One of the Caribbean’s greatest regattas is back again in the British Virgin Islands for 2020.

Next month, some 800 sailors and crew from around the world will descend on Tortola for the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival.

This year, the festival will be held from March 30 – April 5.

“The BVI is the mecca for sailing for three very important reasons,” said Bob Phillips, chairman of the regatta. “With its 64 islands and rocks, you never run out of interesting and challenging places to sail. We have protected water in the Sir Francis Drake Channel where most of the racing is done, so even when trade winds are blowing their normal 15, 18, and 20 knots, you still have comfortable conditions for most sailors with the opportunity for ocean-like conditions if desired.”

With all the choices that the BVI has with natural lay marks and islands, the Race Committee has multiple course possibilities to tap into, to mix up the racing each race day. 

Race officers initiate the design of courses on the water to match the tactical conditions, especially in shifting weather so that racing is always challenging.

“Not only is the racing superb, but for those who want to combine a race holiday with cruising before or after, our islands are unbelievably lush with anchorages every 20 minutes – it’s just a comfortable, beautiful place to sail,” Phillips said.

About 60 percent of the BVI Spring Regatta fleet comprises sailors who return year after year, excited for the racing conditions and the opportunity to meet new people as well as reunite with sailing friends.

Jeremy Jablonksi, owner/skipper of the Hanse Avanti, has participated in Spring Regatta annually for many years. 

He won his class last year by just one point over longtime racing friends on the GS52 Cachondo, owned/skippered by Jose Teixidor. 

“Racing against Cachondo last year was an amazing play of minds and sail trim, which was fantastic – the Regatta is always challenging and fun for us,” Jablonski said.

Most of Pamala Baldwin’s young career racing crew have returned to sail with her this season on her boat Liquid, a J122.

Baldwin is a long-time regular on the Caribbean race circuit and prides herself on providing a steppingstone for young sailors to professional racing.

“Team Liquid are looking forward to the challenging conditions that BVI Spring Regatta delivers every year,” said Liquid’s skipper, Jules White. “It always attracts a competitive fleet for us and the variety of courses throughout the week gives every boat a chance to play their hand. It’s always a favorite for us and a pleasure to race in such beautiful waters.”

Local BVI sailors will be engaging in their own “backyard” racing as well.

Mark Sanders from Tortola will be racing his Corsair 31 Island Hops in which he handily won the Sport Multihull class last year with an 8-point lead.

“I have always enjoyed the BVI Spring Regatta from both a social perspective but more so the actual racing element itself,” Sanders said. “The competition is fierce, with many talented racers from all over participating. Last year’s Round the Island race gave us record breaking conditions of SE 18-24kts, it was a day to remember.” 

“We took Island Hops in over 20 knots for the first time, under jib and main alone, then rounded the eastern point of Scrub, launched our rather large Code, and took off like a robber’s dog,” he said. “Island Hops was one of only five boats out of 55 to complete the rounding, which we did in under 3 hours – about the same as the Volvo 70, but on a slightly smaller budget!”

Racing in the competitive sports multihull fleet and knowing local conditions intimately, Joe San Martin, from St. Croix says the BVI Spring Regatta offers “the perfect racing environment.”

He has raced the event 17 times on Piglet, his 23′ Newick trimaran, the first of the small trimarans to enter the Regatta almost 20 years ago. 

Since then, local BVI sailors have embraced sports trimarans with some 8 boats expected to compete this year.

“We absolutely love the venue and everything in Nanny Cay,” San Martin said. “The Nanny Cay staff are committed and involved in the event – there is no better in the Caribbean.”

For more, visit the BVI Spring Regatta.

The post A Must-Visit Caribbean Regatta in the BVI appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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In a tremendously important step for Grand Bahama’s post-Dorian recovery, American Airlines has officially resumed its flights to the island. 

American has relaunched daily nonstop flights between Miami and Freeport, Grand Bahama. 

