BE Y
the Newsletter of The Barbados Yacht Club
MESSAGE FROM YOUR COMMODORE
MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER
FOOD & BEVERAGE
SAILING NEWS
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
HIGLIGHTS
KEEPSAKES
BYC NOTICE
SEA OF GAMES
MEMEBERS NOTICE
LOWERING THE FLAG
Peter ThompsonCommodore
Fellow members,
Over the coming months there will be maintenance activities being conducted in various areas of your Club. Our General Manager has already indicated, in her recent weekly update, that the floors to the bathrooms of the Beach Facility are being repaired.
Please continue to monitor our updates so that you are aware of the areas in which works will be conducted and any accommodations being made around the works.
As usual, we apologise for any inconvenience that these works will cause but they are necessary.
Our regular sailing season for 2025 is rapidly coming to a close with the last offshore regatta, the Harris Memorial Offshore Regatta, approaching in June. As usual, we try to conclude the offshore regattas before the hurricane season is in its peak so that the safety of the yachts, crews and owners are not compromised during this time
While on the subject of hurricane season, I cannot stress enough the need to be prepared. From the Club’s perspective, we review the areas of greatest risk and action these areas. In some cases, there are aspects of risk management that can be actioned well in advance of a system, while, in other cases, we have to put the “pedal to the metal” as soon as we are informed of imminent systems.
Boat owners, please also remember to secure your boats and yachts and check them regularly for water settlement in the bilge.
We are also asking for your assistance. If you, in your traversing of the Club, see any areas that we might have missed or of concern, please feel free to let us know You can communicate with the Office and/or our General Manager
From a personal perspective, I hope that you are all preparing for the hurricane season, which starts in another few days Remember, please, that our experiences of the recent past are that we have had events affecting us very early in the season. No longer can we say that we should be concerned from August onwards.
Thank you for your “listening ear”.
Peter Thompson Your Commodore
Fair winds and following seas Fair winds and following seas, may forever you feel, upon your cheek, the salty breeze.
Your spirit lives on in many a heart, your words captured, and never to depart. May your loved ones have the comfort in knowing, to heaven is where you are going. For all that they have to do is look above, and they will be reminded of your love.
Writer Unknown
This is what I wished myself when I decided to assume the Post of General Manager at the Barbados Yacht Club, in December 2024, some 6 long months ago now. I felt myself much adrift at first, having left my previous post after 18 years and braving uncharted waters, scared and excited at the same time.
I thought the phrase was a simple naval blessing, expanded from the phrase from “Moby Dick” , near the end "Let me square the yards, while we may, old man, and make a fair wind of it homeward " ‘A fair wind and following seas’ to me, thereby wishes upon the adventurer, safe passage with accommodating, and even encouraging circumstances This would explain why then it is often used at commencement ceremonies, when people are ‘changing lanes’, naval personnel are taking up new orders or the commissioning ceremony of a vessel.
I am happy to report then that I have indeed been blessed, with beautiful idyllic surroundings, a supportive and encouraging Management Committee, loyal and dedicated staff and best of all welcoming and appreciative Club Members.
I am enjoying all of the hard work, dedication and attention to detail takes to maintain a historic property and the excellent standards of service delivery required, when considered Barbados’ premier private members club.
But in preparing this article I have uncovered several poems, verses, with the same title, all with the same reference point, of wish for a fresh start, with gracious and encouraging support. I think I got my wish for a fair wind and a following sea, here at the Barbados Yacht Club!!
From the desk of Alix C. James, General Manager, Barbados Yacht Club, Written, on Wednesday, May 14 , 2025. th
Fair winds and following seas
Give me fair winds and a following sea, a hearty crew and a starry night; I'll sail from this harbor, wind to the lee, sails unfurled; what a marvelous sight
The sea calls my name and I must go, she whispers to me, entices me on, and I succumb for I already know the power and thrill of that ancient song
Twenty-five years I've walked the decks of frigates, corsairs, men of war, went down with The Nathan; a terrible wreck.
There is no counting the number of scars
And yet, here I am; ready to sail, to haul the lines and take the wheel, to wave goodbye from the portside rail, to feel the waves caressing the keel.
There's a port out there I've yet to see; beautiful women, exotic sights Sign on, my friend, come sail with me across the oceans on starlit nights.
