The annual open challenge circumnavigation of Tortola was on pace for success until high surf blocked the record attempt. 

The bid to sail around the island started well and was on-track for success as sailors made excellent time sailing up the channel from their departure point at Road Reef.  However, once the sailors passed under the Beef Island bridge, they saw that high surf conditions were going to prevent them from sailing through the cut in the reef. The sailors turned around their boats and sailed back to the South side of the bridge and picked up a tow around Beef Island. 

Coordinator Andy Morrell said this was a safety measure.

“We didn’t see any cute flags on the beach, but we knew it was unwise to try and take the boats through the big waves,” Morrell stated. 

Having lost an hour adding the Beef Island leg to the course the sailors sailed down the North Shore.  The sea conditions were formidable with big swells rolling towards the beaches.  In fact, the sailors in their 9' Open Bic dinghies would become partially obscured between the large swells.  Wind conditions were ideal between Guana Island and Brewers Bay where the group encountered dolphins.

“That was the high point of the trip,” said Josh Morrell.

 Light and variable winds characterised the run from Cane Garden Bay to Steel Point. In fact the group worried they wouldn’t have enough wind to keep going.  It was 2pm when the group entered the narrows for their battle up the channel.  Strong current always makes sailing up the Narrows (the bottom portion of the Sir Francis Drake Channel) difficult. Fortunately, the wind swung to the North which made for easier going.  It took a good two hours to creep from the end of Frenchman’s Cay to Fort Recovery.

“It was real tough,” explained Jason Puttley.

“The wind was OK but there is lots of current in the channel.”

In the end the six sailors only managed to squeak into Nanny Cay at dusk, just short of their goal of making it back to Road Town. 

The six were Josh and Sam Morrell, Jason Puttley, David Carter, Barney Nockolds and Mollee Donovan.  The sailors raised almost $3,000 a portion of which will be offered to the pediatric ward of Peebles Hospital.

Several companies contributed to the vent including, Conyers Dill and Pearman, Maples and Calder, Golden Hind, Necker Island, Kroll, International Motors, Sable Trust, Island Shipping, TICO, Price Waterhouse Coopers, VP Bank, Caribbean Insurers, HIHO, Ocean Promotions, Nathalie Fay, Nick and Michelle Clark, Guy Eldridge and Mark Forte. 

The organisers thanked Simon Wood and Caribbean Visions for assisting with following the sailors down the North Shore. 

Report & photos by Tropix Media

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