The BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival is proud to be celebrating the 10th anniversary as a green event and was been awarded the Gold Certificate from Sailors for the Sea. They were also the first regatta on the planet to be carbon neutral. On Lay Day, sailors were able to help with a beach clean-up with BVI Wombles. Reducing the environmental footprint is not a new goal for the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival. They have partnered with Sailors for the Sea, a leading conservation organization to bring innovations to Caribbean regattas, for the last decade. The regatta moto has always been ‘recycle, reuse, repurpose.’
Credit: Heartbeat IV
Living in a territory of islands surrounded by some of the most beautiful waters in the world has made us more cognizant of the fragile balance between man and nature. Since Irma and Maria devastated the BVI, creating five years of debris in two single day events, living responsibly and sustainably is more important than ever!
At the Awards ceremony on Wednesday night for the Round Tortola Race, Absolut Full Moon Race and Island Invitational, Governor Gus Jaspert said:
Credit: T2PTV/Ashley Love
“For those who don’t know we should be proud that the BVI Spring Regatta reaches a decade of going green this year; of reducing its impact on the environment, of recycling, and of being sustainable. Believe us, here in the British Virgin Islands we know the impact of getting that wrong, so huge credit to the Spring Regatta organization on what they are doing on going green.”
Credit: T2PTV/Ashley Love
This morning a group of sailors taking part in the Spring Regatta joined local volunteers in a beach clean-up at beautiful Brewer’s Bay with the BVI Wombles. This great community group led by Robyn Palmer has been helping clean up Tortola over the past few months. Like their namesake, The Wombles who are fictional furry creatures living on Wimbledon Common (London), they pick up litter and like recycling. (See YouTube: https://youtu.be/XWQMMPFtoG4
Credit: T2PTV/Ashley Love
Garbage bags, shovels and gloves in hand, the volunteers combed the beach and dug up plastic, glass, cans, fencing, poles and other rubbish, clearing away two truck-loads of rubbish from one of Tortola’s most beautiful beaches.
Credit: T2PTV/Ashley Love
Keeping the oceans clean is something that is important to all sailors and those who use our oceans. To this end, half the crew from the British Dufour 45, Heartbeat IV and from some of the other boats in the regatta, showed up to help with the BVI Wombles clean. During their recent ocean passages, Jason and Judy Payne-James’ crew had seen plastic in the oceans and wanted to help clean up the beaches before it gets into the water. Some of the sailors taking part in the clean-up also donated to the cause in return for extra green BVI Wombles T-shirts so that all their crew could wear them during the regatta!
For queries contact rhpalmer@gmail.com or the BVI Wombles’ Facebook group.
https://www.gofundme.com/wombling-bvi-post-irma-recovery
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