Ins & Outs of Grenada

36  ON THEWATER INS& islands to the markets, and the other part contraband; the ‘rum runners’ of the Caribbean. The rum runners were painted dark red to conceal them in the night, making it easier to outrun customs. Just in case, or to stay in favour, there was always a barrel of the best rum held for the customs officer. Even today, the Caribbean sloops and schooners are famous for their speed, winning regattas across the Caribbean. In the 1980’s, the demand for these sailing sloops and schooners waned as more powerful, metal and engine-driven vessels replaced the sailboats until the commercial demand vanished entirely. As the shipping industry modernised, the building of wooden boats declined, and with it the demand for shipwright skills. Gradually, a way of life once passed through generations, threatened to die out. In honour of this tradition, in 2016, Alexis Andrews launched an internationally acclaimed film, Vanishing Sail , (www.vanishingsail.com ) which follows Alwyn Enoe, one of the last master boat builders from Winward, Carriacou as he and his sons build Exodus, a 43 foot sloop. The film documents the progress and despair, from hauling trees out of the forest, the threat of a hurricane, the traditional launching ceremony to competing in the Antigua Classic Regatta. Today, the ‘Classics’ regattas around the Caribbean are one of the main ways these traditional boats are honoured, with the Carriacou Regatta (annually July /August), one of the best. Read more about the Carriacou Regatta, with its renegade racing, and fervent shore activities on page 122. Recently there has been a renewed interest in the boat-building tradition, thanks in part to the growing popularity of the regattas where locals and visitors can see the vessels in all their splendour, and a number of sloops have been commissioned and built in Carriacou and Petite Martinique for private individuals and charters. A day out on one of these majestic vessels is a memorable experience, taking you back in time, while enjoying Grenada’s beautiful coastline, snorkel spots and of course sipping on a rum punch along the way. So tourism now plays an important role in preserving this boat-building tradition - as part of Grenada’s heritage and in supporting the remaining boat-builders, so the craft is not lost entirely. Savvy Sailing Charters and Jambalaya Sailing Charters both offer day trips along Grenada’s coast and private charters to the Grenadines aboard a fleet of traditional sloops and schooners. They are committed to preserving the boat-building industry and use shipwrights as their captains, sharing generations of knowledge and stories with their guests as they sail. www.sailjambalaya.com | www.sailingsavvy.com To read more about the boat-building craft in Carriacou, check out the Ins & Outs of Grenada blog at www.insandoutsgrenada.com Carriacou boat builder, Baldwin DeRoche