pace from August 24-27 for the St. Lucia Food & Rum Festival. This taste-tempting event features culinary demonstrations, rum and wine tastings, and dining experiences that pay tribute to both St. Lucian and international dishes and drinks. The Country & Blues Festival occurs September 15-17, followed by the monthlong Arts & Heritage Festival in October. This means there’s plenty of fun on this Windward Island all summer long. Even better, summer is slow season in the Caribbean, so anchorages are not crowded.

Plus, it’s easy to find dockage at either of the island’s two big marinas: the 253-slip IGY’s Rodney Bay Marina to the north in Gros Islet and the 42-slip Capella Marigot Bay Marina to the south mid-island. Additionally, Rodney Bay has a full-service boatyard, so it’s possible to haul out and work by day and enjoy six festival’s worth of parties by night. stlucia.org/summerfestivalo.

Best-kept secret Caribbean beaches

What are some of the top off-the-beaten-track beaches in the Caribbean? Global charter yacht company, The Moorings, let the cat out of the bag earlier this year by naming its seven favorites. North to south, the first is Playa Tamarindo, a small coral-strewn beach on Puerto Rico’s offshore island Culebra, where “unspoiled” is truly defined. On the sandbar called Anegada, both Loblolly Bay and Cow Wreck Beach—two of the British Virgin Islands’ (B.V.I.) three beaches—offer a delightful mix of Robinson Crusoe seclusion combined with all the comforts of the tropics, like cold beer and hot grilled lobster. Neighboring Guana Island, home of the luxurious all-inclusive resort of the same name, features the haven known as White Bay. Further south, two islands off Anguilla and St. Martin make the list. One is the duo of Prickly Pear Cays, uninhabited except for a small beach bar manned by day, where the sand is as soft as powdered sugar. The other is Tintamarre, nestled within the St. Martin Nature Reserve. The red clay-like mud here is said to have healing as well as beautifying powers. Finally, there’s Anse du Gouverneur on St. Bart’s—pristine, private and picturesque. Moorings bases in the B.V.I. and St. Martin make this septuplet of best-kept secret beaches easily paradise found. moorings.com

OPTIMIST REGATTA CELEBRATES SILVER ANNIVERSARY

More than 100 junior sailors, ages 8 to 15, from over a dozen nations will set sail in the 25th International Optimist Regatta hosted in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., June 12-18. This family-friendly sailing event features a clinic, team race, and three-day fleet race. Beach parties, fire dancers, and costumed Carnival entertainers put a signature spin on the shoreside activities. Former sailors have gone on to collegiate All-America, World Champion, and Olympic sailing careers.

For more information on happenings in the Caribbean, take a look at these Anguilla Villas! 

by Carol Bareuther Southern Boating Magazine June 2017

See the America’s Cup in Bermuda

Cruise or race your way from the Caribbean to Bermuda to watch the America’s Cup. The Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers start on May 26th off this British Overseas Territory located 1,000 miles from the coast of the Carolinas. Starting on June 17th, the top Challenge will meet defending champions, Oracle Team USA, in the 35th Cup. Cruisers can take their start north on the Salty Dawg Spring Rally. The rally starts on May 15th out of the Nanny Cay Marina in Tortola, B.V.I., after several days of parties, boat preparation and weather briefings. Ralliers will then head to their U.S. port of choice. Linda Knowles, Vice President of the Salty Dawg Sailing Association, says that this year several rally participants are planning to stop in Bermuda for the America’s Cup qualifiers and finale.

