| ™= | GRENADA wot BYNES cine Bee See stories on page |3 and 14 —e * s a a hn — ~ oe . Fe Wisk WAL FOR GRENADAIBAILING FE bl ae oO SAFETY TREAD TAPE KUUMA PROFILE JABSCO PAR MAX 4 PROPANE = Patented lens and Very compact The new - eM high brightness , quadruple Kuuma single LED. 4 diaphragm Profile pump. BBQs : . Certified USCG (A-16) 2 N.M. for Self adhesive anti-slip embossed feature elegant all stainless vessels up to 20 meters. Only 120 High performance design vinyl. steel construction. Removable mA on 12 volts and 60 mA on 24 characteristics of dry running, grease tray and built in foldaway volts. selt-priming, reliability, ease of Recommended Usage: legs. maintenance and low amp ¢ Boat decks Simple installation, reliable draw. * Companionways 13,000 BTU burner runs from operation. * Ladders disposable 1 Ib propane bottles or On Jabsco pumps the thermal * Steps large external propane bottle using All Aqua Signal lenses and lens overload protection automatically accessory connector kit. Available bodies are O-ring sealed to offer stops the motor, the feature will in the compact 150 sq.in. model or watertight compartments for re-start it. the family size 216 sq.in grill. Rail easy-to-change light bulbs and mounts available. trouble-free operation. CARIBBEAN CHANDLERIES BUDGET MARINE asses e oO, A? “8tion sin the cat? ANTIGUA * BONAIRE * CURACAO - GRENADA « ST. MAARTEN ° ST. MARTIN « ST. THOMAS * TORTOLA ° TRINIDAD The Caribbean’s Leading Chandlery www.budgetmarine.com St. Vincen St. Lucia St. Martin British Virgin Islands Curacao Dominica Grenada Panama Puerto Rico St. Croix Bequia Antigua Barbados t_ Trinidad and Tobago obeqo! pue pepliuld] UaDUIA IS Antigua Barbados Bequia British Virgin Islands Curacao Dominica For those who demand the very best, Doyle Caribbean's 5/50 DOYLE SAILMAKERS Y-Not, Farr 80 14.000 miles on our Hydra Net sails 40,000 miles on our canvas Still looking good, still working hard That's Doyle value! S ~~ Doyle Sailmakers Road Reef Marina Tortola Tel: (284) 494 2569 Fax: (284) 494 2034 E-mail: bob@doylecaribbean.com Antigua & Barbuda Star Marine Jolly Harbour Bequia Withfield Sails and Model Boats Port Elizabeth Grenada Turbulence Ltd. Spice Island Boatyard St. Croix, USVI Wilsons’ Cruzan Canvas Christiansted St. Lucia The Sail Loft, St. Lucia Rodney Bay Panama Regency Marine Pedro Miguel Boat Club Fajardo UE RIT ESM EL eK P Construction. 5 years - 50,000 miles GUARANTEED’ *Dacron and Hydra Net only Barbados Doyle Sailmakers 6 Crossroads St. Philip Tel: (246) 423 4600 Fax: (246) 423 4499 E-mail: andy@doylecaribbean.com Curacao Dominica Kapiteinsweg #4 Dominica Marine Center Netherland Antilles Roseau Puerto Rico Atlantic Sails and Canvas St. Vincent Barefoot Yacht Charters Blue Lagoon Trinidad & Tobago Soca Sails, Ltd. Chaguaramas Od1y O}JaNd ewWeuegd epeusig edJUIWOG Wod"IAgsloys]yorA‘mam :0}0Yd Grenada Pan LUV} Od1y OaNd uINeW IS BINT "IS X1019 “35 UBDUIA "IS \e Nal =) joe wy fo gy =} fou al ° lon wy vo} lo} sopeqieg enbijuy einbag EME EEL: (o}-40)-F] ie) OL0e HOAVA vo dq da SVdNOS NV3 a ° B BE A N C3:MPASS The Caribbean’s Monthly Look at Sea & Shore www.caribbeancompass.com MARCH 2 e¢ NUMBER 174 Business Briefs Regatta News.... Destinations All Ashore Fun Pages Cruising Kids’ Corner Dolly’s Deep Secrets .. The Caribbean Sky Meridian Passage Cartbbean Compass 1s published monthly by Compass Publishing Ltd., P.O. Box 175 BQ. Bequia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Tel: (784) 457-3409, Fax: (784) 457-3410 compass@vincysurf.com www.caribbeancompass.com Colombian Getaway Chillin’ in Cholon AdHad 4SY30 Sally Erdle Assistant Editor. Elaine Ollivierre jsprat@vincysurf.com Advertising & Distribution tom@caribbeancompass.com Art, Design & Production wide@caribbeancompass.com Accounting. debra@caribbeancompass.com Tom Hopman Wilfred Dederer AFIdIHS AONHO: Debra Davis Weather Wise DEPARTMENTS 35 36 38 .. 40 42 43 46 46 Off Track with Street .. Cooking with Cruisers.. Readers’ Forum What’s On My Mind. Monthly Calendar... Caribbean Marketplace. Classified Ads Advertisers’ Index. ee Cae Petite Martinique: Ad Sales tribution - Karen Maaroufl Cell: io. er 2151 Office: (473) 444-3222 compassgrenada@hotmail.com Martinique: Ad Sales & Distribution - Isabelle Prado Tel: (os 596 68 69 71, Mob: + 596 (0) 696 93 26 38 isabelle. prado@wanadoo.fr St. Lucia: Ad Sales Maurice Moffat Tel: (758) 452 0147 Cell: (758) 720 8432. mauricemoffat@hotmail.com Distribution - Lisa Kessell Tel: (758) 484-0555, kesselle@candw.le St. ea Barths/Guadeloupe: Ad Sales - Stéphane oe Mob: + 590 | be 90 49 45 stefle SC UIeaeeia Distribution - Eric Bendahan Tel: (599) 553 3850, Sore eau com Perceiving Caribbean patterns ...18 Impossible? A sailor's return to Tortola.... 20 AIYMOT SNIGVH Lt Monkey Paws & Waterfalls sn : Hiking in Grenada ro Sailing for Birds Cruisers with a mission Passage Security Precautions for underway .... 34 Cover photo: Onne van der Wal captures the action at the Grenada Sailing Festival Grand Bahama [) Great Florida jo i — =~ >, Eeuthera Gulf of cuca r= 4 The Bahamas Mexico a search eat tan os el ss ° Sen Sahador a as to ke ae Ve kal Comper Agents by Island: tua: Ad Sales & Distribution - Lucy Tulloch fal 68) 720-6868 lucy@thelucy.com Barbados: Distribution - Doyle Sails Tel/Fax: (246) 423-4600 ree Distribution - Budget Marine Curacao ca0@bur Tet (5099) 4 Dominica: Distribution - Hubert J. Winston Dominica Marine Center, Tel: (767) 448-2705, info@dominicarmarinecenter.com —EE—— SS SSS SSS Cartbbean See Writers’ Guidelines at www.caribbeancompass.com, Send submissions to sally@caribbeancompass.com. caribbean marine pubsehere assocsation St. Thomas/USVI: Distribution - Bryan Lezai Tel: (340) 774 7931, blezama 1@eartlilink. ica St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Ad Sales - Debra Davis, Tel: (784) 457-3527, debra@carlbbeancompass.com Tortola/BVI: Distribution - Gladys Jones Tel: (284) 494-2830, Fax: (284) 494-1584 Trinidad: Ad Sales & Distribution - Jack Dausend Tel: (868) 621-0575, Cell: (868) 620-0978 dack.Dausend@Gmail.com Venezuela: Ad Sales & Distribution - Patty Tomasik Tel: (58-28 1) 265-3844 Tel/Fax: (58-281) 265-2448 xanadumarine@hotmail.com dgetmarine.com 77 33 ass welcomes submissions of short articles, news items, photos and drawings. We support free speech! But the content of advertisements, columns, articles and letters to the editor are the sole responsibility of the advertiser, writer or correspondent, and Compass Publishing Ltd, accepts no responsibility for any statements made therein. Letters and submissions may be edited for length and clarity. Compass Publishing Ltd. accepts no liability for delayed distribution or printing quality as these services are supplied by other cornpanies. ©2010 Compass Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication, except short excerpts for review purposes, may be made without written permission of Compass Publishing Ltd ISSN 1605 - 1998 Compass covers the Caribbean! From Cuba to Trinidad, from Panama to Barbuda, we've got the news and views that sailors can use. We're the Caribbean’s monthly look at sea and shore. “We were first introduced to the Caribbean Compass by a fellow cruiser in Jamaica in 2007 and have been hooked ever since. The first-hand accounts of sailors’ knowledge, experiences and impressions of various islands has influenced our journey and broadened our horizons. We have saved ‘+ bemane Coy articles about places we’re anticipating traveling to, = | ars and the advertisements direct us to parts and services. | ‘Fo, Marve To us the Compass is a very valuable resource with Grean Inapua % se cate CAYMAN Islands foe Jamaica Caribbean Sea be os, Turks & information that would be difficult to get from any other source.” < | Caleos — Bev and Bill Bate, E/ Shaddai am / Dominican —eeaniene US / British Virgin Islands ee es cote F Letetktartin / Set Maarten : oe oe eS. «Barbuda Puerto RICO stom ois, 4 mew Guadelou Montserrat yf euadeloupe lobe ives bee fiateas” 7 Marte Coahrvt Dominica Click Google Map link below to find the Caribbean Compass near you! http://maps google.com/maps/ms ?t=h&hl=en&ie=UTF8émsa=0damsid=112776612439699037380 .000470658db37 1 bf3282d&Il=14 .54105,-65.830078 &spn=10.196461 ,14.0625&z=6&source=embed Info New OCC Port Officers for Trinidad Jack Dausend reports: The Ocean Cruising Club, an international organization open to people who have completed a port-to-port ocean passage of not less than a thousand miles in a vessel of not more than 70 feet in overall length, has appointed Jesse and Sharon Rose James as Port Officers for Trinidad. Above: Jesse and Sharon Rose James accept the flying fish flag from OCC representative Ken Badgerset Left: Warm welcome! Ken and his wife Julie relax with Trinidad’s new OCC Port Officers after the presentation Jesse and Sharon Rose have operated their maxi-taxi business from a marina in Chaguaramas, Trinidad since 1997. They are key organizers in the local cruising sailors’ community, and enjoy a good reputation for providing assistance to visiting cruisers. For more information on the OCC visit www.oceancruisingciub. org Raising Sails, Raising Funds for Haiti As reported in the February 5th issue of the St Maarten Daily Herald, when the dire post-earthquake situation in Haiti arose, many saw the possibility of raising money while raising sails. January 31st saw teams from Souadliga Waste Management, Learning Unlimited Prep School, Caribbean Liquors and Tobacco, MNO Vervat, Budget Marine, Windward Island Roads, Avalon and the Rotary Club racing in Philipsburg, St. Maarten to “sail for Haiti”. They competed aboard the yachts of the St. Maarten 12 Meter Challenge: Stars and Siripes, the yacht that brought the America’s Cup Trophy back to the States in 1987, and Canadian yachts Canada If and True North. There were also participants from Little Europe, Prime Distributors and some invited guests that comprised a Mixed Team. —Continued on next page Cle lens M aCe te pee ee Ae olor ae —= Youn Genii e 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 —Continued from previous page Judges are looking for an eye-catching design that will raise the profile of seabirds in the Caribbean. Work should address why seabirds are important to people and the environment, and why they are important in their own right. Entrants might con- sider their links to fishermen, Caribbean culture, role in the marine food web, etcet- era. For more ideas visit www.epicislands.org, www.scscb.org, www.birdlife.org and www listalight.co.uk/jwebpages/seabirdspecies.htm The poster can be any size and medium (i.e. paints, textiles, mixed media, etcetera). Words can be included in the image, but are not mandatory. The poster must be pho- tographed or scanned, a signature from the principal of the entrant’s school attached, and sent via e-mail to klowrie@epicislands.org. The address, telephone number, e-mail and contact information for the school and student should also be included. Closing date: April 30th; winners will be announced in June. Age categories: 6-9, 10-13, 14-18. There will be one winner in each age category, with prizes for the stu- dent (Birds of the West indies book, pair of binoculars) and the student's school (EC$300 “book token” to purchase books on nature conservation, addressed to the principal of the school). The winning posters will be displayed in the press and in government buildings. Bequia Reading Club Needs Volunteers Cheryl Johnson reports: After | began working at the Bequia Bookshop, it didn’t take long for me to notice that local children did not come into the bookshop and, from discussions with many of them, | learned they were not members of the island’s Yachting visitors and Bequia children share reading fun at the Bequia Reading Club. Come and encourage the joy of reading lone library. Thus the Bequia Reading Club started. The aim was to encourage read- ing among children seven years and upwards, although children younger than that attended. Club sessions commence at 2:00em every other Saturday, at the Sweety Bird Café behind the Bequia Bookshop. No child is ever turned away. In November 2009, to celebrate the Club’s third year of existence, a reading com- petition was held among six of the seven schools on Bequia. The reading competi- tion has been hailed as a very worthwhile exercise, and will become part of activi- ties on the Reading Club’s annual calendar. Since the reading competition, the Reading Club is bursting at its seams with new members. We have grown from 14 children, our largest number in the initial stages, to over 40. Shaverne Ollivierre has volunteered to help with the group; however, the present group size is much too much for two people. At our last session four volunteers came. They were alll sailing on the yacht Spirited Lady. Thanks to Suzie and her crew for the tremendous help they provided to the group! More volunteers from visiting yachts would be warmly welcomed. If you'd like to help, even if only for one session, please stop by the Bequia Bookshop or e-mail cheripot@hotmail.com for more details. Calling All Compass Contributors! If you've had an article, photo or poem published in the Compass during the past 12 months, you are cordially invited to bring a guest and join us at this year’s Compass Writers’ Brunch at 10:00am, Thursday, April Ist (no fooling!) at the ever-pop- ular Mac’s Pizzeria in Bequia. The annual Compass Writers’ Brunch is held just at the beginning of the Bequia Easter Regatta, so you can stay on for a whole weekend of fun. The Writers’ Brunch is absolutely free — it’s our way of saying a special thank- you to everyone who helps make the Compass special! Space is limited so please RSVP by March 18th to sally@caribbeancompass.com or phone Sally at (784) 457-3409. We look forward to seeing you there. Carriacou Maroon Festival Coming The 2010 Carriacou Maroon and Regional String Band Music Festival will take place from April 30th to May 2nd and will feature traditional “smoke food”, the Big Drum Nation Dance and other cultural art forms of the people of Carriacou. The weekend will feature string band music with bands from the British Virgin Islands, Tobago, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines and Carriacou scheduled to perform. For more information contact the Grenada Board of Tourism on (473) 440-2279. Got Stuff? Carriacou Benefit Auction Melodye Pompa reports: The Carriacou Children’s Education Fund will hold its Tenth Benefit Auction on July 30th to raise funds for purchasing school uniforms and supplies for needy children of Carriacou to begin the next school year. Start clean- ing out your lockers and bilges! If you haven‘t even seen or thought of a particular article for over a year, chances are it is a good candidate for donation. If you have already made plans to be somewhere else during the Carriacou Regatta Festival, July 25th through August 2nd, consider leaving your donations with Trevor at the Carriacou Yacht Club on your way through. For more information contact boatmillie@aol.com Stand By! We ran out of room! The promised article “We Choose Venezuela” by Phil Chapman will appear in next month’s Compass. MARINA Gris Du-FORT To Roe esr aa) com GUADELOUPE FAVE Tella Ei orcs ict sed) ee Pala Ly Aa cee ae 4 vata ints canbbean- ae bl RIVA ) @ HO OLO SSVdNOS NVaddllvo Vd NV? PAGE 8 eC w) CARIBBEAN COMPASS 2010 ) 4G rae l MARC me. 4 ite ZEEe I 4) Vie ic] HULL CURE AACE E Cte met Mm Cuce ger terete btm ol Tel: +473 443-1667 Fax: +473 443-1668 SAILMAKING RIGGING ELECTRONICS @ New Sails/Canvos @ Swoge up to 146mm Gear & Furlers in Stock = @ All fittings in stock an: @ Hydraulic repair station Deck layout specialist a eran Spice Island Marine & Grenada Marine Boatyard Tel/Fax: (473) 439-4495 turbsail@spiceisle.com BUSINESS BRIEFS Northern Lights Launches New Products at Miami Show Available to see for the first time at the 2010 Miami International Boat Show, February 11th through 15th, Northern Lights launched the re-designed M673-series, the highly popular 5-6kW (60Hz) generator models, along with the new WaveNet digital monitoring system for its industryteading lineup of marine diesel generators. Following in the tradition of the newly designed 38kW M944T in 2009, the M673LD3 and M673L3 are diesel dynamos, featuring a new base frame and sound-enclosure design. The new design has accomplished a 20-percent reduction in overall volume from the existing models when equipped with sound enclosures. The WaveNet monitoring system is a significant step forward for the range of Northern Lights panel options. This system gives the user a digital window into the operation and output of the generator, including the percentage of available elec- trical load being used at any given time, and data logging of events. Founded in 1958, Northern Lights is a leading manufacturer of marine-diesel gener- ators, Lugger propulsion engines and Technicold marine systems. The company’s products are distributed through a global sales and service network to over 40 countries. For more information see ad on page 28. Dockwise Yacht Transport Partners with Global Boat Shipping Dockwise Yacht Transport (DYT), headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, announced in January that it has entered into a legal partnership with Global Boat Shipping (GBS) of Leer, Germany. DYT initially formed a strategic alliance with GBS in November 2008, which enabled increased shipping options for reaching the north- western shores of continental Europe and popular cruising grounds off the southern coast of the UK and the Baltic Sea. GBS has since proven to be extremely valuable, significantly enhancing DYT’s presence in this region; thus, the obvious next step was for the two companies to become legal partners