{"id":7791,"date":"2017-10-07T07:52:11","date_gmt":"2017-10-07T12:52:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/?p=7791"},"modified":"2017-10-10T22:16:28","modified_gmt":"2017-10-11T03:16:28","slug":"antiguas-going-to-the-dawgs-totally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/?p=7791","title":{"rendered":"Antigua’s going to the Dawgs. Totally!"},"content":{"rendered":"

On November 2nd more than 70 boats participating in the Salty Dawg Rally to the Caribbean <\/a>will leave Hampton VA to begin their 1,500 mile voyage to Antigua in the eastern Caribbean.\u00a0 After all of the damage wrought by hurricanes this season, it will be nice to visit an island that was spared any damage and to make the trip with so many friends.<\/p>\n

While the nominal start date for the rally is November 2nd, each skipper will make their own decision on when to leave. \u00a0 \u00a0Once underway, we will communicate with each other several times a day via SSB long range radio.\u00a0 Every boat will also be transmitting their location several times each day so that you can keep track of all the boats as they make their way to Antigua.\u00a0 I’ll be posting this shared page as we get closer.<\/p>\n

For me, staying in touch with others in the fleet is a special treat as I am one of those guys who can’t stand to be disconnected from others for more than a moment.\u00a0 And, speaking of “connected”, you can track Pandora’s location all winter by clicking on “Where in the world is Pandora<\/a>” on my home page.<\/p>\n

When we learned that the BVIs, the traditional arrival point for the rally, was so devastated we had to find another spot to visit and as Brenda and as I had enjoyed Antigua last winter I put my hand up “Me! Me!, I’ll make arrangements for the fleet’s arrival in Antigua!”\u00a0 What in &^%$ was I thinking ?\u00a0 \u00a0Oh well.\u00a0 So, here I am, “the guy” who everyone will look to and say “So Bob, are you going to make it worth our while to sail that additional 90 miles, all the way to Antigua?”.\u00a0 \u00a0Yikes! The pressure is on but I can tell you with confidence that it’s going to be a wonderful time, and once we’re there the locals will wonder what happened and say in a loud voice and all together “Antigua is going to the Dawgs, totally!”.\u00a0 Works for me…<\/p>\n

There are a few groups that have really put out for us (me) in helping with planning.\u00a0 \u00a0In no particular order…<\/p>\n

The Antigua Yacht Club <\/a>in Falmouth Antigua, a wonderful, well protected harbor with loads of easy anchoring and great holding, has really rolled out the red carpet to make us feel welcomed and have invited us to many activities. It’s a very friendly club and they have even made their office manager Nesie available to be the “go to source” for our fleet in Antigua and she will answer any questions that our group might have.\u00a0\"\"As an interesting anecdote, AYC is located near a megayacht marina owned by Carlo Falcone\u00a0 a member of AYC, who has registered his yacht, Mariella in the rally.\u00a0 As she’s home ported in Antigua, I don’t know if he’s planning to have her sail with us.\u00a0 She’s a\u00a0 classic Fife yacht from the 30s and in\u00a0<\/a>wonderful condition.\u00a0 As the largest yacht registered in the rally, that would make her “queen of the Dawgs”.<\/p>\n

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This video of the race on day one in the Classic Yacht Regatta in Antigua<\/a> last spring gives you a pretty good feel for what’s in store in Antigua on the water. \u00a0 Who knows, perhaps I will be able to find my way on board Mariella.\u00a0 She actually was the overall winner of the regatta in 2017.\u00a0 That’s me, ever hopeful…