Neptune willing, Friday 9 October will be a Dark and Stormy night, probably followed by a crystal clear Highland Spring morning followed by a Red Striped afternoon and sunset. The new sailing season will kick off with a party at the Royal BVI Yacht Club featuring loud music, drink specials on the above brands courtesy of TICO, curry and hors d'oeuvres prepared by the club staff and lots of the sort of people your mother warned you about playing with. Oh yes, there'll also be registration for the race the next day. Bring your entire crew and see if you can't disable the opposition before the starter gun even goes off.
 
Saturday the 10th is of course the Race for the Virgin's Cup. Starting in Road Harbour not before 11.00, the race is open to anything propelled by sails and culminates at the William Thornton floating bar and restaurant in the afternoon. The special twist is, of course that any boat except singlehanders must be helmed by a female. There are  a considerable number of very competent lady skippers around, including frequent winners Pat Nolan of Boomerang and Becky Paull-Rowlette of Rushin Rowlette/Husky Salvage, so the event is typically as hard fought as any open event. Dark horses would include Becky's sister Emma and Erica Nourjian aboard Luxury Girl.
 
The party after prizegiving has been known to go on into the small hours, certainly the writer's crew have disgraced themselves over the years, but we all owe a big thank you to Annie Gardner and the Andersons who always show visiting sailors a good time, as well as TICO.