in this industry. TM Yad NVA ANNO DYT's Yacht Express off Martinique with a full cargo of power- and sailboats DYT’s ships utilize semi-submersible dock bays that allow yachts of any size to be safely floated on and off as cargo. Since its maiden voyage in 1987, the company has transported nearly 10,000 motor and sailing yachts to various destinations around the globe, offering owners and charterers safe and easy access to many of the world’s premier cruising grounds. DYT’s additional global routes for its semi-submersibles currently include the US East Coast, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Bahamas, the Pacific West Coast, the South Pacific, and the Caribbean (St. Thomas and Martinique). For more information see ad on page 14. Island Dreams of Grenada Opens New Office Mark Sutton reports: Island Dreams is opening a new office at Camper & Nicholson’s Port Louis Marina this month. We will keep our existing office at Le Phare Bleu marina, which is proving to be very popular with old and new Island Dreams cli- ents. It is great to be able to offer our Guardianage and Yacht Management servic- es at both marina locations, in addition to both of Grenada’s major boatyards — Spice Island Marine and Grenada Marine. Our clients have different requirements depending on how long they have avail- able for sailing and the maintenance they need doing while they are away. Flexibility in location — ashore and afloat, boatyard and marina — enables us to better cater to those who choose to make Grenada their Southern Caribbean sailing base. For more information, see ad on page 9. New Office for Caribbean Yachts in St. Martin Formerly located at Marina Fort Louis, the St. Martin office of Caribbean Yachts is now located at marina Port La Royale, Marigot, just ten minutes from the Juliana International Airport with daily flights to and from Europe, North America and many... —Continued on next page ...Caribbean islands. Office manager Stéphane Legendre says, “Come visit and find your next boat among our extensive listings.” —Continued from previous page Y ni , For more information see ad on page 39. wi | Your bottom is our concern Power Boats of Trinidad Has New 60-Ton Marine Hoist Power Boats Ltd, Trinidad, recently commissioned their brand-new Acme 60-ton marine hoist. Donald Stollmeyer, CEO of Power Boats, was full of praise for the new lift, pointing More power at Power Boats! | Passagemaker gets alift from the new 60-ton hoist out that it is a big improvement on their previous 50-ton model. Not only has the lift- ing capacity been increased by ten tons, but also the new lift is substantially fast- er when lifting and lowering boats and it moves at a faster speed through the boat- yard. Additionally, the forward and aft sling adjustments are now hydraulically oper- ated whereas the slings on the previous model had to be adjusted manual- ly. Perhaps most importantly however, the forestay clearance on the new lift is just over four feet more than on the previous 50-ton model, which means a large num- ber of sail boats that previously had to remove their forestays can now be lifted with them in place. For more information see ad in the Market Place section, pages 43 through 45. fe Cape Air Named Official Airline of 2010 CORT Series curacao Cape Air has been named the official airline of the CORT regatta series for the third EP year in a row. The Massachusetts-based regional airline, whose Caribbean route took flight in 1998, is also the official airline of the Puerto Rico Heineken International Regatta. com + CR MMI = emo cuwacasmoneGiniemedinet « eebule: ewe curocoomanne com The Caribbean Ocean Racing Triangle Series, CORT for short, is a trio of regattas that includes the St. Croix Yacht Club Hospice Regatta, the Puerto Rico Heineken International Regatta, and the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival. Winners of the 2010 Cape Air CORT Series will be announced at the series conclu- sion in Tortola, British Virgin Islands. Round-trip tickets for Cape Air routes in the Caribbean will be raffled to sailors at the conclusion of the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival. In addition, round-trip tickets will be awarded to the first-place finish- er in each of the five CORT Classes: Racing, Performance Cruising, Racer-Cruiser, Jib & Main and IC24. Cape Air offers hourly flights between Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Croix, Tortola and Vieques. For more information visit www.capeair.com Inboard Diesel Service Martinique adds MTU Services SAIL DESIGN GROUP Inboard Diesel Service (IDS) of Case Pilote, Martinique is now a service dealer for ' the German-made MTU marine engines that are often found aboard megayachts. Cc ARIBBEAN — Continued on next page Where gibecking i is a performing ort Oe es | TC Ky spalmer@quantumsails.com © —Continued from previous page ial IDS owner Frank Agren and two of his asso- , = ciates, Ludovic Rose Eloise and Cédric cy c co lo} > P=] w 2 BS i) Be a ° SAFEST WAY TO SHIP e PREMIER SERVICE FOR ANY YACHT e RELIABLE, FREQUENT SCHEDULES e UNIQUE DESTINATIONS e COMPETITIVE RATES MARCH, 2010 VOYAGES Sd Sd MAY/JUNE, 2010 VOYAGES > Sd DOCKWISE YACHT TRANSPORT WokrLD CLASS YACHT LoGisTICs DYT USA: Tel. +1 954 525 8707 « E-mail: dyt.usa@dockwise-yt.com DYT Martinique: Tel. +596 596 741 507 « E-mail: nadine@dockwise-yt.com DYT Newport: Tel. +1 401 439 6377 « E-mail: ann@dockwise-yt.com WWW.YACHT-TRANSPORT.COM ® 1 888 SHIP DYT —Continued from previous page Racing Class (CSA - 9 Boats) 1) Storm, RP 44, Peter Peake, Trinidad (8) 2) Lost Horizon, J/122, James Dobbs, Great Britain (17) 3) Akarana, Swan 46, Graham Deegan, New Zealand (28) Cruising Class 1 (CSA - 9 Boats) 1) Tanga Langa 3, Beneteau First 47.7, Justin Evans, Grenada (17) 2) Wayward, Oceanis 43, Jerome Mc@uilkin, Trinidad (21) 3) Survivor, Jenneau Sun Magic 44, David Leighton, Trinidad (21) Cruising Class 2 (CSA - 6 Boats) 1) Pentanemos, Contessa 32, John McClean, Great Britain (8) 2) Apero, Albin Stratus 36, Jason Fletcher, Grenada (14) 3) Quay Three, Elan 37, George Haworth, Great Britain (24) The Hon. Glynnis Roberts (center) presenting the Grenada Marine Crew on Apero with their Second. Place Overall prize in Cruising Class 2 Multihull (CSA - 6 Boats) 1) Suave, Lagoon 470, Joe Walsh, USA (12) 2) Ti Kanot, Trinidad Sampson 40, Chris Doyle, UK (13) 3) Sasha, Outremer 45, Max Hyslop, UK (36) Boval Charter Class (CSA - 9 Boats) 1) Alemata 3, Moorings 443 44, Marinus Arts (17) 2) Ben’s inspiration, Moorings 443 44, Tijmen van Elst (25) 3) Life of Reilly, Moorings 443 44, Eddy Warger (27) 4/24 (One Design - 7 Boats) 1) Hawkeye, Robert Povey, Barbados (17) 2) Die Hard, Robbie Yearwood, Grenada (20) 3) Impulse, Neil Burke, Barbados (25) All Class winners received magnums of champagne, plus a Seiko sports watch from local jeweler West Indian Treasure Chest, and all placed skippers took away bottles of champagne presented by the Honourable Glynis Roberts, Grenada’s Minister of ourism. Racing Class winner Storm also took the Overall Festival Winner title, with five straight firsts, a second and another first across the Racing Series. Skipper Peter Peake was presented with a newly com- missioned steel yacht sculpture, two return tickets to he UK courtesy of British Airways, and plenty of cham- pagne for the crew. This year there was a record class of J/24s thanks to he commitment of sailors from Trinidad and Barbados. In recognition of this effort, skippers were presented with weekend breaks for two donated by rue Blue Bay Resort, Spice Island Beach Resort and La Source. The crew of the J/24 Blue Bayou, which cap- sized and sank while racing, was presented with a prize of a dinner at The Calabash. Marinus Arts, the winner of the Boval Charter Class won a charter with Horizon Yacht Charters. Spice sland Marine Services donated two haubouts, which were presented to Pentanamos, in recognition of gain- ing the lowest points score in the Cruising Class, and to Dieter Huppenkothen of Rasmus for his long-term attendance at the Festival. Apero won a voucher for an outboard engine, donated by Mcintyre Brothers. For the second year running, yachts taking part in the annual Festival docked at a ‘Home Port’ - Port Louis by Camper & Nicholsons Marinas. All racing started and finished at this base, so there were four days of high activity — both on the water and at dockside ‘Finish Line Limes’, Happy Hours and After- Race Parties at the marina. On Grenada’s Independence weekend, February éth and 7th, the action moved to Grand Anse Beach for the Digicel Work Boat Regatta, with racing starting on the Saturday morning. Some 35 open sailboats from the traditional local sailing communities of Carriacou, Gouyave, Grand Mal, Sauteurs, Petite Martinique and Woburn competed for prizes and the coveted title of Skipper of the Year. We'll have a report on the Digicel Work Boat Regatta in next month’s Compass. For complete results visit www. grenadasailingfestival.com St. Maarten Heineken Regatta and Pre-Events With all eight entries now confirmed, this year’s Budget Marine Match Racing Cup at the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta is set to establish itself as one of the key match racing events in the Caribbean. As well as Peter Isler, Gavin Brady, and Peter Holmberg — three of the world’s most respected match racing skippers — others who'll be racing at this ISAF-sanctioned Grade 5 event include Colin Rathbun, Eugeniy Nikiforov, Jakub Pawluk, Chris Nesbitt and Mare Fitzgerald. The racing, to be held on March 2nd during the run- up to St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, will be based on a round-robin format and sailed in Lagoon Sailboat Rental’s fleet of six Jeanneau SunFast 20s, without spinnakers. The one-day format, with just six boats for eight teams, means racing will be action-packed with crews swapping boats after every flight to ensure rac- ing is kept as fair as possible. With a silver medal from the 1988 Olympics, and a win for Alinghi at the 32nd America’s Cup in 2007 list- ed among his sailing achievements, it wasn’t surprising ‘© see Peter Holmberg clean up at last year’s inaugu- ral Budget Marine Match Racing Cup. He'll defend his itle this year. Holmberg says, “Match racing puts a premium on all aspects of racing, from crew work, to speed, to rules, so it’s a great way to get me and my team in racing shape just before the big regatta.” Joining Holmberg at the event this year is Peter sler, a two-time winner of the America’s Cup who has five America’s Cup campaigns under his belt. sler sees the Budget Marine match-racing event as a chance to get back on the helm. He commented: “It’s been so long since | steered any sort of regatta, my expectations are certainly tempered... but it will be a lot of fun... and that’s why we are coming!” He says when he saw publicity about the match race, he thought it would be a fun start to the Heineken Regatta. “Because it’s only one day, | can afford the ime — we start practice on Titan the day after the match race.” Colin Rathbun from the BVI is another Caribbean racing regular and although he is known more on the leet racing circuit sailing his IC24, he won the 2009 Pete Shiels Match Race, and notched up a fourth place overall at the 2009 Carlos Aguilar Match Racing Regatta in St. Thomas. “Our claim to fame at that event,” said Rathbun, “is to have beaten US match racing pro Dave Perry. We barely slid through in front of him, but it’s not every day an amateur sailor can say that.” Entries are also stacking up for another pre-Heineken event, the Gill Commodore’s Cup to be held March 4th. The line up in this simple, three race/one day format event which is sailed on windward/leeward courses, two miles offshore, looks set to produce some com- petitive racing with the likes of Bill Alcott’s Andrews 68 Equation among the biggest in the fleet. Like many teams taking part in the event, Team Equation is using the Gill Commodore’s Cup as a warm-up to the 30th annual St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. Thanks to yacht, dinghy, and keelboat technical clothing specialists Gill, competitors racing for the Gill Commoedore’s Cup will have a chance to win prod- ucts from the Gill line, and take a look at Gill’s brand- new Race Collection designed specifically for keel- boat racing in warm climates. Finally, the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta kicks off March 4th and will end on March 7th. The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta Steering Committee, Heineken, and International Liquors & Tobacco Trading are proud to announce that for the 30th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, they will be returning the Friday night party to the Boardwalk. On Friday following a day of sailing that ends in Great Bay, the evening’s festivities and musical entertainment will be held on the Great Bay Promenade. For more information on the Budget Marine Match Racing, the Gill Commodore’s Cup, and the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, visit www.heinekenregatia.com Grenada Round-The-lsland Race 2010 Cancelled Roger Spronk reports: The 2010 Race Committee regretfully announces that this year’s Grenada Round- the-Island Race, scheduled to take place from March 12th through 14th, has been cancelled. —Continued on next page Kr MARINE... VAMAHA MARINE DISTRIBUTOR “YAHMAHA OUTBOARD MOTORS “10,000 Genuine Spare Parts “Marine Accessories - Actiefing Paints, West Systee Epeny, Fiberglass resin eft “Alter Sales Service 2 and 4-stroke “Commercial - and Sport Fishing Tackle “Reel and Rod * Marine Equipment Pe eR RTM eee) as rr _Emal-kpmarine @>vineysurt.com E16 PAG MPASS ) = = a ( ARIBBEAN C ot LU H 2010 _ LU MAR —Continued from previous page This decision was not made lightly or easily, but was necessary due solely to an internal emergency that has made it impossible for the Committee to move forward with the event as planned. The Race Committee is grateful for all the support and involvement received thus far from the communi- ty and sponsors, and any progress that has been made in the funding, organizing, and planning of the 2010 event will carry over to next year’s race. The Grenada Round-the-lsland Race has a long and rich history in the Caribbean and it will return in 2011 as the fun and exciting event that Grenada has known and loved. The Race Committee appreciates the community’s understanding and apologizes for any inconveniences the cancellation of this year’s race may cause. For more information phone (473) 439-4369 or (473) 444-4662. 2010 BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival The BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival will be cele- brating its 39th anniversary from March 29th through April 4th. The week encompasses seven days of sail- ing, with the two events back-to-back attracting an average of 150 yachts per year with 80 percent of the competitors from overseas. New for 2010, the Royal British Virgin Islands Yacht Club is inviting other yacht clubs from around the world to send teams to compete in the inaugural International Yacht Club Challenge in Sunsail Beneteau 39's. The YCC will be part of the BVI Spring Regatta, April 2nd through 4th. Sunsail Yacht Charters is providing up to a ten-percent dis- count for all those booking for the IYCC, with a free charter to the winning team along with a perpetual trophy. Added to the mix this year on the water is a new class for Windsurfers. These boardsailors will be racing from the LIME One-Design Course and sailing around iskands and rocks to compete for the title of BVI National Windsurfing Champion. With the format of one board/three sails, amateur and professional com- petitors may compete in either the Formula or Open Class. For more information visit www.bvispringregatta. org April’s Triskell Round Guadeloupe Regatta The Triskell Round Guadeloupe Regatta 2010 will be held from April 1st through 5th. There will be five point- to-point race days, taking the fleet to Gosier and St. Fran¢ois on Guadeloupe, the port of St. Louis on Marie Galante, and the beautiful isles of Les Saintes. Each day's race is followed by parties and zouk music. The regatta is open to boats racing under the French HN handicap, CSA, MK2000 and the beach catama- rans rules, as long as adequate safety measures are taken by each yacht. Classes are Coastal (HN), Spinnaker (CSA), Class 8, Multihull and Beach Cat. For more information see ad on page 7. Bequia Easter Regatta 2010 — Something for Everyone! You don’t have to be a regular on the Caribbean regatta circuit to enjoy the fun at Bequia’s famous Easter Regatta, set this year for April 1st through 5th. At Easter time, Bequia gets a little crazy — Crazy Craft, that is! Apart from the Racing and Cruising | Classes and the J/24 and Surprise one-design classes, the popular Cruising Il Class offers monohull cruisers and livea- boards the chance to compete against each other on a wide variety of boats using the CSA's simplified rating rule. With the Bequia Sailing Club’s online entry form at www.begos.com/easterregatta/submitnew.htm, dis- counted pre-registration couldn't be simpler. Three very different race courses over the long Easter week- end, together with daily prizegivings and competitors’ get-togethers liberally stocked with sponsors Heineken, Mount Gay and Pepsi’s hospitality, are just some of the reasons that Bequia Easter Regatta is high on the list of “Don’t Miss!” events for cruisers. Lay Day Sunday at Friendship Beach provides a well- earned break for all but the Heineken single-handed racers and time to enjoy the Sandcastle Competition for children of all ages!), the spectacle of the start of the second day of local boat racing and the entertaining Crazy Craft Race for budding young sailors and craft builders. For more information visit www.begos. com/easterregatia = = a g 9 a g m q im bo New! Les Voiles de St. Barth The inaugural Les Voiles de St. Barth, April 6th through 11th, 2010, will be a Mount Gay Red Cap event with classes for Superyachts, Classics and Multihulls as well as Racing and Racing/Cruising Classes. Expected on the starting line are the Bruce Farr-designed Super Maxi Yacht ICAP Leopard 3, the Swan 90 DSK, the 12 Metre Kate, and a number of well-known Swans. The multihull class will star Claude Thellier aboard the Open 60 Region Guadeloupe. The Voiles de St. Barth organising com- mittee, under the authority of the presi- dent, Bruno Magras, assisted by Luc Poupon and Fran¢ois Toléde, has been working on the major features of a pro- gramme of racing and fun that will bring together the finest boats in the Caribbean. —Continued on next page ™ . —Continued from previous page Three new partners have joined the Voiles de St. Barth: Richard Mille Watches becomes the head- ine partner, with the Banque des Antilles Fran¢aises and the St. Barth’s Hoteliers Association as official part- ners. The French fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier, also a successful sailor who happens to ive in St. Barth’s, has agreed to become the patron of he Voiles de St. Barth. A poet and well-known artist, Titouan Lamazou ¢the irst winner of the Vendée Globe) has designed the official poster for the Voiles de St. Barth. He will be present during the races, maybe out on the water, but certainly ashore, as some of his works will be on show in a gallery in Gustavia. Placed among the Heineken Regatta, the Bucket Regatta and Antigua Week, the Voiles de St. Barth has filled a gap in the racing calendar with a week of intense racing using various formats, with racing scheduled to finish each day around 4:00pm; then the un will continue inside the special Voiles Village. The best pictures of the day’s racing will be projected as night falls. The village will be open the next moming or the crews’ breakfasts, before racing starts again at 10:00am. For the final day of the event, a Richard Mille picnic will be organized on the beach in Colombier with all of the crews. The aim is to mark this first edition of the Voiles de St. Barth with a friendly gathering before everyone lines up at 4:30pm for the start of the rally to Antigua for Sail Week and the Classic. For more information see ad on page 17. ‘| Had a Dream...’ Kirsty Morrison reports: | first attended the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta in 2007. | sailed up from Bequia on the 62-foot Herreshoff schooner Perception and sailed her home to Martha’s Vineyard after the regat- ta. The regatta was, for me, a life changing experi- ence. | could not believe the wealth and variety of beautiful boats and had to keep pinching myself that | was actually racing among them. Although the larg- er boats, the Js especially, were breathtaking, what really caught my eye were the beautiful little, brightly colored Carriacou sloops. | was in love. During my passage up to the States | sat alone on night watch and began to hatch my plan. | would go to Carriacou, build a sloop on the beach, paint her pink, gather an all-female crew dressed in pink bikinis to tum up in Antigua looking like a bunch of bimbos, and then show those boys who’s boss and WIN! Two years later | was on charter down in the Grenadines. We sailed by Palm Island and as we drew closer something caught my eye — a perfect little pink Carriacou sloop anchored off the golden beach sitting in the turquoise water. | reached for the binocu- nu * If Kirsty gets her way, the all-female crew of the Carriacou sloop Pink Lady will show the guys a thing or two at the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta lars and focused on her stern. Pink Lady was her name and | knew she had to be mine. | discovered the owner of my baby was Robert Barrett (he also manages the Palm Island resort). | found an e-mail address on the resort’s website and started to make enduiries. | finally heard back from Mr. Barrett himself, who was very firm in his response that she was neither for sale nor available for charter. The e-mails and the phone calls continued over the next year; | wasn’t giving up. Each time he came back with “No* and “No”. When | felt | had hit a wall | played my final card, spilled the beans and told him my dream. “Perhaps we could use it to promote the resort in some way,” | said. “Let’s talk,” was his near- instant reply. | returned to the Caribbean this winter to be told that Mr. Barrett was traveling until February. So the e-mails continued and hotted up as January came to a close. Finally, a phone call, and a begrudging voice telling me “Lam going to let you take the boat”. | commented that he did not sound very happy about this decision. “I’m not,” he replied. “It’s against my better judgment. You are some strange woman who | have never met and know nothing about, but GODDAM you are persistent!” So | am gathering my female sailor friends as | type, ordering our pink biki- nis and preparing to go down to Palm Island to see what needs to be done in order to get this lovely lady into racing condition for this year’s Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, April 15th through 20th. Antigua we comin’! For more information about Team Pink Lady contact morrison. taisiy@iemnaal: com For more information on the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta see ad on page 10. ARC Europe to Start in May ARC Europe, the transatlantic yacht rally from the Caribbean to Europe, will depart from Tortola, BVI on May 6th. A sister fleet from St. Augustine, Florida, will start on the same day and join the rally at its first stop, Bermuda. From Bermuda, the combined fleet will cross to the Azores, and then sail onward to Lagos, Portugal for the final prizegiving on June 20th. Whether you're a European sailor retuming home or it’s your first visit to the continent, ARC Europe is a great way to go. For more information visit www. worldcruising.com/arceurope “4 ee Mee ‘Race in Les Volles de St. Barth the 1 st Edition @ ORGANIZER Sater Eoaert Gade (tial! GOLD PARTNER _ RICHARD Ze MILLE 2 a PREMIUM PARTNERS © Banque des 0 5 Antilles Francaises ASSOCIATION DES HOTELIERS DE SAINT-BARTHELEMY OFFICIAL PARTNERS Vil GC Sa SUPPLIER PARTNERS CHAMPAGNE INCE 2 17s TAITTINGER MOUNTGAY.RUM Aeeaona Weather across the Eastern Caribbean Sea invokes thoughts of sunny skies, tradewinds and turquoise waters. However, many mariners can probably share a tale or two of getting caught in adverse weather, or being forced to stay in port due to a change in the weather pattern, or due to a tropical cyclone threaten- ing the region. Although at times the weather across the Eastern Caribbean can be rather straightforward, a basic knowledge of the general weather patterns can give mariners an edge in planning voyages for every season of the year. Out ahead of cold fronts is where the lightest weather usually develops over the northeastern Caribbean Sea During December through February mariners and vacationers alike escape winter’s icy grip for the warm- er temperatures and waters of the Caribbean Sea. However, cold, dense air under high pressure also migrates south towards the northern Caribbean waters. These highs move off the US East Coast and pass south of Bermuda before moving eastward to the central North Atlantic. Farther south, a weak trough of low pressure, or equatorial trough, extends from the equator northward to 10°N across South America. As the high passes to the north and interacts with the equatorial trough, a tight pressure gradient increases easterly winds over the Caribbean Sea. This occurs throughout the year but the highs are particu- larly strong and large in winter, generating the stron- gest tradewind surges as the cold air is slow to modify. Generally the winds will increase from the northeast to east at 20 to 25 knots with higher winds of up to 30 knots between islands. Swells will subsequently build from the northeast to east up to seven to ten feet in the southeastern open Caribbean waters and up to nine to 12 feet in open areas of the Atlantic Ocean. A ridge of high pressure can remain stationary over the area for approximately four to six days. While these highs build over the region, scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop across the eastern Caribbean Sea due to cooler air interacting with warm- er waters and moving westward with the wind. High pressure will eventually move eastward, allowing the tradewinds to diminish as cold fronts move off the southeastern US coast and track through the Bahamas. Generally the tail ends of these cold fronts will reach northern Hispaniola before stalling out, while the rest of the front sags to the north of the Virgin Islands and northern Leeward Islands (see Figure 1). This front will gradually weak- en in approximately two or three days. Out ahead of these fronts is where the lightest weather usually develops over the northeastern Caribbean Sea with SEASONAL WEATHER PATTERNS ACROSS THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA by Amanda Delaney winds easing and becoming more southeasterly at five to 15 knots and swells mainly from the east low- ering to three to six feet. The showers and thunder- storms will become more isolated as air tempera- tures begin to moderate. Late December and January is when cold fronts are strongest over the western Atlantic Ocean (see Figure 2). These fronts will extend as far south as the north- eastern Caribbean before stalling across the region. Generally a strong high will build to the north over the western Atlantic behind these cold fronts and this will produce the strongest tradewinds and large northerly swells behind these cold fronts. Winds can increase from the northeast to 30 to 35 knots and swells will impact the northern shores of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and northern Leeward Islands with northwest eR eee] Late December and January is when cold fronts are strongest over the western Atlantic. A strong high behind these cold fronts will produce the strongest tradewinds to north swells as high as 13 to 18 feet. Farther south over the Windward Islands, winds will increase north- east to east often reaching 25 to 30 knots and north- erly swells will build to the east of the islands and in more open waters to the west of up to nine to 13 feet. Fortunately these conditions gradually moderate in approximately two to three days. As we progress from March through May, the north- erly wind surges and large swells typically become less frequent and not as severe as their winter counter- parts. Tradewinds gradually lower to more northeast to east from 20 to 25 knots during March to 15 to 20 knots in May as highs build to the north of the islands. Swells will also diminish from the east to northeast of six to nine feet in March to four to seven feet in May in areas exposed to the Atlantic and in open areas of the Caribbean Sea. This is due to the highs to the north weakening and becoming less frequent allowing for the pressure gradient to weaken across the Caribbean Sea. The cold fronts begin to track off the southeastern US coast approximately every three to four days and generally stall over the Bahamas and remain well to the north of the northeastern Caribbean Sea. Large northerly swells are still possible during the spring, particularly when lows develop along stalled cold fronts near the Bahamas and track northeast- ward towards Bermuda. These lows can strengthen into gales and, at times, can become “cut off” from the frontal boundary when it weakens and high pressure builds to the north and east of the system (see Figure 3). These cut-off gales then meander for approximately three to four days over the western Atlantic and gener- ate northerly swells of up to nine to 13 feet that wil impact the northern islands of the Eastern Caribbean. Cut-off gales can also develop tropical or subtropical characteristics while remaining nearly stationary over warm ocean waters for a few days. Eventually these systems will resume a more northeastward track when the high to the east moves away from the system and a cold front moves offshore the US East Coast. By May, we begin to see signs of the coming summer as weak tropical waves begin to develop off western Africa and trek thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean. It is generally early for any o: these tropical waves to develop tropical cyclones. However as these tropical waves move over the eastern Caribbean Sea every three to four days, northeast to east winds and swells will generally increase approximately 12 to 24 hours ahead of the wave. Showers and thunderstorms will accompany the stronger tropical waves and a brie lull in the winds and swells from the east to southeast will develop immediately behind the wave. June Ist is the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season. The western Caribbean Sea is more favorable for tropical cyclone development as early as May and through June. Tropical development occurs on aver- age every other year in this region and is generally not a threat to the Eastern Caribbean. Tropical waves gradually strengthen through June and July and become more frequent through the eastern Caribbean Sea, arriving in the Lesser Antilles every two or three days. Showers and thunderstorms become more prev- alent with these waves and winds will strengthen out of the east to northeast to 20 to 25 knots and swells up to seven to nine feet ahead of the tropical wave. Once the tropical wave moves through, then winds will diminish from the east to southeast at 15 to 20 knots and swells to five to seven feet. From July through August is when all eyes begin to focus to the east. The sea surface temperatures have warmed up enough to become favorable for tropical cyclone development in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. These systems generally develop west of 30°W and will track either one of two ways: if high pressure remains stationary near Bermuda (also known as the Bermuda High this time of year), then the tropical cyclone will continue on a mainly west- erly course into the Caribbean Sea. From there the tropical cyclone can continue westward toward Central America if high pressure remains strong to the north or turn more northwestward if a cold front begins to move through the United States and west- ern Atlantic Ocean. —Continued on next page SERVICES Mechanics and Electricity Boat Maintenance Engine diagnosis Breakdown service 24/7 Haulout and hull sand blasting Equipment for rent Technical shop LEAVE MARINE MECHANICS (ALL MAKES) - HAUL OUT 24h BREAKDOWN SERVICE « SALES * REPAIRS * MAINTENANCE Marina Pointe-a-Pitre 97110 Phone: +590 590 907 137 Fax: +590 590 908 651 TOHATSU E-mail: fredmarine @ wanadoo.fr GOODS Genuine parts Yanmar & Tohatsu Basic spare parts (filters, impellers, belts) Filtration FLEETGUARD Anodes, Shaft bearings Electric parts, batteries Primers and Antifouling International Various lubricants FOR RENT High pressure cleaners 150/250bars Electrical tools Diverse hand tools Vacuum cleaner for water Scaffolding YOUR BOAT IN SKILLED HANDS —Continued from previous page The other scenario is if the Bermuda High weakens and a cold front is moving into the western Atlantic. The tropical cyclone will turn more northwestward ahead of the cold front over the western Atlantic and eventually turn more north to northeastward while weakening over cooler waters. In this case, this usu- ally will spare the eastern Caribbean Sea from the direct impact of a tropical cyclone (see Figure 4). Outside of the tropical waves and tropical cyclones, ee te fe bets) Large northerly swells are still possible during the spring, particularly when lows develop along stalled. cold fronts the Bermuda High will generate tradewinds of approx- imately ten to 15 knots (15 to 20 knots between islands) and northeast to east swells of three to six feet. Cold fronts will not impact the eastern Caribbean Sea during this time of year as these fronts only extend as far south as 32°N to 33°N. September is usually the peak of the Atlantic hurri- cane season when sea surface temperatures across the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea are highest. Tropical waves continue to move over the eastern Caribbean Sea every two to three days in September, then the interval gradually lengthens to every three to four days and the tropical waves grow weaker towards the end of October. Tropical cyclones will continue with similar paths across the Atlantic Ocean during September and through the middle of October. From the middle of October through November, the eastern Atlantic sea surface tempera- tures cool off and conditions become less favorable for tropical cyclone development. Any tropical cyclones that do develop over the central tropical Atlantic will generally turn more northwest and northward ahead of stronger cold fronts. A pattern similar to that of spring occurs again dur- ing October and November as cut-off gales develop over the western Atlantic Ocean and could potentially develop tropical or subtropical characteristics while meandering north of the northern Caribbean Sea. Large northerly swells will develop again over the northern islands due to these systems but will subside once the cut-off gale moves to the northeast ahead of a cold front. At the same time, tropical cyclone devel- opment becomes more favorable in the western Caribbean Sea again and this pattern generally lasts until the end of November. November 30th is the offi- cial end to the Atlantic hurricane season. Tradewinds