Racers can embark on a trip north via the inaugural Antigua to Bermuda Race, which is organized by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. Sailors take their start at 12PM on May 12th off Fort Charlotte, Antigua. “Many boats are planning to be in Antigua for our 50th Anniversary Antigua Sailing Week (ASW), April 29th to May 5th. Following this, there will be a week’s grace to make repairs and provision before the start of the 900-nautical mile race to Bermuda,” says Alison Sly-Adams, Commercial Director for ASW. Over 40 yachts are expected to compete, including the magnificent Swan 90, Freya. There are also charters available from companies such as Ondeck, Performance Yacht Charters, Global Yacht Racing and the Bermuda Sloop Foundation. saltydawgsailing.org; antiguabermuda.com

National Marine Suppliers opens at Yacht Haven Grande

Megayacht crews and grand prix race teams now have a new source for everything from provisioning to engineering and deck expertise when in the U.S.V.I. National Marine Suppliers—the Fort Lauderdale, Florida-headquartered yacht suppliers and logistical support group—has opened an office at IGY’s Yacht Haven Grande in St. Thomas. The marina here is a 5-Gold Anchor facility that boasts 46 berths for superyachts up to 656 feet in length and up to an 18-foot draft. Located on the east side of the Charlotte Amalie harbor, Yacht Haven Grande is central to many restaurants, shops and the airport, which offers direct daily flights to several destinations in the U.S. nationalmarine.com; igy-yachthavengrande.com

New Poker Run Circuit

Throttle up and get ready for more fun and more winnings in the new Caribbean Triple Crown Poker Run. This year’s first-ever three-legged circuit kicks off on May 28th for the Leverick Bay Poker Run held off Virgin Gorda in the B.V.I. Then on July 2nd the Stars and Stripes Poker Run takes place out of IGY’s Yacht Grande Marina in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. The cup wraps up on July 16th at the St. Maarten Poker Run hosted out of Isle del Sol Yacht Club in St. Maarten. The winner of all three events will take home $20,000 in cash and prizes and earns the title of IGY Triple Crown Poker Run Cup champion. Nick Willis, who founded the Leverick Bay Poker Run in 2001, says he never thought the event would garner so much recognition and response from powerboaters. “It’s one event, three destinations and the chance to give back to multiple charities,” says Willis. The Caribbean Triple Crown Poker Run is an official member of the Florida Power Boating Club & Poker Runs of America. For more information, contact Javier Lopez at (787) 529-8064 or
j.lopez@caribbeanpokerrun.com.

Finding Painter’s Paradise

The year was 1887, and the island was Martinique. I’ve come to the quiet, French-speaking island in the Lesser Antilles to find out if Gauguin’s paradise still exists and, perhaps, to be inspired in the process.

Tahiti wasn’t painter Paul Gauguin’s first love. Long before he made the island a famous paradise in his lush artworks, Gauguin had found another Garden of Eden much closer to home—in the Caribbean.

My quest to find Gauguin’s paradise starts in the hotel-studded south, a modern-day paradise of beaches and palm trees. On this bright afternoon, the sun is high and the lagoons glow like Hopi turquoise. I’m skipping over the shallow water in a speedboat with a famous musician, a pair of Brazilian women in string bikinis and a young local woman with a pink flower tucked behind her ear.

Bord de Mer II (Sea Side II) by Gauguin in 1887, private collection.
The writer captures seaside activity more than a century after Gauguin.

I meet Victor O that morning in the busy town of Le Francois. He’s a young guy with a clean-shaven head; a huge grin cracks his beard. He’s amused by my quest to chase Gauguin’s ghost around Martinique, and local pride inspires him to show me the most beautiful natural swimming pool on the island—Josephine’s Bath. “Joséphine was born on a habitacion beyond the mornes,” Victor says as we slalom through a maze of palmetto-tufted islands. He points at a rumpled range of cane-quilted hills to the west. “She was an island girl, and she was Napoleon’s great love. He made her the Empress. Legend says she would come out here to bathe in the seawater.”

The captain tosses the anchor over a submerged sandbar between two islands. We drink planter’s punch, a homemade brew that’s more rum than punch.

