What’s New at Sail Caribbean

Cooper Island Beach Club, Norman Island "Pirates" and Sail Caribbean Divers have committed to provide basic emergency first response care to patrons enjoying the respective resorts' facilities and surrounding waters.  Now, with on-site first aid equipment, oxygen units and newly trained staff, island visitors will receive the immediate emergency care that is so critical in many accident situations until Virgin Islands Search and Rescue (VISAR) arrives on the scene.

Read the full article, "VISAR Encourages Joint Safety Initiative" here!

Sarah Morgan Lee a returning staff captain from our 2009 Bravo Programs, made her mark in the college sailing world eariler this week.  Racing on behalf of Eckerd College, Sarah Morgan Lee and teammate Emilie Mademann took home first place in the B division of the SAISA Women's Qualifer, netting six first place finishes over eight races along the way. With Sarah's help, Eckerd slipped pasted top ranked College of Charleston, and will advance to the ICSA Women's National Championship in Wisconsin at the end of May.

Congratulations to Sarah and the entire Eckerd Sailing Team and good luck in the finals.

US Sailing - College Sailor of the Week

SAISA Women's Qualifier Results

2010 ICSA Women's National Championship Coverage

The American Sailing Association (ASA) has recently released their latest text, Sailing Made Easy. Written by a team with more than 150 years of sail experience, the text marks a milestone in the ASA’s effort to create uniform teaching standards and increase access to sailing activities for anyone interested. The Sailing Made Easy book will be used to teach the first ASA certification, Basic Keelboat.

Charlie Nobles, executive director of the ASA, on the new release: “With its high-quality, detailed illustrations and easy-to-understand sailing lexicon, we expect Sailing Made Easy to help more people discover the joys of sailing…As the leading authority on U.S. sailing instruction, we believe that this is the source book for anyone who is serious about this exciting sport and lifestyle.”

Sail Caribbean will be using the book on two of our programs, Bravo and Echo. Students signed up for the Basic Keelboat Course in our Bravo programs will use it as their course manual, while student in Echo, our college program, will use it as a resource in their self-directed learning.

For ordering information, visit the ASA website by clicking here

Sparked by a new partnership with Dream Yacht Charters- This summer, after two years operating exclusively out of Wickham’s Cay in Road Town, a number of Sail Caribbean programs will have a ‘new’ place to call home. Hodges Creek Marina, nestled neatly in scenic Maya Cove is located on the East End of Tortola about half way between Road Town and Beef Island Airport.

Already the home of the Sail Caribbean Divers and Sail Caribbean’s summer office – programs based out of Hodges Creek will benefit from the same amenities as Wickcam’s Cay including: showers, a swimming pool, and restaurant.  Additionally- the close proximity to our diving operations will be beneficial for our diving intensive and plus programs.

So exciting to have so many familar faces back for 2010.  Who do you recognize?

Here's our first snapshot of some of our returning staff members for the 2010 summer.

Read the full article and see Briana's outstanding photos and interview! (PDF File)

More articles from the Diver's News Network

You asked for a challenging marine biology research adventure.

We listened…and Sierra was born!

    This program’s course work will fuel your passion for all things aquatic. It will strengthen your knowledge and research skills. You must be a certified diver or ready to become one to participate. Join BVI field researchers in a comprehensive, hands-on curriculum focusing on marine ecology. We’ll help you develop methodical research practices and valuable field skills. This is also your chance to make a difference by contributing to local marine conservation efforts. You’ll explore the anatomy of a fish, tow for and identify plankton species, explore marine environment on the microscopic level,  catch and tag sea turtles and record their measurements – all in a perfect outdoor Caribbean classroom. Based on the marine biology topic of your choosing, you may even design and carry out an independent study project and obtain school credit. Join Sierra and you’re sure to become a more educated and effective steward of the seas. Read more about the Sierra program.

Sierra- Tropical Marine Science for Divers

PADI eLearning allows Open Water Divers to complete the written portion of the course online, from the comfort of their own home. Used for the first time in 2009 with our Bravo and Echo programs, the eLearning platform was a great success and has been expanding to included all Sail Caribbean Open Water Programs for 2010.

There are a number of advantages to eLearning as opposed to the traditional classroom model. eLearning is extremely flexible and can be divided into several separate learning sessions to accommodate any student’s attention span or available time. Additionally, eLearning assures consistency since the training is exactly the same of every student. Students must complete required question sets at the end of each section before proceeding. If students need extra support during the course, students have the option to contact a member of Sail Caribbean Divers with questions or concerns.