Roger Pierce 2024
BELLBUOY
Hello fellow members,
I hope this message finds you well and enjoying the wonderful atmosphere around the club as we move through May It has been an eventful and energetic few weeks, and I’d like to reflect on some of the wonderful events we’ve shared recently.
We were thrilled to host the Heather Myles concert, which brought a unique energy to the club and was met with enthusiastic feedback. Her performance was truly memorable, and it was a pleasure to see everyone who attended enjoying the night Following on from that, the performance by Nostaljah delivered an entertaining evening that tapped into the spirit of community and connection that we value so much here at the club Thank you to everyone who came out to support these events, your presence makes all the difference and continues to fuel our motivation to plan more experiences in conjunction with the Events Committee.
Behind the scenes, we’ve also been hard at work enhancing the Food and Beverage experience for our members. I’m happy to share that we are in the process of developing an exciting new menu, featuring seasonal dishes and refreshing twists on club favourites We’re also finalizing the planning of the introduction of the new “Rum Shop”
concept at the bar, designed to be relaxed and bring a quick, casual island-inspired vibe to our club experience. We hope this addition will become a fun mainstay.
To ensure that these changes align with what you want to see and experience, we’ve put together a short survey for members to share their feedback and suggestions Your voice is vital in helping us shaping the offerings at the club. I would be grateful if you could take just a few minutes to fill it out.
As always, thank you for your continued support and participation Whether it’s through attending events, sharing ideas, or simply enjoying your time here, your involvement helps us grow and ensure a welcoming and exciting atmosphere Here’s to more great moments and an excellent summer ahead.
Warm regards,
Best regards,
Simon Parravicino Food and Beverage Sub-Committee Chairman
5 BELLBUOY
Results of the Little Man Junior Dinghy Regatta, sponsored by Harris Paints and sailed over two Sundays in April.
Optimist Green Fleet
1 Andrew Hoad st
2 Ayo Sargeant nd
3 Jozef Dass rd
ILCA 6 Class
1 Savannah Stuart st
2 Aaron Stewart nd
O’pen Skiff Class
1 Kai Duncan st
2 Nelson Hope nd
3 Oliver Judd rd
ILCA 7 Class
1 Joseph Whelan st
Sailors in the Optimist Green Fleet
Sunfish Class
1 Dylan Mahon st
2 Samuel Whelan nd
Sailors in the O’pen Skiff Class
Results of the Stansfeld Scott Offshore Regatta 2025, sponsored by Stansfeld Scott and sailed on Sunday, 4 May. th
1 Gus Reader and crew on Glory Daze st
2 Jason Tindale and crew on A-Salt Weapon nd
3 Paul Johnson and crew on Rapajam rd
By Anne Tindale
April and May brought many enjoyable events to the Club! We ended April on a high note with Last Friday featuring the talented JJ Poulter, followed by a lively Beach BBQ with DJ Chris Burke. May kicked off strong as we welcomed Heather Myles for Country on the Beach
A highlight of the month was the fantastic performance by Nostaljah. They had us all dancing to classic hits from the ’70s and ’80s. It was great to see so many of you enjoying the music!
A huge thank you to all our members who came out to celebrate our wonderful mothers. The Mother’s Day buffet breakfast and BBQ were big successes
We also want to recognise our hardworking staff, whose efforts make these events possible. From setup to service, their dedication is truly appreciated.
We hope to see you at Alan Sheppard on Friday, May 30th! It’ll be a great chance to catch up with friends, enjoy the sunset, and dance the night away. We’ll have specials on beer and rum sours, so come down, relax, and enjoy a few
Looking ahead, mark your calendars for Last Friday with Jon Ryttersgaard on June 27th Quiz Night will be taking a short summer break. We’ll keep you posted on the return date.
We always want to hear from you, so please share your thoughts Your feedback means a lot and helps us plan events that everyone can enjoy.
See you at the Club!
Paul Kellman Entertainment Committee
FAIR WINDS APPRECIATIVE SURROUNDINGS ENCOURAGING DEDICATION MANAGEMENT FRIGATES
IDYLLIC
PREMIER EXOTIC OCEANS
HEART
RIDDLEMETHIS