“It’s customary here after the first rum that a bikini becomes a monokini,” one of Frenchmen says as he pours a cup and passes it over. “And of course after two rums, well, then the monokini also goes.”

he writer discovers that fruit is used for accessories as well as for paintings.
La Cueillette des Fruits (Among The Mangoes), by Gauguin in 1887, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

We leap overboard. The water is so clear and the sun so brilliant that even five feet down the rippled sand warms my soles. “It’s probably just a legend that Joséphine came out here,” Victor laughs. “I’m not sure she could even swim.” Whether the legend is true or not, the pool is idyllic. The Brazilians float on their backs while the progressively emptier bottle of rum punch bobs in the waves.

That evening as shadows creep down the mornes I have dinner with my new friends at Soleil Faire. It’s a romantic spot, a Creole house on a hillside overlooking the Empress’ playground. Waiters snap around in pressed black and candles flicker inside hurricane lanterns. “This is the best table on the island,” purrs the woman with the flower behind her ear. “The chef was trained by Alain Ducasse, himself.”

When the plate is presented, I smile and remember a conversation Victor and I had about food. “In Martinique we are French first and Caribbean second, so you can imagine that food is very important to us,” he’d said. “Our cuisine is truly Creole. We combine the generosity of Africa and the spices of India with French savoir faire. No matter if you eat at a beach shack or a Michelin-starred restaurant, the food is always the same, and that is to say, superb.” I chuckle as I carve into my lacquered pigeon.

I head to downtown Fort de France the next day to track down the only address I have for Gauguin. I have an old sketch of his street. The artist’s connection to Martinique is largely unknown even to locals, which is why I’m lucky to find Marie, a French historian. But even she didn’t realize that Gauguin had an address here in town. We set out to find Rue Victor Hugo #30.

Marie is short but moves quickly in a flowing blue and white dress; I dodge pedestrians to keep up. When she talks, her teeth flash in a frame of shaded purple lipstick. “I love all Gauguin’s colors,” she says as we wend our way through a square where an office building with mirrored windows reflects the beige steeple of Cathedrale St. Louis. “When I was young, I wore lots of colors just like the women in his paintings.”

Brightly dressed women straight out of a Gauguin sashay past in ruffles of red, green, orange, and yellow. “We are the only part of France that still wears folk dress, our Madras,” Marie says. “If you wore traditional dress in Brittany today people would laugh at you. Not here. Here we say, ‘good for you.’”

We find #30 near the end of Rue Victor Hugo where it dead-ends into La Savane Park. The white two-story building is wedged between a jewelry store and an osteopathic office. Sunshine slants down on the afternoon shoppers. Now, just as in the 19th-century sketch, the street is bustling. Gauguin kept #30 as his forwarding address, but he quickly set out to wander the island. I decide to do the same.

Perhaps Gauguin used this same luxuriant coast for inspiration.
Martinique Landscape by Gauguin in 1887, Scottish National Gallery.

It’s during my wanderings that I meet Laurent, a local sculptor and painter. He invites me that night to a party at his villa. Gauguin always claimed to have discovered paradise. In one of his first letters home, he gushed about the luxuriant coast:

“It’s a paradise on the shore of the isthmus. Below us is the sea, fringed with coconut trees, above, fruit trees of all sorts… Nature is at its most opulent, the climate hot, with cool spells intervening. With a little money you can have all that is needed to be happy.”

“Does that Martinique still exist?” I ask the group. “Yes,” Laurent says, pushing his glasses back on his head. “If Gauguin came tonight on the Air France flight, he would find that same beauty, the same colors, the same volcanoes, and sugar cane fields.”

I hitch a northbound ride the next morning, trading the crowded coastal plain for the cooler mountains. The landscape quickly morphs into Gauguin’s Eden. Dense forests crowd overhead and each valley has a small village. The houses all have that lovely state of decay: cracked stucco walls and baked roof tiles furred with moss.

The road eventually slinks below Mount Pelée, and hairpin turns drop us into the rambling town of St. Pierre. When Gauguin arrived a century ago, this port was the most celebrated city in the French West Indies. More than 30,000 people lived here. They promenaded in the latest haute couture from Paris while horsedrawn trams ran along the cobbled streets. The theatre—a replica of the one in Bordeaux—had 1,000 seats. But the town is smaller today with barely 4,000 people. My ride drops me off near the beach where young men build a stage in the shade of sea grape trees. Nearby, women set up food stalls. Every time the sea breeze picks up, their white dresses billow and reveal Madras colors beneath.

