Where is the dingy?

Antigua, a British island, claims to have 365 beaches along its twisting turning cloverleaf shaped island. Our overall impression of Antigua is that it has one of the most beautiful coastlines. However, it is in need of reforesting and a course in friendliness. The laundry women rolled their eyes that I would want to do business at their facility. Then when they said $36 US for 2 loads I decided to do it in a bucket. The people in the street rarely greeted you and the service/ tourism people seemed annoyed that we were even here. Clearing out was nearly 2 hours, 6 more copies of forms, formalities and multiple lines before we were free of their bureaucratic stranglehold.

The next morning, a half hour before we are to be on Titan, Angie stepped outside and said, “where is the dingy!!!” Angie says it’s stolen and I say it ain’t. A downwind binocular scan of the bay and I see it on the lee shore. Fortunately, we had the Porta Bote, unfortunately the engine wasn’t starting. I rowed like crazy, bailed out the wave water, and raced back towing the retrieval boat. The last thing we wanted was to be late as guests on a world class racing boat.

Titan’s crew of 20+ is flown in from everywhere for races. Scott welcomed us aboard, LATE, and Titan pulled away from the dock… but Angie’s Wal-mart brownies helped the situation.

When we told him what happened, that the kids had tied up the dingy the night before and it came loose, he joked, “Oh there you go blaming the kids.”He was right. The first time we met Scott, he taught me a valuable life lesson. His philosophy is if someone screwed up and he was the captain, it was his fault for not training or teaching them well enough.

We witnessed perfect orchestration of sails tacking and jibing across the deck, winches screaming, crew relocating to the other rail, as the boat continued speeding along on a new point of sail. Our job besides staying the heck out of the way of unforgiving lines and moving boat parts was to go below and gather the thousands of feet of various sails as they doused one and hoisted another for upwind and downwind. What a rush to go off the wind in complete silence at wind speed (ie. 20 knots)! Now that’s what I call cruising!

After practicing we were welcomed onto the mother-ship, Titan 10” a 120’ mega sailboat that dwarfed the race boat alongside. The crew entertained gave Parker and Sabrina a boat tour followed by treats in the galley. Don’t get any ideas kids. Again, an experience of a lifetime.

For more information on Antigua Race Week and to see the boats:
http://www.sailingweek.com/imc/galleria/index.php?gallery=./Sailing%20Week%2020072