The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AS its founder, Sir Durward ‘Sea Wolf’ Knowles said he was delighted to see that the All-Andros Regatta is back on the sailing calendar.

It’s scheduled for the week of July 10-13 in Morgan’s Bluff.

And to ensure that the event is successful, Knowles made a donation of $5,000 to one of the committee members, Rev Dr Philip McPhee, during a press conference at his office yesterday.

“The All-Andros Regatta has a place in my heart because I organised it many, many years ago,” Knowles said.

McPhee, accepting the cheque, said Knowles has always been a major supporter of sloop sailing although the funding was much smaller than the $30,000 that he made at the initial regatta.

“We say thank you so much, God bless you. You truly made the Bahamas proud and you are making Andros proud and indeed the entire Bahamas,” he said.

The regatta, according to McPhee, made it possible for Andros to establish the All-Andros Regatta.

“His contributions, both in expertise and financially, is unmatched by any individual living or passed,” McPhee said. “So we are delighted to have him still living with us. History must know, the Bahamas must know, your great contribution, your love, your passion for sailing, especially for the Bahamian people.”

Knowles said he remembers when Algernon Allen was the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture when they decided, along with the late ‘King’ Eric Gibson, to stage the regatta.

“After looking at certain places, we decided that Morgan’s Bluff is chosen as the main place for the regatta,” Knowles said. “The first regatta was dated for November. We should have known better. It was impossible to hold a regatta. But thank God we got by. The next year, we moved it to July. Believe me, it was the best regatta ever held in the Bahamas for many years.”

After encouraging all of the islands to come out and participate, Knowles said they had the most competitive group of sailors that ever assembled for a regatta and although the Free National Movement, his party, didn’t have any money, they were able to raise sufficient funds.

“As you know, Bahamian sailors, if you don’t pay them, they ain’t coming back,” Knowles said. “But they had all their money, including prize money. That’s how it all got started. Over the years, it dropped off, but I understand from Dr McPhee that there is a new day dawning and they are now having a regatta again.”

Like he did with the National Family Island Regatta in Georgetown, Exuma, Knowles said he will be sponsoring the junior class competition at the All-Andros Regatta.

Additionally, competition will also be held in the A, B, C and E classes.

In honour of Knowles’ contribution as the first chairman, McPhee said they intend to put on a special race during the regatta to show their appreciation and gratitude.