Spirit Wins Award For ‘Exemplary Seamanship’
At the Newport to Bermuda Race prizegiving ceremony held this past weekend the race organizers awarded a citation for exemplary seamanship to the Spirit of Bermuda, which stopped racing to assist a fellow sailor who had fallen ill.
The Spirit suspended racing during the 635-mile ocean challenge in order to assist a fellow sailor who had to be evacuated from his 46-foot sloop ‘Seabiscuit’ after suffering from complications from dehydration.
Spirit of Bermuda led the fleet away from Newport [Photo: Barry Pickthall/PPL]:
Early in the evening of June 17, Nathan Owen from Massachusetts, the owner of the 46-foot sloop Seabiscuit, was suffering from complications from dehydration.
The Bermuda Rescue Coordination Center asked the Spirit of Bermuda to turn back, cover the 78 miles to Seabiscuit, and prepare to give aid, which the Spirit’s crew readily did. Mr Owen was eventually taken off Seabiscuit by the cruise ship Enchantment of the Seas, which transported him to Boston where he made a full recovery.
The Spirit of Bermuda en route to Bermuda [Photo Daniel Forster/PPL]:
Bermuda Race Organizing Committee Chairman John Osmond said, “The Committee is profoundly thankful to all who took part in this demanding and ultimately successful exercise.
“We especially thank Scott Jackson and his crew on board Spirit of Bermuda, Philip S. Dickey and his crew on Flying Lady, and the Captain and crew of the Enchantment of the Seas for their caring and able seamanship.”
The Spirit docked at Albouy’s Point the morning after finishing the race:
The Bermuda Sloop Foundation sail-training vessel competed in this year’s race as the sole entrant in the ‘Spirit of Tradition’ Division. Among the Spirit’s crew of 32 were Captain Scott Jackson, veteran sailor Warren Brown, former St George’s Mayor E. Michael Jones, UBP MP Charles Swan, and teenagers Hannah Horsfield, Tre Jones and Dimitri Stevens.
The Spirit of Bermuda is a purpose-built sail training vessel based on civilian Bermudian-type schooners built in Bermuda between 1810 and 1840. It began operating in September 2006, and has provided training for thousands of young people, sailing to over 15 ports in 10 countries.