gradually increase across the eastern Caribbean Sea through autumn as highs strengthen and become more frequent as colder air returns from the north. Tradewinds will increase to east to north- east at 15 to 20 knots, with 20 to 25 knots developing between islands, and swells will build again to seven to ten feet. The highest conditions will develop in November. Cold fronts will begin to progress south- ward and track through the northern and central Bahamas by November. This will allow for lulls in the tradewinds once these fronts stall to the west. Having a general knowledge of the weather allows a mariner to look for the best window of opportunities to make longer passages or island hop when the weather is less than ideal. Outside of the tropical months, it is best to make the longer transits when a ridge of high pressure weakens and a cold front is approaching or stalling to the west of the Eastern Caribbean to take advantage of the lowering winds and seas. Once a cold front has moved through, particularly in the winter, it is best to stay in port to allow the worst weather to subside behind the front. Once the high has estab- lished itself, then island hopping or transiting in lee of the islands to minimize exposure to the higher swells is the best option depending on what each individual vessel can handle. During the tropical months always monitor the tropics, especially to the east. It is best to time a tran- Ifthe Bermuda High weakens and a cold front is moving into the western Atlantic, a tropical cyclone will turn more northwestward ahead of the cold front sit in order to arrive at your destination prior to a tropical wave’s approach, to avoid stronger tradewinds and thunderstorms, or to depart immediately after a tropical wave exits the area. Always stay updated with a trained meteorologist for any potential tropical activity and be prepared to have a bail-out port in mind in case a tropical cyclone threatens the region. The more southern waters of the eastern Caribbean Sea are less likely to encounter a strong tropical cyclone and any tropical cyclones that do pass near the region are generally weaker on the southern semi- circle of the system. Keeping these general weather features and rout- ing options in mind will help mariners seek the best opportunities to plan their passages and take the necessary precautions if inclement weather devel- ops for each season. This way those visions of favor- able winds, seas and sunny skies will become more of a reality for that next trip across the eastern Caribbean Sea. Amanda Delaney is a Senior Meteorologist at Weather Routing Inc., which provides routing/forecast assis- tance and meteorological consultation for yachts and. cargo ships, in business since 1961. For more informa- tion contact wri@wriwx.com or (518) 798-1110. FULL SERVICE BOATYARD Se Best climate of the Caribbean Travelift: 70 ton Beam: 21 ft Storage for 120 Boats Mechanical repair Painting borate litem bd | Sandblasting Wood working Osmosis, Gelcoat aT mr eR ttm EC Rae mel mses ANN sts PAPE Me Me ec ly rat] a eRe ge a ee ee ee aay ears) Pe aun e| com - Site: waw.navimea.com Jones Maritime Co. ee ee ee eer! f i : Tear Brand Coarse & Insirection : st2 Basic Keelboat Basic Cruising Bareboat Charter Coastal Passagemaking I t Coastal Na . wew.Jones Manlime.com United States Sailing Association C00] PRC 0 pe Sa SS Rocks don’t move — or if they do they are shown on up-to-date Imray charts. Regarding marine infrastructure, virtually every island puts out a free marine trade guide every year, which is much more up-to-date than any guide; similarly, the tourist departments put out a free annual guide for bars, restaurants and hotels. With all these updates readily available, Street's guides are timeless. T Real sailors use Street's Guides for inter-island and harbor piloting directions, plus interesting anecdotes of people, places and history. Street’s Guides are the only ones that describe ALL the anchorages in the Eastern Caribbean. NEW! Street's videos, first made in 1985, are now back as DVDs. ¢ “Transatlantic with Street” documents a sailing passage from Ireland to Antigua via the Cape Verdes. 2 hours ¢ “Antigua Week ’85” is the story of the engineless yawl lolaire racing round the buoys to celebrate her 80th birthday. 1 hour ¢ “Street on Knots’ demonstrates the essential knots and line-handling skills every sailor should know. 1 hour ¢ “Streetwise 1 and 2” give tips that appeared in the popular video Sailing Quarterly, plus cruises in the Grenadines, Venezuela and southwest coast of Ireland DVDs available at Imray, Kelvin Hughes, Armchair Sailor/ Bluewater Books, and www.street-iolaire.com. Full information on DVDs at www.street-iolaire.com HURRICANE TIPS! Visit www.street-iolaire.com for a wealth of information on tracking and securing for a storm. Street's Guides and DVDs are available at all Island Waterworld stores and at Johnson's Hardware, or from www.iUniverse.com and www.seabooks.com DOLLY’S ANSWERS Here are 30 words. If/when you find any more, make sure you check them in the dictionary to make sure they are spelt correctly. AISLE SAUCE STOAT ALLOT SLATE STOLE CELLO SLICE SUITE CLAIM SMILE TASTE CLEAT SMILE TOAST CLIME SMITE TULLE CLOSE SMOTE CLOUT STALE LOCUS STATE MOULT STEAL MUSIC STEAM OCTET STILE Doing the Impossible: Geoff Holt’s Return to Cane Garden Bay by Digby Fox Geoff Holt achieved a personal dream when he completed an Atlantic crossing aboard a specially modified 60-foot catamaran earlier this year. Filmmaker Digby Fox went with Geoff and his carer, Susana, and writes about the remarkable nature of the voyage, the boat and most of all, the skipper. Documenting Geoff Holt’s ambition to become the first quadriplegic sailor to skipper a boat across the Atlantic involved rolling a lot of tape, asking a lot of questions and intruding into moments that most of us would prefer to remain private, like getting up, or going to bed, or having a shower (all with permission for BBC news and a documentary film). Geoff can’t do these things by himself. Aged 18, in his prime, a fateful dive into the surf on a Tortola beach axed any future plans he may have had as a yachtsman by breaking the sixth vertebra down his spine, below the neck. The result was quadriplegia: paralysis of all four limbs, both arms and both legs. As I sit now in my comfortable study, I try to imagine how it must feel for any fit youngster to lie in a hospi- tal bed and come to terms with not being able to move — ever again. It must be a dark place. Geoff writes about this in his excellent book Walling on Water, and of course it was. Fast-forward 25 years, a wife, a son, a career later, and Geoff is waving his national flag after an epic voy- age of over 3,000 nautical miles taking a gruelling four weeks. It was a tough time for Geoff, reliant on a motorized wheelchair to get about, and also on his personal care assistant, Susana Scott, 29, from New Zealand, who was recruited to help him in the neces- sities of life during the voyage. TV execs have been asking me on my return, in that snappy way they have, “So, what’s the story?!” And I say, after a pause, that I think it’s about a remarkable man who's turned such a negative in his life into an amazing positive while inspiring many people along the way. Oh, plus a girl who showed remarkable grit in helping him achieve his dream. I'll come back to that. Onboard with Geoff, I was astonished at how many e-mails he received each day from people around the world, able and otherwise, saying how much he was touching their lives. One e-mailer even wrote — and this is the God’s honest truth — that after losing his job, with family troubles and health worries, he was in the process of committing suicide, looking for the right knot on-line, when he came across Geoffs website. What Geoff was doing stopped him in his tracks, and his e-mail left us speechless. Geoff replied with as DIGBY FOX much kindness as he could, and if you're out there, dear fellow, I hope things have turned around for you. Perhaps this is the point. On a plane once, having seen all the movies, I listened to one of those self-help muppets — “Make your weaknesses your strengths” — and all that good stuff. I guess it all boils down to positive thinking, and in my experience Geoff lives and breathes a can-do approach to life. Visibility from inside Impossible Dream is superb, and. Geoff could sail the boat from this position, protected from the elements. Being back at sea in an element he muy loved as a teenager, before a serious accident changed the course of his life, was fulfilling When Geoff was deciding where to make his landfall in the Caribbean, one place loomed large in his thoughts, the actual beach that he dived into with such drastic consequences: Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, British Virgin Islands. Geoff communicates with warmth and passion about his condition, and his life, and his reason for attempt- ing the voyage: “Of course my emotions are going to be all over the place going back to the beach where I had my accident 25 years ago. A lot of people are presum- ing I'll be looking for closure, but I'm not. To look for closure would imply that I'm lamenting what hap- pened during the following 25 years. But I'm not. Because had I not had the accident I wouldn’t have met my wife Elaine, or had our wonderful son Timothy. This is about going back and celebrating the fact that yes, I can do these things despite my disability.” In his teens, Geoff, now 43, made three Atlantic crossings, crewing boat deliveries back and forth. He spent a chunk of childhood in Hamble, England, and salt water was beginning to pump around his system. His accident put paid to that career, so he worked for Deloittes and later in antiques to make ends meet. Eventually, the salt in his blood saw him sail around Britain in 2007 aboard a tiny 15-foot Challenger trima- ran, an impressive feat for Geoff and his entourage, including wife Elaine and son Tim. Then the subtle muse that we all know as sailors whispered in his ear — hmmm, wouldn't it be great to sail across the Atlantic... The Journey We set off from the Canary Islands on December 10th, 2009 — the quadriplegic, his carer and the cameraman. Our ETA was 17 days later and the theory was that we would be whistled along on this beautiful 60-foot cat by the swift and steady tradewinds, but in reality the wind beat us on the nose, the engines clogged up with filthy fuel, our wind indicator wouldn't work and we took a month, spending Christmas and New Year at sea. Geoff was determined to do the sailing himself, and he specifically recruited Susana for her complete lack of sailing experience. Ah, Geoff. What a genius plan... Susana’s role, which is normally carried out by Geoff's wife Elaine, was to lift Geoff in and out of his chair, wash, cook, look after his personal needs, and so on. This was a challenging job for anyone, but in all my oceans I've never come across a crewmate who suffered so long from seasick- ness. The fact that Susana had to become chief engineer, upside down in both port and starboard engines, sucking fuel through pipes and bleeding the bleeding engines for the first week, may not have helped. I asked Susana how she was coping after several days at sea and she said, “I’m find- ing it really hard. The movement adds a whole dimension and we can’t seem to do anything to make it more stable. I’m really struggling. Geoff's doing his best to not to get me to do as many lifts as possible but it’s hard, really hard.” Susana was talking about the technique of lifting a quadriplegic from wheelchair to bed and back. It's a full body hug, then a heave backwards and upwards pivoting on your feet to swing your man to the side. There’s quite a technique to it, and I winced think- ing how easy it would be to damage your back in the process. The problem at sea of course is doing all this on a rolling, pitching platform. Geoff eventually bore the boat right away and made the motion as steady as pos- sible, but it was still hard for Susana. Halfway across the Atlantic, after we'd made a detour to the Cape Verde Islands for a superb mechan- ic, Caesar, to completely drain, clean, bleed and gener- ally expunge all dirty fuel, I asked Susana how she thought it was going. —Continued on next page NEW 24 v SOLAR PANEL DOUBLE YOUR ENERGY xantrex . Higher productivity by 20 to 3 installed with the mppt Xantrex regulator. . Improved charging time: works with less sun. . Improved efficiency: the 3 stage regulator and 2 programmable outputs (gel or acid) do not lower the batteries' tension. . Increased gain at cable level: losses are divided by two. . Reinforced efficiency as two sets of batteries can be loaded at one time. CP-Solar After Sale Service M aR ALLIAURA Tel : +596 (0) 596 748 033 Fax : +596 (0) 596 746 698 Cell :+596 (0) 696 276 605 cgmar@wanadoo.ir MARTINIQUE LE MARIN HARBOU 0% compared to a 12 V solar panel due to 24 V panels (Teer y=) MARINE ELECTRICAL & SOLAR MARTINIQUE JEANNEAU —Continued from previous page “I'm a mixed bag of emotions,” she said. “I can’t wait to see land. It’s been horrible sometimes; I just want it to be over. It’s been such a test and I doubt how I've lived up to those tests.” Looking back at how this complete non-sailor took on the task of looking after Geoff across the Atlantic, plus how she dealt with endless diesel issues (the generator packed in towards the end, which meant another two days upside down in a dark hole), I can’t help but take my hat off to Susana. New Zealand should award her their highest honour, because she toughed it out on the rolling seas and didn’t fail Geoff or herself. I should mention that yes, like most passage-making trips, we motor-sailed on windless days. But the cru- cial issue with needing diesel was charging batteries. Geoff was particularly reliant on the self-steering rams and sheeting hydraulics (see sidebar) to be able to sail Impossible Dream. Facing Up to Issues Mentally, Geoff faced his own issues. He could not get down to the engines, so for the days Susana and I spent tinkering, fixing, bleeding and swearing, he couldn't help. It was unspoken, but I sensed he would have been the first to pile into these problems. The many physical issues facing a quadriplegic skipper sailing a 60-foot boat included getting about, staying upright, getting ropes around winches, even pushing buttons, and of course journeying so far away from any help. On the windier and rougher days, Geoff had a job to simply stay in his chair. A large catamaran can bounce around in chop and swell as it hurtles over waves, but Impossible Dream, made from carbon and being totally rigid, had an unforgiving seesaw motion. I raced a wood- built 40-foot trimaran offshore for two years, and that was as smooth as a Rolls Royce by comparison. Geoff has limited movement in his arms (80 percent bicep; no tricep, wrist or fingers), so he types with a prodding action (actually, like a lot of full-time journal- ists I know!) It takes him a while, but he perseveres. Some days though, there was no point even trying, and I could see the sheer force of the brutal seaway causing him real trouble (me too, come to think of it). Broadcasting Onboard We did a great deal of broadcasting from onboard, so I ended up being busy. I'd never seen a live TV broad- cast to terrestrial news from a boat before, but we did several, and for me this involved a jungle of wires and a complex set-up. The BBC fitted out our boat with the best Thrane & Thrane sat-coms available to feed live pictures back to London, and technical boss Mark Tyrell, who makes sure news comes in from every cor- ner of the globe, used our project as a test case for a new system. It worked brilliantly for all the live broad- casts, video uploads and ISDN radio interviews, which was just as well, because over Christmas Geoff's story gained significant traction. The Finish Line Eventually, after the diversions, delays, overall lack of wind and a month of slog, we made the destination of Cane Garden Bay in Tortola. This was Geoff's moment. He was a bag of adrenaline, emotion, relief and delight at seeing his family. Boats tooted and crowds cheered as Geoff circled just off the beach — that most significant landmark in his life. “Incredible,” said Geoff. “Twenty-five years in the making, a year in the planning, and what a marvellous reception. What an emotional return to Cane Garden Bay. It feels like a celebration of life. What a great fin- ish to a great project.” The Governor of the British Virgin Islands, John deJongh, welcomed Geoff on land with a heartfelt speech, and the government there has made Geoff and family honorary citizens. It was an emotional and happy ending to this voyage. Sitting on the sand of Cane Garden Bay a couple of days later I asked Geoff what he thought the moral of the story was. He said, “Princess Anne summed it up A celebration. Geoff returns to a hero’s welcome off the beach that changed his life on Tortola, BVI. The island- ers have an expression ‘gone to come back’, and. many shared this emotional moment for me when she said that disability need not be a bar- rier to achieving your dream. In fact anyone, regardless of your ability, if you really set your heart on it, can achieve what you set out to do. There'll be hardships along the way, sometimes painful ones, but there’s no feeling like completing a journey against all the odds. It’s the best feeling in the world.” But I'd like to leave the final word to Tony Tromans, consultant surgeon at the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre in Salisbury, one of 11 such reha- bilitation centres around the UK that do incredible work. Tony was Geoff's doctor 25 years ago. “The fact that Geoff, who can only get about in an electric wheelchair using a joystick, sails around Britain and across the Atlantic is a very useful story for us to say to patients that life hasn’t stopped. