Volunteering with ABSAR

I have recently become a volunteer with Antigua & Barbuda Search and Rescue, a non-profit organization that is committed to providing emergency services to people on the island. It is directed by a paramedic from the US who grew up in Antigua and is dependent on donations for funding. ABSAR has two boats and two emergency response vehicles so they can cover both land based and marine emergencies. Volunteers go to weekly training sessions on a variety of topics, are on-call for emergencies and support certain non-emergency events like the Transatlantic Rowing Race. I was able to go out one recent evening to greet, support and guide one of the transatlantic rowing boats after 63 days of rowing. We headed out into the darkness to a spot about five miles east of Antigua to the rowers’ last satellite tracked position. A small light showed up on the horizon, bobbing up and down in the large Atlantic swell. The two French rowers were elated to complete their journey and it was very emotional to watch their faces as they crossed the finish line along side our boat. We escorted them by the outlying reefs and by the famed Pillars of Hercules that mark the entrance to English Harbour. All the boats inside the harbor blasted horns as the rowers cut across the calm waters with the night sky lit up by flares. Last weekend, I joined the ABSAR boat to support a long distance swim sponsored by a local swimming club. We ferried some 33 men, women and children to an uninhabited island 2.5 miles off the coast and dropped them in the water. We cruised alongside to support any tired swimmers and tried to keep a running head count going as the group began to spread out. Luckily two other boats and a few kayaks helped to keep track of the elongated line.

Hitching Rides

It is very common for people to hitch rides in Antigua. There are buses and taxis but people will simply reach an arm up and give you a wave signaling for you stop especially if you’re coming down the road in a pick up truck like Subi. I will just pull over and the riders will jump in the back and ‘Ride Rasta’ style. As I pass by a place where they want to get off, they’ll just give a couple taps on the roof and jump out before I come to a full stop. One time when I was stopped by the side of the road chatting to a friend in another car, a construction worker at a nearby house site asked if I could give him a lift to which I agreed. While I was talking with my friend, other workers came out of the house and nodded at me. When I started down the road again, I had six guys in the bed of the truck and another 3 inside the cab. There is a mechanic who works in St Johns who Javier and I always pick up on the way to work. It’s a great way to meet some of the locals and find out more about the island. Additionally, we are always giving rides to our students which is a welcome relaxed attitude compared with life back home.

A Little Ocean Rowing?

Antigua is the finishing point for a 2500 mile rowing race that began in January in the Canary Islands. There are 29 boats in the race and are manned by single, pairs or four rowers. The first boat came in on February 26 after 52 days at sea. Charlie Pitcher stepped onto the dock to greet a small crowd gathered in English Harbour. He looked a little tired and sunburned but happy to be on solid ground. You can check out the progress of the other boats still out there at: http://www.atlanticrowingrace09.com/progress/

RORC Caribbean 600

The RORC Caribbean 600 is a six hundred mile long sailing race that starts and ends in Antigua. The course takes a circuitous route that passes by several neighboring islands. It is the second year the race has been held and around 30 yachts started this year. I was lucky enough to hitch a ride in an inflatable to watch the start up close.

My Pool No Longer

Alas, I lost MY pool because the house next door that was vacant for so long now has tenants. I miss that after work dip or the moonlit swim with the view of the bay! Just have to get to know them well.

Hands on Deck

The hull of the kayak is glued and glassed and looks pretty much like a boat! I started work on the deck a few weeks ago and it is ready to be glued to the hull. Every day, I get a little closer to a launching date. One of the first destinations is a remote beach I can see from my porch with binoculars. It’s almost impossible to walk to and it’s shrouded in a ring of coral reefs so a kayak is the best way to access it.

Young Neurologists

At the end of a unit of study on the nervous system, my class had the pleasure of joining Dr. M, the high school biology teacher, in the secondary science lab to get a close look at the brain of a cow. Put any kind of body part or organ in front of a 10 year old and watch the curiosity and learning spiral upwards!