“American has proudly served the Bahamas for more than 30 years and we are thrilled to be able to once again connect Freeport and Marsh Harbour to the world,” said Richard Elieson, American’s Vice President of International Operations and President of Cargo. “Air connectivity is critical to ongoing recovery efforts.” 

The move comes just about two months after Bahamian national carrier Bahamasair relaunched the first regularly scheduled flights to the island since Dorian. 

“This much needed service will go a long way towards facilitating the recovery of our destination and the return of visitors to Grand Bahama Island,” said Ian Rolle, Acting Chairman of the Grand Bahama Island Tourist Board. “This represents a major milestone in our recovery efforts, and augurs well for the future of our industry.”  

Grand Bahama has quietly been experiencing a tourism recovery. 

Many of its hotel have already reopened, including the popular Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach all-inclusive and Old Bahama Bay Resort, along with properties like the Ocean Reef Resort, the Pelican Bay Hotel, the Royal Islander, the Castaway Resort and Suites, the Bell Channel Inn and the Sunrise Resort and Suites, among others. 

Another hotel property, the Flamingo Bay Resort and Marina, is slated to open this quarter, while the Bootle Bay Fishing Lodge will relaunch for its season in May. 

The island’s crucial cruise sector has also recovered, with Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line and Carnival already having returned to the destination. 

Grand Bahama’s renaissance comes as Abaco, the other Bahamas destination hit hard by Hurricane Dorian, has also quietly begun to rebound. 

Indeed, South Abaco, home to the renowned Abaco Club on Winding Bay and the Sandpiper Inn, is back and open for business. 

— CJ

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Spirit Airlines has continued its rapid Caribbean expansion with a major ramp-up of service to Cancun, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The low-cost carrier has kicked off new nonstop flights to Cancun from five United States cities. 

That includes new flights to Cancun from Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Austin, Nashville and Philadelphia. 

It means Spirit now operates a total of nine daily nonstop flights to Cancun International Airport, the most of any ultra-low-cost carrier, the company said. 

“Continuing our commitment to invest in the experience of our passengers, we are proud to inaugurate these five flights to key cities in the United States, providing them with more opportunities to meet new destinations with so much to offer our travelers,” said Camilo Martelo, director of international airports for Spirit. 

Cancun was actually Spirit’s first-ever international destination when the carrier began service to the Mexican Caribbean in 2003. 

The Cancun flights from Cleveland and Austin to Cancun will both operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. 

Nashville-Cancun and Pittsburgh-Cancun will both run on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. 

The Philadelphia-Cancun flights will be daily service, according to a statement from Spirit Airlines.

The new nonstop flights “help to consolidate the position of [Cancun International Airport] as the most important in [Mexico],” said Carlos Trueba Coll, director of CIP. 

It’s a big boost for the airport, which recently turned around its traffic numbers after flat arrival growth for much of 2019, according to recently-released ASUR, the Mexican firm that operates the airport as part of its broad international portfolio.

And it’s another testament to the surging growth of the Mexican Caribbean at large, which continues to lead the region in new hotel development, from Cancun to fast-expanding Playa del Carmen to the upstart development center of Costa Mujeres, the so-called “New Cancun.”

— CJ

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Saint Lucia’s signature Bay Gardens Hotel has a new look. 

The property, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, is set to complete a series of renovation projects. 

Executive Director of Bay Gardens Resorts Sanovnik Destang says the the property has a “new, fresher look” following “soft” refurbishments to its higher room categories. 

The changes to the rooms include a “modern look incorporating Caribbean blues and corals,” along with new drapery, artwork, cushions, bedside lamps, mats and throws. 

That’s along with the inclusion of new mattresses, wall-mounted smart TVs, ceiling fans and revamped bathrooms. 

It’s the latest change to what is the fastest-growing hotel collection in Saint Lucia.

“It’s a new decade and we will have a distinctively new look,” said Destang.

The Rodney Bay-area hotel has a total of 87 rooms. 

For more, visit the Bay Gardens Hotel.

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