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. Disability will shut some doors, but it will open others....” As a TV producer, Digby Fox has worked on the America’s Cup, documentaries, even cooking shows. Before broadcasting he was a journalist and magazine editor. Impossible Dream A great name for such an innovative prototype, Impossible Dream is a 60-foot carbon catamaran designed by Nic Bailey for Mike Browne. Mike founded the retail chain Snow & Rock, became paralysed in a skiing accident and commissioned Nic, the architect who designed those distinctive pods on the London Eye, to come up with something he could sail with family and friends. Built in 2003 by Multimarine in Plymouth, the boat is striking in many ways. The interior cabin and deck are all on one level, with a gentle slope around the outside up towards the foredeck. This makes getting around in a wheelchair easy. There is a steering position outside on each hull, but the whole ship can by operated from inside, with hydrau- lic winches and lines coming right into the ‘command module’, which looks like a set from a Star Trek film. “As a boy,” says Nic Bailey, “I used to love Dan Dare comics” (a British sci-fi comic hero, who had an excep- tionably well-named sidekick called Digby). “We built a full sized mock-up of the saloon in our studio and I spent a lot of time in a wheelchair to get a feel for how everything should work.” The height of the galley worktops is an example. They're low, and awkward to use when standing {I know), but pull up a chair and everything makes sense, with fridge, cooker, sink and utensils to hand. Actually, it was a super place to cook. Nic says his main design challenge was sail han- dling. “Sailing from a chair means no leaping up to the base of the mast to bounce halyards, so every line is powered by hydraulic winches. Sheets presented a particular problem. How can you ease a sheet from three steering positions (one inside and two outside)? Commercially available captive reel winches were too heavy and expensive, so we devised a hydraulic ram system connected to the sheets through blocks that could all be operated by simply pressing buttons. We also used hydraulic rams to control the mainsheet and the coachroof-mounted traveller.” Other clever touches include a fold-out lift platform to raise or lower a wheelchair user to the dock and back. This works from a remote control and in opera- tion is another sci-fi touch. You can see Nic’s London Eye influence in the cock- pit windows and the amazing view from inside to almost 360 degrees outside, a key element when sail- ing from a chair at the command position. Overall, Impossible Dream is a clever and complex boat, and without her, and Mike and Martine Browne’s generosity in lending her to Geoff, this trip would never have happened. 2% more (sea) horses The Perkins Sabre M225Ti is designed to replace the Perkins M200 and M235 and provides more than 22% additional available horsepower in the same package. This large capacity 6 liter engine comes in a compact package and only takes out 225 hp. By comparison, our nearest competition takes that out of a 4 liter engine. Running at a low 2500 rpm versus the competition’s 3300 rpm or higher, the M225Ti will have a longer life (minimum 12,000 hour TBO) and quieter operation. The gear-driven fresh water pump has a longer life and less to go wrong while the waste gate turbo charger gives better performance at lower rpms. An integral plate-type oil cooler combines fewer hoses with longer life and better efficiency. With Perkins’ outstanding marinization, excess hoses and belts have been engineered away and everything has easy access for stress-free maintenance. Call Parts & Power for your nearest dealer: (284) 494 2830 M92B M135 M225Ti § Perkins Sabre M225Ti POWERING A BETTER FUTURE == ae) J www.partsandpower.com DIGINAV Marine Electronics Pee ee ee eee ee eee) eed FURUNO Raymarine [=e] ‘com SIMRAD LARGE SUPPLY OF SPARE PARTS TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT ee lelee mete ee | MARTINIQUE Re eee ee eae eee eee ee \ | / Na LY, 4 Clean, renewable fuel free with every sail www.quantumsails.com COQuANTUM SAIL DESIGN GROUP © Largest loft in the BVI ° Full sales and service loft © Convenient location © New canvas and canvas repair © Pick up and drop off Located near the entrance of Nanny Cay Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI | t. 284 494 1124 | e. kwrigley@quantumsails.com Your Marine Store at Venezuela and the Caribbean VEMASCA am VENEZUELAN MARINE SERVICE, C.A. ef a) Sea SIMRAD sa Sf AWLGRIP Drews Vache Finishes => xantrex // WEST IM = SYSTEM = » SHURFo AD . GARMIN. ortvill ieyacaoxr = Raymarine eaittoe Glin. HARKEN SJOTUN =} Ay, Profongacion Paseo Colon, Sector El Paraiso, C.C. Puerto Ensenada, Local #7,8 y9 PB, Tells, :58-281-267,82.32 + 58-281-267.81.75 Cal: 58-414-834.27.72, Estado Anzodtegui Venezuela / E-mail: ventas@vemasca.com h : Av, Rall Leoni, Telfs.: 58-205-264.16.46 (Master), Fax: 58-295-264.25.29 Cel: 58-414-788.21.47, Porlamar Venezuela E-mail: salesfvemasca.com / www.vemasca.com Proximamente en Marina (Soon at Carmelo’s Marina at the beach) Pengrr DIERTA IAC @ PUERTO LAU A Seabird Survey by Yacht in the Lesser Antilles by Katharine Lowrie David and Katharine, bound for wherever the seabirds are aboard their 75-year-old ketch, Lista Light What is your experience of seabirds? Attempting to ward off the pair of beady eyes staring down at you from the mast, before the inevitable fishy deposit is glued to your brightwork? Or a tiny Storm Petrel fluttering over frothy waves, your sparrow- sized companion hundreds of miles from land? For my husband, David, and me these monarchs of the waves were the reason for leaving our patch of the southwest peninsula of the UK and teaming up with the St. Maarten-based charity Environmental Protection In the Caribbean (EPIC). In February 2009, we sailed from St. Maarten on the first part of our odyssey to survey the remaining seabird breeding sites in the Lesser Antilles. After patching up Lista Light, our 75-year-old wooden gaff ketch (a former Norwegian fishing boat, still resplendent with her jury rig from her Atlantic dismast- ing) and safely stowing Megan, our American intern, aboard, we lurched off from St. Maarten for Saba, Statia and all the English-speaking islands (the French islands having already surveyed their breeding seabirds) between there and Grenada. Of course, the most sought-after seabird residences generally are as far away from man as possible. Thus, our work in creating the first Seabird Breeding Atlas of the Lesser Antilles turned into, as one of our friends termed it, “a survey of the worst anchorages in the Caribbean”! The dubious anchorage at Redonda, with a three-metre swell, allowed us only two nights of sleep in the five nights we stayed. A dinghy landing was “splash-and-drag” and swimming ashore the next day resulted in some bruises. The Grenadines rushed by in a whirl of seabirds, rocks and sea currents. Our typical day would involve sailing/motoring around a chain of islets with binoculars strained. Once breeding was verified, Megan and I (and David, if Lista could be anchored) would jump into the water with dry-bags full of survey kit and swim to the island. Before being pounded against the cliffs by waves or speared by sea urchins, we would heave ourselves up onto land and don jeans and long-sleeved shirts to ward off biting insects and skewering plants. Then we would scour the entire island for nesting seabirds and record evidence thereof. Once completed, we would head back to Lista, swimming the gauntlet of crashing waves. Most cruisers travel down the leeward sides of the islands and find cozy anchor- ages where there is little swell. We, on the other hand, blast down the windward sides of islands, seek out the most treacherous rocks and go where others will not! Incident-wise, we lost rather too many of our ‘nine lives’ in the Grenadines this year. Dave and Megan were nearly swept out to sea in strong currents when swimming back to the boat from Petit Cay. While Megan and I were surveying on Battowia, Dave and Lista had to deal with the tumultuous sea. First it caused the anchor rode to snap, dislodging the anchor winch from Lista’s deck. Then, a dinghy paddle flew into the sea and Dave stupidly jumped in to grab it, but soon realized that Lista was receding as the currents were pulling him away. Gradually, he clawed his way back to her, chucking the paddle in front of him and madly swimming forward a few strokes. Then when we finally yanked the anchor up we found it was twisted! Megan and I paddled the kayak to a fearsome-looking extinct volcano rising from the sea, Diamond Rock. We took ages to paddle there, as strong currents belted through between Diamond and Isle de Ronde. We couldn’t see anywhere to land, as waves continuously blasted the sides of the island. We kept powering forward, desperately trying not to lose our way. Finally we decided upon an inlet and we surfed the kayak into it, skewering her bow against the rocks. We grabbed our dry-bags and pulled the kayak up. Once we had completed the surveys, we found that the waves were worse and were whipping into the inlet at a fearsome pace. We worried we would get stuck, corkscrewed into the narrow entrance, so we tried pulling the kayak around and pull- ing ourselves into the kayak from the water, but the waves battered us against the rocks and Megan fell out of the kayak with a foot trapped in it. She managed to extract it, but it was a shock. We had no choice but to leap into the kayak in the cauldron of waves and paddle like crazy to stop ourselves being bashed back into the inlet. At Bonaparte Rocks, southeast of Carriacou, it was difficult to determine who was nesting as Lista bashed in the waves, and there was no way we could swim or kayak ashore to get a closer look. —Continued on next page —Continued from previous page After much straining through binoculars we resigned to a count of birds with “potentially nesting” recorded. As we started to maneuver away from the rocks I said to Dave, “We have records for every other island in our study area, but we are just going to have to leave these listed as potential breeding records.” At that, Dave swung Lista around. We had just about a 100-percent rate of gathering records and he didn’t want to deprive us of these! As he turned Lista through the surf for a closer inspection, we heard an almighty crack and Dave screamed, “Nooooood00000000000000!” Foam leapt at Lista’s bows; we had smashed into rocks. Dave barked instructions and I crashed below deck and madly pulled up floorboards to see if water was coming in, then grabbed the pumps. was frantically praying that water was not going to start lapping around my ankles. But nothing happened. We finally found a leak, a steady trickle of water seeping in low on her starboard side. We turned Lista back to Carriacou to investigate the dam- age. The charts had been wrong, two depths had been switched, and we had crashed in what should have been ten metres of clearance. It was a hideous experience, shak- ing all our nerves and highlighting how lucky we had been so far surveying in waters close to cliffs. On inspection we found that the rocks had gouged Lista’s sacrificial keel and that we had had a narrow escape. When man first arrived on these islands, ground-nesting seabirds proved an easy and abundant source of protein. Vast iles of seabird remains have been unearthed by archaeologists on many of the islands, testimony to both the rapa- cious appetites of the settlers and the ormer abundance of seabirds. Today, seabird colonies are generally only found where man is not, on the most remote and inhospitable islands. Habitat destruction and degradation have removed former breeding sites. Introduced preda- tors such as rats, cats, dogs, mongooses and monkeys eat the eggs and chicks of seabirds, while goats, cattle and donkeys graze away the scrub and trees required for nesting by species such as Brown Pelicans, Magnificent Frigatebirds and Red-footed Boobies. Harvesting of eggs and chicks is still practiced in some areas of the archi- pelago. While seabird numbers might have been high enough to sustain such tradi- tions in the past (before the ubiquitous Yamaha ruled the waves) the pressure on seabirds today is too great for this not to have an impact on their populations. As well as having to dodge all the above threats, your average Brown Booby par- ents also have to locate fish for their single white hungry chick, in seas in which fish- ermen are finding it harder to make a liv- ing and where pollution such as floating plastics are ingested by seabirds, with research revealing that over 80 percent of petrels investigated had consumed plastics. It’s no wonder that when we talk to fishermen, local islanders and sailors that they can recall much larger flocks of seabirds and breeding colonies in the past. Caribbean governments, like governments around the world, need numbers, not anecdotal records, to form seabird conservation plans. Without hard figures, they cannot interpret the state of their seabird population nor attract grants to fund recov- ery projects. Studies of the Black-Capped Petrel, for example, found that the bird is critically endangered (i.e. declined to such low population levels that its continued survival is in jeopardy). The Jamaican Petrel is believed extinct and is the target of a campaign by Bird Life International to attempt to find any remaining pairs. Why does all this matter? Why should you care whether seabirds flap over the seas and shores of these magical islands? Seabirds are indicators of the health of our oceans, the warning lights that show when things are going wrong. It stands to rea- son: seabirds feed at all levels of the marine food chain, and if the plankton, squid or flying fish that they survive on are not doing well, neither will they. Seabirds remove the diseased and old fish from the food chain, helping to secure healthy fishing stocks for people. They guide fishermen to shoals of fish and sailors to shores. Seabirds are embedded in the history of the Lesser Antilles, being the chief inhabitants, with mammals absent save bats and possibly a mouse species, prior to introductions. The agile Magnificent Frigatebirds and characterful Brown Pelicans add to the exotic appeal for tourists. For us, seabirds are incredible in their own right. They glide over two-thirds of the earth’s surface, and have adapted to live on land, in the air and on the water. They nest in the most extreme environments on earth, from the scorching tropics where their eggs, if neglected, could boil in 15 minutes, to the poles where Emperor Penguins hold their precious single egg upon their feet through months of snowstorms. They have developed extraordinary tactics for finding their prey: female Magnificent Frigatebirds are ‘kleptoparasitic’, meaning they mob other birds such as Red-footed Boobies until they regurgitate their prey. They are true Pirates of the Caribbean! In January 2010, Lista Light, with EPIC, again set sail to ensure both winter and summer breeding records are compiled for every island within the study area. We began in Grenada this time and are now working our way north. We acquire permits rom each country to do the research and meet with the governments, sharing our indings and discussing methods for conserving seabirds. As well as the science, we talk about seabirds to interest groups, the media and schools, last year presenting to over 800 officials, fishermen, sailors, church groups, etcetera. We visited 12 schools and delivered 21 media releases. By the end of 2010 we will have produced the Atlas, a hard copy of which will be given to each participating island. It will also be available to all through interactive mapping online. For now, we can all enjoy watching Brown Pelicans crashing through the waves as they plunge for fish; seeing throngs of Brown Boobies peering down at us as we swim ashore; knowing that we are not alone on the vast oceans of our planet and that one of the greatest spectacles on earth — hundreds of Magnificent Frigatebirds squawk- ing and inflating their huge, red, throat sacks — continues in Barbuda at one of the largest breeding colonies in the Caribbean. And the future...? It is dependent on the governments and people of the Lesser Antilles and how much they value their unique island life and the seabirds that are a part of it. Katharine and David Lowrie live aboard their converted fishing boat, Lista Light, and will be making their way north through the Lesser Antilles through July 2010. Please contact them if you are interested in attending a presentation, would like them to present at your school or community group or would like to donate to the project. For more information visit klowrie@epicislands.org; wiww.epicislands.org; or wiww.listalight.co. ue Young brown pelicans and their parents ina seaside nest Br! a) * Caribbean Jewellers + Harbour Market * Serenity Spa Be eS ns " Hucksters «Smith Armeoborg Architects *ice Cream Store * Suney Caribbee Spice Co. *D° Best Cup oa st | See le ea Ta Tay ee UO ee ee a | Be See By On sid et | A set a Marina, PP erectus a More power - less noise Stand alone and failsafe due to the automatic pitch contro] Heavy duty - made to last real professional THE CRUISING SAILOR'S CHANDLERY SINCE 1990 AMERON ABC 3 TIN FREE SELF POLISHING ANTIFOULING PAINT CORNER: MIRANDA & GUARAGUAO, PUERTO LA CRUZ, VENEZUELA TEL: 58 (281) 265-3844 - E-MAIL : xanadumarine@cantv.net 