BVI Yacht Guide August 2010

The Seduction of Intimacy and Exclusivity at Mooney Bay Estate.

Your Private Playground Awaits.

22 pristine acres surround the distinctive estate house and slope gently to your own secluded bay. Mooney Bay Estate offers nature and luxury in perfect harmony.

Now taking reservations for Fall 2010.

Call 1+888.624.3213 or info@mooneybaybvi.com

Mooney Bay Estate, PO Box 127, North Sound, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands, VG1150 www.mooneybaybvi.com

THE CREW Copy Production Owen Waters, David Blacklock & Traci O'Dea Advertising Production Colin Rathbun, & Nick Cunha Advertising Sales Owen Waters :: owen@alookingglass.com Graphic Design Akiya Brewley & Nick Cunha Executive Producer Colin Rathbun, aLookingGlass Publishing colin@alookingglass.com For additional information contact Nick Cunha or Colin Rathbun at aLookingGlass or visit www.bviyg.com aLookingGlass #7 Road Reef Plaza, P.O. Box 3895 Sea Cows Bay, Tortola, British Virgin Islands t 284.494.7788 f 284.494.8777 www.alookingglass.com | info@alookingglass.com

On the Cover: Modern-day bateaux builders Cover photo by Susan Zaluski for Jost Van Dykes Preservation Society

letter from the editor Welcome to the August issue.

Welcome to our August issue, and we’re halfway through the summer already. Traditionally August is a month when a lot of people travel abroad; it is also one of the best holidays the BVI has to offer with Emancipation Week, where as far as we know just about everyone heads out to make the most of the break right here in the BVI. For us, it’s a look at old and new. We report on the tradition of building old canoes with a youthful interest in Jost Van Dyke, and we look at one of the BVI’s new boat building enterprises of a day-tripping power cat. Both are proud examples that the roots of the Islands still predominantly focus around the sea.

Speaking of new changes, we welcome Akiya Brewley to our team who joins us from studies overseas and is back to the BVI now working with us in the design department.

Also in this issue you will find info on travelling to Dominica with BVI Airways, a Reef Check presentation which achieved a high attendance and also some top recipes from our nautical chef Susie Younkle, whom we have to give a huge congrats to, along with proud husband Matt, on the birth of their baby Elizabeth Jayne, and we give huge thanks for getting us the article on time So, as the summer goes along, we hope you enjoy, and if, like us, you consider this time a little easier to enjoy the islands as the traffic has slowed down a tad, do what you do best and remind yourself why you live here.

See you out on the water.

Owen Waters

aLookingGlass Ltd., publisher of BVI Yacht Guide, assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the content placed in its publications. For the avoidance of doubt, aLookingGlass gives no warranty or guarantee in regards to any information placed in its publications.

BVI Yacht Guide and its contents are the intellectual property of aLookingGlass Ltd. Neither this magazine nor any part of it may be reproduced without written permission from aLookingGlass Ltd.

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AUGUST 2010 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com

Owen Waters

Managing Editor Owen Waters :: owen@alookingglass.com

contents

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Skipper’s Tips: Rules for Cruising (A Random Selection) 7 Our skipper offers thirteen common sense tips for summer cruising in the BVI. Reef Check: What Are Zooxanthellae? And Why Should You Care? 8 Dr. Lianna Jarecki explained the phenomenon of coral bleaching and what we can do to make our reefs more likely to recover from the next event.

EDGE: A Tale of Two Regattas with the BVI Youth Sailing Team 10 The BVI Youth Sailing Team faced rough weather and tough competition but persevered in St Thomas and Kingston, Ontario.

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Provisioning: Frozen Treats on the Boat 12 Chef Susie's recipe for granita will cool down the hottest boaters.

Jost Van Dyke's Boating Traditions 13 Jost Van Dykes Preservation Society walks us through the traditions of bateaux building, and Foxy Callwood reminisces about boating in the old days.

Shoreside Review: Mellow Moods Caters to More Than Just Vegetarians 17 Mellow Moods CafĂŠ, in the heart of Road Town's business district, serves up filling, flavourful veggie fare to herbivores and carnivores in search of a good deal. They also provide catered lunches to local offices.

BVI Airways: Spreading Their Wings 18 It's easier than ever to visit the lush, unspoiled topography of Dominica now that BVI Airways offers direct flights from Beef Island.

