ANTIGUANICE YACHTING INSIDER NEWSLETTER

Press Release - May 21st, 2013

The 5th Anniversary St. Barths West indies Regatta was a huge success! The attending vessels each carried cargo from their islands for the new Village Artisanal. Arts & crafts, organic produce and unique speciality products all created in the islands: honey from Bequia, chocolate from Grenada & Dominca, paintings and bags from Grenada, coconut oil, mangos, wood carvings from St. Lucia,  goat milk soap, traditional salt, special hot sauce from Anguilla, specialty Rum & coonuts from Antigua and much more…

Photo (c) westindiesregatta.com.

Most impressive of all was the cargo arriving on Summer Cloud.  After racing in the 30 knot winds @ Antigua Classics, the crew of Summer Cloud sailed immediately after the Prize giving ceremony for Portsmouth, Dominica.  Driving across Dominica gathering organic produce from all over the island, then sailing through the night again, Summer Cloud eventually rounded the rocks outside Gustavia to sail quietly engine-less onto the dock just like the sloops and schooners always used to. Of course a gathering had formed to welcome her, the crowd eager to buy her produce:  crates of organic fruits & veg, spices, soaps and essential oils, Carib arts and crafts, coffee, cocoa and flowers & jelly nuts, even a fantastic new chocolate – captain Andrew takes his role of reconnecting the islands very seriously!

On the Friday morning, Aragorn and members of the Caribbean Artisan Network arrived to showcase their arts & crafts while schoolchildren of St.Barth’s were given tours of the boats and the market by the Club Unesco.

These keen youngsters were eager to learn about their island’s recent history and the connection with the southern islands that their grandfathers had originally made in similar vessels. The kids enjoyed the tour of Tradition and the Schooner Jambalaya but especially the samples Organic Dominican & Grenadian Chocolate at the market!

The regatta had three races during that weekend in light winds and there were tight contests in the clear blue seas around St.Barths. Summer Cloud dominated, winning all three races, but always hotly pursued by Zemi from Antigua and Savvy from Grenada. A floating raft of island sloops took place at the famous Shell Beach and then on Sunday a race to Colombier beach was followed by another laid back raft up of camaraderie and good food.

The final evening wrapped up with the market in full swing, a prize giving ceremony and live music and dancing to the sounds of the Romantics, the local band in which president Bruno Magras himself plays guitar!

A big thank you to our sponsors: Club Unesco de St. Barthelemy, Port de Gustavia and the Office de Tourism de St. Barth as well as ALL our friends and supporters in St. Barths, Anguilla, Antigua, St. Lucia, Bequia, Carriacou & Grenada – YOU all made this 5th anniversary event very special indeed!

View the full gallery from this year's event.

Results for the 2013 West Indies Regatta.