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The two Wayfarers being sailed are named Campbell MacArthur and Noble Harty. Campbell MacArthur was a doctor and long term resident of Tortola, who contributed greatly to the BVI community. Noble Harty was named, with their parent’s permission, after Campbell Harty (18) and Luke Noble (14), who tragically died in a boating incident in Gorda Sound last week. They had both become friends of the Watersports Centre.
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August
10th 2004 - Day One of the Round Tortola in Eight Days has taken
place. The day began
with visits from North Sails, VITV, The BVI Beacon and a special
visitor The Honourable Mr. Julian Fraser. Boats rigged and
crews aboard we set off up wind to our first port of call Village
Cay Marina, Road Harbour. With weather forcasts already obtained
early this morning, we were prepared to change our plans to sail
on to Cooper Island on the opposite side of Sir Francis Drake Channel.
The winds were fresh on the sail to Village Cay, averaging 16 to
18 knots and as the morning progresed this gradually increased to
over 20 knots with seas building. Whilst the boats with their new
livery on the hulls performed to the TV cameras and general public
alike, the Team leaders Colin, Alison and Tony, decided that it
would be inadvisable to attempt the arduous sail across to Cooper
Island with such a young 'lightweight' crew! Tommorow we will set sail from Village Cay and sadly now, missing Cooper Island, head straight for Marina Cay at the East End of Tortola stopping at Pusser's. Then the final, short distance across to Trellis Bay where we will leave the fleet for the night. As usual all depending on the conditions! |
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Todays
Quotes from the Team Members:.......... |
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11th 2004 - Day Two of the Round Tortola in Eight Days has taken
place. Day two, saw perfect conditions as we sailed from Road Harbour on our way up the south side of Tortola to Marina Cay. Two hours and 40 mins and the first Wayfarer reached the red channel marker off Marina Cay after a brilliant sail. Heavy weight crews were needed to keep the boats flat on the long upwind sail around Beef Island Bluff and then the smaller, lighter members of the team took over to make the most of the broad reach into Marina Cay. After making the boats safe on the dock, lunch was well earned and the 3 girls, as has become tradition already took over the fund raising efforts - chatting to the visitors at Pussers restaurant and answering many questions on their activities afloat. After lunch a short hop across to Trellis Bay where the boats are left till tomorrow thanks to The Loose Mongoose. Below some pics taken today...
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August 12th
2004 - Day three of the “Round Tortola
in eight days” has just finished – we are now half way round! Today saw us sail
from Trellis Bay round to Cane Garden Bay; once again perfect conditions
graced us, allowing for a fantastic sail – and the first leg where we have been
able to use the spinnakers, as we were going downwind. The day started with a hitch though – a lost key for the
safety boat, which meant a call to JR from Island Marine Outfitters. JR soon
had it sorted and us back on the water– So, we eventually left Trellis at 11.10am, sailed past the point of Great Camanoe, then
little Camanoe and through Guana Channel before hoisting the spinnakers and
sailing down the North side of Tortola. Noble Harty led
the way after an uneventful spinnaker set, while Campbell McArthur took two
attempts to get the kite flying - but we won’t hold that against the crew. The wind was blowing 14 -16 knots, with a moderate ground
swell, creating fantastic surfing conditions for the Wayfarers. It really was
an exhilarating ride – Jamie, Kelly and Amanda in Campbell MacArthur (the red
boat) and Stuart and Shak in Noble Harty, the blue boat. The team made what seemed like record time into Cane
Garden Bay,
arriving at 1pm, before putting on a
short sailing display for everyone on the beach – Trevor amusing everybody with
his back flips off the side of the Wayfarer into the warm waters of the bay. Throughout the day we have taken pictures and video footage from the RIB (watch out for the video on VITV news). However, there is one special photo shown below –Colin (left) and Tony in matching shirts and neck ties, as it was the funeral of Campbell Harty today (one of the boys that Noble Harty is named in memory of). All of the close family will be bearing the same neck tie at the funeral, taking place in Atlanta, Georgia. Our thoughts are with the family. Tomorrow, it’s an early start for some great reaching across
to Jost Van Dyke and then back to Sopers Hole, West End |
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"Well
we did it!!!!!!!!!!" Sea Cows Bay (BVIWSC HQ) - Village Cay Marina - Marina Cay - Trellis Bay - Cane Garden Bay - Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke - Sopers Hole - Norman Island - Sea Cows Bay (BVIWSC HQ) We know the final miles but can't publish those yet as there is still a competition going on - closing date 27th August. Round
up Story Jamie Bibby was a highly valuable team member, as a competent sailor and powerboat helm he alternated between the two positions. Amanda Putley and Olivia Newling Ward were not only there every day to sail but each time we arrived at a new harbour or bay they were relied upon to spread the word about the trip and also make sure everyone, both residents and visitors alike knew about the competition that is being run parallel to the challenge. They encouraged the people that greeted us to guess our final nautical miles traveled, with great prizes to be won for the closest estimate pulled ‘out of the hat’ after the closing date of August 27th 2004. Thanks to CCT Boatphone and Caribbean Insurers Marine Limited the adventure was allowed to happen. CTT Boatphone also donated an Innostream 190 GSM Camera phone to the winning entry and Pusser’s West Indies has given one of their special Navigators watches as second prize. If you fancy following in the footsteps of the children and adults of the Round BVI Challenge then the third prize is for you - a Sailing Course at the BVI Watersports Centre! Stuart Jennings was one of the four that took part on each of the legs, his highlight was the down wind sail on the north side of Tortola helming with spinnaker flying. The fourth young lady to take part in the complete week was Kelly McCarthy, just 12 years old, who was the only junior to stay in a wayfarer (a lot of the time helming) for the complete trip and not take the opportunity to ‘rest’ in the Safetyboat. Alison Knights Bramble – Principal of the BVI Watersports Center also sailed the complete course and she had a special reason other than her own love of dinghy sailing. She promised the families of Campbell Harty and Luke Noble - the two boys tragically killed in an accident last week, that she would not leave the Wayfarer named after the boys – the ‘Noble Harty’. Kelly and Alison can now boast a new BVI ‘record’! The achievement was only made possible however because of the team work of everyone involved. Without Shavo and Shak Mercer (who preferred to call the week Round the World in eight days!), Lydell Todman, Sam woods, Trevor Jones and Chloe Ruffell Smith, no one could have succeeded. The last young man to take part had to travel to Tortola from Virgin Gorda to begin his sailing! Macarthur Mackie was there for the hardest, up-wind legs adding his ‘hiking’ abilities to the struggling crews. The record for the furthest traveled to begin the event goes to one of the team Leaders – Tony Okotie a Royal Yachting Association Instructor from the UK, who timed his vacation especially so he could take part with the children! As always there are many others who are so valuable ashore too – Colin who coordinated everything on land and all the venues the boats called in on their way around – thanks go to all of you.
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