PAGE 6 SS CARIBBEAN COMPA oO IC C “ MARC l —Continued from previous page Business owner Colin Percy donated the boats and all the facilities of the St. Maarten 12 Meter Challenge (www. 12metres.com) for the effort. His employees, top-level sailors who usually work with loads of cruise ship tourists, donated their time. Each company that participated donated US$1,500 to the Rotary Club to buy Shelterboxes to be sent to Haiti. The Shelterbox USA project (www.shelterboxusa.org) is a way to make a difference for a family in need after a disaster. The “box” is a reinforced crate containing a large, high-quality tent suitable for up to ten people, plus water purification kits and tablets, insulated sleeping mats, thermal blankets, a trenching shovel, a multi-fuelled cook stove, eating utensils and plates, an activity kit for children and other essential items. SAIL Picks ‘Most Influential’ Sailors As SAIL magazine marked its recent 40th anniversary, its staff highlighted the 40 sail- ors whom they feel have had the greatest impact on recreational sailing over the P war = ey A Don Street, named as one of the most influential sailing figures of the past four decades last four decades. Not surprisingly, a number of those chosen have strong Caribbean connections: « Charlie and Ginny Cary. While not the first business of its type, Charlie and Ginny’s Tortola-based bareboat company, The Moorings, took bareboat chartering and charter yacht ownership to a whole new level. ¢ Jimmy Cornell. He founded the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), which brings some 200 yachts from Europe to the Caribbean each year. As author of such blue- water cruising bibles as World Cruising Routes and the World Cruising Handbook, Jimmy has inspired and educated thousands of cruisers seeking to pursue the blue- water cruising lifestyle. « Don Street. Best known for his unique character and his engineless yawl, jolaire, Don was a pioneer in the West Indies charter trade and the first to write and publish useful cruising guides covering the Caribbean. He also helped create the Imray-lolaire charts that remain the standard in Caribbean navigation. (We at Compass are proud that Don has regularly contributed articles to this publication since our launching in 1995.) « Buddy Melges. Harry C. “Buddy” Melges is one of the most successful racing sail- ors in history and was the driving force behind such innovative designs as the Melges 24 and 32, which are now firm regulars on the Caribbean racing scene. ¢ Jimmy Buffett. Sailor/songwriter Jimmy has “a Caribbean soul he can barely con- trol”, and has written songs about at least half a dozen cruising destinations from Cuba to Barbados. Is there an English-speaking cruiser alive who can’t sing a few bars of “Changes in Latitudes”? For the full list visit www.sailmagazine.com/40th_Anniversary/sails_top_40_sailors_ who_made_a_difference/ Site-ings « Noonsite.com, the global information website for cruising sailors, has launched a unique service for cruisers wanting global weather and routing advice. The new noonsite.com “weather and routing forum” has developed from ten years of experi- ence assisting cruisers with their varied queries regarding routes around the world. Noonsite.com editor Sue Richards says, “The forum will enable answers and informa- tion to be shared more easily, and allow cruisers around the world to contribute from their own experiences and knowledge.” The new forums are shared with www. worldcruising.com so that all noonsite.com users can benefit from the shared experi- ences of the ARC and other rallies. « Check out the blogs from award-winning boating journalists at www.boats.com/ boat-content/boatermouth If you missed this year’s Bequia Music Fest, or want to relive the experience, visit www.bequiatourism.com/bequiamusicfest/slide_show « Scott Welty, author of our monthly Caribbean Sky column, reports: My new web- site, www.sailing-science.com, features connections between sailing and science, not unlike my book, The Why Book of Sailing. Visit, comment and send questions. I'll even make up answers! Seabird Presentations, Poster Contest Since February 2009, Katharine and David Lowrie have been working in the Lesser Antilles with the Sint Maarten-based charity Environmental Protection In the Caribbean (EPIC), creating a comprehensive breeding seabird database (see relat- ed article on page 22). As well as collecting data, the team meets with govern- ments in each country in the study area and presents to schools and other interest groups. David and Katharine will soon be presenting on the following islands: St. Vincent, March 1-3; Bequia, March 4-6; Mustique, March 8-9; Canouan, March 16-17; Union Island, March 22; St. Lucia, May 7-9; Antigua, May 21-22; Barbuda, June 7-9; Montserrat, June 14; Nevis, June 25; St. Kitts, July 1-2; St. Eustatius, July 6-7; Saba, July 12-13; St. Maarten, July 19-20. To find out more, or if your school or interest group would like to book a presenta- tion, contact Katharine at klowrie@epicislands.org As part of the project, EPIC is also announcing a poster competition open to alll schools in the study area, from Grenada to Anguilla. The theme is: “Why are seabirds important in the Caribbean?” —Continued on next page Enjoy pristine scenery in the Caribbean with tropical landscapes, a spectacular volcano and great hotels. Return home, determined to e back again and agai iD, BEQuiA, Mustique, CANOU The . Gade pha MAYREAU, TOBAGO Cays, UNIO? AND, PALM ISLAND AND Pevir St. VINC Visit www.discoversvg.com, call 1-784-456-6222 or email sugta@discoversvg.com Photo: www.insandoutsofsvg.com