Caribbean Compass Yachting Magazine January 2015

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Kay Pope has written: “Jolyon Byerley arrived in Antigua in 1957 from Norfolk in the
United Kingdom with his [first] wife Jenny and immediately began skippering charter
yachts for the Nicholsons. An early command was the Caribee, a 90-foot brigantine
owned by Walter Boudreau who built the first hotel in Marigot Bay, St. Lucia in the
1950s. There were many other large yachts which followed during the next years ending
with Le Voyageur, a 138-foot Herreshoff staysail schooner.” Jol then bought the
50-foot double-ended ketch Ron of Argyll, and subsequently Lord Jim, a 73-foot Alden
schooner. More recently, he owned Morningtide, a Sparkman & Stevens 34-foot sloop
that he raced every Thursday afternoon for many years. Later he bought and raced
another 34-foot sloop, a Piper 34 designed by David Boyd, called Springtide.
travelling it was always good to leave something behind to come back for. Sir Robin
says he is leaving his Open 60 in good hands at Grenada Marine Boatyard until May
next year, when he will sail back to Plymouth.
STEVE BRETT/GRENADA SAILING WEEK
Representing the island’s racing and marine trades sectors respectively, Marc
DeCaul (left) and James Pascal (right) welcome Sir Robin Knox-Johnston to Grenada
In the late Sixties, a chartering highlight for Jol Byerly was a photo shoot
for Playboy magazine
Jol was also several times Commodore of Antigua Yacht Club and he played a
major role in establishing and running many yachting events such as Antigua Sailing
Week. His contributions to the Eastern Caribbean yachting industry are invaluable.
Sailing Legend Sir Robin Knox-Johnston visits Grenada
On Sunday November 30th, 2014 Sir Robin Knox-Johnston met informally with about
45 of Grenada’s sailors and marine industry representatives at the Yolo Bar in Port
Louis Marina. In 1969 Sir Robin was the first man to sail solo non-stop in a race around
the world on Suhaili, a 32-foot boat on which many today would not even contemplate
island hopping through the Caribbean. In recognition of his achievement he
was created a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Since then he has
been instrumental in putting single-handed and crewed offshore racing on the
map, competing in numerous events and ending on the podium many times.
Marc DeCaul, Chairman of the Grenada Sailing Week Board, welcomed Sir Robin
and thanked all for coming, after which James Pascall, vice chairman of the Marine
and Yachting Association of Grenada, presented Sir Robin with a gift of Grenada
rum, chocolate and a map and asked why it had taken him so long to visit Grenada.
In reply Sir Robin said he had almost made it to Grenada just before the US intervention
in 1983 and quoted Robert Louis Stevenson, who apparently said that when
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While the world is impressed at his achievement at age 75 of coming in third in class
in the 2014 Route du Rhum across the Atlantic from Brittany to Guadeloupe, arguably
one of the sport’s toughest singlehanded races, Sir Robin says he could have
done even better if he had not started conservatively in order to look after his boat.
Those who were privileged to meet and talk with him can well believe his comment
quoted in The Telegraph: “I am just not ready for the slippers, pipe and television…
just not ready to stop racing yet, and why should I” And Grenadian sailors
could not agree with him more. Up spinnaker!
Photo Exhibition Showcases St. Martin Heritage
On December 6th, guests celebrated the work of talented local photographers at
the grand opening of the 2014 Heritage Photo Exhibition at Grand Case, St. Martin.
The Exhibition showcased photography exploring different dimensions of heritage
from the 2014 Heritage Photo Contest, which was created by Les Fruits de Mer as a
way to spotlight local heritage and photographers, and also to inspire public conversation
around the island’s unique heritage.
Lagoonies Bistro & Bar was transformed into a temporary exhibition space, with custombuilt
hanging panels that displayed an array of breathtaking imagery and thought-provoking
artists’ statements about heritage. Attendees voted for the Erika Cannegieter-
Smith People’s Choice Award, a US$100 prize that honors the founder of Be the Change
SXM. Les Fruits de Mer President Jenn Yerkes says, “This contest and exhibition was developed
as a partnership between Les Fruits de Mer and Be the Change SXM.
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Antigua
Marine Power
Services
268-460-1850
Seagull Yacht Service
Centre
268-720-9638
British Virgin Islands
Cay Electronics
284-494-2400
Marine Maintenance
Services
284-494-3494
Parts & Power
284-494-2830
Dominica
Dominica Marine
Center
767-440-BOAT(2628)
Grenada
Grenada Marine
473-443-1667
Palm Tree Marine
473 443 7256
Martinique
Inboard Diesel
Service
596-596-78-71-96
St Maarten
Electec NV
721-544-2051
Global Marine
721-522-2552
St Lucia
Marintek
758-450-0552
Trinidad and
Tobago
Dockyard Electrics
Ltd
868-634-4272
US Virgin Islands
Plan B
340-714- 1239
Coral Bay Marine
340-776-6665
St Croix Marine
340-773-0289
JANUARY 2015 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 5