4 “y é PAGE : ARIBBEAN COMPASS C LU MARCH 2010 eing landlocked for the first winter in five years has stirred bits of nostalgia in me and has inspired me to tell a story of one of our favourite places in the world, Club Nautico in Cartagena, Colombia. My wife, Barb, and I were introduced to this amazing part of the world when delivering a 45-foot yacht from Costa Rica to Colombia a few years back. It comes into focus today because of factors that I shall explain. A few months ago, as I was sifting through some old bookmarks on the laptop, I clicked to the Panama Yacht Club. This yacht club used to be yachts’ first stop after going through the Panama Canal, arguably the wrong way, from the Pacific to the Atlantic side. The yacht club building was old and tired. Yet, the life that it provided was as vibrant as an artificial reef. Cruisers from countries all around the world, and speaking every language imaginable, gathered to discuss great sailing experi- ences, both past and future. Some were going east and some were going west, and only a few were stay- ing. The article described the destruction as the bulldozers leveled the yacht club to make way for container storage and how, within eight hours, decades of history were removed from the face of the earth. At the time, I did not think much of it as 1 was in Brazil on another adventure. I thought that the newer marina across the way was probably a better option for everyone, anyway. This morning I was doing the random bookmark thing again, when my attention was piqued. Club Nautico in Cartagena is in danger of suffering the same fate at the Panama Canal Yacht Club, for no other reason than political posturing between old families and the modern city fathers. Barb and I had learned about this some years ago when we were moored there. Club Nautico’s possible demise is heartbreaking to Barb and me, as our future plans include cruising to Cartagena and spending time on our own yacht there. So, before it is gone, let me tell you about this gem on the world’s cruising crown. When you sail into Cartagena, you are met with a statue of the Virgin Mary that stands guard over the harbour, welcoming mariners who have either beat their way from the magic of the Rosario Islands or made the challenging passage from Aruba. Even the most crotchety old sea salt has had to have his jaw lifted from the floorboards after this magnificent entry into the harbour. We sailed right up to the designated area of Club Nautico and, with little effort, proceeded to set the hook amongst the 30-plus vessels around. Once we were safely anchored, we discovered that we were in the middle of the Sunday sailing races, which drew every serious sailor in Colombia to match wits and skills with the two or three vessels operated by the Colombian Naval Academy. The idea of one-design racing really hasn’t caught on, so we were sur- rounded by vessels that varied from sleek Beneteaus to Captain Ron’s wooden Formosa, as well as a few sloops, ketches and catamarans, all chasing around the harbour. The anchorage seemed to provide some tactical advantages as the racing vessels weaved in and out through the anchored vessels. The boats were close enough for everyone on board to learn the Se ye In Cartagena, alluring and inexpensive dining options abound Spanish for “starboard”, “raise the spinnaker” and those other choice words that cannot be printed in a family publication. After a few weeks of settling in, Barb and I were invited to race on one of the fastest boats in the fleet and mastered enough Spanish to contribute to the general chaos. The check-in process in the countries we have sailed to varies from the sweet and simple in Bonaire to an absolutely mind-numbing three-day ordeal in Brazil. In Colombia, the process was very straightfor- ward and, thanks to the help of Club Nautico, very easy. An agent came out to the vessel dressed ... —Continued on next page A walk around the old city's fortifications is both historical and romantic, giving us (inset) a chance to play honeymooners = Seru Boca Marina, Curagao’s finest private harbor, has openings for dockage. Located outside the hurricane belt in the protected waters of Spanish Water Bay, Seru Boca Marina is considered one of the finest and safest yacht anchorages in the Caribbean, SERU BOCA ® The most advanced design on Curacao. ® Floating docks engineered in Holland. ® Accommodation for 68 yachts up to 150 ft. / 15 ft. draft, ® Electrical power (127 and 220). MARINA ® Cable T.V. and potable water available. ® Marina staff monitors VHF radio channel 67 and are available to assist boaters in docking and leaving the Marina, as well as to assist in locating appropriate services as needed. ®Seru Boca Marina is a safe harbor that offers 24 hours security, For information on rates and facilities, call (599 9) 560-2599 : Porta Blancy, PO, Box 4816, Curacao, NA, Tel. (399 9) 767-0042, fan (599-9) 767003 E-mail: stharba@ attglobal.net www. santabarbaraplantation.com ‘Ba sara ics, AL SPANIS 6 WATES RENAISSANCE MARINA —Continued from previous page ..-in his Sunday best and armed with a warm, wel- coming smile and a notebook. We then headed into the Club’s dinghy dock to make arrangements with the harbourmaster, John, an Englishman married to a Colombian with three pretty daughters. He readily gave us the lay of the land and helped us throughout our stay. He spoke excellent Spanish, as well as numerous other cruisers’ languages. He gave a detailed guide to Cartagena that listed every- thing from where to shop for gadgets or services, to who are the best plastic surgeons in Colombia. The staff was more than helpful, the open-air clubhouse was cleaned regularly and the bar had regular hours. Club Nautico immediately put us on a tab system so we just went to the bar and ordered by our boat’s name. Happy Hour was at 5:00pm, beer was less than a dollar, and Tuesdays, when a world full of cruisers came in to pay their weekly tabs, were always the best. When we were there, everything was so inexpen- sive (even against the Canadian loonie) that it shocked us. We could eat three meals a day at restaurants for less than $20 for us both. If you anchored out, the deal was to pay about US$2 a day for the use of the dinghy dock and club facili- ties (showers, bathrooms, restaurant, TV, pool tables). The Mediterranean-tie moorage was a whopping US$35 per week for a 45-footer. At times moorage was scarce, but available. It depended on how long it took the “backpacker boats” to fill up before taking world travelers on to Panama (there are no roads or buses between the two countries). Trust was not a big issue as you had to check out with an agent and leaving on the sly could be a challenge. Besides, the Colombian and US Navy were stationed right across from Club Nautico. Barb and I quickly discovered that Sunday was the best day to explore and get our bearings in a new culture. The shops are closed and you have most of the city to yourself. An American had warned us about the evils of all other people in the world, and for a brief while we felt the paranoia that this narrow-minded thinking causes. Barb hid her camera deep in her backpack as we walked along the historic wall that circles the city of Cartagena. After about an hour of enduring the vibrant smiles and constant, “;Hola! gCémo estas?” of the locals, her camera emerged and our ner- 12°32'01.50°H | 70°02/15.00°W vousness was carried away on the wind. This walk around gave us a real firsthand look at this magnificent city and its people. The constant breeze from the ocean keeps you cool even at mid- day. Sunday in Colombia (as well as Venezuela) is a day for families on the beach and lovers in every nook and cranny experiencing the romance that living by the sea evokes in the soul. It was very refreshing and gave me the opportunity to use the “when in Rome” line to steal a kiss or two as we strolled along. Our daily cruisers’ routine started at 8:30am, lis- tening to the Cruisers’ Net on the VHF to get up-to- date gossip, weather reports and lists of local events. Every net included the famous Treasures of the Bilge — a cruiser’s Craigslist of items to buy and sell. We then planned our day based on the fact that everything has to be done between 9:00 and 11:50am, as all banks and businesses, except for food stores and restaurants serving lunch, close from noon to 2:00. After 2:00 we completed any tasks by 4:55 so we didn’t miss Happy Hour. Our two-month stay included a daylong city tour that included the San Felipe Fort, the Maritime Museum and La Popa (a monastery at the top of the hill). We also rode in a horse-drawn carriage through the streets at night, visited shops and parks by day and at night, walked around the city walls regularly, rode city buses to many locations, hit the spa in Boca Grande, took private Spanish lessons, shopped for fresh fruits from carts and spent an unforgettable day at the Carnival in Barranquilla. The point is that Club Nautico was a perfect base from which to explore one of the best stops on the world cruising route. It was a home-away-from- home for many wonderful people from all corners of the world, and we made lifelong friendships there that have spanned the globe. The possible removal of Club Nautico would hurt, but also inspires us to revisit fond memories. If you have not yet ventured into the cruising world and you are contemplating your cruising adventure, take it from us, the Cruisin’ Canucks: “Get out there and do it!” (We initially enjoyed these experiences by signing up as unpaid crew.) Some of the best experiences of your life are waiting for you. Remember, at the dining table of life you will always be able to savour your just desserts, even when they are gone forever. For information on the current status of Club Nautico visit www.clubNauticocartagena.com. The Renaatance Marina, located in the heart of Oranjestad enfertaiement and shopping facility im Aruba with the matural beauty of the it part of ther Renuissance Ansbe Reiort and Catins and con Murtina, Rensinace Marea can accommodate yachts up to 200", accommeadate more than $0 yachts. The marina supplies freth running water and 110/220) 300V GOM electricity, Located af 12°31" Mand 70°02" W, Renatssance Marina ts the land's most eatetite TY with security guards on duty 24 hours a day. beautiful maria, part of the Renatianes Aruba Report & Casino, it stretches ower muach of this pictureique waterfront community combining the largest Tet: (#297) 588-0260 « Fax: (+297) 588-0263 | www.renaissancemarinacom | Channel 16 | Renaissance Marketplace, Oranjestad Aruba PAGE 26 Ss ARIBBEAN COMPA C MARCH 2010 ® New environmentally friendly haulout @ 50-ton hoist, 18ft beam, 8ft draft ® Water ® Do it yourself or labour available ® Mini - Marina ® Chandlery VHF: 16 tbyh@usa.net Tel/Fax: 473.443.8175 B & C FUELS ENTERPRISE Petite Martinique The best fuel dock in the Grenadines for: oe e OIL * WATER ICE " Cheapest prices in the Grenadines Unobstructed dock in calm water 16-18 feet of water alongside Suitable for Large Power Yachts Easily approached from Carriacou, Union I., Palm I. & PSV Contact: Glenn Clement or Reynold Belmar Tel/Fax: (473) 443-9110 email: golfsierra@hotmail.com to Bahia by Michael and Edie Rosner Panda and crew have finally left the circle we cut in the Caribbean Sea for the last five years, between Venezuela and the ABCs. In November 2009 we left Aruba and sailed to Cartagena, Colombia. We had a nice holiday season there, but the harbor is hectic, with water taxi wakes and a huge container ship port that is always brightly lit and makes a lot of weird noises as it unloads ships 24/7. And there, even with a paint job only six months old, Panda's bottom needed to be cleaned every three weeks. Also, at this point Club Nautico is just a construction site that can only offer anchored vessels dockage for their dinghy, garbage disposal and potable water for a US$20-a-week fee. When or if this essential marina will be re-built is known only by the gods. While we were in the harbor, many sailors told us about a welcome getaway — a large, mangrove-lined bay, only 14 miles south of Cartagena, called Bahia de Cholon. Top: Fishermen spread a net among visiting boats at Bahia de Cholon Above: Just 14 miles away from the city, this placid retreat from Cartagena is becoming increasingly poplar with cruisers In this article we will include waypoints we have used to approach Bahia de Cholon and give simple sailing directions through the entrance. We will also detail services available and provisioning alternatives, if one wishes to stay in the bay for a while. There are no detailed charts of the bay, as it is considered an inland estuary, but the location can be found by looking for the town of Bart, on the mainland, just east of the Rosario Islands. Getting There After leaving Cartagena via the Boca Grande Channel, gain a little distance off and then start to head south. Do remember, however, that the red and green buoys that mark this narrow channel are about 25 feet east of the low point in the submerged wall, so remain on a course perpendicular to the marks until you see the wall pass under you on the sonar. Sailing south, you'll pass the Boca Chica Channel, where all the commercial traffic enters and exits this busy harbor, so keep a good watch. On a course of 214 degrees magnetic, proceed approximately 14.5 nautical miles to a waypoint at 10°11.290N and 075°40.660W, west of Islote Periquito. The follow- ing chain of waypoints will bring you just outside the harbor: 10°10.685N and 75°40.533W 10°10.534N and 75°40.389W 10°10.305N and 75°40.35W 10°10.071N and 75°40.297W As you approach the resort, on the shore to the left are two pilings you pass through and another piling on the resort’s beach that you leave to port. —Continued on next page —Continued from previous page You must come quite near the beach on your port side, as two-thirds of the entrance to your starboard is blocked by a shallow reef. This final waypoint — 10°09.73N and 75°40.145W — will put you inside the harbor. If you follow these points correctly, you will have at least 15 feet of water during the entire approach and ten feet of water at the narrow entrance. Depths in the harbor range from 20 to 25 feet, with excellent holding. Most vessels head east- northeast after they enter the harbor and anchor near 10°10.00N and 75°39.50W. Being There Many expensive vacation homes line the hills that surround the harbor. All land in the bay is privately owned, including the beachfront near the houses. The large house with the orange roof and the black hot water tank on the top of the hill is called Crow’s Nest and belongs to Robert Winter. He also owns the 90-foot shrimp boat, Manatee, which is anchored in the harbor. Robert used to be a sailor, like us, but found paradise and retired here in Colombia, where he met his partner Carmen. Currently, Robert has a fun-filled Happy Hour on Manatee late in the afternoon, whenever there are a few sailboats in the bay. He also sponsors a potluck dinner on Saturday evenings. Frequently, he will send his employee Johnny around the har- bor to collect trash, for a nominal fee of 3000 pesos, to be properly disposed of in Bart. Robert cautions sailors not to give their garbage to the men that paddle out on surfboards selling fruit and vegetables, as this garbage often ends up in the mangroves. If you have questions about the area or want to check on the Happy Hour schedule, Robert can be reached on VHF channel 68 daily, by hailing Crow’s Nest or Manatee. Many local waterborne salesmen will approach your vessel offering jewelry, sweets, ruits, vegetables, fish and lobster. We found that the original offering price for some items was ridiculous, so shop cautiously. Two examples are 120,000 pesos (divide by two and drop all the zeros to get approximate dollars), for three one-pound lob- sters or 40,000 pesos for a tub of coco-sugar sweets that eventually sold for 5,000 esos. Never give money for goods before they are delivered, as if they arrive, they might not be the agreed-upon size or type. Bahia de Cholon is not without dinghy theft, so as Melodye Pompa would rightly say, “Lift it, lock it or lose it”. All sailors worry about where to get potable water. We used our water-making system, two PUR 40Es, for two weeks and only had to clean the pre-filters once. Bahia de Cholon’s water is clean, although not totally clear, and ridding the bottom of Cartagena’s aquatic growth is easily accomplished here. During the rainy season, which we're told starts in April, adequate water can be caught and in the dry season it is possible to fill your jugs when the water barge El Rubio comes in to fill the tanks of the houses surrounding the bay. If You Stay There are multiple ways to obtain provisions, if you wish to stay in Bahia de Cholon for any length of time. One option is to take the dinghy into Bart, which is a 20-minute ride. Robert can tell you how to go, which is a bit tricky, but a better solution is to ask Johnny, his night watchman/bartender on Manatee, to accom- pany you there after he gets off work in the morning. He is a lifetime resident of this sprawling community and can show you around the town, helping you to target the things you need in short time and allowing you to get a feel for where to find other “Sunset — let's stay another day... fee st ze items you may need in the future. Pork, fresh fish, frozen chicken and many local vegetables and fruits are available in the town. All manner of dry goods and daily essentials can be bought at the five or so stores within Bart. If you need pesos there is an ATM machine that works, but don’t try to hit it on the weekend, as it could be out of money. Gasoline, with or without 50/1 