July 8, 2022 8:51 pm
Comments Off on Team Bitter End Making Headlines
From the July Issue of Rhode Island Monthly: Sailing can be a bit of a boys’ club. Just ask the ladies of Team Bitter End, who became the first all-female youth team — and one of only a handful of all-female teams in the race’s history — to complete the Newport Bermuda Race when they crossed the finish line at St. David’s Lighthouse on June 20.
The team includes eight students and recent graduates from Rhode Island high schools, including seven from the Lincoln School in Providence — Elizabeth Gardner, Gigi Fischer, Phoebe Lee, Olivia Vincent, Callie Dawson, Sophia Comiskey and Milla Clarke. Sarah Wilme, a 20-year-old Portsmouth High School graduate and current boat-building student at IYRS School of Technology and Trades in Newport, also participated in the history-making feat.
An all-female coaching staff led by Volvo Ocean Race competitor Libby Greenhalgh assisted the team. Maya Hoffman, Allie Surrette and Katie Zimmerman also joined the coaching staff before the twelve-person crew set sail from Newport last month.
The idea started in Bristol, where Wilme and the Lincoln School students met while participating in the Collegiate Offshore Sailing Circuit last summer. As the season drew to a close, the students began looking for more opportunities to continue sailing together.
“Eventually, we were at dinner trying to figure out what was next after what was supposed to be our end-of-season race was canceled. We were just joking about doing Newport to Bermuda. And then somehow we figured it out,” says Fischer, who spoke to Rhode Island Monthly with two other crew members from the cabin of their boat while they prepped for the return journey from Bermuda last Friday, June 24.
The Newport Bermuda Race, which kicked off on Friday, June 17, is the world’s oldest regularly scheduled ocean race. Crews travel 635 miles from Narragansett Bay to the coast of Bermuda, battling rough weather and navigational challenges along the way. It’s one of only two regular races completed mostly out of sight of land, presenting an additional obstacle for even the most experienced sailors. This year, that danger became evident on the third day of the race, when a New Jersey man and race veteran died after falling off his boat.
For full story, go to the link at Rhode Island Monthly.
October 20, 2021 2:30 pm
Comments Off on Captain William Pinkney Enters Sailing Hall of Fame
An Introduction from Bitter End Yacht Club Owner Richard Hokin as Captain William Pinkney (pictured second from right), a true friend of the Bitter End, was inducted into the Sailing Hall of Fame:
Wendy and I attended last Saturday’s morning ceremony in Newport, where Captain Bill Pinkney was inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame in recognition of his lifetime achievement in and contribution to the sport, which extend far beyond his solo circumnavigation and his command of the S/V Amistad replica. I’m proud to claim that Bill and I share one thing: the experience of getting into big boat sailing and racing in Chicago as crew, although Bill was a watch captain, while I never progressed beyond grinder, clearly a sign of things to come.
The evening’s dinner was a real treat for us. We had the privilege of being seated at Bill’s table along with his wife, Migdalia, his son-in-law, granddaughter and two journalists involved in documenting the achievements that brought him to the Hall of Fame. Both events were in Newport’s armory building, which NSHOF has beautifully rehabbed, and which will open as their museum next spring.
The highlight of the whole day came after dinner when Bill delivered a thoughtful and eloquent keynote address. Bill was introduced by Tom Whidden, my shipmate during the Love Machine IOR yacht racing era. Pretty early into the talk, Bill described how my dad, Myron, had supported him and urged him to hold his course through the trying process of funding and organizing his circumnavigation. His advice to Bill was that anything having to do with boats “takes as long as it takes”. Bill also managed to weave in Bitter End, and even mention me, but rather than try to describe more, I sincerely suggest that you watch the video of his inspiring twenty-two minute talk.
We are looking forward to having Bill and Migdalia back at Bitter End soon.
June 18, 2018 11:23 am
Comments Off on Jerome Rand Visits BEYC on Epic Voyage June 14, 2018 — We write this BUZZ entry as BEYC’s beloved watersports director, Jerome Rand, has just passed through the BVI, 28,000 miles into an epic, solo non-stop circumnavigation of the globe. His sail-thru North Sound, lingering just off of BEYC, brought tears to the eyes of Virgin Gorda locals, and inspired thousands stateside via his “Sailing into Oblivion” Facebook page. But did we mention that this solo circumnavigation is on a 40-year-old 32-foot sailboat?
Jerome is not one to shy away from challenges. In 2012, he hiked the length of the Appalachian Trail. A pretty cool accomplishment for mere mortals, but child’s play compared to circling the globe, alone. Less than 300 people have done this. Subtract out those who have done it as part of a supervised race, or those who transited through one of the canals, or stopped for repairs, and the number comes down under 30. And those who have done it on a boat less than 33 feet, you can count on the fingers of one hand – an elite club.
