ANTIGUA YACHT CLUB

Yesterday was a special day for Yves

Several weeks ago, Yves had been very much impressed by the sailing prowess of Carrick Jones – who sailed an Optimist from Antigua to St Maarten – and set his mind on sailing long distances too.

Yves is a 9 year old boy who grew up in the City of London, started sailing in Antigua Yacht Club and has been sailing in the Polish Yacht Club (YKP) of Gdynia since being 7yo.

At 0800, Yves cast off from Pearns Bay, Antigua, bound for Little Bay, Monserrat!
The day before, he had packed his bag ( a radio, food, drinks), checked his safety inventory (bailer, buoyancy bags, lifejacket, the boat), and revisited the passage plan: Sail for the northern tip of Monserrat portside, Redonda on Starboardside, the wind a quarter off the stern centreline for a good measure of speed. Yves attended the customs formalities in Jolly Harbour – Technically as a passenger of the chase boat 

As Yves sailed though the islets of Pearns Point towards the open water, he realised that this navigation was special: the depth of the sea growing deeper and the swell of the ocean progressively grew longer.
The conditions were mild and progress to the half point has been slow on account of the low wind.
Thankfully, Yves had patience and resolve and was keen to see the journey through. The fear of having to overcome established winds and waves was stronger than the test of patience: thus Yves persevered.

Over the next 9 hours, Yves watched the volcano grow larger over the horizon and saw Antigua fade away in his wake, until the wind died 2 miles short of North West Bluff.  

At last, whilst the sun was about to set, Yves stepped out of his Optimist to make his landfall at the customs’ dock. There, he was not welcomed as a passenger, but as a captain of his own vessel!

Once landed, we were met by Howard Tucker and H E Sarah Tucker, Governor of Monserrat, who gave Yves the warmest of welcome.
His parents, Daria Cabai and Valentin Martin are immensely proud of his determination to see this passage through and that he had navigated the course from aspiration to accomplishment!
 

Many congratulations to Yves.