Fifty-five members of the international yachting group, Ocean Cruising Club, gathered at Fort Shirley to celebrate their sixtieth anniversary last week.
The members, from around the world, sailed into Prince Rupert’s Bay during the week to get together at Fort Shirley, Cabrits National Park, where they had their anniversary lunch.
While here, they visited a number of sites on the island. Representatives came from the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.
Commodore Humphrey Barton of the UK founded the Ocean Cruising Club in 1954 and today it has some 2,000 members.
The qualification for membership is that a yachtsman or woman must have sailed 1,000 miles non-stop in a boat less than 75 feet in length. Vice Commodore Peter Whatley led the group’s visit to Dominica.
Dr. Lennox Honychurch invited them to have their anniversary meeting here when some members visited last year. He gave them a talk on historic Prince Rupert’s Bay and all of the famous sailors who had used the harbour, and events that had occurred here.
Portsmouth caterers Indian River Cuisine provided the lunch, with a menu of local dishes. PAYS, Portsmouth Association of Yacht Services and Security laid on hospitality and arrangements.
Honychurch noted that events such as this are very important for getting the word out there to build up Portsmouth as a popular yachting destination. He said that the Fort Shirley Hostel and a Scuba Dive and Marine Educational Centre would be opened by July and there will be a sailing regatta in May as well as the Jazz ‘n Creole in June.
This is very interesting, especially, in light of the fact that not many cruisers visit our shores due to the lack of appropriate facilities and services… congratulations to all those who were involved in making this happen
good publicity for Dominica
Just the starting of good things to come
Hello and good evening my people. Very nice event and I want to say a special thanks to Dr Honychurch. Now we need a big pier for the boats to anchor.
Amazing!
Dr. Honychurch you are amazing! Thank you for all you do for Dominica.
Anytime I see a gathering of ol white people like that I does get fraid you know… lol
Well make up your mind. Do you want tourism or don’t you. If you don’t want to see this, do not complain when you hear that Dominica does not have enough foreign exchange to pay its bills. Come on, its the 21st century.
You prat !!!
why don’t you be quiet
and learn how to spell.
DNO we are not so stupid in DA. Is it Fort Shirley that is from around the World, or the Group?
Put on your ‘linet’ (spectacles), look for the brain where you left it and read again please.
Dr Honeychurh, as usual, is at the forefront. Keep up the good work.
its amaizing that so much people has nothing to say
on something so positive. this is incredible publicity
do come agan ladies & gents
That’s what I like to hear.
Reading this gives me goose bumps thank u Mr. Honychurch, we can only go up from here I keep saying stay tuned we will be the mountainous island to be recon with we are already being looked at but wait till every thing that’s being put into place now when the world market comes back we will be so strong we will be the envy of the world.
Very good for Dominica.
Great idea. Well Done
Oh oh. I clicked on dislike in error