One May morning not long after Gauguin left Martinique, Mount Pelée detonated. A nuee ardente (a glowing cloud) exploded down the volcano’s ravines and incinerated St. Pierre and the surrounding villages. Thirty thousand people died—every last person except one drunk in the jail cell.

Down on the promenade I can hear the Zouk music thumping. Today is May 8th, the anniversary of the eruption. Afternoon light gilds the town, and the sailboats speckle the blue bay. Gauguin’s paradise is still here.

CRUISER RESOURCES
Marin’s Yacht Harbour Marina
Le Cul-de-Sac Marin bay (southern Martinique)
Tel.: +596 596 74 83 83
Email: port.marin@wanadoo.fr

-Customs clearance is accessible on computers in marina office (customs office hours 7AM-12:15PM, tel. 05-96-74-91-64)

NOTE: Half a dozen small marinas can be found around Martinique such as the Somatras Marina (tel. 33-596-71-41-81) and Marina La Nepture [no contact info available] in Fort-de-France Bay. There are also many outstanding anchorages. Consult the most recent update of your preferred cruising guide.

Words & photos by Jad Davenport, Southern Boating Magazine March 2017

Booze Cruise Be Gone

Gone are the booze cruise days of the 1980s. They’ve been replaced by charters where the crew puts an emphasis on the well-being rather than that hungover feeling of their guests. Take, for example, several yachts in Camper & Nicholson’s Caribbean fleet: 214-ft Feadship Callisto, 155-foot Sunseeker Princess AVK and 190-ft Benetti Illusion V. Each has personal trainers as part of the crew, which means there’s someone hands-on to put you through your paces in onboard gyms well-equipped with spin bikes, elliptical cross trainers, free weights, and more. Or, if you’d like to keep fit in the water, these yachts have fitness toys like paddleboards, kayaks and waterskis, to name a few.

The benefits of a personal trainer among the crew are out-of-the-box fitness adventures, like a hike up St. Lucia’s iconic Gros Piton 3000 feet above sea level or the heart-pumping climb to Dominica’s Morne Diablotin, the highest mountain in the Eastern Caribbean at 4,747 feet. Follow up with a beach training session for even more activity. Looking for something a little less cardio? The 208-ft Benetti SpA Lioness V boasts a stewardess who is also a qualified yoga instructor. Of course, there is healthful cuisine to match. Fresh-caught Caribbean fish and just-picked tropical fruits like mangos and papayas are deliciously incorporated into meals. Callisto, for example, boasts a Michelin-star trained chef that heads up the galley. Charters focused on well-being are definitely the buzz these days in the Caribbean, especially in the megayacht arena. camperandnicholsons.com

 

 

New Outer Marina opens at Nanny Cay

Since December, more slips with deeper depths are available for racing, cruising and megayachts at Nanny Cay Resort & Marina’s Outer Marina. “The marina has been running at full capacity for the last five years and in anticipation of this, the owners commenced an expansion plan in 2009,” explains Alastair Abrehart, spokesperson for the Tortola, B.V.I.-based property. As of now, 42 slips are operational, with the final 78 expected to be in place by August. When completed, the Outer Marina will have 120 slips for yachts 30- to 75-feet with T-heads and a bulkhead capable of berthing megayachts up to 150 feet. Up to 10 megayachts over 100 feet can now dock at Nanny Cay. Controlling depth in the first half of the outer marina is 14 feet and 10 feet in the second half. The 6.5-acre Outer Marina peninsula will have 8 new condominium blocks each with three 4-bed and four 3-bed units; condo construction starts this spring. The expansion is good news for yachtsmen who in the past have found it difficult to get a slip at the dock for the many events Nanny Cay hosts each year: the B.V.I. Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival in March, the ARC USA Rally in May and ARC Caribbean 1500 Rally in November, as well as many races organized by the Royal B.V.I. Yacht Club throughout the year. nannycay.com

Where the big cats roam! 