Most importantly, with the class room work completed before arrival, students can make the most of their time in the Caribbean, moving directly to the most fun part- learning to become qualified, capable, and safe divers!

More about eLearning and the Sail Caribbean Diving Experience
More information from the PADI website (click on course details)

The successes and accomplishment of Sail Caribbean staff members often extend far beyond their tenure in the Caribbean. We would like to take a moment to recognize H.L. DeVore, an oustanding staff member from the 80’s for his recent success at the Shields National Championship.

DeVore, his team, and “Mermaid” recently won the 2009 Shields National Championship held at Chicago Yacht Club. Scoring five top 3 finishes, DeVore took the title by a single point, narrowly defeating the runner up from the host club to capture the National Championship. Congratulations to H.L. DeVore and his entire crew on their recent successes!

Check out the links below for the full story and for more information on the fascinating story of the “Mermaid”

http://larchmontyc.org/2009ShieldsNationals.shtml

http://www.shieldsfleetone.org/Photos/Photos_231_Salvage/231%20salvage.htm

Sail Caribbean is very proud to have one of our staff recognized by US Sailing, the United States National Governing Body for the sport of sailing. Greg Koman has just received a prestigious award, Volunteer Coach of the Year.  Way to go, Greg!!

US SAILING’s 2009 Volunteer Coach of the Year: Greg Koman
When Koman first joined the University of Vermont Sailing Team as the assistant coach in the fall of 2007, he knew the team was up-and-coming and had the potential and talent to take off – and it did. An invaluable asset to the UVM team, Koman, a volunteer, strives to run efficient practices with two coaches and coach boats, allowing the team to focus on upwind, downwind and starting line drills in smaller groups. As a result, this customized and efficient coaching process has had a direct impact on the team and has translated into results. In 2009, the team finished the fall season ranked eighth in the United States and fifth in New England’s collegiate performance rankings. Also thanks to Koman, UVM’s women’s sailing team, which is primarily comprised of young, developing sailors, returned to prominence this fall when they received national recognition in the collegiate rankings...

To read more about Greg, and see the distinguished group of coaches that he joins, go to the US Sailing announcement.

This is something very nice to warm up the holidays for Greg, and for all of us!

Over the past several weeks, students and staff have been posting their best photos from the summer to our Sail Caribbean Facebook Page for their shot at an authentic Sail Caribbean hooded sweatshirt. After much deliberation and careful thought, these seven winning photos have been selected from an outstanding entry field.  Congratulations to all our winners and thank you to everyone who entered.  You can see all of the entries by visiting our Facebook page.

Remember the sea turtles Crush and Squirt in Finding Nemo, riding the East Australian Current?  Well, now there's Suzie, an adult female green turtle, who recently navigated over 400 miles from the Turks & Caicos Islands to the British Virgin Islands, and continues her voyage down the Caribbean chain.  Suzy was tagged and released off East Caicos in late June by the Turks and Caicos Islands Turtle Project.  Her special tag transmits her location whenever she surfaces.  In early September, she left those islands and navigated a near-perfect straight course to the BVI, where she checked out Jost Van Dyke, Tortola and Anegada, before continuing to the Leewards.  Thanks to our friends at the BVI Department of Environment & Fisheries for sharing this story with us.  Read more and check out Suzie's progress.

This summer, Sail Caribbean Divers, our BVI Scuba Diving center, organized a contest for the best underwater photograph taken by a Sail Caribbean student.  The results were emailed to all participants at the end of the summer.  Armando Jenik, our friend and renowned underwater photographer, helped with the final selection of the winners:

1st Place:  Tyler Davidson's photo of a school of fish.  Tyler is the proud winner of a Digital Underwater camera.

1st Runner Up Chase Schoelkopf's photo of a skin diver	2nd Runner Up Neil Hershman's shot of a plane wreck

Well done Tyler and everybody else who sent in their pictures!

The definitive guide to sailing in the British Virgin Islands recognizes Sail Caribbean's 30 year history in its August 2009 YachtGuide edition.  Based on interviews with founder Mike Liese and Mike Rowe, Sail Caribbean Divers' own PADI Course Director, this article describes how Sail Caribbean started in 1979 as "a bit of survival and a bit on a yacht", and has grown into today's leading teen summer adventure program and premier dive center in the BVI.  Check out the full story on BVI YachtGuide.