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STAR CLIPPERS - ANTIGUA - CLASSIC YACHT REGATTA



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WORDS © MARION FRIEDEL



The Caribbean



In the intensely-felt words of the novelist and sea-captain, Joseph Conrad: »The sky was wonderfully clear and blue. The sea lay smooth, blue, transparent, glittering like a precious stone, spread far on all sides, from horizon to horizon, as if the whole earth were a jewel, a vast sapphire, a single gem polished into a planet. The contrast of colours is truly fascinating – the white sails and the constantly changing turquoise blue of the sea.« Past the tropical vistas of evergreen volcanic islands, the Star Clipper and the majestic Royal Clipper glide through the breathtaking world of the Caribbean. A world of contrasts, a melting-pot of Indian, African and European cultures. The great sailing-ships anchor in remote, secluded bays, or off bustling ports that invite you to plunge into the rhythmic Caribbean lifestyle.



Classic Yacht Regatta



Crewing on a tall ship, a windjammer, in a regatta, is a magnificent experience, which was originally reserved only for professional sailors and sea-cadets. On board the four-masted barquentine Star Clipper the passengers have the chance to help tend the ropes when beating to windward. »Let’s get under way – all hands on deck. Hoist the sails, aft the braces!« Under the command of Captain Uli Pruesse everyone, from seven to seventy years old, is introduced to sailing and seamanship – the traditional hands-on kind, which brings romance to your heart. As the English poet John Masefield wrote: »I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking, And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.«



STAR CLIPPERS - ANTIGUA - CLASSIC YACHT REGATTA WORDS © MARION FRIEDEL