Innovation in the BVI The CAT TECH 29 provides day trippers with a smooth ride and a comfortable, fuel-efficient way to explore the islands.

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BVI Yachting Directory 21 Look here for the most up-to-date yacht charter and broker listings. It's a great place to start if you're looking to buy or charter a yacht in the BVI.

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BVI YACHT CHARTERS...

THE BOATS. THE SAILING. THE EXPERIENCE...

“Your service was superb… from my first call to book a charter to our last contact when we headed home from the marina.”

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B V I YA C H T C H A RTER S BVI Yacht Charters is the first port of call for all yacht charters and sales in the BVI. Whether you are looking to charter or to buy, looking for Bareboat or Crewed yachts, a Catamaran or a Monohull, a week or just a few days, our professional team is on hand to make it work, your way.

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T: +1 888 615 4006 or +1 284 494 4289 or E: charters@bviyc.com

BVI YACHT CHARTERS: www.bviyc.com

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49

Skipper's Tips

by David Blacklock

Rules for Cruising (A Random Selection):

Rule #1:

Water lasts in inverse proportion to the amount of hair on the boat.

Teenaged girls aboard? Lasts even less.

Rule #3: Every line needs a stopper knot.

Rule #4 : Pump the head twice as many times as you think is necessary.

Rule #2: If you think it might be time to reef, it's probably too late. But do it anyway.

Rule #5: Running lights don't increase your safety when at anchor or attached to a mooring ball.

Rule #7: Nobody enforces any rules (well, hardly ever).

Rule #6: An anchor light is required when at anchor or on a mooring ball.

Rule #9: Breeze Boosters are for breezes, not for stiff winds.

Rule #11: If you're motoring in a mooring field, anchorage or marina, you're going too fast.

Rule #10: You need a bridle when attached to a mooring ball.

Rule #8:

If you leave a hatch open and go ashore, it will definitely rain.

Rule #12: When in doubt, squirt it with WD40.

Rule #13: When hailing on VHF, there's no need to say “Sailing Vessel Titanic”. Just good old Titanic will do. YG

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Dr. Jarecki points out the zooxanthellae.

What Are Zooxanthellae? And Why Should You Care?

By Traci O’Dea

Recently at the Royal BVI Yacht Club, a large crowd of concerned residents gathered to hear environmental scientist Dr. Lianna Jarecki present “Coral Reefs in Crisis: Bleaching and Resilience in the BVI.” During her presentation, a result of her visit to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Reef Resilience Conference, Dr. Jarecki explained what coral bleaching is and how environmental stressors can be decreased in order to ensure recovery when a bleaching event does occur.

Coral bleaching is a misnomer. When we see white, living coral, it’s not actually bleached or dead or diseased. Rather, the whiteness is an indication that the coral no longer hosts its symbiotic, energyand colour-providing algae. These algae, called zooxanthellae (pronounced zoo-oh-zan-THELL-ee), give healthy corals a golden brown hue. The single-

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celled, photosynthetic algae also provide corals with 90% of their energy requirement through excess sugar compounds that they don’t use.

According to Dr. Jarecki, when sea surface temperatures increase, the zooxanthellae produce free radicals which are damaging to the structure of the coral animal. The corals then purge the zooxanthellae from their tissue in order to protect themselves from the toxic compound, Dr. Jarecki said. But, the problem is that when the corals expel the algae from their bodies, they are also expelling the provider of 90% of their food. “The bleached corals are not actually dead, but they are basically starving; they are severely weakened,” Dr. Jarecki added.

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Two options exist for corals that have been bleached: recovery or disease and death of the coral head. “Under good conditions, with good water quality and low impact, [the coral] could eventually regrow,” Dr. Jarecki said, but if the local marine environment is already compromised, by stressors such as sediment and sewage pollution or boat anchors, the corals will be more susceptible to disease. “If you have multiple stressors and a huge thing like a bleaching event or a storm,” said Dr. Jarecki, “the reef can’t recover.”

Dr. Jarecki cited the lack of sediment control when building new roads as one of the main reasons that the BVI is not providing a low-stress environment for the corals. Dr. Jarecki showed an

of our wetlands have been destroyed and replaced by building sites,” Dr. Jarecki said. “They’re cut down, filled in and built up.”

The lack of protection from pollution runoff and other stressors will inhibit our reefs from recovering when another bleaching event occurs.

