Sunshine and a cool breeze made it a picture perfect day for sailing in Barbados. However, sipping cocktails and swimming with the turtles was not what Virgin Atlantic had in mind when they hosted six of their Flying Club Gold members on one of the fastest sailing boats in the world, Ms. BARBADOS. The 70ft trimaran, also sponsored by the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) for the Mount Gay “Round Barbados Race”, has wowed visitors and locals racing up and down the coasts of Barbados for over a month. Guests were whisked away across the turquoise water by Ned Collier, captain of Team Concise, Britain’s hugely successful offshore racing team, and boarded Ms. BARBADOS just outside of the Port St. Charles Marina. Greeted by a 7 man crew, guests quickly settled in and were off for an experience of a lifetime sailing the north and west coasts of Barbados. The crew wasted no time and guests had the opportunity to set the sails and drive the boat under their expert guidance. Virgin Atlantic’s Caribbean Manager, Andre Bello, also joined in on the fun “What a beautiful boat. Add a bar, a fully-flat bed and some movies, and we might have some serious competition in crossing the Atlantic.” And it didn’t end there, Ms. BARBADOS sailed guests to the eclectic Cliff Beach Club for a champagne lunch…not a bad way to spend a Tuesday.
