Antigua Sailing Week 2008
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Interesting word ‘cruising’ but what does it really mean? Our line up for the 1st race has Ian in the front row, I will show them? It’s nearly over before it starts. We have entered the cruising division, which Ian assumed would be a casual start. Not so as we just get out of jail. With rules being quoted as we reach the top mark in 2nd place we now realise this isn’t ‘cruising’ as serious racing yachts fully crewed mows us down.
Now its time to get serious as Ian whips us all into shape. Baney and Annie Richardson from Sydney and Don Reid from Noosa have never sailed on our yacht and by the end of the 23 mile race around the west coast to Fort James we are exhausted but very excited about our 5th place out of 16 in our division. We only missed 3rd place by 3 secs on our handicap so we are told we will just have to try harder the next day.
The 41st Stanford Antigua Race Week attracts 185 yachts from around the world. 80 in Division A and 105 in Division B. Division A is the serious racing yachts with the 98ft ‘Leopard’ and the 90ft ‘Rambler’ previously known as ‘Shockwave’ fighting it out along with TP 52’s and other hot racing yachts. This division has 7 races to complete.
Division B has 5 races all about 23nms long to various bays on the island. It is broken down to 10 divisions, 5 for chartered bare boats. All competing yachts have to be rated with the Caribbean rating certificate with several choices for rig, main and genoa, main and poled out genoa, main and 2 genoas and main genoa and spinnaker. We elect to race with poled out genoa as we will be short handed for some of the regatta.
Fort James Bay is a mass of yachts and one big beach party ashore; I think everyone on the island is here to join in. BBQ’s are covered with crayfish cooking, a live Reggae Band keeps us awake all night and we are all the time wondering if we are too old for this stuff.
Race 2 and Ian puts more effort into the start. We have from New York Phil and Ann Smith joining us for 2 races so we are now a ‘professional’ crew of 7 or pretend to be. Nudging jade coloured coral reefs and Ian taking every advantage of shifting breeze we get 2nd and celebrate back in English Harbour.
3rd race is a coastal along the southern side of the island. We want to go to the left side on the 1st beat to the top mark so Ian decides to be in the 2nd row at the start line. But he spy’s a hole and can’t resist taking it and once again we are in the thick of it leading around the mark. Coming home 4th it’s a long hot day with the wind dropping below 5 knots, something we have not experienced in our 5 months in the Caribbean.
A welcome lay day and it’s time to head for a bay for a quiet BBQ lunch and swim. Antigua boasts 365 bays, one for each day of the year.
The 4th race is to Jolly Harbour Marina for the night and it’s down to Annie, Baney, Ian and myself. Phil and Ann have gone back home and Don has departed with his yacht ‘Honey Moon’ to the USA for hauling for the hurricane season before returning to Noosa.
Ian promises to take it easy as we are seriously under crewed. No such luck as a snide remark from one fully crewed yacht accuses us of reducing crew for the light conditions. The light wind is frustrating but with a little bit of luck and low cunning we manage to get another 2nd after 6 hours of sailing. After each race the top 3 yachts are presented with a gold, silver or bronze pennant to fly from the backstay, a nice way to recognize results. Thanks to sponsor La Perla, the Jolly harbour resort puts on the most enjoyable party at the local Golf Club with great food, rum and music.
Race 5 the last race back to English Harbour under blue skies is tough, challenging and exhausting with winds from zero to 20 knots and we manage another 4th. Thank goodness we only had 5 races. This is the first time in 9 months aboard that we have actually had to sail ‘Cape Finisterre’ into the wind and tack. We are thrilled at the way she easily handled the conditions and especially against fully crewed yachts with lots of experience aboard.
Our 4th overall position in Antigua Sailing Week is a thrill and well worth all the effort.
It was great to be there and participate in these beautiful waters with perfect temperatures all day, every day and catch up with old friends Dayne Sharp and Susanne and also to cross tracks with Trevor and Maggie Joyce with another Mariner Boating Rally.
Annie and Baney fly out and Geoff and Pip Lavis fly in for our sail back down the islands to Grenada for hauling the yacht. With nearly 3 weeks up our sleeve it will be a leisurely sail for the 350nms, thank goodness!!!!!!