“By increasing susceptibility to disease and increasing mortality, we decrease diversity “If you have multiple stressors and a huge thing like a of corals and different organisms on the bleaching event or a storm,” said Dr. Jarecki, “the reef reef, we degrade the can’t recover.” habitats for fish and other organisms,” said Dr. Jarecki. She proposed that the challenge to the rains, “we get a huge pollution spill of sediment BVI is how to locally manage the global crisis that over the marine habitat.” Another problem in the BVI is the diminishing wetlands which act as buffers is coral bleaching. “We can’t protect our reefs from things that are happening globally, such as and filters from runoff and pollution. “About 85% image of the sedimentation runoff on the North Shore after a recent rainfall and commented that the roads being built to Little Bay, Trunk Bay and Lava Flow “generally have very little sediment control. Even though the technology is there, it’s not required by law, and it’s cheaper to build roads and house sites without them.” So every time it

increased sea surface temperatures, but we can promote resiliency—the ability of coral reefs to resist or tolerate or recover from bleaching events.” The best way for us to promote resiliency is to minimize the local stressors and maximize water quality by preserving the wetlands and using sediment control measures when building and installing proper sewage systems. There is hope, according to Dr. Jarecki, because even if one reef is bleached, it can recover under the right conditions, often assisted by healthy, nearby reefs that can provide larvae to reseed the damaged reef, allowing the zooxanthellae to return to feed their host corals, turning them back to their golden brown hue. YG

A crowd gathers at Royal BVI Yacht Club to learn about coral bleaching. Photos by Traci O'Dea.

www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE AUGUST 2010

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EDGE

A Tale of Two Regattas with the BVI Youth Sailing Team

by Justin da Silva.

Sam Morell at the Optinam.

Photo by Optisailing.com.

Most grown adults could learn a thing or two from the kids on the BVI Youth Sailing Team about hard work and dedication. The team of five youth sailors, ranging in age from 11 to 13 years old, had been training five days a week, all the while finishing up their school year with full days of class, studying for exams and wrapping up final projects.

The team had stepped up their training schedules in order to prepare for two international level regattas, the Scotiabank Optimist Regatta in St Thomas, and the Optimist North American Championships in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.The commitment put forth by every member of the team to push each other and improve their skills paid off when they competed in these top-level youth regattas.

The Scotiabank Optimist Regatta hosted by the St Thomas yacht club saw close to 90 sailors from all over the Caribbean and North America. Although many of the BVI Youth Sailing Team members could not attend the pre-event training clinic due to

conflicting exam schedules, they arrived in St Thomas the night before the event excited to sail and to have some large fleet practise before heading to Canada for the North American Optimist Championships.

The regatta started off with a great day of racing seeing Jason Putley and Robert Poole in 1st and 2nd of the blue fleet. Unfortunately, Saturday morning brought a huge cell of low pressure with torrential downpour and severe winds. After the weather cleared up, the fleet was sent out and raced in massive seas and variable wind. The breeze was very shifty and gusty throughout the races, ranging from 5 knots to 25 knots with a six-foot swell. It proved to be an extremely difficult day of racing, and Putley and Poole fell back to 5th and 8th in the blue fleet.

Sunday did not bring any better weather, and after an onshore postponement, the fleet was sent out to race. After two general recalls, a black flag was put into effect, and a race was started in very light breeze.

When the fleet was three-quarters of the way up the windward leg, the breeze started to build but also came with a severe 120-degree wind shift which ultimately led the race committee to abandon the race. The fleet waited for an hour and a half in cold downpour while the race committee tried to set a new course, but the time limit for the day was quickly approaching. The race committee eventually called it a day with no races, and sent the cold, wet fleet back to shore. Jason Putley was awarded 5th in blue fleet and was 23rd overall.

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following day, which was the first time the team had Just two days after returning home from St ever qualified for this event. The wind was so strong Thomas, the team had to pack their gear back up and for the team racing event that simply finishing a race travel to Canada for the Optimist North American was an accomplishment in itself. The team lost their Championships, competing against 200 other sailors first race in a tough match against a Canadian team, who represented 22 countries from all over the but went on to win their second race against Mexico, world. The entire team was worried their sails would eliminating them from the competition. The fleet was not make it due to the size of their sail tubes, but it sent in when the winds picked up to 30 knots and was the other 10 pieces of luggage that ended up were postponed on shore which resulted in racing getting lost, and the sails arrived just fine! After finally being abandoned for the day. receiving the rest of our gear, the team proceeded to The team racing Kingston to get on championship would the water and get carry over to what used to the sailing After a short on-water postponement, the was supposed to conditions before famous Kingston thermal kicked in, and the be a day of rest. the regatta began. wind picked up to a solid 15 to 20 knots.

