As faithful readers already know, we timed our stay in Antigua to include the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta.  Not because we are avid sailors, but because so many of our cruising friends would be there at that time.  Besides, it is a colorful event.  “Classic” in the strictest sense would be defined as a vessel built in the 20s or 30s.  The expanded definition for the purposes of the regatta includes boats built using modern materials but having the fine lines of Classics.  And finally, the regatta definition includes the traditional workboats of the past that are now being used as yachts, such as the Carriacou sloops.

Some of our friends were able to find vessels willing to take them on as crew; many others were volunteering for shore duty as support staff.  Barb and I volunteered as well.  Barb thought she would mostly be manning a reception desk or serving drinks or food, and I was signed up to help vessels get in and out of their slips by using our dinghy as a “bow or stern thruster”.   As it turned out, when I got a chance to get on a press boat in order to photograph the event, I curtailed my thruster duties and switched to photography.  One day on a press boat and another on friend Jack’s Krogen 39 Bodacious, the latter on a very windy day that saw at least three vessels break their masts.  In addition to her other duties, Barb took over the thruster duties, much to the amazement of some of the more sexist owners and observers.  Our most memorable assignment was to create the complementary rum punch for one of the many parties that occurred; we shared that duty with John and Kathy (Oceana), mixing four huge tubs of punch, which of course had to be tested for goodness before opening the gates to the thundering crowds.

Panerai, maker of expensive watches, was one of the sponsors.  Every afternoon they served free drinks and nibblies in their hospitality lounge.  On Sunday night the Sail Maine sponsors served “our” rum punch and a delicious lobster bisque with pieces of fresh baguette.  If a small bowl of bisque wasn’t enough, one could go back for seconds, or thirds, or fourths.  Barb had so many servings of the bisque as well as rum punch that she got sick in the middle of the night.  I was just fine, having stopped at four of each.

On the afternoon of the last day of racing, there was a boat parade of the competitors in and out of English Harbour.  Next day, there was a reprise of the trapeze act that had been hosted by the competitor Tree of Life as it traversed the parade. Mount Gay Rum one night had a party in which they distributed the coveted red caps, earned by purchasing a sufficient number of Mount Gay drinks at several different watering holes throughout the week.  And on the last day, there was a tea in the garden at English Harbour, during which all women were encouraged to wear colorful dresses and hats.   Also at that venue during the tea were dinghy rowing and sculling contests.

Attending the regatta was a great deal of fun.  I am certain that our livers will eventually recover.