oil, is available on the waterfront in Bara. Don't expect a pump, as it comes to you in a marked bucket. As a courtesy, a funnel is provided to help you get it into your tank. It is possible to take a water taxi from the anchorage at around 5:30 in the morning to the outdoor market in Cartagena. From there you can shop at the Bazurto market itself, or hoof it to the supermercados in the area. The water taxis start reloading passengers around 9:00am and it is best to get there early and get a seat in the back of the vessel, as the ride can be quite bumpy on the return trip. For additional details, or if you need to arrange for this transportation contact Robert at Happy Hour and he can usually call the water taxi the day before you need to shop. The final option for shopping is the small tiendas that are on the main (and only) road that borders Bahia de Cholon and goes to Bart. One such tienda is located near a large home on the edge of the bay that has blue roofs and a stone wall to the right, as you face it. To the right of the wall, there is a small dock where you can tie your dinghy and walk across the street to the shop. Eggs, fruit and vegetables are sold there, along with other basic items. Gasoline can also be purchased there for just 50 cents more than in Baru. If you want internet and phone service while you rough it in Bahia de Cholon, buy a ComCell internet modem while you are in Cartagena at the Carrefore supermarket in the Caribe Mall or at the many ComCell outlets. Their tower is right in the bay, so the cell phone and internet services provided by them are excellent. Forgo the Tigo modem as their tower, wherever it lives, does not provide good service in the bay. We have written about this bay as an escape from Cartagena, but it works equally well as an entry point prior to checking into Colombia, coming east from the San Blas Islands. We must give credit to Robert who helped us with many details for this article and for his hospitality; to George and Pixie on Silver Sea, who gave us the original way- points to enter the harbor; and to Johnny, who took us around Bart and introduced us to his family and friends. Michael and Edie and their West Highland ‘security officer’ Belia, are fulltime cruis- ers aboard Panda, their Morgan 41 Out Island sailboat. Except for her main propulsion diesel engine, Panda is totally powered by the wind and the sun. LULLEY'S TACKLE, SHOP #1 CHOICE IN FISHING & SNORKELING & SCUBA DIVING GEAR FRONT ST, BEQUIA ISLAND ri McCOY ST, KINGSTOWN, ST. VINCENT SERVING CARIBBEAN FISHERMEN 4 & YACHTSPEOPLE SINCE 1950 Rods & reels, hooks, angler’s lures, leaders, fresh squid & fish bait, knives, foul weather gear, wire, floats, seine, cast nets, twines, ropes, life Jackets, emergency flare kits, Igloo coolers DUTY FREE TEL: (784) 458-3420 / (784) 485-6255 FAX: (784) 458-3797 E-MAIL: LULLEY @ VINCYSURF.COM VISIT US AT EITHER BRANCH FOR ALL YOUR FISHING NEEDS One of the many things I love about Grenada is the abundant opportunity to hike, meet folks along the trail and catch glimpses of spectacular scenery. Our trip to Fontainbleu Falls (also called Upper Concord Falls) started early in the day. We met our hiking buddies Ann and Steve from Receta, Barb and Chuck from Tusen Takic IT and Anna and Hakan from Unicorn at the Lower Woburn dock at 0630. We took the bus into St. George’s and there we boarded the Number 6 bus to Grand Etang Park. Some hikes are about the destination, and don’t get me wrong, Fontainbleu Falls is a gorgeous destination, but the hike is beautiful and interesting. We tumbled out of the bus at the Grand Etang visitor center a bit ringy from the twisty road up the mountains. There are Mona monkeys (Cercopithecus mona) at the visitor area, but these are not the mon- key paws of interest to this hike. Grand Etang National Park is at 1,740 feet and is almost always cool and cloudy — a welcome change from the hot sun at anchor. We have hiked this trail many times and in the wet season it can be very slippery and always has patch- es of razor grass. Long sleeves and long pants help protect you from the fine razor-like cuts from razor grass. On this trip the trail was well cleared and very dry. It is really handy to have a walking stick for an extra point of balance or to push razor grass out of your path. We had no problems taking our walking sticks on the bus. We took the Mt. Qua Qua trail (see the sidebar for exact details of the route) and after a while we were on a windy ridge where dead trees stand testament to the effects of 2004's Hurricane Ivan. A left turn (to the west) took us off of the Mt. Qua Qua trail and downhill into lush rainforest where we saw the small green, chandelier-shaped flowers of the monkey paw vine that have evolved to dust the backs of hum- mingbirds as they feed on the pollen of the flower, ensuring a good pollination at the next flower. The trail took us down a drainage or gully that got larger as we descended. We boulder-hopped across the creek several times and after about an hour and a half our trail made a T into the Concord Falls trail. We took the left fork to Fontainbleu Falls. We stripped down to our swimsuits, washed off the trail mud and sweat and had a refreshing swim. The trail to Concord Falls is a dirt track that cuts through an old plantation. I thought the relatively flat walk to the road would be uninteresting, but I was wrong. The fields were full — we passed cabbage, car- rots, callaloo, pigeon peas, peppers, limes, oranges, bananas and nutmeg. We greeted farmers as we walked and many were surprised and impressed to hear that we had gotten to the falls from Grand Etang. We were looking at a nutmeg when a lady came walking down the trail. We chatted and she fell in line with us, or more correctly, we hustled to keep up with her. She introduced herself as Dora and told us that she is 75-and-a-half years old and that she tends her fields in the hills every day, except on Friday when she takes the bus into St. George’s to the market to sell vegetables. Dora was toting a sack of dasheen on her back and it took my husband, Hunter, two tries to get Dora to allow him to carry her burden. Unburdened, she walked even faster, chat- ting along the way. Concord Falls was at the start of the road from our perspective — or the end of the road if you are driv- ing. It is a tourist destination with little shops selling handicrafts and spices. These falls are pretty, but not nearly as nice as Fontainbleu Falls. We stopped to eat lunch at Concord Falls and thought that surely Dora would head down the hill, but she waited. Hunter picked up her bag of dasheen and we all trotted to keep up. At Dora’s house she insisted we come to see her garden and she loaded us up with callaloo and Santa Maria mint for tea. We promised to visit her in the market on a Friday. It was a few days after Christmas and many folks were on porches and in gardens. We long ago noticed that if we greet folks along the way they will enthu- siastically return a greeting and often stop to chat. We stopped to chat with several folks before we had walked the mile-and-a-half to the main road. We managed to down a cold Carib (local beer) before hopping on a bus to St. George’s. If I had to give someone advice about this hike I believe it would be: “Say hi to everyone you meet and don’t forget your swimsuit”. Simplicity. CHUCK SHIPLEY PU de or} Marine Power Services English Harbour Ph: 268-460-1850 Fx: 268-460-1851 mps @candw.ag Seagull Yacht Services English Harbour Ph: 268-460-3050 Fx: 268-460-1767 info@seagullyachtservices.com Bequia Caribbean Diesel Port Elizabeth Ph/Fx: 784-457-311 Reliability. Long life. Grenada Grenada Marine St. David's Ph: 473-443-1667 Fx: 473-443-1668 info@grenadamarine.com Martinique Inboard Diesel Service Port of Case Pilote Ph: 596-596-787-196 Fx: 596-596- 788-075 info@inboarddiesel.com St Croix St. Croix Marine Ceaser Ph: 340-773-0289 pence OM isms ra St. John Coral Bay Marine Coral Bay Ph: 340-776-6665 Fx: 340-776-6859 cbmarine @islands.vi St Lucia ait oesr- Vm ey Rodney Bay Marina Ph: 758-452-1222 Fx: 758-452-4333 iwwsl.ltd @candw.le St Maarten Electec Cole Bay Ph: 599-544-2051 Fx: 599-544-3641 sales @electec.info St Thomas All Points Marine Compass Point Marina Ph: 340-775-9912 Fx: 340-779-2457 Trinidad Diesel Technology Services Siparta Ph: 868-649-2487 Fx: 868-649-9091 dieseltec @ hotmail.com Dockyard Electrics Chaguaramas Ph: 868-634-4272 Fx: 868-634-4933 Richard@dockyardelectrics.com Tortola Cay Electronics Road Town, Tortola Ato er ke eee 1010) Fx: 284-494-5389 caybvi@candwbvi.net Fela laa We Oana ero} Road Town, Tortola Ph: 284-494-3494 lp eetst er lene aea timdabbs @surfbvi.com eRe oN 8 Road Town, Tortola Ph: 284-494-2830 Fx: 284-494-1584 partspwr@surfbvi.com Fontainbleu Falls Hike Directions The entire distance of the hike is about six miles and will take about four to six hours depending on your pace. You end the walk in Concord on the central western coast of Grenada, which is about a 20-minute bus ride back to St. George's. e To start, take the Number 6 bus from the St. George’s bus station to the Grand Etang visitor area. ¢ The trail to Mt. Qua Qua and Concord Falls trail is about 200 meters to the west (towards St. George’s) and on the north side of the road. ¢ The trailhead sign says “Mt. Qua Qua and Concord Falls”. This will be the last sign you see that mentions Concord Falls. ¢ The trail to Concord Falls branches off of the Mt. Qua Qua trail about three-quarters of the way up to the Mt. Qua Qua sum- mit. It took us about 45 minutes of brisk walking to reach the Concord Falls turn-off. ¢ The trail to Concord Falls is unmarked and takes off from a small cleared spot and is an obvi- ous trail that heads to the west (left if you are on the trail facing Mt. Qua Qua). This trail gets less use than the trail to Mt. Qua Qua and consequently is more overgrown, but it is still a defined trail. The Concord Falls trail descends from the ridge top heads north and follows a gully. ¢ As you proceed downhill two trails will enter from the right. At trail intersections your choice hy ‘oulder-hopping (ele the creek % Concord Falls * 2 x Grand Etang to Fontainbleu Falls Sketch map not to scale ¢ The gully gathers more water and becomes an active creek, which you will cross several times. After about an hour’s walk from the Mt. Qua Qua trail, you will reach a point where steps have been cut into a steep rock face. Descend the steps, then continue to follow the trail for a few minutes and you will be at a stream crossing. e After the stream there will be a short steep climb and you will intersect the trail from Concord Falls to Fontainbleu Falls. ¢ Turn left to get to Fontainbleu Falls. The trail will move into the riverbed and it takes about ten minutes to Fontainbleu Falls. ¢ Reverse your track down the riverbed and continue past the intersection that you came Mt Qua Qua ‘ v from and on to Concord Falls ¢ It is 1.5 miles from Concord Falls to the town of Concord, where you can catch a bus back to PB BEB BEB EB SE SE SK = LG a 5 5 Aes Fontainbleu, 4 should always be to stay on the left trail. Fallsave eT jd the St. George’s bus station. Cage ile 5 f i | ehscg ------------ et ee P= = = = = = B= B= BF BF BF BF BF SB BP BE BP BE SB SB eB eB Se SS cme = le GRENADA WEST INDIES Grenada remains one of the most unspoilt and welcoming cruising destinations in the Caribbean. Port Louis is owned and operated by Camper & Nicholsons Marinas, and our friendly and knowledgeable staff are on hand 24 hours a day to welcome yachts of alll sizes from 2O0ft to 300F. low, with Port Louis, visiting yachts can enjoy the security and convenience of a beautifully appointed, fully serviced marina — located in the lagoon adjacent For more information about securing a berth at Port Louis, including the opportunity to the island's capital, St George's. to purchase on a 30-year licence, please contact our Sales and Marketing Co-ordinator, Grenada’s southern location allows for yearround cruising, including the summer months, Danny Denelan on +1 [473] 435 7452 or email danny.conelan@enportlouismarina.com and with an international airport just five miles away, Port Louis is the ideal base for Port Louis Marina — just one more reason to visit the ‘Spice Island’. exploring the wondertul islands of the Grenadines. As a Port of Entry, it’s easy to clear in and out through Port Louis, and our 24-hour security, Cc & dockside facilities and marina-wide wifi all contribute to making your stay safe and relaxed. ease YACHTING SINCE 1782 MARINAS www. cnportlouismarina.com ITALY | MALTA | TURKEY | WEST INDIES MARCH 2010 ‘Y ARIES (21 Mar - 20 Apr) The full moon on the 30th will be party-hearty time for all you Aries pirates and wenches. Be careful not to get too carried away, or you'll be walking the plank. TAURUS (21 Apr - 21 May) During the first week you will meet headwinds in any creative boat projects you attempt. Wait until the bad weather clears and seas are calm before you up anchor on any new ones. I. GEMINI (22 May - 21 Jun) Check your signal. A lack of creative communication could have negative effects on sailing business or finances during the first week. Propagation should improve in the third week. CANCER 66 (22 Jun - 23 Jul) Creative winds will be blowing for you. Chart a course that includes friends and family and enjoy a pleasant month of easy sails. Save some energy for a full moon party on the 30th. $2 LEO (24 Jul - 23 Aug) You're still feeling lackadaisical, but that will change on the 10th when a high tide of good humor will flood in — to your great relief. Now if only business would follow in its wake, things would be smooth sailing. lip VIRGO (24 Aug - 23 Sep) Creative self-expression will be ambiguous and argu- ments could ensue, making everyone on board cranky. Saying “Aye-aye, dear” might help. & LIBRA (24 Sep - 23 Oct) You might have a strong gust of business or financial activity during the first week. Take advantage of it quickly, as aspects indicate your tide of good humor could ebb after the 10th. Ti, SCORPIO (24 Oct - 22 Nov) Although boat-work energy is low, creativity and verbal skills are under full sail. Use this aspect to its best advan- tage to keep way on in creative endeavors. ¥~ SAGITTARIUS (23 Nov - 21 Dec) The aspects that benefit Scorpio will be a source of frus- tration for you. Any arrows you archers let fly this month will scatter aimlessly, so you might as well kick back on the cockpit cushions with a good book. 7 CAPRICORN (22 Dec - 20 Jan) Other than having a dearth of humor, this is a relatively aspect-free month. A spell in the doldrums during the third week will be the worst of it. xx AQUARIUS (21 Jan - 19 Feb) Though your work energy is low you should do your best to slog through your current boat projects, as new oppor- tunities will soon present themselves. =& PISCES (20 Feb - 20 Mar) You will be full of creative energy and communicative efforts will flow freely and productively, especially around the 25th when inspiration should bring new cruising ideas and opportunities. Crossword Solution ACROSS TRUCK 2) GASOLINE 50) WATER 20) SALT. 6) COCO 53) TORCH 21) BOREALIS 9) ALPHA 55) RID 22) DROOP 11) AURORA 56) FIR 25) AH 12) ELMO 57) MEN 26) FIRE 14) SHUT 58) HOT 27) SET. 18) CLOUT 59) ARK 29) FLARE 19) ONE 60) SEE 31) EMAIL 20) SKIDS. 