🌊 Sailing for All! The July 2026 issue of Caribbean Compass celebrates the people, places, and stories that give the region its unmistakable character. In Antigua, Ian Stalker joins historian, botanist, and guide Elroy Emanuel aboard a brightly colored, Bangkok-style tuk-tuk for an open-air journey through the island’s beaches, landmarks, and local wisdom. Chris Doyle looks back on the delightfully eccentric sailing community of 1970s Grenada, recalling how Lord Jim captured the Schooner Cup in a race with only one other schooner—and how another memorable character, Scully, disappeared at sea before unexpectedly turning up near Venezuela. The issue also previews the return of the Caribbean Compass and EPIC Seas & Scenes photo contest, offering more than $1,000 in prizes for images celebrating Caribbean life, nature, sailing, and environmental stewardship.
The adventure continues beneath the surface and around the cruising table. Ronald Mettraux recounts how a vivid dream, a retired 100-meter cable ship offered by AT&T for one dollar, and years of determination produced the celebrated Charles L. Brown wreck off Statia. In Panama’s Bocas del Toro, Margarita Askolskaya visits Dolphin Bay, where cruisers Ryan and Andrea have created a self-sufficient island retreat built around a productive garden, homemade food, a smoker and a welcoming tradition of sharing meals. Darelle Snyman then explores the intricate world of Caribbean tube worms—beautiful reef-dwellers whose filter-feeding helps clarify the water but may also draw microplastics into the wider marine food web.
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📸 2026 Caribbean Compass Photo Contest — Caribbean Compass and EPIC have launched the second annual Seas & Scenes photo contest, inviting photographers from all over to capture the beauty, wildlife, sailing and spirit of the islands for more than $1,000 in prizes.
⛵ When Lord Jim Won the Schooner Cup — Chris Doyle takes us back to the freewheeling 1970s Grenada Yacht Club with a rum-soaked reminiscence full of colorful characters, a two-schooner race, and a clock that went mysteriously missing.
🚢 The Dream That Created the Charles L. Brown Wreck in Statia — Ronald Mettraux tells the remarkable true story of how a vivid dream, a $1 offer from AT&T, and sheer determination led him to sink a 100-meter cable ship off Sint Eustatius, creating one of the Caribbean’s most celebrated dive sites.
🍽️ Dolphin Bay: Harbor of Flavors — Margarita Askolskaya discovers Ryan and Andrea’s self-sufficient cruiser haven in Panama’s Bocas del Toro, where a farm-to-table garden, a smoky grill, and a bring-your-own-dish potluck tradition make every anchorage feel like coming home.
Marine Life: Caribbean Tube Worms — Darelle Snyman dives into the hidden world of Caribbean tube worms, revealing how these feathery reef architects filter the water, support entire ecosystems — and face a growing threat from microplastics.
From Doyle Guides: The Grenada Sustainable Development Trust Fund announced the reinstallation of demarcation buoys at the Sandy Island Oyster Bed Marine Protected Area. The buoys were destroyed during Hurricane Beryl, and their replacement marks important step in and protecting one of Carriacou’s valuable marine habitats. – Facebook
Arboretum Becomes Part of St. Kitts and Nevis Program – As part of a continuing initiative by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to protect vital ecosystems and water resources, the Royal Basseterre Valley National Park Arboretum was officially handed over to the St. Kitts and Nevis Department of Environment in spring 2026.
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