The first race on The day before the second day of racing officially the team-racing started, a practise championship brought another victory to the BVI in a race was scheduled but could not be started due to tough match against the Trinidad & Tobago team. This lack of wind. The first day of racing saw light winds victory pushed Team BVI forward to the final eight of as the massive fleet was sent out to the race course. the team-racing championships. The next race proved After a short on-water postponement, the famous to be Team BVI’s last in the team-racing event as they Kingston thermal kicked in, and the wind picked up lost a challenging match against a USA team that went to a solid 15 to 20 knots. The team was very keen on to take 2nd place. Fleet racing resumed after the on the great breeze, but the cold water had them Team Racing Championship was completed, and two shivering between races. The second day of racing more great days of sailing were had. By the last day of resulted in the BVI Youth Sailing Team qualifying for the event, the sailors seemed to be running on fumes North American Team Racing Championships the

in the morning while rigging their boats but managed to have their best day of sailing in the entire event.

The team is looking forward to a little time to relax, but they are all keen on getting back to training and preparing for another international event. This level of enthusiasm and hard work, as well as their sheer love for the sport of sailing is extremely admirable and inspiring. YG

Upcoming Races Back to Schools Regatta 4 - 5 Sep Open Sail to Norman Island 25 Sep Pete Sheals Match Racing 2 - 3 Oct Willy-T Virgins Cup Race 9 Oct BVI Schools Regatta 30 - 31 Oct Drakes Channel Treasure Hunt 6 Nov Round Tortola Race 20 Nov O'Neal & Mundy Commodores Cup & Prizes 18 Dec And if that's not enough, check out the forum on www.IC24.org for more weekly beercan racing action right off the southern end of Nanny Cay. IC24s are the new fad in racing and spreading fast to the rest of the Caribbean and North America.

Coach Justin preps his team for a day of racing. Photo by Optisailing.com.

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Provisioning

by Susie Younkle

Frozen Treats on the Boat When guests show up at my boat or house for dinner, many thoughtfully arrive with a bottle of wine or some beer. One evening my friend Carl came over for dinner on my boat with a brown paper bag in tow. But instead of pulling a bottle of wine out of the bag, he pulled out something far more precious to me: a pint of Ben & Jerry’s.

I was delighted by his brilliant surprise, especially when I realized that it was the first time I had ever eaten ice cream on my boat.

Most people, kids and adults alike, love ice cream and other frozen desserts. Sadly, for those of us who spend a lot of time on boats, ice cream is usually an occasional treat from an ice-cream shop or at a friend’s house when on land. While provisioning, we may look longingly at the supermarket coolers filled with enticing frozen treats, but we must forego the temptation to toss these goodies in our cart.

Even if it makes the journey to the boat without melting, ice cream is unlikely to maintain its consistency in a boat freezer. In my experience, it’s rare to find a standard marine freezer that comes anywhere close to matching the cooling ability of a typical kitchen freezer. On older boats or on boats where battery power must be conserved, the freezer may run intermittently…not good conditions for maintaining the integrity of frozen desserts. Unless you have an exceptional boat freezer, and one which operates almost continuously, frozen desserts— whether store-bought or homemade—can be impossible to stock on a boat.

I certainly recognize that the practicalities of life on a boat may require changes and sacrifices, and giving up frozen desserts seemed reasonable. However, a visit from my sister Liz changed my thinking on this

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topic. She suggested that I could be on a boat and have a cool dessert. I just needed to think beyond ice cream.

Her solution to the frozen dessert quandary was the Italian dessert known as granita (or the French granité), a refreshing, icy dessert made primarily of fruit juice, water and sugar. Think of it as a grownup Sno-Cone. During the freezing process, the mixture is stirred occasionally, producing a slightly granular texture, hence the name. Granita doesn’t need to fully freeze, and it can be served with a slightly slushy consistency, so it’s ideal for boats with their notoriously “warm” freezers. And unlike ice cream, sorbet or sherbet, an ice cream maker is not necessary for this easy dessert. It’s a wonderfully light and refreshing way to top off a summer meal and a cool way to satisfy my sweet tooth on a steamy summer night. YG Citrus Granita with Mango-Mint “Salad” ¼ C sugar ¼ C boiling water 1 C freshly squeezed grapefruit juice ¼ C lime juice 1 Tbl grenadine ¾ C finely diced ripe mango 2 tsp finely chopped mint In a medium bowl, combine boiling water and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add fruit juices and grenadine to sugar mixture. Pour all liquid into a shallow baking dish (e.g. an 11” x 7” dish). Place in freezer and freeze for about 4 hours or longer, scraping mixture with a fork every hour or two.

