BITTER END TO TRELLIS BAY
Written by Caroline, Social Media Mate on White Pearl
Today was my turn at the helm on WP, with Katie D navigating — a duo we were very happy with. We kicked things off with a D.O.G.I at Bitter End, which stands for Descent Of General Information, basically our version of an explore-and-learn session around the anchorage. Fun fact about Bitter End Yacht Club: it’s only accessible by water, which is exactly how it earned its name. What started in 1969 as little more than a few cottages and a ramshackle bar has grown into one of the most iconic sailing destinations in the world, and honestly, anchoring up there you can feel why. We then gathered for an important lesson on keeping everyone safe throughout the summer, the kind of conversation that grounds you heading into a big season.
From there, we made our way to the beautiful Trellis Bay, where the real excitement hit: the provisions order arrived. Huge shoutout to Meghan and Melissa for pulling that order together and getting everything sorted between boats and delivered to Grizz and White Pearl without a hitch. While that was happening, Katie Dickson quietly dinghy-certified Max and Keegan, which deserves its own round of applause.
Azra and Murph knocked lunch out of the park and the vibes were seriously high, you can see it in the pictures below. We then came together across boats for a staff community service meeting led by Murph and Mike, which was a really meaningful one. Hearing about Sail Caribbean’s history with the BVI and the community service work that’s woven into this programme reminded everyone why we’re here.
We wrapped up covering staff policies and expectations, all of it pointing toward making this another incredible summer. After dinner and a solid boat clean, we headed ashore at Trellis for the Full Moon Festival. There was a fire show, five local dancers and artists, and good energy absolutely everywhere. The kind of night off that reminds you that you’re in one of the most beautiful places in the world. We returned to the boats, powered down, and reflected on another day well done.
TRELLIS BAY TO LITTLE HARBOUR
Written by Min Min, Mate/Captain on Grizzslayer
After the full moon festivities, we eased into Day 7 with bagels and cereal, exactly the right breakfast for the occasion. Topher opened the morning with a brief on how to med anchor, which was genuinely fascinating and set a great tone for what was ahead. Katie D took the Colgate crew out for a sail to Little Harbour and they had a cracking time. I’ll be honest, med anchoring was my moment today. First attempt, totally composed, and I’m not going to pretend I wasn’t pleased with how it went. The Colgaters rafted up to Grizzslayer and we swam, ran ASA lessons, and soaked it all in.
Mid-afternoon we gathered for a staff seminar on stress management throughout the season, complete with a worksheet from cornerstone. It’s the kind of session that sounds heavy but actually left everyone feeling more prepared and supported, a reminder that looking after yourself is part of looking after your crew.
Then came taco bag dinner. Unreal.
After the clean, Sophie Peacock led us through one of the best after-dinner activities of the trip. A true course exercise where each crew member shared something they want to keep on the boat, and something they want to leave behind. Kindness and authenticity: keep. Judgement and shoes on the boat: gone. Every crew member signed it and it’s now hanging up on the boat. Simple idea, genuinely powerful. The kind of thing that quietly sets the standard for the whole summer.
Tonight people powered down early, a few doing last-minute revision ahead of ASA exams in the morning. Big day coming. Here’s some pictures of the colgater’s in action.
“Coming from office to ocean, experiencing what camp is like made me feel like a kid again. The vibes were unreal and I can’t wait for what this summer will bring!!”
— Stevie Jones, Office Manager
