Competitors sailing in the 9th annual Cat Fight Regatta found fresh 15 to 20 knot breezes for the one day event October 28th. Registration the night before had five cats sign up at the prerace party at Foxy's on Jost Van Dyke followed up with Foxy's famous barbeque and live music. The five boat fleet was divided into two classes, over 40 feet and under 40 feet. Unbeknown to the racers that were started by the sponsoring Loyal West End Yacht Club, using the inverted start system according to handicap was that there was not going to be an overall winner of the races, only class winners.

The boats fought their way around the two race course with Rainbow Rider, skippered by Mike Fallis of Bear Cat Charters at the helm, crossing the finish line first in each race. As it turned out, Rainbow Rider was the only cat in their class but they raced hard as if they were going for the Gold! The first race was started just outside Great Harbour and the racers sailed a triangular course upwind to a buoy set to the south of Sandy Cay then a tight reach around Sandy Cay to port, with a down wind run to the finish. The race committee sent the cats on a longer second race taking Sandy Cay to starboard, turning down to the cut at Sopers Hole on Tortola, rounding Great Thatch and back upwind to the set mark and then to the finish. The set mark had a problem holding air and was found to be barely above water as the racers made there rounding making for an interesting navigational issue.

The awards party was in the usual W.E.Y.C. tradition where every boat is a winner with gift certificates given out to each cat. A special "badest cat" award was given to the yacht Sanctuary in the way of a case of Pusser's Rum. After the Cat Fight Regatta, the evening brought on the Halloween Ball at Foxy's with crews dressed up in some very unique costumes. Dancing to the live band went into the wee hours of the spooky night where all had a great time. Even though the turnout for the regatta was a little light this year the Halloween Ball was jam-packed with crews and onlookers.

RESULTS
Over 40' Class	1st place	Rainbow Rider
Under 40' Class	1st place 2nd place 3rd place 4th  place	Scubadu Aristocat II Tabascocat Sanctuary

AAAAARGH!  THE PIRATES ARE BACK
for the VISAR Treasure Hunt

November is looking to be a busy month with VISAR holding two fundraising events in the BVI. The first event is held on Norman Island:

Join the VISAR Treasure Hunt, hunting for treasure in the Sir Francis Drake Channel.  On Saturday, 4 November, put your best pirate crew to the task - decipher 5 cryptic clues, document each successful mission and along the route, pirate vessels for VISAR donations.  Earn points for creativity, accomplishing objectives and successful problem solving - all to win a FUJI digital camera and a $100 Pusser's voucher.  Pirates are then invited to a night of prizes and debauchery Saturday evening at the RBVIYC.  Full pirate regalia is expected!  Sign up Friday, 3 November at RBVIYC from 1730 - 1930 hours.  Entrance fee is $40 per boat.

VISAR is also sponsoring a Market Day on Saturday November 25th, 2006. For additional information contact VISAR at 494-4357 or email at info@visar.org.

Village Cay Marina in Road Town is playing host once more to the Charter Yacht Society's Boat Show starting on the 7th, running till the 11th. Charter yachts from all over the world come to show off their yachts with charter yacht brokers and representatives attending the event. If you are in the area, stop by to admire some of the best yachts that will be chartering in the BVI this upcoming season.

The Rotary Club of Tortola is sponsoring their annual Fun Car Rally on November 11, starting at the festival grounds in Road Town, with the rally making a tour of Tortola, picking up clues to puzzles along the route. Prizes for the winners as well as the best-decorated vehicle. Also at the festival grounds there will be food, drinks and live music. Visitors are welcome to participate with their rental cars also!

Myetts restaurant in Cane Garden Bay is celebrating their 14th Anniversary on the 24th of November with all types of specials and music into the night, with Visar holding their second event of the month on the 25th with their annual Market day swap meet event which brings in money to support Visar.  494-4357 or myettent@surfbvi.com

For those that are going to be in the BVI for the Thanksgiving Holiday, there will be several restaurants serving up turkey with all the trimmings. For those in the West End of Tortola, there is a fun "pot luck" dinner event at the Jolly Roger. The restaurant provides the turkeys and if you can bring a dish to add to the party, that would be appreciated!

Bomba Shack Full Moon Party

October 2006 is looking to be the start of a busy time in the BVI with many businesses jump-starting themselves for the upcoming season. Seems that many are reopening their doors earlier and earlier every year after the August Festival, which signals an end to the traditional season. I for one would like to see the BVI go year-round and change the old hat tradition of literally closing down for months at a time during the summer.

What's happening is plenty. October 6 is the 30th anniversary for the Bomba Shack, with the full moon party slated to be a big one. Out in Trellis Bay, Jeremy has some great things going on out there also for the fireball full moon party.

The Willy T
Finish line for the "Virgins Cup"

The watersports schedule is busy nearly every weekend in October, starting out with the Royal British Virgin Islands Yacht Clubs "Willy T Virgins Cup", where the women are in charge of the helm in this fun race which finishes at Willy "T". The race starts on the 14th outside of Road Harbour. The following weekend is the ever-popular Lowell Wheatley Fishing Tournament in Anegada, one not to miss! Foxy's Cat Fight catamaran race in Jost Van Dyke, is slated for the 28th, with parties galore. Bitter End is hosting the 20th Pro-am regatta starting on the twenty-eighth for eight days of racing with some of the world's best sailors attending.

