Nicholson exhibition
Visitors to this year’s 43rd Antigua Charter Yacht Meeting (December 2 to 7) and Antigua Marine Trades Association Trade Show will be able to enjoy a special exhibition celebrating 50 years of chartering, in tribute to VEB Nicholsons and Sons. A permanent exhibition in the AMTA Trade Show tent will be complemented by presentations from Desmond Nicholson in Copper and Lumber.
Desmond’s prints were washed with seawater and rinsed in the scarce supplies of fresh water. The resulting prints of Mollihawk, careening in Bequia and the 1950s Tobago Cays are not to be missed.
Budget Spared
Budget Marine in Grenada was largely undamaged by Hurricane Ivan, the Group are pleased to report. As a result, the 3,200 sq ft facility at the Spice Island Boatyard in Prickly Bay is working full stretch to help rebuild and refit the local Marine industry. Staff at the store wish to extend their thanks to all those who gave assistance following their disaster. Budget Marine Grenada Tel 473-439-1983 [email protected]
4th Triskell Cup
An impressive 60 boats are expected for the 4th Triskell Cup, to be held on the 13/14 November off the south coast of Guadeloupe. With all but one of the entries so far from either Guadeloupe or Martinique, the event is one of the highlights of the Gallic racing calendar in the Caribbean. Go to www.triskellcup.com for results.
Drug yacht rehabilitated
A St Martin Lycee is to be the lucky recipient of a yacht confiscated by French customs in 2003. For the last year, Daniella has been at Sandy Ground, since she was seized by authorities for transporting cocaine and heroine. She will now be used by the Lycee des Iles du Nord, where students will repaint the hull, refit the mast and clean the interior before preparing her for local regattas and cruises next year.
Round the world
As All At Sea went to press, 23 skippers had registered for the 2004 Vendee Globe, starting November 7. The single-handed, non-stop, 23,000-mile race round the world is now in its fifth edition, and starts from Les Sables d’Olonne in France. This year will see 14 skippers compete for the first time, up against experienced Cape crusaders Mike Golding and Roland Jourdain.
Meanwhile, the Global Challenge, has begun. 12 identical 72’ yachts left Portsmouth, UK on October 3, heading the wrong way round the world’s oceans, with a first stop in Buenos Aires. The 29,000-mile trip should arrive back in the UK next July. Follow the action on www.globalchallenge2004.com
Wi-fi in the FWI
Visitors to St Martin’s Marina Fort Louis can now take advantage of an Orange wi-fi ‘hot spot’. The system went up at the end of September and allows high-speed wireless internet access. For full details, go to www.orangecaraibe.com or www.marinafortlouis.com
Five days at sea rescue
A cellphone proved to be the salvation for five sailors, who used it to call the coastguard after 8 days at sea in a life raft. The sailors had abandoned 60ft, converted trawler Inis Mil after the pump broke in a storm, then set fire to the vessel in an attempt to attract attention. It was only when the drifting quintet neared Falmouth that they were able to get a signal on their phone and put through an emergency call.
New Record for Mari Cha IV
Having laid claim to be the world’s fastest sailing yacht with a six day crossing of the Atlantic in 2003, Mari Cha IV has now broken a new record. Robert Miller’s monohull recently became the largest sailing yacht ever to be transported on the deck of a container ship. Loaded up in Long Beach, California, the 140ft thoroughbred took up enough space for 139 containers on her way to Genoa in the Mediterranean.