Combine mango and mint in a small bowl. Divide granita among four bowls and top with mango-mint salad. Garnish with mint sprigs if desired. Serves four.

Young bateaux builders finish their craft in Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke. All photos by Susan Zaluski.

Jost Van Dyke’s Boating Traditions

By Jost Van Dykes Preservation Society

Throughout the world, cultural traditions tell a story—the way people interact with their land, nearby bodies of water, and the social, political and economic circumstances, making history and culture important to a wider understanding of the natural environment. JVD is no exception, where cultural traditions reflect a close relationship with the sea and natural materials found on land, while the ruins of past residents leave us with physical clues about the island’s past 800 years.

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Toy boats made from coconut husks and sea grape leaves.

was popular on JVD during the second Starting with the prehalf of the 20th century—galvanized Columbian Amerindians, JVD roofing material and wood, patched residents have always had a with tar found around rocks made these close relationship with the makeshift canoes. surrounding waters, looking to Older residents recall that the the sea for food and transport to other shores. Desire for trade tradition of building bateaux was born sometime in the 1940s, when galvanized and socialization with nearby roofing materials were introduced and islands promoted seafaring skills throughout the Caribbean. started to replace traditional thatch roofing. No Jost Van Dykians seem to Sailing, rowing, fishing and boat remember were the name came from, construction flourished on Jost Van but bateaux, the French word for boats, Dyke; islanders became skilled sailors. is probably connected with “Frenchies,” In the 1918 book The Virgin Islands, the community of St Thomian fishermen Our New Possessions and the British of French descent.

Virgin Islands, DeBooy and Farris wrote, “When locally constructed sloops ruled Bateaux were mostly associated with the island’s children. “We were too poor the waters, the BVI was said to have the best boatmen in the Lesser Antilles, to buy boats like they have today.Those days were hard, but with JVD men they were fun.” The reputed to be the noise of pounding out best among those.” “We were too poor to buy the galvanized metal Fishing, boating, boats like they have today. to build the bateaux sailing, boat is loud. One resident construction and recalls, “We used to drag them back repair have all been an important part into the salt ponds and pound them of island life. For play and recreation, out in the soft mud so it wasn’t loud [for many types of toy boats, made from the adults].” One resident, Dalvin “Din natural materials, such as coconuts Din” Callwood, fondly remembers how have been used. “Bateaux” building Not exactly high-tech, but the sealant should keep out the water.

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during summer rainstorms they would turn over a bateau and hide underneath the makeshift shelters, listening to the sound of the raindrops pounding on the galvanized. Dean Callwood recalls paddling out to visiting yachts in the early days of Jost Van Dyke’s growing tourism industry (these were some of the first charter yachts to visit the BVI).

He laughs, mentioning how they would hope that tourists would give them cookies or other treats.

They would use anything to paddle—their hands, old scrap wood that they might leave

rough or shape. More than one resident remembers using the metal lids of Export Soda Cracker tins. Gerald Chinnery on that topic relates, “We were brave! That was dangerous back then!” Referring to the health of the local reefs, residents recall this item and remember how many fish there were and how the barracuda would dart at the shiny metal tin lids as they dipped into the waters of Great Harbour and the bateau paddler might risk having a finger bitten.

Plywood and galvanized roofing material are the two main materials used for making bateaux.

A JVD Primary School student puts on the finishing touches.

How to Build a Bateau:

(The following method was used by Jost Van Dyke Primary School students in 2010.)

1. With hammers, rocks, mallets and sledge hammers, pound out an approximately 20-foot long sheet of galvanized roofing material until it is flat.

2. Cut the galvanized into two sections to create two boats.

3. Cut a “v-shaped” notch and then angle a 24” piece of 2x4 stock to form the bow post. Bend the galvanized around the bow post and then screw and nail into place.

