The second edition of the RORC Caribbean 600, hosted by the Antigua Yacht Club, provided a winter escape for crews from over 20 countries. With both start and finish in Antigua, the 605 nautical mile course took the fleet north to Barbuda, past the islands of Nevis, Saba and St Barths, around St Maarten, south to Guadeloupe, then back up to a mark off Barbuda before returning to the finish via Redonda.

Clear blue skies and crystal clear ocean typify the Caribbean, and at the start there wasn’t a foul weather jacket in sight as the fleet sailed upwind into a warm easterly breeze of 12-15 knots. Huge swathes of spectators gathered on Shirley Heights and Fort Charlotte to witness the start of an adventure that would take the sailors around 14 Caribbean islands.

As the sun set to begin their first night at sea, the leading boats had rounded the North Sails mark off Barbuda and were power reaching west towards the sunset under spinnaker. Claude Thelier and John Burnie’s ORMA 60, Region Guadeloupe was in pole position. Navigator Nick Lykiardopulo reported. “We are blasting through the water to Nevis, the speedo has barely dropped below 22 knots since we left Barbuda.”

By the morning of the second day, the wind direction had changed to southerly and the longest leg of the course from St.Maarten to Guadeloupe became a beat. Les Saints proved to be a nemesis for many boats that were caught in the wind shadow from the high mountains of Guadeloupe.

Region Guadeloupe finished in an elapsed time of 2 days, 5 hours 59 mins. Just a few hours later Karl Kwok’s Farr 80, Beau Geste, claimed monohull line honours. This was the first time Karl Kwok has sailed in the Caribbean and by the smile on his face it won’t be the last. “I really enjoyed it, great sailing… this is a great race and well run by the Royal Ocean Racing Club.”

Editor’s Note: More great photos have been collected in a special RORC Caribbean 600 Photo Gallery: