Well, It's that time again. The last big event of High Season.
Regatta. The time of year when throngs of ppl descend on the island and party like rock stars and leave a trail of disaster in their wake and a bad taste in the mouth for some. Most ppl who live here see it as another reason to party...which is just fine. There are others that see it as a way to make more money - the final push before season's end. And there are also some who avoid it like a plague. I'm in the 'plague' group.
In the past 10 years I've attended my fair share of Regattas. I love watching the boats - the actual racing..the REASON for the Regatta. The mad dash to the start line as one class breaks from the mob on the water, the colorful spinnakers. The ocean shinning like diamonds tossed across an indigo cloth. The trade winds pushing the boats along, testing their mettle and that of the crew. It's a hell of a thing and a beautiful thing. I had the distinct pleasure of being on a boat near the starting line the year Steve Fosset graced our waters with PlayStation, and shattered the Island Record. I meet him hours later at a press conference and was gobsmacked. He was a brilliant man. I've even participated in the Sunday Night Debauchery, shared the misery of the island wide hangover on Monday. Yes, yes, I've done it. Then I stopped doing it.
The main reason is the ppl who come here and act like imbeciles. Hey, I'm all for visitors coming here, helping the economy and having a good time, getting u'r drunk on and all, but when there are no signs of inhibitions left and the fun turns to stupidness, then it's just annoying. I'm always amazed at the things ppl do here that they clearly would NOT do from where they are from. And I always find myself asking:Why? Why do ppl find that it's perfectly acceptable to come here and act like baboons. I think most of them believe: Hell, I don't know anyone here, so who cares. Well....I CARE. I care that you don't think you have to consider the ppl who live here. Yes, those of us who live here like to party, we've all had our moments of debauchery, but we're doing it AT HOME. We haven't trapized off to some random location to put our party dress on. We do it at home. This island is our home. We don't walk around in matching t-shirts to declare we belong to a particular group. We know where we belong. I understand wearing t-shirts for 'boat/crew pride' But the shirts just seem to be more of an identifying beacon for which group was more ridiculous than another. The shirts also help in identifying which boat some drunken fellow should be returned to, when he's found '3 sheets to the wind' face down on Kim Shaw beach at 3am.
And there's the aftermath of bad press. Incidences of crime spike. Everything from a simple pickpocket to assault. And all because ppl don't know where to draw the line in the glass. Ppl get annihilated thinking: one of my crew/friends will look out for me. Problem is - the EVERYONE is shitfaced. Ppl who promised to stick together get separated, having to make their on way back to their boat/hotel. Yes, visitors may get taken advantage of in their drunken states, and yes, that sucks...but those lovely crew shirts may as well have a big target or KICK ME sign painted on the back. And so the tales of: You won't believe what happened to me... begin to circulate, casting an even drearier pall over an island already struggling with an identity crisis.
So, this year, I'll be on the sidelines, watching as the boats sail past my house & I'll raise a drink with my dad in a silent toast to the boats.
Regatta. The time of year when throngs of ppl descend on the island and party like rock stars and leave a trail of disaster in their wake and a bad taste in the mouth for some. Most ppl who live here see it as another reason to party...which is just fine. There are others that see it as a way to make more money - the final push before season's end. And there are also some who avoid it like a plague. I'm in the 'plague' group.In the past 10 years I've attended my fair share of Regattas. I love watching the boats - the actual racing..the REASON for the Regatta. The mad dash to the start line as one class breaks from the mob on the water, the colorful spinnakers. The ocean shinning like diamonds tossed across an indigo cloth. The trade winds pushing the boats along, testing their mettle and that of the crew. It's a hell of a thing and a beautiful thing. I had the distinct pleasure of being on a boat near the starting line the year Steve Fosset graced our waters with PlayStation, and shattered the Island Record. I meet him hours later at a press conference and was gobsmacked. He was a brilliant man. I've even participated in the Sunday Night Debauchery, shared the misery of the island wide hangover on Monday. Yes, yes, I've done it. Then I stopped doing it.
The main reason is the ppl who come here and act like imbeciles. Hey, I'm all for visitors coming here, helping the economy and having a good time, getting u'r drunk on and all, but when there are no signs of inhibitions left and the fun turns to stupidness, then it's just annoying. I'm always amazed at the things ppl do here that they clearly would NOT do from where they are from. And I always find myself asking:Why? Why do ppl find that it's perfectly acceptable to come here and act like baboons. I think most of them believe: Hell, I don't know anyone here, so who cares. Well....I CARE. I care that you don't think you have to consider the ppl who live here. Yes, those of us who live here like to party, we've all had our moments of debauchery, but we're doing it AT HOME. We haven't trapized off to some random location to put our party dress on. We do it at home. This island is our home. We don't walk around in matching t-shirts to declare we belong to a particular group. We know where we belong. I understand wearing t-shirts for 'boat/crew pride' But the shirts just seem to be more of an identifying beacon for which group was more ridiculous than another. The shirts also help in identifying which boat some drunken fellow should be returned to, when he's found '3 sheets to the wind' face down on Kim Shaw beach at 3am.
And there's the aftermath of bad press. Incidences of crime spike. Everything from a simple pickpocket to assault. And all because ppl don't know where to draw the line in the glass. Ppl get annihilated thinking: one of my crew/friends will look out for me. Problem is - the EVERYONE is shitfaced. Ppl who promised to stick together get separated, having to make their on way back to their boat/hotel. Yes, visitors may get taken advantage of in their drunken states, and yes, that sucks...but those lovely crew shirts may as well have a big target or KICK ME sign painted on the back. And so the tales of: You won't believe what happened to me... begin to circulate, casting an even drearier pall over an island already struggling with an identity crisis.
So, this year, I'll be on the sidelines, watching as the boats sail past my house & I'll raise a drink with my dad in a silent toast to the boats.
It is awesome to watch the boats, i think they do deserve a toast, let me know ill toast with you guys! Too bad its become more about the partying and less about the boats...
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