Holidays

As a United States Territory, we celebrate all state holidays, including Christmas. Remember, Jesus was born under a palm tree in a stable. We also celebrate Dutch holidays, British Holidays, and whatever holiday we can think of so the VI government can have a day off.

CAT FIGHTS written by Bareboats, BVI

Every year, Foxy and the West End Yacht Club host the annual Cat Fight Sailing Regatta sponsored by the Catamaran Company. The races take place on the Saturday closest to Halloween.
Catamarans of varying sizes congregate in Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke to fight it out for the coveted, "Baddest Cat Award". The races are followed by the awards ceremony, a buffet dinner at Foxy's Tamarind Bar & Restaurant and an incomparable halloween party ... BVI style!
The West End Yacht Club is known throughout the Caribbean for their "Come One, Come All" approach to sailing races. Our only real race rule (which is actually enforced) is that if one yacht hits another, both yachts will be disqualified regardless of which cat is at fault.
Depending upon wind and weather, there are usually two races in the Cat Fight Regatta. The first is a short, triangular course which starts at the mouth of Great Harbour off Jost Van Dyke with the windward leg heading off towards Cane Garden Bay. Then around the windward mark, leaving Sandy Cay to port and the last leg is downhill to the start/finish line.

Provided wind and weather cooperate, the second race is somewhat more challenging. This time the course takes sailors up around Sandy Cay leaving the island to starboard. A nice long reach around Great Thatch Island always separates the wheat from the chaff as distance is made between the lead racers and the also rans. Then its back up to the windward mark and then down wind to the start/finish line.

 
Foxy's Cat Fight is one of the most fun and laid back sailing races in the British Virgin Islands!
Because of the friendly atmosphere, this regatta attracts veteran racers, bareboat charter guests and racing newbies from all over the Caribbean and further afield. Everyone is welcome to enter the race as long as they have a catamaran, know the rules of the road and have the desire to make their boat go fast.
All the race committee asks is that all catamarans entering the Cat Fight be seaworthy, carry coast guard required safety equipment and that you don't hit the committee boat. The cardinal rule for all West End Yacht Club races is to have fun! Our crew certainly does and though we have managed to win our division three years in a row ... (on three different boats I might add) ... the Budweiser blow up sofa on the bow pretty much sets the tone for our racing style!

Rainbow Rider puts up a wake on the windward leg to Sandy Cay
The results for the 2006 Cat Fight are as follows:
Over 40ft Class: 
First Place: Bahia 46 - Rainbow Rider
Captain Mike Fallis & The West End Yacht Club Hoolligans (including me)
Under 40ft Class:
First Place: Norseman 400 - Scubadu
Captain Joe Mellen

Second Place: Island Spirit 40' - Aristocat II
Captain Mike Kneafsey

Third Place: - Tabascocat (not sure of make and model) 
Captain Jon Pruden

Fourth Place: Island Spirit 37 - Sanctuary
Captain Jason Gras

The Baddest Cat Award went to captain Jason Gras ( a bareboat participant) aboard the yacht, Sanctuary!



Sanctuary may have won the prize ...

but who was the Baddest Cat?
As we sat down to dinner, a black cat (fitting addition to any Halloween Party) appeared. She brushed up against my leg and did all the usual feline things to make herself appealing. I reached across the table to grab my camera. She was not at all impressed when I took her picture instead of feeding her a tasty morsel! For that look, I think she should win the honourary "Baddest Cat Award"!


Rounding Sandy Cay - Scubadu follows the crew of Rainbow Rider
The 2006 Cat Fight was somewhat more challenging than usual thanks to the marvelous missing mark! Our crew aboard Rainbow Rider was mostly manned by aging sailors with less than perfect eyesight. After rounding the eastern tip of Great Thatch Island, (with a commanding lead on the rest of the fleet) we tried to spot the windward mark so that we could set our course.

Historical Highlights

Besides all the Holidays the the US Virgin Islands have, here are some interested historical dates...

300 BC - 1500 AD: Taino Indians inhabit St. Thomas
1493: Christopher Columbus names the island San Tomas
1585: Sir Fancis Drake sails though the channel between the U.S. and British Virgins, now known as Drake’s Passage
1607: Captain John Smith stops by, enroute to Virginia, to establish the first English colony in America
1666: Denmark plants her flag on St. Thomas
1671: Fort Christian erected as protection for colonists from pirates and other invaders.
1673: The first Africans arrive to be sold into slavery.
1678: Additional protection added - two hilltop towers, now known as Blackbeard’s and Bluebeard’s Castles.
1688: The first census. St. Thomas population: 146 whites; 422 blacks.
1691: Charlotte Amalie, first known as Taphus (for tap house), is founded.
1694: Denmark claims St. John
1717: St. Thomas planter start cultivation of sugar can on St. John.
1733: Denmark buys St. Croix from France.
1733: Slaves revolt on St. John, hold island for 6 months.
1760: Coral Bay, St. John is laid out in town lots (to date, no town).
1764: St. Thomas proclaim a free port.
1787: Lord Neison visits St. John and Tortola.
1801: British capture the islands.
1802: They return them to Denmark.
1804: Fire burns much of Charlotte Amalie.
1834: End of racial segregation between whiles and free blacks proclaimed.
1839: Compulsory education decreed.
1848: Emancipation of slaves in the Danish West Indies.
1867: U.S. offers Denmark 7.5 million for St. Thomas and St. John. Refused.
1900: By turn of century sugar can production is all but over.
1917: U.S. buys Danish West Indies for 25 million in gold. They become the U.S. Virgin Islands under jurisdiction of U.S. Navy.
1927: U.S. citizenship granted to Virgin Islanders.
1931: Islands transferred from Navy to Interior Dept.
1936: Women receive right to vote in local elections.
1939: Navy establishes submarine base.
1941: Navy builds airport, roads, housing. Remains through the WWII.
1950: Total of 26, 650 tourists (14,000 by ship, 12, 650 by air) visit island. Forty years later the total climbs to 1, 767,299.
1956: Virgin Islands National Park established on St. John.
1962: University of the Virgin Islands founded.
1968: U.S. Congress passes act allowing residents to elect their own governor. Previously, governors appointed by the U.S. President.
1972: U.S. Virgin Islands elect their first delegate to Congress.
1990: Modern airport terminal replaces WWII hangar.
1998: Virgin Island celebrate 150th anniversary of Emancipation.

Eastern Car Shop

When visitors come into town, I have people say to me all the time... wow, you live in paradise. What is it like living here? I wish I had your life. But what they don't seem to see pass the pina colada they are sipping down, is that living here is a different story then visiting here. Granted, it is beautiful here, but you realize all the things you take for granted living in the states. I had a friend Christopher call up and ask a local car shop if his car will be ready. We'll call this place, Eastern Car Shop to protect the innocent. Very politely, the lady on the other side of the phone asked him to hold and she’ll find out. Moments later she comes back and she replies... “I donut know. Call back tomorrow”. So I guess that means... "No".