A True Sailor's Delight

Imagine a tranquil expanse of blue ocean speckled with schooners and sloops, their sails pregnant with a gentle sea breeze. Sails are billowing proudly as each vessel pushes toward the finish line and the coveted title of "Best of the Bahamas". The Bahamas Regatta, or The National Family Island Regatta as it is now known, is an island tradition established in the early 1950's. It continues to be an exhilarating spectacle.

Annual National Family Island Sailing Regatta
right off February Point's pristine shorelines

Details

The annual event is held in Elizabeth Harbor, just off the shores of the picturesque February Point Resort Estates. Scores of tourists and sailing aficionados flock to Elizabeth Harbor to admire the traditional craftsmanship of the locally-built vessels, and the sheer art of seamanship. The surrounding festivities, and of course, the race itself and the party and auxiliary events make it an annual delight. Last year's (2007) marked the 54th anniversary and was held from April 24th to April 29th. Locals and tourists alike sway to the sultry sounds of calypso, reggae and junkanoo and take in trendy fashion shows, participate in volleyball tournaments and indulge in delectable Bahamian gastronomy. This annual festival is the icing on the cake for the already sought-after island paradise of Exuma.

History

This competition was launched in 1954 by a small group of Bahamian and American yachtsmen. At this time, working sail was quickly diminishing and sailing had an undecided future. They thought that the introduction of a regatta would create an opportunity for cruising yachtsmen to see working sailing fleets and simultaneously introduce them to the grand sailing grounds around the Islands. Subsequently, in late April of that year, the first annual National Family Island Regatta was held in Elizabeth Harbor. Nearly 70 Bahamian vessels participated in the event which comprised three days of racing. Its success encouraged the formation of a committee, the Out Island Squadron, to organize and fund the event in subsequent years.

The Rules

The rules of the race dictate that all competing vessels must be designed, constructed, and sailed by Bahamians. There also exist strict restrictions on the building materials of the boats in order to keep to tradition. The competition draws committed and experienced seamen from all over the Bahamas out to prove their mettle against the best of this area. Competitors are divided into 5 classes, A through E, with a juniors division (C class – under 17 years old), Special Cup races (all classes), and the regatta's three race series for all classes. The rules dictate that the hull, deck and spars must all be wooden, and the sails must be made of canvas. Winches or instruments may not be used in the racing.

And they're off..

The start of the race has a truly frenzied, electric atmosphere that gets the spectators just as frantic as the participants. A shot of gunfire into the air signals the start of the race and the sailors get right to work. The anchors are raised as sails, and hopes, are hoisted high into the warm Bahamian sky. Other vessels are allowed to trail the competitors on the racecourse and it makes for a delightful pell-mell of rafts, yachts, and dinghies, all reveling in the opportunity to heckle and cheer the racers. The racing fleet usually includes 50 to 60 crafts. They can range from 13-foot dinghies with a crew of two seamen to a Class A 28-footer vessel with a crew of 18 seamen. The course extends over a 4-mile radius with competitors having to tack around buoys, sometimes narrowly missing each other. The boisterous annual event always ends with a celebration in Regatta Park, with feisty junkanoo parades and the Nassau Police Band entertaining the crowds.