Many restaurants and hotels are reopening their doors this month also. Among the early openers are the Jolly Roger, Sugar Mill, Tamarind Club, CoCo Plums, and Eclipse are just a few. Airline prices are being slashed so come on down and enjoy all that the BVI has to offer!

KATS Chief Ministers Regatta

The 8th Annual KATS Chief Ministers Regatta was held July 7th – 9th on Tortola, BVI, at Nanny Cay Marina. Friday was an arrival day for the competitors where they were given the opportunity to practice up against the IC 24 racing fleet in the late afternoon.

Eight teams made up the field coming from all over the Caribbean. The venue at Nanny Cay was ideal for the regatta, with camping tents set up on the lawn next to the pool and docks for all the junior sailors to spend the weekend along side each other meshing new and old friends together from previous regattas.

The racing started Saturday morning and went to lunchtime where the Rotary Clubs of Tortola fed the teams. The timing was perfect, as a severe squall passed over minutes after the sailors raced back to the dock. A rotation of boats was made for the second part of the day's racing, making the playing field as fair as possible, even though the IC 24 sloops are a strict one-design class. The team from St. Thomas dominated the day by winning most of the races, showing great teamwork and obvious determination to take the Cup back to the U.S.V.I. once again. The newest team to the Cup Regatta was from Puerto Rico who gave the "Tomians" a run for their money.

Sunday brought perfect conditions with winds blowing 15-18 knots with a steep chop making the sailing downwind exhilarating. The Regatta format changed slightly from Saturday with the sailors racing past the lunch break to get in enough races prior to a team having to leave early to make a flight home.

Honorable Dr. D. Orlando Smith presents
the Chief Ministers Cup to St. Thomas

At the end of the day, St. Thomas managed to hang onto their lead even after being disqualified in one of the races for being over the starting line early. Taking second place and showing the most promise for next year's regatta was Team Puerto Rico, followed by the ever challenging Team Antigua, St. Croix, Team Yellow Tortola, Team Green Tortola, Anguilla, and then Team Bequia.

Hat's off to all of the volunteers, Nanny Cay Marina, Peg Legs Landing, Rotary Clubs of Tortola, and all of the sponsors that made the regatta possible.

CONCH-QUERER takes 1st place in IC 24 Class
Escape BVI Regatta Smugglers Cove, BVI

The 1st Annual Escape BVI Regatta, held on May 13, 2006, was an exhilarating day for all who were at Smugglers Cove, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Clear sunny skies and light winds met participants and attendees after days of heavy flooding and rain making the day a typical one for the BVI. Four classes competed in the regatta - the IC 24 one design, Wind Surfer, Laser, and Dinghies with handicap ratings.

Offshore, the competitors were dealing with the challenging, swiftly changing winds testing their expertise out on the crystalline waters. Onshore, attendees flocked to watch the racing and cheer the participants on while enjoying festivities including live music, activities and a barbeque.

Our thanks and appreciation go out to the many sponsors and participating organizations who pulled together to make this such a successful community event.

To read the full article go to:
1st Annual Escape BVI Regatta

For more photos go to:
Escape BVI Photo Gallery

Smugglers Cove
British Virgin Islands

Escape BVI is proud to announce the 1st Annual Escape BVI Regatta, to be held at Smugglers Cove, Tortola, on May 13, 2006. The format for the regatta combines all of the sailing organizations throughout the BVI's as participants in some capacity, bringing instructors and volunteers together to make the regatta a true community effort in sailing venues. Other sponsors of the regatta, all from Tortola, come from a wide spectrum of businesses, and Escape BVI is pleased to have their support and help with the 1st Annual Regatta.

The racing classes invited to the regatta include the single handed Laser class, the high speed windsurfers, and the most popular one design keel boat in the Caribbean - the IC 24's. Unique to the regatta is the IC 24 fleet using spinnakers, which is the first time in an organized around the buoys regatta. It should prove to be a challenge to the IC 24 crews, on the windward / leeward courses set just outside the point at Smugglers Cove.

The venue itself is very unique, being that the Regatta is the first one ever to be held in Smugglers Cove. An idyllic setting in crystal clear waters, a beautiful beach from which all of the competitors can literally wade through the waters to their boats, which will be moored close to the white sandy beach!

Onshore is the Smugglers Cove Beach Bar, also a main sponsor of the regatta, which is having a live band and  beach barbeque, offering the usual great snorkeling and many fun events going on all day long. One of the best things about the venue is the ability of the spectators on the beach to see yacht racing up close as many of the racers will be just a few hundred yards offshore showing the crowd their skills.

Don't miss this annual event! Sailor or not, everyone in attendance will be guaranteed a great time, and what better place to spend the day than at the number one beach on Tortola, Smugglers Cove!

For further information or to signup for the regatta go to: Escape BVI Regatta - Smugglers Cove