61) BLOW 33) HEARTH 21) BUCKETS 62) ESCAPE 34) MEMBER 22) DOOR 63) LOG 35) SAIL 23) OR 64) AX 37) BIN 24) EARP 65) SHIP 38 26) FLAMES DOWN 40) LOOK IN 28) RN 1) FAT 41) CLEW 30) HOSE 2) GALLEY 47) SCREEN 32) IT 3) SPOUSE 48) WOR! 34) MAST. 4) LBS 51) ARROWS 36) ABLAZE 5) EATER 52) LIT 39) PLACE 6) COOK 53) TIRES 42) LIAR T 54) CHEAT 43) OIL. 8) CANDLE 56) FA 44) AMBIT 10) HECK 57) ME 45) IN 13) MOT 58) HELP 46) EAR 15) HOOPS 60) SE. 47) SOLE 16) UNO 61) BOX Earthquake, Haiti: The Third Day /s/ “In Haiti, all the important things are beautiful; only reality needs a bit of improvement.” —Herbert Gold, The Best Nightmare on Earth (1991) What can a poet do for Haiti now and an older poet at that, unable to walk as he once did up the mountain to the Citadel in the clouds above Cap Haitien fortress against an invasion that never came what can a poet do as the window shuts nota ee in Doctors without Borders not a soldier in the 82nd Airborne not a helicopter pilot nor back-hoe operator not a secretary of state nor even a TV commentator ok As the window shuts & relief planes stack up in the Trade Wind sky unable to land on the single clogged runway see the rubble, in this Age of Rubble the makeshift tents & clinics in the debris people living in the streets alongside the dying & dead masked relief workers ghosting among them in this capital of the displaced see the Hotel Montana, chandeliered & broad verandaed, now collapsed into a crumble of irony a prison for the trapped, morgue of the dead watch the looting begin, the rioting, the disease spread as survivors drift without shelter undernourished, overwhelmed hear the iron bed frames & springs clanging the rotor-wash, the odd siren, the fy the rumors, the voices in the rubble moaning the cries Au Secours! Secours! & the drums gone quiet smell the charcoal, the coal pots simmering also the rubber burning, the flesh decaying the excrement overbounding, and over it all, cast in the Trade Wind the haze of cement dust, of ash feel the pain of loved ones lost how the loss feels like rebar broken clean or twisted, bent at crazy angles the steel inside the rust shinin clean & cruel, at the ele As the window shuts & aftershocks, in dreadful reprise, shake sunrise | send this poem to the people whose country lies over a fault line of the earth’s plates to the weak, the dazed, the dehydrated the crushed, the maimed & mangled, the suffocated to the unaccounted for parlumps marooned Edward Teach became a ruthless pirate only after he was fired from Brookwood Elementary. xu 3 D 2 c = 5 o ® fr 3S |e 2 Q S = Rd Sts “It isa poverty issue, not a natural disaster issue,” says David Brooks on NPR, noting that fifteen years ago, near San Francisco, a similar earthquake struck, killing only sixty-three. * Poverty and education, | ey: no one in Haiti knows anything about building code Most in the black peasant class are illiterate, kept from the classroom by the mulatto élite, a mercantile-military alliance corrupt & long supported by First-World governments ... and that is an issue NOT of the rebellion in 1791 and some resulting “curse” as imagined wishfully by the likes of a right-wing backward evangelical demagogue, but of racism worldwide & internal an issue of Power & the illiteracy that kept it, keeps it. As the window, open for but seventy-two hours, shuts on Port-au-Prince | send this poem to the Haitian people this poem now that the transport of drumming resumes in the tonnelles of the possessed & we behold life behind the veil see in the cloud-shrouded Citadel a defense for culture here: the imaginary world presided over by Papa Legba, Damballa, Erzulie Ogoun Ferraille, goun Agoué & Baron Samedi in his bowler hat all of whom — spirits in the Voodoo pantheon — guided Toussaint l’Ouverture, his generals & troops in the march that led to Independence & who are revealed in the paintings of Hector Hyppolite & others of the renaissance in “his buried heirloom of atavistic wealth” a culture independent of & beyond earthquake & hurricane slavery, dictatorship, occupation beyond poverty & illiteracy & the absence or misuse of natural resources the goodwill even, all the good intentions | send this poem to reunite the living with the dead — Richard Dey (15 January 2010) bela-toon A ig "eo VOW" Yad “You dang criver! Ver trespassin'! Git out o “here!” Compass Cruising Crossword How many famous Caribbean names do you know? Test your knowledge with this word search puzzle by Pauline Dolinski! FAMOUS CARIBBEAN PEOPLE m ow ARISTIDE A cmrwinte}#4r < 2S32roorron00a" oo < o»27PrP< OWDHAW POA > ° L $s A M L A P L A - A p w Vv N ~>roomaAawox aAar<~ namo SC.4:6o 2 tt Gh Oomomoerpreeoneoaomam gr =. & ma~arrorwresecod= oEzrnmur0oarcrmm a rPwWwTreomr www. thelucy.com a ery r " Azores MID ATLANTIC YACHT SERVICES PT-9900-144 HORTA / FAIAL, AZORES Providing all vital services to Trans-Atlantic Yachts! Incl. Chandlery, Charts, Pilots, Rigging EU-VAT (14%) importation Duty free fuel (+10.000It) TEL +351 292 391616 FAX +351 292 391656 mays@mail.telepac.pt www.inidatlanticyachtservices.com Bequia ¢ FILLERS ¢ STAINLESS FASTENERS ¢ ADHESIVES e BEQUIA VENTURE CO. LTD appointed agents in St. Vincent & the Grenadines for f>JOTUN Primer, Epoxy, Top Coat, Antifouling, Thinners PORT ELIZABETH, BEQUIA Tel: 784 458 3319 « Fax: 784 458 3000 Email: bequiaventure@vincysurf.com ¢ SPRAY PAINTS ¢ ROLLERS ¢ BRUSHES « TOOLS « ¢ CLEANING SUPPLIES « Cee! ree ie smh i Per EINER Hides Wary, in Lower Bay, Bequia * Come and find us amongst the trees! (Aa Candelight Dinners Monday to Saturday PLEASE RESERVE! Tel: (784) 458-3758 7 L Bequia WWW.GRENADINEVILLAS.COM coe el eon | a) FOR aes a MAYREAU grenadinevillas@mac.com +1 (784) 529 8046 / 455 0969 ae PORTHOLE RESTAURANT & BAR & Shoreline Mini-Market We serve breakfast, > lunch and dinner VHF CH68 Phone (784) 458-3458 A friendly atmosphere where you can sit and meet people. Admiralty Bay, Bequia Noelina & Lennox Taylor welcome you! TEAK & HARDWOOD MARINE PLY FINISHING PRODUCTS Carcbbean Woods Bequia, St. Vincent Phone: 1 (784) 457-3000 caribwoods@vincysurf.com rc al Carriacou Dominica ——___— al UNIQUE IN DOMINICA Roseau & Portsmouth Tel: 767-448-2705 Fax: 767-448-7701 Dockmaster Tel: 767-275-2851 VHF: 16 info @dominicamarinecenter.com www.dominicamarinecenter.com The Dominica Marine Center is the home of the Dominica Yacht Club and your center for: * Yacht Mooring Anchorage « Grocery Store & Provisioning * Bakery (Sukie’s Bread Company) « Water at dock » Fuel (Unleaded / Diesel) « Ice « Yacht Chandlery agents - Budget Marine /Sea Choice Products Mercury Marine / Yanmar Marine * LP Gas (propane) refills « Showers & Toilets (WC) ¢ Garbage Disposal « Security * Telephone & Fax « Mobile Phone Rental / SIM Top Up « Laundry WiFi Intemet * Beach Bar « Nearby Restaurants « Taxi & Tour Operators « Whale Watching & Sport Fishing « Light Engine and Boat Repair « Customs / Immigration Clearance Information « Visa / Master Card accepted "Raine" Carriacou CARRIACOU REAL ESTATE Land and houses for sale For full details see our website: www. islandvillas.com or contact Carolyn Alexander at Down Island Ltd e-mail: Islander@caribsurf.com Tel: (473) 443 8182 Fax: (473) 443 8290 We also handle Villa Rentals & Property Management on Carriacou THIS COULD BE YOUR | MARKET PLACE AD Book it now: | tom @caribbeancompass.com a contact your local island oeeit * rare exotic arts + crafts ¢ jewelry * wooden-ware * hammocks + more unique gifts Rey area Xet| eel Me auto young street st. george's just steps from the caren: fisher@caribsurf.com tel: (473) 440-2310 Grenada Marine « Spice Island Marine Tel/Fax (473) 439-4495 turbsail@spiceisle.com continued on next page ———\ Caribbean Compass Market Place : TechNick Ltd. : Engineering, fabrication and welding. Fabrication and repair of : stainless steel and aluminium items. : Nick Williams, Manager : Tel: (473) 586-1560/435-7887 : : §.LM.S. Boatyard, True Blue, Grenada : technick@spiceisle.com Frédéric Moser Electro-Mécanique & Réfrigération Marine Marina du Marin, Martinique MRD, jvictron energy Oe ieor Meola Scale eel Solar & Wind Systems. . ower . oats Dockside Food Mart DOYLE With eleven gist Tisocecia & Great the Place for Yachts" . Bastard ice T= locatians toe ve Pk Bien) F ies iua on ree x _ we. doylecaribbeanicom Puerto Rico to Power Bouts, Chagauramas, Trinidad! ue res . ee mad aed : rs Panama rect BG 299 | rae 6 | een eleciremarieed fist nel Venezuela FAMOUS CARIBBEAN PEOPLE Solution Read in Next Month’s Compass: Peaceful Isla Providencia A Day with a Grenadian Fisherman Following Gauguin to Panama . and more! ZPEr sw corm BOATS FOR SALE 5 a 1975 German Frers 39ff, 2 sets racing sails, US 57.000 St.Lucia duty pad 1987 Inwin 119.500 US 1999 Jeanneau $042.2. 97.000 US 1981 CT54 175,000 US 1986 Oyster 435 135,000 Pounds = Email gens ayconing com Tel (758) 452 8 YOUNG SUN 46FT VENUS 1984 KEICH Toetgess, vgc, new engine 2007, excellentlive aboard and cruiser. GPS, RADAR, VHF, Auto Pilot, EPIRB, SSB, Water Maker, Air-Con,, Solar Panels, Wind Generator &| more. Full specs ot wwwiree- webs.com/venus4éforsale Price reduced for a speedy sale US$169,000 ONO Lying St Lucia. Email venus46@live.com or Tel: 596-696-907429 BENETEAU FIRST 456 1984. Well equipped, located in Bequica. More info Email mox- moxgrenadinesttcl@gmail.com HALLBERG RASSY 39 1997 New engine. Exc. condition, StLucia. Euros 217,000 E-mail tabascojazz@hotmail.com BOATS FOR SALE INTRINIDAD Tel (868) 739-6449 www.crackgjacksailing.com LAGOON 440 2009 3 cabins, full equipment and more , pristine condition, owner selling. ving French Wi 390.000 € TEL (596) 69 77 88 47Blog http://lagoon440- Scabines.blogspot.com E-mail marinover@gmail.com 46’ PETERSON PERFORMANCE CRUISER 1988 Center cock- pit, single owner, maintained. Sailed through- out the Caribbean and now located in Trinidad. Ready for you to start cruising temor- row, 89,999" E-mail SailingOnFree@aol.com MAINSHIP 35' open bridge 2-300 Detroit Diesel Engines, 200 Gal Fuel tanks, GénsetTV, etc, Excellent workin: tion, Asking US$80000; Tel (784) 493 3051 condi- OBO CATAMARAN - FONTAINE PAJOT Lavezzi 40' 2003, 2x3GM30 Yanmar Diesels, this is a project cat which still needs some work. Ly- ing Martinique 89,000€ ono. SPINNAKER 200m? originally for a Fontaine Pajot Eleu- thera 1500€ ono. For more info _or to make an offer. Tel (596) 696 907 429 E-mail venus46G@live.com CIGARETTE GO-FAST BOAT fiberglass, 32-34ft, 3 x Yamaha 200 HP US$50,000, Ask for Ken or Bert Tel (784) A95-2950/458-4175 MANCINI CRAFT 16m, Detroit Diesel 2 X 552 kw, Boer lass. US $300,000, Ken or Bert Tel (784) 458-4175/495-2950 1989 50° STEEL WORK BOAT. Caterpillar = main ine, Northem Lights generator. Utility crane/hydraulics, crash pump. USS 15,000.00 ONO considered. Tel (868) 332 1107 Email diveprol22@yahoo.com MISC. FOR SALE SAILBOAT PROPS used 3 blade from 13" to 22" diameter E-mail Yachtsales@ds-yachting.com Tel (758) 452 8531 SAILS AND CANVAS EXCEPTIONALLY SPECIAL DEALS athttp://doylecarib- bean.com/specials.htm 2 X 54’ F/GLASS CATAMARAN HULLS Trinidad (868) 650-1914 E-mail JanDutch @tstt.net.tt TACKTICK _WIRELESS/SOLAR INSTRUMENTS, Discount prices: www.northermrockiesassoci- ates.com YANMAR OUTBOARD DIESEL SOHP Trinidad cell (868) 650-1914 EWVail JonDutch@tsttnettt WIND PILOT PACIFIC Plus aux- iliary rudder, Good_price. Contact Olivier Nelly, Port de Plaisance, Marin, Martinique Tel +596) 696 25 11 60 WANTED CAPTAIN AVAILABLE, USCG Master 100 Tons Sail or Power, Mate 200 Tons, Divernaster also. Day tips, Term or delivery, all ranks considered, Can relo- cate from St. Thomas E-mail davidNwillems@yahoo.com MARINE TECHNICIAN WANTED Respected Marine Engineering Co. in Grenada is seeking all round experi- enced technician for marine diesel engines, electrical, electronics, watermakers, wind generators, AC and refrigeration. We can assist with work permit. Ideal for cruiser or independent tech locking for the stability of an established company in Grenada. Please email CV to enzamarine@spiceisle. com Tel: (473) 439-2049 PROPERTY FOR SALE BEQUIA UNION LEVEL 2 pieces of land for sale, each 23,000 sq ft. Tel (784) 4969812 E-mail Ihjamie99@gmail.com. BEQUIA, KMS MARINE SERVICES marine/land mechanical servic- es, electical/refigeration/welc- ing/diesel/outboard repair. Moorings availaisle. VHF 68 “KMS” Tel (784) 530- 8123/570-7612 Email vanessa_ ENB kerry_1@hotmail.com pee PP) US 50¢ per word - include name, address and numbers in count. Line drawings/photos accompany- ing classifieds are US$10. Pre-paid by the 15th of the month No replies. BEQUIA, HAMILTON WATERFRONT property available for rent or lease, great for business. Also 2 bedroom house to rent 100yds from the sea. Waterfront rooms to rent, jood views in quiet loca- ion, NW_ corner _ of Admiralty Bay. Tel (784) 496-9872 E-mailjhiamie99@ gmail.com. LA POMPE, BEQUIA Leng 2 bedroom house and/ bed studio apartment. Big verandah and patio, stunning view, cool breeze. Internet, cable TV. 2 weeks minimum, _excellent__long- term rates. Tel: (784) 495 11 email: louigan@vincysurf.com BEQUIA, FRIENDSHIP Unfurmished house, 3 beckoom/2 baths. Tel (784) 495 3704 E-mail akmsvg@hotmail.com 15a fea 3 INTERNATIONAL — MEDICAL INSURANCE US$5,000,000 worldwide “A” rated cover, 4700 US hospital direct billing network, Highest Deductible Hospital option age 30-34: $35 monthly, www.protexplan.com E-mail info@protexplan.com, Tel (604) 724-7384 ISLAND VIEW at WOBURN BAY, GRENADA offering restaurant, iy, WE iG WEIS, bo laundry — & oe en daily DAVE pM, Ta 473) us 645 VHF 16 RYASAILINGANDPOWERBOAT taining available now in Antigua by recognized com- pany ONDECK. Competent Crew to Yachtmaster Ocean available. Please call (268) 562 6696 E mail eb @ondeck- oceanracing.com or visit us in Antigua Yacht Clu Matina, Falmouth Harbour, Antigua. Your Classified on the Internet ADVERTISERS INDEX LOCATION Curagao 9 St. Maarten 34 Martinique 22 ~~ Jolly Harbour Martinique 14 Jones Maritime Dominica MP KP Marine Grenada 41 KNd Carriacou MP Lagoon Marina Tortola 3 Les Voiles de St. Barth Doyle Offshore Sails Barbados MP _LEssence Massage Doyle's Guides USA 26 —_Lulley's Tackle Echo Marine - Jotun Special Trinidad 41 Mango Bay El Golfo de Cariaco Venezuela MP Marc One Marine M M ADVERTISER LOCATION PG# ADVERTISER A&C Yacht Brokers Martinique MP Admiral Yacht Insurance UK 39 Anjo Insurance Antigua Antigua Classic Regatta Antigua Art & Design Antigua B &C Fuel Dock Petite Martinique Barefoot Yacht Charters St. Vincent Barrow Sails & Canvas Trinidad Basil's Bar Mustique Bequia Venture Bequia Beyond The Islands Caribbean Blue Water Sailing Grenada Budget Marine Sint Maarten Budget Marine Sint Maarten BVI Yacht Sales Tortola Camper & Nicholsons Grenada Captain Gourmet Union Island Caraibe Energie Martinique Caraibe Greement Martinique Caraibe Yachts Guadeloupe Caribbean Marine Electrical Trinidad Caribbean Propellers Ltd. — Trinidad Caribbean Woods Bequia Carriacou Silver Diving Carriacou Cire Express St. Martin Clippers Ship Martinique Cooper Marine USA PG# ADVERTISER Island Water Word Johnson Hardware LOCATION PG# Sint Maarten MP St. Lucia 12 Antigua MP St. Croix 19 St. Vincent 15 Trinidad MP St. Maarten 33 St. Barth dz St. Lucia MP Bequia 27 Martinique MP Trinidad MP St. Lucia 35 Dominican Rep. 13 Grenada 39 Azores MP Venezuela 19 Tortola 28 St. Maarten 40 Tortola 21 PSV 32 Bequia MP Trinidad MP Tortola 22 Aruba 25 Curagao 24 Caribbean MP ADVERTISER Sea Services Ship's Carpenter Soper's Hole Marina Spice Island Marine St. Maarten Sails St. Thomas Yacht Sales Superwind SVG Air SVG Tourism Technick Tikal Arts & Crafts Tilikum Trade Winds Cruising Triskell Cup Regatta Turbulence Sails Turbulence Sails Tyrrel Bay Yacht Haulout = Carriacou Vemasca Venezuela Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour Virgin Gorda Voiles Assistance Martinique Wallace & Co Bequia Wallilabou Anchorage St. Vincent Wild Life Expeditions Grenada WIND Martinique Woodstock Boatbuilders Antigua 10 Xanadu Marine Venezuela 23 YES Martinique MP MP = Market Place pages 43 to 45 LOCATION Martinique Trinidad Tortola Grenada St. Maarten St. Thomas Germany St. Vincent St. Vincent Grenada Grenada Martinique Bequia Guadeloupe Grenada Grenada Curagao Marine Diesel Outfitters Diginav Dockwise Yacht Transport Dominica Marine Center Dopco Travel Down Island Real Estate Doyle Offshore Sails Electropics Trinidad Marigot Beach Club Femando's Hideaway Bequia P Marina Zar-Par Food Fair Grenada 36 = Mcintyre Bros. Ltd Fred Marine Guadeloupe 18 Mid Atlantic Yacht Services Gittens Engines Trinidad MP Navimca Gourmet Foods St. Vincent 37 Northem Lights Generators Grenada Marine Grenada 8 Ocean Xperts Grenada Tourism Grenada 11. Perkins Engines Grenadine Island Villas Bequia MP Petit St. Vincent Grenadines Sails Bequia 27 Porthole Restaurant GRPro-Clean Martinique MP Power Boats Horizon Yacht Charters Grenada 41 Quantum Sails lolaire Enterprises UK Renaissance Marina Island Dreams Grenada Santa Barbara Resorts Island Water World Sint Maarten Savon De Mer ii AA on rm rN. = sae he eee SI GIS 6 For over 25 years, Spice Island Marine Services has been known for reliable customer service. The most secure, insurance approved storage in the Southern Caribbean ensures peace of mind with optional steel cradles, yacht tie-downs throughout, and welded stands. This full service boatyard can accommodate yachts up to 70 tons, 85 feet long, and 25 feet wide for your hauling, storage, and repair needs. Centrally located in Prickly Bay, Grenada, near amenities and with its on-site Budget Marine chandlery, Spice Island Marine Services will exceed your expectations. simsco@spiceisle.com « www.spiceislandmarine.com e 473.444.4342 OLO% HRIVA oO > Q w w m™m aa Zz oO oO < U > H lv A9Vd shop islandwaterworld.com what’s new? STORM-BAG the Storm Jib for Roller Furlers Compact Stowage. No need fo install s Baby Stay, or removable inner Fornstay, oS nl of Genoa wnfuriing in high winds. All sheets etc, included. 35 ats in the ranges 6 to 10.5, 10.5 to 12.5 and 12.5 to 15 meters. Priced from $1,400 for a complete system 25 HP Evinrude E-TEC E-Tec technology comes to the 25 horsepower motor range. This new tero-cylinder engine offers the highest fuel efficiency. lightest weight, and most power in its competitive engine class. Only $2,929.50 Cuba - Northeast Guba Chart Kits forieast eo, coastal and approach charts. In addition to th paper charts the kit Includes a CD of the area complete with navigation software. Charts feature fine contours and easy- to-distimguish color gradations of the depth lina, turquoise for € Fed for the 7 meter ye for the 5 meter areas, They're a manageable site for both small and large boats: 2 sheets packaged in a thick plastic exvelope. Great kits, long wwatted for thts arcs Only $124.50 each Store prices good while stocks last and for the month of March only. re Store prices are Caribbean wide freight rates what's on sale in store? McMurdo Smartfind and SmartFind Plus EPIRB GMDSS compliant Non-heza punt. hatlory Ree! furic thoes. Pius has onboard GPS 5 your warranty & battery lite, Buy ome and gel a free MolMunda Grab Bag XL ($99.00 Retell Value) made of vinyl o jpollow thant et: dual Velora! rippes 2 rippered compartments, and 6 loo FREE Grab Bag with purchase! Priced from $827.00 SOLARA M Series Flexible Solar Panels SOLARA Solar Panels are made of V4A high- Grade stainless steel and are small, pliable, very thin and light, When st screwed onto a fiai surtace, the solar panels can be walked on and shape themselves to eighily-curved roofs. Highest efficiency crystal ells with extremely photo- sensitive from seawater resistant highly transparent, and self-cleaning Due to this synthetic surface there need be no fear of broken glass. 23 watt Solara now $399.00 68 watt Solara now $840.00 Stainless Steel Solar Cabin Vent n ibiacion High Capac ty batter, cperaies went for 48 howrs withoul sunlight on a full charge SAVE $70.00 Now $159.25 Island ater World keeps you sailing! = St. Maarten, Cole Bay: + 599.544.5310 Bobby's Marina: + 599.543.7119 + 758.452.1222 * Grenada: + 473.435.2150 Published by Compass Publishing Limited, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and printed by Trinidad Publishing Company Limited