The tradition of mixing rum and cola came to us from the Caribbean islands. Instead of cola, locals used mixtures of fresh juices, and the drink that is called rum punch by the natives, became a symbol of the islands.
Another legend of the Caribbean was Bob Marley. A simple guy from Jamaica became not only an idol to millions of listeners, but also a symbol of a generation. In times of Caribbean pirates the islands were divided between Britain , France and Holland . With the collapse of colonialism, the British Isles became independent, Dutch ones became offshore zones where the euro and the dollar are equal if paid in cash , and the French joined the French overseas territories. British Isles use a single currency – Eastern Carribbean Dollar (EC), and the rest use the euro.
Eight years ago, a wealthy audience found a new hobby – sailing races. A group of businessmen and top managers, solo and in companies has gotten used to sailing yachts being an informal setting to forge new business connections in a series of races and parties. In the country there is a new fashion for leisure sailing. Since then, every year, in March, the Caribbean sailing regatta is held, gathering under their sails over a hundred participants.
In March of this year, on the islands of Martinique and St. Lucia, the sixth Caribbean sailing festival will occur. Sailing Festival is primarily a social gathering, a kind of crossroads where a large number of similar people can converse freely. Those who first come here find themselves amongst a positive audience, open to each other. And apart from this the festival includes racing sailing boats , with nightly rewards, interesting journeys to the Caribbean islands , a small dose of formality and a lot of positive impressions. Looking from the outside you would think that the festival is something like a summer camp for adults , where respectable men and women take off their “armor “of suits and formality and become children in shorts. And the atmosphere of openness in the sand of wild beaches, reggae music and glasses of rum opens hearts and souls and encourages communication. Participants tend to think about winning.
Organizers of security and the comfort of the participants. The program is designed so that beginners do not have to worry about accommodation, meals, or placements on yachts. All that is taken care of by the organizing committee. For a beginner the most important part is listening to the captain. And one can talk endlessly about the captains at the festival. Most of them – professional captains associated with sailing for all their life. But another part, which increases annually – are captains who are also businessmen. Although their racing experience is inferior to professionals, their life and professional ” Experience ” are in tune with the mood of the participants. Every morning, while participants have breakfast, captains hold a briefing on the catamarans of the judges, and then the fleet comes out into the open sea where the start is given . The race is designed so that participants receive the necessary adrenaline, tire moderately , but come to the finish on time, because the festival is non-stop action where one event always precedes another . Many have said – ” a week has passed as one long day.”
Nobody doubts that the Caribbean adventure this year, participants will remember for a long time . The program contains the official reception of the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia Carnival , swimming in waterfalls and the traditional lobster party. Hundreds of businessmen will land on the French Martinique on March 21. Check in at the hotel, then – catamarans , the opening ceremony and a week of Caribbean fun. A great opportunity to reduce winter , turning it into summer, and return home with the winner’s trophy in hands, a golden tan and a couple dozen new friends.
photos: rusregata.ru, bvispringregatta.org