The Caribbean Canter 2008

by Maggie Joyce on 14 May 2008 The Antigua police band wheeled onto the quadrangle in front of the 17th. Century officer’s mess in Nelson’s Dockyard, Antigua to the tune of It’s a Long Way To Tipperary, stopping in front of the Australian and New Zealand flags flying crisply on the cross trees of the dockyard flag mast in the balmy Caribbean trade wind.

The band played two hymns, the Ode to the Fallen was read and a single bugler played the Last Post, followed by a minute of silence and La Reveille and there was not a dry eye among the fifty or so Antipodeans gathered at dawn on ANZAC Day Australian time. The national flag of each country was then lowered as each anthem was played the two-up started!

That same afternoon the yachts of the Caribbean Canter Yacht Rally had arrived in English Harbour after an exhilarating 40 mile race from Guadeloupe, the first in a series of five races. The first two days of the rally were spent stooging around Guadeloupe and the Saintes Island group before we hit Antiqua and the notorious Mount gay Rum beach party.

The next race in the Caribbean Canter Series and the first in Antigua Race Week to Fort James at the entrance to St. Johns Harbour and the party on the beach, previously the Dickenson’s Bay bash, proved to be an occasion as attractive to the Antiguans as to the yachties from all around the world. Food stalls offered BBQ chicken, spare ribs, lobster and hamburgers, all served with Johnny Cakes and potato salad. Several bands pumped out the ubiquitous reggae music to the patter of the gathered locals. 'You havin’ a good time mon?', and we sure were!

We then parted company with the Antiqua Race Week fleet and set sail for St. Kitts, Nevis, St Barts and St Martin – completing our series of five races and experiencing the differences of each of these unique islands. Sumptuous dinners on wide verandas of the old plantation houses contrasted with beach BBQs and 'Killer Bee' cocktails – and culminated with the final night party in St Martins in a restaurant overlooking the yachts moored in the base. Several of the crews took it on themselves to organise entertainment for the final night and the next day we broke up into groups and singles heading in different directions to pursue new horizons.

The event was organised by Mariner Boating Holidays and the next event for this year will depart from Kusadasi, Turkey and be followed by events in Croatia, Tonga, Greece, Sardinia and Thailand.

For details call Mariner Boating Holidays 61+ (02) 99661244 or email info(at)@marinerboating.com.au

www.marinerboating.com.au