8th Annual Dark and Stormy Anegada Race
WOW! What a weekend – what we didn’t have in wind we certainly made up for in camaraderie. The highly successful 8th "Dark & Stormy" Anegada Race was held March 11 - 14th in the British Virgin Islands. This year, 28 cruiser/racers competed in one of the most fun races of the year. Sponsored by Mt. Gay Rum & Roadtown Wholesale, this weekend regatta is hosted by Neptune's Treasure (Anegada), The Loose Mongoose (East End, Tortola) and The Jolly Roger (West End, Tortola). Smith’s Ferry and a St Thomas ferry brought up people swelling the attendance to 400 +.
The regatta began with registration and a BBQ at The Loose Mongoose on Friday, March 11th, with skippers receiving instructions for some 60 miles of racing. Saturday morning was the start outside of Trellis Bay, Tortola. The Committee Boat, a Bavaria 53, headed up the Race Committee of Mike Kirk (Race Captain), Di Kirk and Peter Ratcliff. The regatta was held in two formats - a general race from Tortola to Anegada on Saturday the 12th and a pursuit format from Anegada to the Jolly Roger, home of the West End Yacht Club who runs the regatta, on Monday the 14th (Commonwealth Day in the BVI). Mitzi McLean did a great job as the land coordinator and had all events down like clockwork.
The only thing needed was more wind. The weather on Saturday was 11 knots out of the east but the race back to the JR was cancelled late in the day due to absence of wind.
After feasting on complementary fish appetizers and a BBQ, the Soares Family, owners of Neptune's Treasure, went all out to present a great lay day on Sunday. Contests were held in dinghy racing, horseshoes and sandcastles with skippers and crews having the options to participate or hit the beautiful beaches of Anegada for the day. Regardless of the choice, all enjoyed a delicious dinner upon their return. Mark and Dean Soares are one of the major suppliers of fish to the BVI so fresh seafood was abundant all weekend. Foxy provided calypso with the Lounge Lizards stroking out favorites and other tunes of infamy on Sunday evening.
Marty Halpern, an originator of the regatta, was emcee for the Awards Ceremony at the Jolly Roger while Mitzi gave out prizes to each entered yacht on Monday night the 13th. Well over 40 horseshoe players arrived at Anegada in a chartered boat from St. Thomas for the famed Inter-Island Horseshoe Championships on Sunday afternoon. All in all, it was a great weekend and we all agreed, “This is what living in the Caribbean is all about!”
RESULTS - DARK & STORMY REGATTA
1st. SHAMROCK, T. Mullens, J-120
2nd LYDIA, C. Haines , Rhodes 33
3rd STORYTELLER, C. Cochran, C&C 39
4th MOAB, J. Tipp/E. Stroh, Morgan 50
5th OFF ISLAND, R. Midgley, Freedom 36
KATS RACES (KIDS & THE SEA)
1st Javon Cooper
2nd Shero Mercer
3rd Amal Maduro
DINGHY RACES
1st T/T KURALU, T. Pinfold
2nd T/T NEPTUNE’S TREASURE, D. Soares
3rd T/T RUFFIAN, M. Halpern
HORSESHOE COMPETITION
1st Men's Singles, A – Steve Riley – USVIB -Norm Dickey - BVI
1st Men’s Doubles, A – David Bryan & Winston Ledee – USVI B – Norm Dickey & Bill Doe - BVI
1st Women's Singles, Ursula Bryan – USVI
1st Women’s Doubles, Ursula Bryan & Lisa Barry - USVI
SAND SCULPTURE
1st HEART OF GOLD – Neelie the Dark & Stormy Dragon
2nd ATTICUS – Castle de Baccaus
3rd Barbey & Beccy Nockolds - Pip
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