ANTIGUA CLASSIC YACHT REGATTA

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Velsheda and Rainbow during Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta.  Photo by Kathy Lammers

April is a month of farewell gatherings in the Caribbean.  A time to celebrate another successful season (or at least a fun one) while making plans for summer in Florida, New England or the Med.  And nowhere is the tradition stronger than in Antigua.  When Antigua Sailing Week (April 29 to May 4) concludes one can almost feel the curtain closing on the season.

First though, comes Antigua's Classic Yacht Regatta (April 19 to 24), as big a draw for wooden boat lovers as Sailing Week is for racers.  Thanks to the 'Sail Maine Party' (Sunday, April 22, 6 to 9:30 pm at Cloggy's Restaurant at Antigua Yacht Club) this event has a New England feel to it - an aroma, really:  100 pounds of Maine lobster shipped south by Phin Sprague of Portland Yacht Services who has sailed his own boat from Maine and participate in past classic Yacht Regattas.  All boats in English and Falmouth Harbours are invited and the first couple of drinks are free.  A local reggae band will play music for dancing and door prizes will be awarded including 'A Passport to the Coast of Maine' worth several thousand dollars in moorings and dockage at the five sponsoring Maine boatyards and marinas.  And what's a Caribbean party without Carib Beer and Mount Gay Rum which are both donating their famous liquid refreshments.  Antigua's Dana Nicholson Raynes, who with Phin organizes the Sail Maine Party, calls it 'one of the biggest post-race parties of the classic Yacht Regatta'.  Phin will be available to discuss the passage north as well as cruising the Maine coast in summer with any of the many cruising sailors who, as Phin says, 'follow the birds', as they migrate back up north.

Caribbean Boating/Newport Sailor http://sites.google.com/site/caribbeannewport/