ANTIGUA RACE WEEK

ANTIGUA RACE WEEK

The KatzenCrew for Antigua Week

 

We were asked to be the Startboat A for the Antigua Race Week and were really happy to do it because we had such fun as the Startboat for the Heineken Regatta earlier this year.

 

We were given a dock at the Antigua Yacht Club and the committee that were on our boat were pretty serious about their job and not as much fun as the crew we had in St Martin, but still a great bunch of people.

 

Our dock at the Antigua Yacht Club

The Captain and the Committee Boat

Pat and David were with us so Pat and I spent one day on the boat and then hopped off for the following days, rather spending our time on the beaches and around Falmouth Harbour. We visited Nelson's Dockyard and enjoyed some good catch up time while the boys sailed. David and Tayne also joined us for a day and Patti and Dawie were introduced to Pain Killer cocktails at the Bumpkins Beach Bar and haven't looked back......!!!

Nelson's Dockyard

There are fish in the Caribbean

Nelson's Dockyard Marina

Lazy Dayz on the Beach

Our Dawie strutting his stuff!! Check the 6 pack!

A Caribbean Gogo Gathering

Cold Caribs are the order of the day

Bumpkins, our favourite little beach bar on Pigeon Beach

A Pain Killer cocktail for the sea urchin wound

 

There was live entertainment on the lawns of the Antigua Yacht club each evening and the prizegiving was held on our doorstep each afternoon. The advantage was that we never had to go out for the whole week, all the parties all came to us! There were great live bands and really good music and entertainment.

 

Amazing Reggae music

Hey mon!!

Our boat was loaded with beers and coldrinks each day that were replenished each morning, so needless to say, we had plenty to consume at the end of the day! We had a really good time with everyone sitting around on our boat till late at night.

The daily scene from our dock

WADADLI!!!!!

Our friends from the Heineken Cup Regatta

Rum Cocktails to end the day

 

LAY DAY CELEBRATIONS

More Pain Killers!

Reggae Music at sunset

The ICAP Leopard Crew causing chaos

While we were watching the Antigua Race we noticed that the Volvo 70 Monster Project race boat was short of crew. Stephen got chatting to them and offered our crew to help them out. Stephen, David, Tayne and Michaela raced on one day and the following day, when Pat and David left, I raced too. What an amazing experience that was. I thought I was going to sit at the back of the boat and just watch.....but no chance!! They needed an extra grinder, called on me, and there I was, grinding away for the entire race! I had never even seen a grinder before and never realised it would be such hard work. The sails are raised and lowered by grinding and so are the daggerboards, so no chance to rest. One just gets a chance to catch your breath and sit on the rail and then it's back to grinding again. It's often gets so hard that you aren't able to turn the handles, you have to put your entire body weight behind it........and all this when the boat is heeling at a 45 degree angle! The Volvo crew were amazing and we managed to pull off a 2nd place to ICAP Leopard, so the pressure was on for the whole race.

 

I was absolutely exhausted after the race, I felt as though I had cycled the Argus Cycle Tour, TWICE, but this was one of the most exciting, challenging things I have ever done. I have new respect for the crew on these race boats, and there are more and more women crew lately. Wow, they need to be fit and strong! We were so privileged to have had this opportunity and it was wonderful to share the experience with my husband and kids.

 

Sadly, at the end of Race Week we had to say goodbye to our very special friends, Pat and David. We had such a happy time with them, Patti cooking up a storm and Dawie keeping a constant supply of alcohol going at all times. They slotted into this yottie lifestyle so well........we're hoping they will join us when we return in a few years time. Big tears were shed as we waved them off. WADADLI!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

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