4. Cut a “u- or v-shaped” transom for the stern. Pull up the galvanized around the shape and then nail it into place.

5. Seal the bow and stern with marine sealant (traditionally, tar was used).

6. Attach 110” x 1’’ strips of wood to each side of the bateau and nail/screw into place.

7. Cut a “v-shaped” piece of plywood for a small decking section to give the bateau added strength.

This piece is optional and will increase durability but was not used traditionally.

8. Name the boat. Examples of names given to bateaux by the students of the Jost Van Dyke Primary School: The Red Hind Rocket,The Cutlass Cruiser,The Man’O-War, Holy Cow!

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Foxy Callwood, perched on a pier, watched the bateaux racing.

Photo by Susan Zaluski.

Foxy Recalls Traditional Boats on Jost Van Dyke (as told to HLSCC student and JVD resident DeShawn Donovan in 2010) After the Customs seized their boat they for transportation to get to Tortola and "Well…my name is Philliciano Callwood other neighboring islands and to buy goods were towing them on the way to Tortola, better known as Foxy, and I was born on they were going good all the time but such as Pampers, which were diapers in Jost Van Dyke in 1938. I was brought up when they reached almost by the Thatch those days, for our children and the one in meeting my father which was Christian Islands those boats high sailed and one particular which was The Providence that I Callwood going fishing and raising livestock went this way and the other went that way used to transport bags of charcoal which such as cattle, and the boat/sloop that I and they cut themselves loose and haul ass I burnt to St Thomas to be sold. I sailed remembered going out with my father in to St Thomas! on a sloop at one point in time where had no deck and no engines. Only a while Like I said, we used to use the sloops it “ran aground” and what the men did in after is when they started to build the for transportation, to get the livestock like that situation was pushed it off as quickly boats with decks. Later on, I even came up sheep, goats and cows and food provisions as possible and another story to be told to be my very own captain, the skipper, of from one place to another, to [go] fishing is one time when the Customs was only one called the Sea Gull which belonged to (setting fish pots), as vessels or water taxi, to in Tortola and was not yet situated over at Benjamin Soare. The last person I could carry passengers and just remember owning to get around and make a the Sea Gull was Abe “I could recall when I was young we used them for transportation little living. When carrying [Coakley] which is the livestock, food provisions, owner of Abe’s by the to get to Tortola and other neighboring islands to buy goods...” and cargo we would make Sea of Little Harbour, two shipments in a month.

Jost Van Dyke. After That is what they were used for in those Jost Van Dyke, so there were these guys a while it ended up sinking in Gardner days and those are some of things that the who came from out of St Thomas that Bay. There were also other sloops that I Endeavor II sloop that is under construction were coming in to Jost Van Dyke in two remembered sailing on named the Lolita, is going to be used for when it is finished sloops but apparently they did not go to The Providence, and The Reliance which was [being] built except it is going to be used for Tortola to clear in, and because they didn’t all Tortola Boats built on Jost Van Dyke. I the main purpose of training and teaching clear the Customs somehow heard about sailed on just about all of them! I could kids how to sail a boat." YG them and came over and seized their boat. recall when I was young we used them

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Shoreside Review:

Mellow Moods Caters to More than Vegetarians

I first discovered Mellow Moods a few years ago, before I ever moved to Tortola. My carnivorous friends from the BVI Beacon regularly order carryout from the popular vegetarian restaurant on Flemming Street, so during one of my early visits to the island, I joined them in the newsroom for this weekly deadline tradition.

Management, the BVI Electricity Cooperation When my lunch container was passed and the Conservation and Fisheries Department. to me, I could barely lift it with one The catering menu at Mellow Moods includes hand. When it sprang open, I discovered all their usual offerings—fried tofu, veggie dinner why—brown rice, beans, tofu, vegetarian lasagne, soya chunks, salad and breadfruit roast, veggie lasagne, ginger soy, barbecue wheat gluten, garden salad, rice and beans, wraps, stuffed the box full. Since then, I’ve eaten veggie nuggets and veggie burgers. “We’re also at the restaurant many times and have introducing a homemade burger,” he said, adding often had lunch delivered to my office. that they are made from spinach, mushrooms or When proprietor Art Christopher became a spicy beans. I also noticed that Mellow Moods has vegetarian and started cooking meals for himself, pizza on their menu. “We make everything from he received encouragement from his family scratch—the dough and sauce, and we use only members, so he set up a booth at Christmas soy cheese,” he told me. Mellow Moods tries to on Main Street. “We had a good response,” Mr. buy local ingredients whenever possible. “I have Christopher said. “From there, it was in the back of this idea that [one day] everything that we cook, my mind. As opportunities came up to start this everything on your plate is locally produced, or cafe, we took it.” He switched gears and careers— regionally produced,” he said. “We try to get a lot moving from working in the financial sector to of our ingredients locally. That is one of our main opening his own restaurant. He opened Mellow goals—to really support our farmers.”

