;)
The Oyster fleet on the dock – clcik to enlargeWe’ve just wrapped a busy winter season after hosting the BVI Spring Regatta, Oyster BVI Regatta, and two rallies: the ARC Europe and the Atlantic Cup.
As host and presenting sponsor for the ninth consecutive year, Nanny Cay was home base for the week-long BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival with the Regatta Village on the beach.
Since the BVI Spring Regatta moved to Nanny Cay in 2002, it has made considerable improvements to its facilities including the creation of the beach – one of the few in the Caribbean at a marina – and substantial electrical upgrades which included additional transformers, outlet pedestals and back up generators to ensure that party-central, the Regatta Village, operated 24/7.
“We’ve undertaken substantial investment to ensure that the infrastructure is in place to host events as efficiently and painlessly as possible. Our maintenance and food and beverage teams are now polished at event set up and catering. Combine our infrastructure with beach, hotel, marina and boatyard with support services, and a variety of shops, and we’ve got an ideal set up for marine and non-related events,” said Miles Sutherland-Pilch, general manager of Nanny Cay.
The Oyster Regatta BVI, held in mid-April, is a bi-annual event which first visited the BVI and Nanny Cay in 2008. Twenty-three yachts, five of which were over 80 feet, toured the BVI in the Regatta with Nanny Cay hosting the opening and closing celebrations. Oyster Regattas and events are run worldwide for owners with the emphasis on fun and include parties and social functions every evening. In recent years prestigious venues such as the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Royal Thames Yacht Club, Royal Southern Yacht Club, New York Yacht Club, Real Club Nautico in Palma and the Royal Yacht Squadron have all hosted Oyster parties.
Oyster Marine, founded in 1973, is an international market-leading builder of world-class, blue water cruising yachts ranging from the Oyster 46 to the Oyster 125. With their distinctive deck saloon design, Oyster yachts are recognised throughout the sailing world for quality, comfort and performance.
ARC Europe, part of the World Cruising’s stable of rally events, is a transatlantic rally which left the BVI for Bermuda and ultimately Portugal, on May 6. The Atlantic Cup, the return rally for the Caribbean 1500 left for the US and Chesapeake Bay, also via Bermuda, a few days earlier on May 2nd.
World yacht rally specialists, World Cruising Club, selected Nanny Cay Resort & Marina as the Caribbean host port for the start of ARC Europe 2009 in November 2008. This move brought the rally to the British Virgin Islands for the first time. ARC Europe is based on the format of the world famous ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) which brings participants out to the Caribbean in November each year.
The Atlantic Cup, run by the Cruising Rally Association, is the companion rally to November’s Caribbean 1500 which brings cruisers to the Caribbean in November each year. The Cruising Rally Association returns to Nanny Cay later this year with the Caribbean 1500, slated to start November 1. The 2010 Caribbean 1500 Rally will be the 21st annual running of this event making it the largest and longest-running offshore cruising event in the Americas.
The rally formats offers the opportunity for cruisers to enjoy the camaraderie, competition, and adventure of trans-ocean sailing with the support network of the rally organizers and fellow ralliers before, during and after the crossing. Both of these events had returned to Nanny Cay for the second time where owners made last minute preparations and relaxed before heading off on their respective voyages.
“It has been a busy few months but not only are we happy to host these events, we’re also very proud that we’ve managed to develop Nanny Cay into a venue that attracts these events,” added Miles. “We’ve got a little bit of down-time before the summer flurry with our Puerto Rican visitors which really kicks off with the July 4th weekend.”