Bitter End is no stranger to solo circumnavigators. In 1971, a teenager named Robin Lee Graham (of the book and movie “Dove” fame) stopped at BEYC and helped build the original Hillside Villas. He stopped many times during his voyage, but was most notable for circumnavigating at such a young age. In 1990-91, the Hokin family sponsored Captain Bill Pinkney, the first African American to circle the globe solo. An amazing story, relayed to millions of inner-city school children across America, as it was happening. Sailing’s first “internet sensation,” if you will. But Captain Bill stopped six times during his voyage.
Jerome has slowed, but never stopped during his months at sea. He left with enough supplies to last him the length of his voyage, or so he thought. But a 32-foot boat would burst at the seams with food for eight months. So arrangements were made for a “hand-off” in the Falkland Islands (and some treats in the BVI). His boat, named “Mighty Sparrow,” is sturdy as they make them, and Jerome made sure she was up to the task. To his mates at BEYC (who affectionately call him “Zookeeper”), and for those of you guests who know Jerome, you know that on the surface, he comes off easy-going and relaxed. But behind the scenes, he sweats the details. He’s a “can-do” kind of guy. There’s an old saying: “It takes a lot of work to make things look easy.” And Jerome always makes things look very, very easy, even this voyage.
To date, the Zookeeper and Mighty Sparrow have passed by all five Great Capes, skirting South Africa, crossing the unforgiving and unpredictable waters of the Southern Ocean, and passing south of Australia and New Zealand before sailing across the South Pacific and around Cape Horn at the bottom of South America. His sail north from the Falklands to the Caribbean seemed frustrating – one day painfully light wind, the next day brutally heavy. But as he approached the Caribbean, he could smell land and see the Sahara dust – the finish line was not far off. Just some friends to see in the BVI first!
He’s in the home stretch now, just 10-12 days from finishing. After leaving Virgin Gorda, he wrote: “I’ve never wanted to put down an anchor more than when I was in North Sound.” We think he could sense how much support and love were behind him.
We once asked him why he was embarking on this voyage. Amidst all the standard non-committal answers like “I’ve always wanted to do this,” and “it’s an accomplishment,” and “because it challenges me,” he also let on that he feels most at home on the open water. We asked if he meant “solitude?” He shook his head as if that word didn’t really cover it. He never settled on the exact “why.” Perhaps inner peace. Perhaps just because he needed to know that he could. Deep down, we think that’s the crux of it. Self reliance. And when he sails into Gloucester Harbor in late June, he will have accomplished what few sailors and adventurers can say they’ve accomplished. And he will have done it, relying entirely on himself. We are proud that Jerome is part of the BEYC family, and we look forward to welcoming him home with open arms!
The post Jerome Rand Visits BEYC on Epic Voyage appeared first on Bitter End Yacht Club.
May 7, 2018 11:00 am
Comments Off on BEYC Supports VISAR’s “Swim/SUP the Sound” Fundraising Event Virgin Gorda, BVI (May 7, 2018) – Despite a season suspended by hurricane challenges, the Bitter End Yacht Club’s long relationship with Virgin Islands Search & Rescue (VISAR) carries on strong in 2018, through logistic & sponsorship support of their annual fundraising event, “Swim the Sound/SUP the Sound,” which took place yesterday. This year in fact, BEYC was the launching spot for the annual trek from the eastern end of North Sound, Virgin Gorda to Leverick Bay at the west end.
VISAR Operations Manager, Julie Schneider, announced some changes to the event this year. “There was no three-mile category this year. But we added a one-mile Swim or SUP as well as the two-mile Swim or SUP. The two-mile swim race and the two-mile stand-up-paddle race started from the Sunchaser Scuba dock at the Bitter End Yacht Club, while the one-mile race started from one of the dive boats,” she explained.
Swim the Sound/SUP the Sound is a key fundraising event on the VISAR annual schedule. And this year, support for the event & VISAR is even more critical. The hurricanes of 2017 have taken a heavy toll on VISAR’s annual budget. Normally, charter companies and their guests play a big role through a charter donation program that nets $2/charter guest toward VISAR. With charter visits cut by nearly 75% this year, VISAR was hopeful that Swim the Sound/SUP the Sound could help make up the difference. When entry fees and individual contributions were tallied, VISAR’s goal was to raise $20,000, and they often remind boaters that VISAR is a non-profit all-volunteer organization.
“As the de-facto coast guard, VISAR provides a valuable service to all boaters in the BVI,” commented Richard Hokin. “We at BEYC have had a long relationship of support and camaraderie with VISAR, and didn’t want to miss a beat this year, when they need it the most,” he added. In years past, BEYC staff and guests have participated as swimmers, and the resort has provided support craft to follow the swimmers & SUP-ers. This year, in addition to being a sponsor and launching spot, BEYC and on-site partner Sunchaser Scuba provided support craft and logistical assistance. The first 50 entrants received a cool commemorative BEYC water bottle. Bitter End Yacht Club also encouraged those who couldn’t make this fun event to learn more about VISAR and contribute at: http://visar.org
The post BEYC Supports VISAR’s “Swim/SUP the Sound” Fundraising Event appeared first on Bitter End Yacht Club.
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