This year the St. Thomas International Regatta will host one of the largest offshore catamaran racing fleets in the Caribbean. As of January 1st, seven big cats are set to compete in this event on March 24-26 hosted out of the St. Thomas Yacht Club in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. Three gunboats are also included: Arethusa, Fault Tolerant and Elvis, as well as the U.S.V.I.-built Bieker 53 Fujin and HH66 NALA and Kelsall 47 Triple Jack. “Our inter-island courses are perfect for these fast-sailing multihulls. So much so, our regatta is getting to be known as where the big cats roam,” says regatta director Chuck Pessler. stthomasinternationalregatta.com

By Carol Bareuther, Southern Boating Magazine March 2017

Island ‘Rum’inations in Barbados

Barbados beckons to those seeking pristine beaches, a bottle of rum and a touch of history.

Traditionally known as the first landfall for New World-bound ships from Europe and Africa, the small country of Barbados is today more famous among cruisers for its beach beauty and restored British architecture. The island also proudly lays claim to being the birthplace of rum.

While cruise ships coming from Europe still keep Barbados’ “first port-of-call” fame intact, American cruisers often discover Barbados toward the end of a voyage down the Antilles. Slightly outside of the hurricane belt and with several protected harbors, the island is a popular over-wintering spot.

Barbados is a coralline island (part of the secret behind its more than 80 snow-white beaches) but makes up for its relatively flat interior with a varied coastline. The most remote and uninhabited corner of the island is the far north where ironshore cliffs rise up from the sea. The coastline turns gentle as it sweeps south along the Caribbean side. The Platinum Coast—so named for the amount of money concentrated in the villas and hotels around Bridgetown—sweeps down along the west coast. The island’s far eastern shore turns wild again, with elegant beachfront resorts giving way to small fishing towns and a more easygoing local life.

Amerindians from South America originally settled the island before the arrival of Europeans in 1627. The advent of the slave trade and the establishment of sugar cane plantations quickly turned the island into a hub for trans-Atlantic business.

More so than anywhere else in the English-speaking Caribbean, Barbados retains much of its colonial architecture. The grand Georgian and Victorian mansions of the upper-crust British administrators and the sugar barons’ coral-stone “Great Houses” out on the plantations remain as enduring monuments to what was once one of the richest ports—thanks to sugar—in the Empire. More than a dozen 17th and 18th-century buildings still survive throughout the island. No less remarkable are the brightly painted chattel houses—mobile wooden homes built by freed slaves. This architecture is unique to Barbados and a testament to the unbroken African spirit that not only survived the darkest days of the slave trade but also prevailed.

To get a good sense of Barbados’ history, head south to the Sunbury Plantation House in the heart of St. Philip’s sugarcane country. The 300-year-old plantation has been restored to its original grandeur and serves breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and candlelit dinners. Hunte’s Gardens in the cool highlands of St. Joseph offers a private botanic garden with whimsical statues, winding paths and shaded benches for quiet contemplation. Enjoy a chilled glass of rum punch at the end of your tour, and shop for souvenirs in the nearby nursery.

Hurricanes rarely strike Barbados. The climate is deeply tropical with northeast trade winds keeping the highs to an average of 78 degrees, and daily rainfall amounts to less than a quarter inch. Beachgoers quickly find the water just as delightful, with a year-round range in the low 80s. The island experiences two mild seasons: the dry season (winter and spring) when the temperatures dip slightly and less rain falls, and the wet season (summer and autumn) with warmer days and more precipitation.

The roughly quarter million locals, known as Bajans, are mostly descendants of African slaves and West Indians but retain strong cultural ties to the British. Cricket games, high tea and horse racing are among some of the favored pastimes. Islanders share a conservative, religious outlook on life—more than 75 percent are Christians—and Sundays can be particularly quiet days, especially beyond Bridgetown. This tradition comes through on a daily basis with the polite nature of Bajans; visitors are besieged with “good morning” greetings and smiles.

