Minister for Education and Culture, Hon. Myron V. Walwyn, receives Intrepid's Tiller from Bob Phipps, Chair of the BVI Spring Regatta and Sjoerd Koster, Head of Banking, VP Bank. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Intrepid was built in Tortola in the 1920s and has been away from local shores for 82 years. The BVISR and Sailing Festival organisers, along with VP Bank, were instrumental in returning Intrepid to her place of birth. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

According to Judy Petz, Director of BVISR and Sailing Festival, this years Event will incorporate an exhibition and sailing race of the four Tortola sloops. These traditional boats encapsulate the sailing history and maritime heritage of the VI. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

The news of the culturally important and historical homecoming was announced by the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival Committee in conjunction with the VP Bank at a ceremony to hand over the sloop to the Virgin Islands Maritime Museum.

Intrepid was built in Tortola in the 1920s and has been away from local shores for 82 years. The BVISR and Sailing Festival organisers, along with VP Bank, were instrumental in returning Intrepid to her place of birth.

Hon. Myron V. Walwyn, Minister for Education and Culture, received Intrepid’s tiller on behalf of the people of the Virgin Islands from Bob Phillips, Chairman of the BVI Spring Regatta, and Sjoerd Koster, Head of Banking at VP Bank.  In turn, Hon. Walwyn presented the tiller to Professor Geoff Brooks, curator of the Virgin Islands Maritime Museum. The sloop joins Moonbeam and Youth Instructor on the docks at Nanny Cay.

“On behalf of the people of the Virgin Islands, I am very pleased to welcome home Intrepid, one of the few remaining Virgin Islands sloops,” said Minister Walwyn. “The build and design of this boat tells the story of a people who had no choice but to become ingenuous boat builders. In this vessel we see the hard work of our forefathers. I anticipate that this boat will be used to further share the story of our people to our youth, those that come to live among, us and also to our visitors."

Showcasing the history and culture of the VI as part of the BVISR and Sailing Festival, the event organisers are incorporating an exhibition and sailing race of the four Tortola sloops. These traditional boats encapsulate the sailing history and maritime heritage of the VI. The 22-foot, one hundred year old Intrepid will be in the fleet.

Minister Walwyn provided a background on the times and importance of the sloops in the VI’s history and acknowledged the significance of the donation to the education of the VI’s young people to appreciate their heritage and legacy.

His Excellency Governor William B. McCleary, in his remarks on the return of Intrepid to the VI, spoke of his sailing experiences on a Tortola sloop and shared some of his knowledge of the history of the sloops. He further expressed his support of the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival.

VP Bank is also underwriting a book by Professor Brooks about boat building in Tortola, tied in its support by offering to fund the purchase of Intrepid as a donation to the maritime museum. 

Sjoerd Koster, head of banking at VP Bank said:  “We strongly believe that it is our role, rooted in the BVI as one of the largest banks in the Territory, to facilitate the growth of the economy through our financing activities, trade through our wealth management activities and the BVI culture through our corporate sponsorship and donations to benefit the BVI society in the broadest sense.  

“We started the Sailing Festival over a decade ago to fill the few days between the Rolex Regatta in St Thomas and the BVI Spring Regatta,” said Judy Petz, director, BVISR and Sailing Festival. “It has now become the fourth largest regatta in the Caribbean. This year we decided to give the visitors new waters to sail and let them have a chance to see more of Tortola, and the opportunity to bring their friends and family to enjoy Nature’s Little Secret at leisure before the three days of regatta racing.”

This year’s activities include a race around Tortola for the Nanny Cay Cup, and the first annual Caribbean Insurers Island Invitational race to Pirates on Norman Island, which will culminate, with SUP racing and beach games for event participants, visitors, and the general public. A ‘Wind, Water, and Wander’ day on Tortola offers visitors a choice of land- and water- based activities.

The BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival is held in partnership with the Royal BVI Yacht Club and the BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association (BVICCHA). It will be held this year on March 25 – 31, 2013.