Environmental concerns seem to be getting a lot of press lately. However, the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival has been involved with protecting the environment for many years. The regatta has partnered with Sailors for the Sea, a leading conservation organization that “engages, educates, inspires and activates the sailing community toward healing the ocean.” Working together, the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival has become a leader in the Caribbean and is hailed as one of the most innovative events in the Clean Regatta program. By thinking outside the box, regatta director, Judy Petz has discovered many island-specific sustainability practices that have been implemented to make the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival an award winning Clean Regatta for the past 7 years and counting.
As Sailors for the Sea have said, “We live on a planet with one big, blue beautiful ocean that holds 97% of our water. This ocean gives sailors great joy, a place for solitude and, for many, an ideal place for racing.” Protecting the world’s oceans is not the job of a single individual. Community support is needed to be the catalyst for engaging boaters to protect their waters. In light of this, the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival has partnered with many in our community to make our goal more easily attainable.
The regatta is honored to have Nanny Cay Resort and Marina hosting our event again this year. Nanny Cay is environmentally conscious and is run with sustainability in mind so they are perfect colleagues to aid the regatta in the quest for protecting the beautiful waters surrounding the British Virgin Islands. Gill NA marine clothing is helping celebrate the regatta’s 45th anniversary by providing dry bags that are the perfect addition to any sailor’s on-water needs. These skipper’s bags will contain lists explaining green cleaning solutions and listing the many green initiatives Nanny Cay and the regatta are offering.
Since the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival welcomes 3-4,000 people to the village over the course of the weekend, we need a team in place to help with the recycling and clean up. The regatta has partnered with the Filipino Society to be our Green Rangers this year. ” We are honored to be part of the Green Rangers initiative. It is taking the meaning of ” clean-up ” to a new level because the effect continues on to years from now, protecting the environment through recycling and using biodegradable materials.” stated Dr. Christine Harry, President of the Filipino Association of British Virgin Islands (TFABVI). Sea Hawk Nautical Coating has sponsored the Green Ranger shirts for the whole TFABVI crew.
“We feel that being the Green Rangers our objective goes far beyond ‘cleaning up the mess’. It’s keeping and maintaining our paradise for as long as we can by being more conscientious with what we use and throw away now: recycle, reuse, repurpose.” They will be very visible in the village helping us to succeed by carrying out the most important of the best environmental practices: sorting the glass and aluminum cans for recycling and policing the beach area to keep it free from waste and clean and safe for the enjoyment of all.
So come to the 45th anniversary of the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival. See how we can all compete, then party and have fun while enjoying and protecting our surrounding waters that are, as Ms. Petz says, “the beautiful playground that we are so privileged to enjoy.”