Moods Café below the Virgin Queen in Road Town My friend Charlie joined me for lunch at in 2003. “The restaurant business is challenging,” he Mellow Moods right before the rush, and as we said, “but the fact that you see something that you filled up on our $6 plates of rice and beans, salad, have a genuine interest in developing—that makes tofu and soy patties, we observed the line of it worthwhile.”

Rastas, lawyers, retail clerks and school children As a vegetarian in the BVI, I appreciate extend almost out the door. “Most people that Mr. Christopher’s dedication. Most restaurant eat here are not strict vegetarians,” said Mr. patrons, when they open a menu, have a choice Christopher. “We do have the Rastafarians and of all the items listed—pastas, salads, pizzas, Seventh Day Adventists, and a lot of persons appetizers, entrees, side dishes and toppings in the community who minus a thing or two come just because the that they may not like.

“We make everything from food is affordable. Many Vegetarians in the BVI scratch—the dough and sauce, and are surprised that a plate typically have two or we use only soy cheese,” he told me. of vegetarian food isn’t three choices on the that bad, and they become menu—total, not in regulars.” Mr Christopher each different category. also mentioned that many people who are on But when I visit Mellow Moods, I know I can eat diets and are trying to lose weight are frequent everything they serve. When I attend a catered customers. Women who “might have a Queen function, the same is true. I usually can only pile Show coming up,” he said, will incorporate my plate with one or two things from a buffet Mellow Moods’ fare into their diets. “People or snack on salads and breads instead of the come for all types of different reasons. We try sandwich tray. The thought of having Mellow to develop a community-type atmosphere. That Moods cater an event at my office makes my mouth water. “We do catering, and we’re looking allows us to introduce healthy eating to the community that will hopefully translate into to expand in that area,” Art said. “We’ll cater healthy lifestyles along the way.” And the tasty lunches for up to 50 persons.” Past satisfied food—with spices and sauces that surprise— clients of Mellow Moods Café’s lunch catering keep the community coming back for more. YG service include the Department of Disaster

by Traci O'Dea

Vegetarian barbecue in a tangy sauce.

Photos courtesy of Mellow Mooods.

A veggie burger wrap for a healthy, hearty lunch.

Open from 9am to 7:30pm Monday through Saturday. For catering or delivery orders, call (284) 494.6403. www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE AUGUST 2010

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BVI Airways:

Spreading Their Wings

by Owen Waters

Since our guides began to travel regularly with BVI Airways, we have learnt that they are starting to visit some exotic places, hopefully to be followed up by members of this office!

In talking with pilot and CEO Luke Smith, the flight route has already started to open new destinations such as Antigua, St Maarten and now Dominica.

Personally, I have been to Dominica under some auspicious circumstances, but it was a place that I wanted to return to as opposed to get away from. I’m interested in Luke’s reciting of his experiences there so far, “It has to be one of the most appealing destinations I have come across, largely untapped and bountiful in natural resources—truly beautiful.”

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As far as having the travel bug goes, BVI Airways is keen (like many sailors) to visit the destinations and make excellent partnerships based on connections they make personally. Currently the airline is looking at ways to pass these relationships onto their clients as benefits. For me, enjoying the thrill of a sailing passage and then having the excitement of experiencing the destination is second to none, and as Luke points out, “We can get you there in no time, and you can still have as much fun, just be back in time for work on Monday is all.”

AUGUST 2010 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com

So, temptation calls. I had never thought it so easy to go island hopping, and as the wanderlust grows, I quiz Luke about hurricane season and his 19-seated explorer, “Well, we get plenty of notice, but it’s likely we would go off to Aruba or Florida to wait it out and relax somewhere of choice...And seats, of course, are available. The more the merrier.”

Enjoy some of the snapshots of Dominica.

Hopefully we will bring you some live reports in the not-too-distant future. YG

Red rock formation in northeastern Dominica.

