The new docking facility for visiting yachts arriving in Barbados has been very busy in the last 24 hours with nine more Barbados 50 yachts making landfall at the end of their transatlantic passage from the Cape Verde Islands.
The crew of Balanec: Jean-Marie, Gaelle, Coline and Erell
The first to arrive on day 5 was the French yacht Balanec followed a few minutes later by the British boat Janika Lycka.
Geoffrey, James and Nicholas Bowler of Janika Lycka
There was much excitement when Laridae pulled up alongside Balanec and the children on either side erupting in a chorus of happy greetings.
The crew of Laridae
But the greatest excitement was the arrival of the Swiss yacht Maisie, one of only two boats in Barbados 50 to have started this epic journey in London at the end of July.
Maisie assisted by the marina launch with a little help from Dolojaime’s crew
Rita and Martin happy have sailed well over 5,000 miles to reach Barbados in time for the Independence celebrations
In the meantime several boats had moved into the inner basin, once known as the Careenage, in the very heart of the capital Bridgetown.
Musical barge
On Thursday evening the Barbados 50 crews, plus an audience of several hundred Bajans, were treated to a jazz concert, with the band playing right in front of the bows of their yachts.
The area around the Careenage will be one of the venues for a variety of activities planned for the Independence festivities, and yesterday’s concert was just a foretaste of things to come.
Carlisle Bay anchorage
While most participants have opted for the Careenage, a few decided to anchor in Carlisle Bay and enjoy one of the best beaches in the Caribbean.
- Follow the boats on the live tracking map
- View the list of arrivals
- View more arrival photos on Facebook
Barbados 50 is sponsored by Barbados Tourism Marketing and Tenerife Port Authority.