The religious conservatism notwithstanding, the Bajans also share a common love of partying. Friday and Saturday nights see locals gathering at rum shops to debate politics or heading to the beach for an evening fish fry and impromptu party.

The island’s endless celebrations are another draw for cruisers. February kicks off with the Hometown Festival in St. James Parish, followed by the Oistins Fish Festival food fair and the Sandy Lane Gold Cup horse races at the historic Garrison Savannah Racecourse. There’s a Barbados Reggae Festival in early spring before festivities culminate in summer’s Crop Over Festival to celebrate the close of the sugarcane harvest. This spectacularly colorful multiday celebration has evolved into one of the wildest carnivals in the Caribbean with dancing bands, late-night parties and copious amounts of rum.

It doesn’t take much effort to find rum on Barbados. The island is the self-proclaimed birthplace of and rum capital of the world. Rum shops (small, local bars) are ubiquitous around the island and a popular gathering spot for locals and tourists alike to enjoy a rum punch or Bajan painkiller. The island’s rum heritage goes back over 350 years, but it wasn’t until 1703 that the island began exporting its alcohol. That was the year Mount Gay Rum first began operations. A popular way to explore the rum culture is to join a Mount Gay Rum Tour and see how the island’s oldest distillery makes rum. Not surprisingly, the tour ends in the bar with a taste-testing session.

Barbados’ capital, Bridgetown, is worth a visit, whether you’re looking for the latest nautical charts or need to fix a prop. An attractive port, Bridgetown and its garrison have been named World Heritage Sites. The harbor often looks more like a glacier since it’s bow-to-stern with iceberg-white cruise ships for most of the year. But just a short taxi ride downtown provides access to malls, duty-free shopping and blocks of beautifully restored colonial architecture. The inner marina and Chamberlain Bridge create a safe haven for small boats, while Independence Square, in the center of the city, is a great place to relax, have a picnic and take in views of Parliament.

Beyond the marinas, sailors will find plenty of adventure. The annual Mount Gay Round Barbados Race (January 16-24, 2017) celebrates the island’s nautical history, while a variety of smaller regattas are held on weekends throughout the island.

Barbados is also popular for water sports beyond sailing. Scuba divers will find plenty of dive sites scattered along the coral reefs. Much of the dive action is clustered around Carlisle Bay Marine Park near Bridgetown, as it’s home to a half dozen shipwrecks. Based on Pebbles Beach, Dive Barbados Blue is the only dive shop on the island with staff marine biologists. Their two custom dive boats can reach most of the dive sites between Carlisle Bay and Oistins Bay in a few minutes. The jewel is the Stavronikita, a 365-foot freighter sunk in the Carlisle Bay Marine Park. Dottins dive site off Holetown is a great place to spot sea turtles and barracuda.

Surfers are drawn to the east coast around Soup Bowl, an internationally famous surfing spot. The island’s near-constant winds (frequently onshore) and sheltered waters also make Barbados a mecca for kite surfers.

Story & photos by Jad Davenport, Southern Boating Magazine November 2016

— BARBADOS CRUISER RESOURCES —

DOCKAGE

Port Ferdinand Marina and Luxury Residences
Retreat, St. Peter; portferdinand.com
U.S. & Canada (855) 346-8662
Barbados (246) 272-2000
-82 residences, 120 full-service berths, ships’ store, and marina services

Port St. Charles Yacht Club
St. Peter; portstcharles.com/berthing
(246) 419-1000 ext. 2230; Dockmaster Derek Ince
-Berths up to 200 feet, 6 megayacht berths up to 250 feet, 2 offshore mooring buoys for yachts greater than 250 feet

MOORING/ANCHORAGE
As always, we encourage readers to consult their most up-to-date and preferred cruising guide for the safest anchorages with the best scenery.

 

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