THE CARIBBEAN RALLY - IS THIS THE NEW NORMAL?

By Mike Benjamin, SV Exodus, President SDSA

The 2025 Salty Dawg Caribbean Rally has officially concluded, with the final rally boat arriving safely in Antigua.  Our Bahamas-bound vessels are in port or moving south, while others have reached their destinations in St. Martin, the BVI’s, and across the Caribbean chain.  I am personally breathing a huge sigh of relief.  With just a few boats still coastal-hopping or undergoing repairs in Bermuda, for all intents and purposes, the 2025 Caribbean rally is now in the books.

This year will certainly be one for the record books.  We witnessed a staggered start across multiple weather windows and departure points, high winds and big seas, days of frustrating calms, a record number of equipment failures, and for the second year in a row, a significant number of vessels unexpectedly stopping in Bermuda.  Nonetheless, what matters most is that all captains and crew arrived safely in port, without, to my knowledge, any major injuries or medical emergencies.  That is, by far, the most important news.  The November rite of passage is a true challenge as increased weather volatility year after year tests our members’ skills.  It seems each season brings its own unique set of challenges; the perfect passage remains but a dream.

The Forecast Guru

Once again, Chris Parker managed to provide precise forecasts and routing advice to boats leaving from multiple locations, at multiple times, destined for multiple ports, and facing multiple weather conditions.  I'm truly not sure how he managed it, but we are immensely grateful for his expert services.  Many boats encountered between one to four days of serious weather and seas, depending on their location, resulting in a true test of both human endurance and equipment robustness.

The Unsung Heroes: Our Shoreside Team

As a direct result of these conditions, our Shoreside Team worked harder than ever to resolve issues and guide offshore repairs for a daunting list of problems: broken rudders, broken steering cables, linkages and quadrants, snapped travelers and blocks, malfunctioning alternators, an on-board fire, blown-out sails, a broken forestay, failed autopilots, fouled props, Starlink and InReach outages, and leaks of all kinds.

This incredible team, led by Tim Metcalf, stood watch 24/7 until every single boat arrived safely.  They possess skills in a wide variety of areas, providing expert advice and support for the myriad of issues encountered.  I want to recognize each team member and thank them for their truly extraordinary work.

Shoreside Coordinators

• Mindy Piuk
• Fred Eidt
• Karen Soule
• Lynn Hoenke
• John Huebert
• Howard Cheetham
• Arlene Huber

Emergency Response Team

• Kevin Ferrie
• Vinny Mattiola
• Glenn Robbins
• Jason Ellis
• Chris Carstens

Communications & Tracking Team

• Tim Metcalf
• Allen Roberts

Of course, I also owe an immense thanks to the countless other volunteers in Hampton, Newport, Bermuda, Marsh Harbor, and Antigua whose efforts on the docks and ashore made this rally successful.  Thank you all!

The Salty Dawg Spirit

Despite this year’s formidable challenges, I spoke to many sailors in Antigua who had great passages.  Many reported no breakages and only brief encounters with bad weather.  Even those who did experience breakages and strong weather shrugged it off as "just a part of the adventure.”  The Bahamas boats, despite an initial diversion to Beaufort, had a rewarding passage.  We are, undeniably, a tough group.  Our members who choose to sail an offshore ocean passage are, for the most part, well-prepared and ready to handle whatever Mother Nature dishes out.

The photos of sunsets, fish, and boats under sail were plentiful and extraordinary this year, as were the smiles on the faces of captains and crew arriving in port, ready to celebrate.  The Salty Dawgs mobile app was used extensively, keeping our community connected, with many days topping 150+ messages.  The fall rally is a challenge for participants, for the organization, and for our host facilities.  When it’s over, when the final dock line is tied and the final anchor grabs, the sense of achievement is profound.  Every participant who sailed this year should be deeply proud of their accomplishment, every SDSA volunteer should feel great about their contributions, and we all should breathe that collective sigh of relief that everyone is safe.

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