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Fair Winds at the Bitter EndBy Brooke CunninghamFlying through the richly sparkling night with its sliver of new moon under a tapestry of more stars than are possible, over the mysteriously bio-luminescent warm ocean, surrounded by irregular dense black shapes representing islands and buffeted by the soothing tropical air, we make the last leg of the journey to The Bitter End. All the way from Tortola across the sound to Virgin Gorda I had flutters in my stomach, sheer eagerness to arrive while at the same time, not wanting to miss one minute of this 40-minute surreal passage. I think of all of the transitions between my every day life and the beautiful adventure that I know awaits, this one is my favorite.
On my third visit, arriving during the day by sailboat we hadn't even coiled the lines when a zodiac went charging by with someone waving and calling "Hi Brooke, I'll be back in a few minutes!". Jason, living 4 years at BEYC. That night at dinner, Shirley put her hand on my shoulder in passing and said "Welcome back Brooke" with her signature big grin, even though she was not our waitress that night. It would be nice to believe that all of this was due to my charming personality, but really I think that the 80 or so people who live and work at BEYC are genuinely engaging in a dynamic community where new and familiar faces are always an unexpected treat.
While you are taking it all in, you are quite likely to see some amazing yachts, moving about North Sound. Beowulf is a 76' aluminum hulled yacht sailed around the planet By Steve and Linda Deshew. This boat and many other celebrities of the sailing world I think this is one of the best places I have found for families which contain some members who love to sail and others that don't or can't. It has an asset beyond great warmth, great food, fun, and beauty. Anytime we want we can stop in at Yacht Shots and request Guy to take shots of us sailing, snorkeling or simply enjoying the beach, and we will have the pictures before dinner. I spend most of my life standing behind a camera, but I purchased three of Guys that were taken during events at BETC. They keep me warm during the long white Vermont winters.
Dates, rates and information on the Bitter End Yacht Club can be found at http://www.beyc.com or by emailing binfo@beyc.com |
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TM
This is not the first time I have arrived
at Bitter End at night, in fact it is my third. This eager anticipation is
in part the result of my second arrival there. I travel quite a lot, and
don't generally try to replicate experiences, but to go to places I like
with different missions. The first visit I took part in the All Women's
Sailing Week for a week (which I can't recommend enough*). As I stepped onto
the dock for my second week at BEYC, this time to attend the Pro-Am
Regatta**, Mary Joe came out calling me by name. Tony the golf cart limo
driver picked up my luggage to told me that I had my same cottage from last
year. They all seemed to remember me, and made me feel as if they had been
waiting all day for just that moment when I would arrive. It was only my
second visit and it felt like a reunion.
With a hundred or so boats of varied
sizes spread out before you, Bitter End is a sailor's candy store. For
people who want to learn it is a living organization of people whose love of
water sports is so infectious, that you would need a vaccination not to
catch it. For spouses, children, partners and sun lovers in general who
prefer to swim, read or graze through a week in the Caribbean, there are
snorkeling, hiking, exploring and poolside options that could happily pass a
week. For any and all a week contains huge buffets, steel drum bands,
cocktail gatherings, dinners under the stars and lazy days on shaded chaises
under the palms with sandy toes, cool drinks and good books. All of this
sits beside the hundred shades of turquoise that make up North Sound.
The All Women's Sailing Week was for
me a gathering of 28 women who had sailed for years but always with their
husbands driving, or had some experience and wanted to improve sailing
skills, or had no experience and wanted to immerse themselves into a week of
learning how surrounded by other women sailors. We all seemed to get what we
came for and make great friends in the process. 
The Dry Creek Vineyard Pro-Am Regatta
is held annually at BEYC, and is a reunion between veteran world class
sailors, current world class sailors and any guest with the good sense to be
there can crew in a series of races with these rock stars. Be they sailors
or not, dinners, Scuttlebutt Regatta, time to swim, daily races, informal
gatherings to get to know one another as well as time to read alone males
this a great week at BEYC.