Such was the party-like atmosphere, and the excitement of the crowd, that not even the heavily-overcast skies or the scattered showers of rain could have stopped the boat-racing, feting and music at Meads Bay on August Thursday.
Unlike the past two years or so when attempts were made to revive Meads Bay cultural events – this time the August Thursday boat-races showed a great deal of better organisation and participation. From early afternoon, when it appeared that the weather might be on the contrary side, a sizeable number of B-class and A-class boats had already begun to line up at the long stretch of beachfront. The small boats made a short sail down “to the foot of the land” and back -followed by the big boats which performed two laps of the area.
Commenting on the large crowd at the event, the DJ managing the public address system – on the towering stage – declared that boat-racing, music and feting had now fully returned to Meads Bay. He was referring, to many years ago, to the entertainment provided by the late Davis Hughes and the popular boat races that attracted persons from all across the island to Meads Bay. One reason for the almost disappearance of boat-racing from the area was hotel development along the beach over the years.
The cultural events were restored as a result of arrangements made by the West Fest Committee and Mr. Cardigan Connor, the Elected Representative for District 7, with the Connors’ family. The family, owners of a strip of beach land, adjacent to Carimar Beach Club, gave permission to the Committee to hold the August Thursday activities there. The area has become known as ‘the Connors’ Park.
Speaking to The Anguillian newspaper on August Thursday, Mr. Connor had high praise for the racing boats, the fans and the Connors’ family. “We talk about boat-racing being our national sport. It is the passion that lies within our people,” he stated. “For most of the week, weather gurus suggested that the winds would be too strong but I believe that a number of people prayed for weather that said the winds were not too strong – so the class B boats went out to race and pretty soon the class A boats will be going out as well. And despite that there have been some showers around … nothing is going to stop us.
“God is kind to us. There was a disturbance out there earlier in the week but it was not meant for us. So we are grateful to be here and, as you can see, even though the Eyes Wide Shut Show finished not too long ago the attendance here at Meads Bay is growing more and more as we speak.”
He continued: “I am pleased to see so many boats turning up for the races, and the beauty is that there is great hope for the future of boat-racing because of so many youngsters now involved in it. They understand what our tradition is about and we are grateful for them.”
Mr. Connor gave high commendation to the Connors’ family for making the beach land available for the Meads Bay August Monday Boat Race and associated activities. He added that the family had also provided an additional area of land – to the east – for parking at a nominal fee.