Trafalgar Waterfall in Dominica's lush interior.

A female green iguana suns herself.

Summer Special Tortola to St. Maarten fares as low as $99

Booking Agent

284 494 2347/8 and 284 340 2347 travelplan@romascobvi.com Romasco Place, Admin Drive, Road Town, Tortola BVI. VG1110 284 495 5580 and 284 340 5580 Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, BVI VG1150 www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE AUGUST 2010

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Innovation, the CAT TECH 29, is the perfect way to island hop.

Innovation in the BVI

By Traci O’Dea

Almost a year ago, Yacht Guide reported on a new power catamaran that was being built at the Tortola Yacht Services yard by CAT TECH, a team consisting of Bob Phillips and partners from Island Yacht Management and Golden Hind Chandlery, with a design by OH Rodgers.

The boat is now finished, and she is sleek, comfortable and a pleasure to drive. In fact, I was having so much fun driving her around Road Harbour one morning that I almost passed by Road Reef Marina on my way back to the office, perhaps a subconscious attempt to skive off work and take project manager Miles Fossey, along with local apprentices Jerard Fornord and Jamal Bedford, for a day trip to one of the nearby islands. And that’s exactly what the boat is built for—day trips.

Many of the monohull day-trip boats in the BVI simply serve as transport to and from such popular spots as White Bay, Norman Island or Cooper. But I can imagine hanging out on the deck of the CAT TECH 29 Innovation at one of the secluded coves behind Ginger or snorkelling the Dogs instead of just hopping from one beach bar to another. Though it could serve that purpose as well. When I spoke with apprentice Jamal about what he liked about the boat, he said, “I like that we did it, and we get to take it out. We took it out a couple weeks ago, and it was quite good...we went to Cooper Island, VG, Pirates and then we came back to Tortola. We burned next to no gas, so we didn’t have to top back up the tank.”

Gas efficiency is one of the biggest advantages of the design. According to Miles, Innovation burns about five gallons of fuel per hour when cruising. “She’ll do 26 20

knots in reasonable conditions. Comfortable cruising speed is 22—even on a day like this.” The waters of Road Harbour were a little rolly that morning, but our ride was stable and smooth. To demonstrate her stability, Miles cut the engines amongst the waves, but The straightforward cockpit.

All photos by Traci O'Dea. we barely noticed—that’s the beauty of a catamaran.

When I asked Miles how many people Innovation could hold comfortably, he told me that the team conducted a around at the pristine white deck and chairs, I stability test using 55-gallon drums filled with water that observed that it was too pretty to be a dive boat. I they “stacked about the deck in various places,” and they told Miles that it needed to be a little more battered. got two tons on deck, the equivalent about 20 people.

“Oh, they’ll do that,” he said.

“Whether we get a stability test passed for that or not, More than just the dive boat or day trip version, we’ll wait and see,” he said. “If we did pass it at 20 people, CAT TECH offers buyers options for their customwe’d probably ticket it for 16. At 16, it would allow it ordered boat. “You order your base boat and you to be used as a dive select from your tick list boat—16 people plus how you would like to "Miles cut the engines amongst the their gear.” use the boat—just like The dive boat ordering a car,” Miles waves, but we barely noticed—that's model will be the said. “It’s a versatile the beauty of a catamaran." second version of platform. It was always the CAT TECH 29 planned to be that way.” which is currently being built in the Tortola Yacht Whichever version buyers decide on, I look Services boatyard. “The whole deck becomes flush forward to seeing CAT TECH 29s hanging out at to the back of the boat with a boarding ladder White Bay, sneaking off to the back of Ginger or right between the two hulls,” Miles said of the taking a group of snorkelers to Bronco Billy. And if reconfigured design. An additional advantage for the CAT TECH team ever wants someone to drive dive companies is the fuel efficiency, "Which," Miles the boat around to show it off, I’ll happily volunteer said, "if you’re running snorkel trips, is ideal.” Looking though I can’t guarantee I’ll know where I’m going. YG

AUGUST 2010 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com

BV I

Ya c h t i n g D i re c t o r y RT

SH

Road Town

Soper's Hole

NC

SB

Nanny Cay

Sea Cows Bay

TB

WE

Trellis Bay

West End

EE

VG

East End

Virgin Gorda

YACHT CHARTERS & BROKERS

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Choose either a single line or 50-word description with logo, and send your request to info@alookingglass.com

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www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE AUGUST 2010

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