Bequia Easter Regatta
Oriole
Sun 11 Apr 2010 13:19
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Chatham Bay, Union Island, St Vincent & The
Grenadines. 12:36.341N 61:27.099W
In the week before Easter, Bequia was very quiet
and we were beginning to wonder if the regatta would be a non-event. How
wrong we were. For us it started with the Caribbean Compass Brunch, which
is a newspaper for which John has been writing - mainly
yachting political poetry. We met some interesting local characters
including the ex Prime Minister who John sat next to.
THE SPIRIT OF BEQUIA REGATTA
          We had been invited to compete in the regatta
aboard Breezing Up, a J46 belonging to Brad and Anne Willauer, OCC members who
we had met in Antigua. Brad is a veteran of several Bermuda and Fastnet
Races and we managed to recruit Derek Ide another experienced racer as
additional crew. The thorn in our side was Trinity a Concordia
44 known to be much faster than Breezing Up
which for some reason had obtained a handicap requiring us to give them
time! After three races with a lay-day on Sunday, Trinity was always well
ahead of the fleet but we managed to get overall 2nd place in a fleet of 18, and
a great deal of fun and excitement was had by all. Conditions were
generally light but the wind piped up on the last day and the start was nerve racking to say the least. Brad and Anne were excellent racing hosts and the Orioles
had a great time. The après-sailing started each day at around 5pm and continued until
there was just enough sobriety left to pile into the dinghy to get home.
There were five other classes racing including the
local double ended fishing boats which are very competitively raced with little
knowledge of the racing rules but very colourful! In addition to racing on
Breezing up we have also day sailed on Pacific Bliss with Colin and Liz Price
and Zephyr's Zest with Andrew and Jo Laurie-Pile so Oriole was feeling a bit
neglected. However we have now managed to locate and cure a persistant
deck leak in the stern cabin. There is always something that needs
attention. After two weeks of exhausting sailing and socialising we have
been enjoying a little quiet solitude in one of our favourite anchorages in
Chatham Bay, Union Island and we are now in Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou for a week of
diving. Time is getting short and we have to be back in Trinidad in two
weeks time.
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