Skipper’s View
and I can’t think of a better person to guide you through it than Don Street. He genuinely has been there and done that. When I was younger I used to wonder why the charts of the Caribbean were called Imray-Iolaire. Well, now makes it all the more remarkable. Bear in mind that this was a long-keeled classic yacht, which must have been a handful even without poking her bows into various uncharted bays. It makes it all the sadder that was recently lost . That said, the Caribbean – particularly the Virgin Islands – would be my first choice to sail engineless. You have a permanent and reliable 20kt breeze and it just makes for heavenly sailing. Having taught out there in Folkboats, I can happily say it provided some of the best sailing I have ever experienced. Those Folkboats were engineless too, but unlike , you could turn them on a sixpence and they didn’t draw a huge amount. I can also safely say that, on balance, they were the best sailing boats I have ever sailed – and also the most uncomfortable to live on. Anyway sailing in the Caribbean is a joy, but not without its drawbacks. The main one is also its greatest asset; you just end up paralysed by the place and its unrelenting, hypnotic beauty. My days there were spent lazing in a hammock in between giving sailing lessons, and I well remember my frustration and exasperation when someone would innocently ask me to take them sailing. How could I possibly leave my hammock? It’s ironic, as nowadays I'd gladly pay money to go for a brisk sail around North Sound in Virgin Gorda in a Folkboat. That brings me back to Don’s article ,which features some of his Imray-Iolaire charts. The whole time I sailed in the North Sound I couldn’t for the life of me find a chart. If I asked, people just looked blank. My first few trips were carried out with a deep feeling of unease until I became familiar with the reefs. To view for the first time one of Don’s charts of the area was a total revelation to me. I therefore raise a rum punch to Don and his departed yacht for their sterling work. If only I had been able to get hold of his.charts back then!
