Special Thanks To: Bristol Wines and Spirits, Corona Extra and Bacardi Rum.
RTIA Sponsors: Arizona Beverage Co., Chris Thompson Real Estate, Continental Airlines, Grabbers Bar and Grill on Guana Cay, Hope Town Hideaways on Elbow Cay, Hope Town Harbour Lodge on Elbow Cay, Snappas Grill and Chill in Marsh Harbour, Green Turtle Club and Marina & Treasure Cay Hotel Resort and Marina.
Attendance at Regatta Time in Abaco was higher this year than it was in ’07. A stretch of beautiful, tropical weather enhanced the nine day extravaganza of parties and racing within the central part of Great Abaco and its out-islands. Lucky boaters on trawlers, sailboats and power vessels watched, crewed or raced their own sailboats in annual event.
Following is a review of the 2008 Bahamian blast.
In late June and early July, many boats left popular jump-off points in east Florida, crossed the Gulf Stream and worked their way into the northernmost Bahamas. The early summer weather included bouts of windless heat and the occasional fast-forming thunderstorm. On the Little Bahama Bank, boats play cat and mouse with one too many powerful summer thunderstorms storms.
Jay Crawford and Jeff Sanders, on Tortuga, Jay’s 25-foot Albin trawler, buddy cruises with Roy Hutcheson and Bryan Hartley on regatta vet Blown Away. Hailing from Alabama, these mariners clearly enjoyed the adventure. It wasn’t easy though and the boating life always throws in a few challenges or two. On the bank, Tortuga’s alternator bracket snapped. Sparks flew as the loose alternator rattled against the inboard diesel. Jay and Jeff reacted quickly and brought matters under control. Blown Away stood by for moral support. Jay used a generator for power until he could fashion a temporary alternator bracket out of spare parts later in the week.
Angel and I, buddy cruising with fellow singlehander, Bill on Defiant, bee-lined toward the Abacos to help promote the event and mingle with cruising friends. At one point, the pop-up thunderstorms had pinned us on the bank, both boats anchored and cringing under lightning and gale force outflows. The glass over Angel’s oil pressure gauge shattered from the sudden change in air pressure and temperature during one storm. “We saw three tornados in that storm,” noted Dr. Jim Harrison, of s/v Arame. Jim and partner Constance Clark were on the other side of this unruly spate of weather, not too far from Angel and Defiant. Over 60-feet long, Arame motored in place, her big bow facing the winds and her owners staring in disbelief at a neat row of twisting waterspouts in the near distance.
Sailboat Glory Daze, with owners Carl and Suzi Wehe, also had a series of challenges to keep them on their toes. When Glory Daze decided to denude her shaft of its propeller in no-man’s land on the bank, the lost prop couldn’t be found despite a hasty MOB coordinate. Experienced sailors and regatta vets, the Wehe’s did what they could with the too-light, on-the-nose winds (in between those sail-ruffling summer storms) and sailed the rest of the way to Green Turtle Cay. A replacement prop was flown in thanks to Susimi’s help. Brad Riggle and wife, Cindy, enjoying Abaco Regatta since ’02, shared their sailing smarts and crewed on Glory Daze. Hillsboro Inlet Sailing Club members Michael and Brenda Duvall (of Pompano Beach) brought their own boat this time, Magic, to follow the fun. John Bolduc and family had also decided to sail over this year and entered their Hunter30, Latitudes, into the regatta.
The festivities began on July 3rd, with the legendary Cheeseburger in Paradise boat-in party on the sparkling beach of an uninhabited island. Bobb and Patricia Henderson of Stranded Naked Swimwear and scores of volunteers make this Parrot Head’s fantasy into a reality. Revelers stand in the shade of lush trees or wade in crystal clear water over expanses of white sand bars. Ice cold margaritas, rum punch, Kool-Aid for the kids, cheeseburgers, Jimmy Buffett tunes and party games rounded out this dreamy, tropical blast. It’s amiable, family fun and the after the great party, the beach was combed and the island returned to its pristine state. “That cheeseburger party is something else!” enthused John Metz, of Satori. Racing with son, Zander, it’s the boat’s first regatta time and they were having the time of their lives.
July 4th, Race one was a course near Green Turtle Cay. Sailboats were grouped in different fleets, from serious spinnaker-flying hot rods with Kevlar sails to multihulls to slower cruisers who normally don’t race. There’s a place for everyone and the regatta is famous for its family and cruiser-friendly slant. Cruisers with wind generators, not-so-new sails and dinghies dangling from davits were out there racing their own kind and winning prizes. Others left their dinghies in their slips or were they had been anchored and returned to the same spot after the race. It’s daylight and there are so many fellow boaters about, that security was not an issue.
Georgia Garrett’s Island Packet 42, Cloud Dancer, shared a good-natured rivalry with 39’ sistership, Zippity Doo Dah (Carol and Jack Wood’s Island Packet out of Charleston). Already Gone, Don Chalaire’s 44-footer and Blaine Park’s 35’ Imagine were two other Island Packets in the game and these guys often sailed in competitive clumps, creating their own match races on the course. The Green Turtle race concluded with an evening awards and rum party at Settlement Point.
July 5th was a rest day with an evening rum party at Green Turtle Club and Marina. Boaters spent the day doing various local activities (and sleeping off hangovers). Fishing, beach combing, snorkeling, touring the charming settlement, shopping and- of course- repairing or working on one’s boat.
July 6th was the distance race from Green Turtle to Guana Cay. Here, racers had their dinghies towed to the new destination by Bobb and his crew. The finish line was near Great Guana and the afternoon party at Grabbers on Sunset Beach in Fishers Bay.
July 7th was another rest day with an afternoon party in Marsh Harbour at Snappas Bar and Grill. Fresh conch salad was made, and quickly sold out, on the dock by local fishermen.
July 8th was a triangular course between Man-o-War Cay and Marsh Harbour. The after race awards party took place at The Crossing Beach near Marsh Harbour.
July 9th brought the Marsh Harbour Race and more beautiful sailing weather. The awards and rum party at Bristol Wines and Spirits in Marsh Harbour held a cheerful crowd. Local vendors were busy supplying hungry sailors with lobster dinners, conch fritters, peas n’ rice and other local flavors. The party lasted into the night.
July 10, Bahamian Independence Day, was a welcomed rest day.
On July 11th, the last race in the series was held and the final awards and rum party took place at the scenic Hope Town Harbour Lodge. With a breathtaking view of the open Atlantic on one side and a view of the lighthouse on the other side, this party spot was a fine grand finale for a wild week of fun.
