POINT OF VIEWthrough a tourist economy into life on
Bequia. Led down a shell-and-gravel path
to her home behind the family-run bar
and restaurant, I was ushered into Rita’s
room. Bedridden since her foot was am-
putated a few years back, her world fits
into a 10-by-10-foot space lined with
packed shelves and a cupboard, with a
TV for company and her extended fam-
ily on call. Sitting with her, telling her
what her apron meant to me, I wasgifted with stories she told of her life.
These stories started with the patterns
in the apron and grew into the stories of
Bequia. The work she and her husband
have done over the years centered on the
vacationers coming to their island home.
Rita’s stories continued with how the ge-
ography of the village had changed, what
the local government did to help, what
the schools are like, problems with youth
and her disappointment that “de young
people” have abandoned this handiwork
that she made a living from. Rita shared
the meaning behind each of the appli-
ques: fishermen weaving tales on the
water, villagers meeting with news, wom-
en carrying provisions. What I thought
was a mortar is actually a coal pot for
cooking, with whale flesh inside — Bequia
remains one of the few countries grant-
ed a waiver by the International Whaling
Commission. I nwardly, I cringed with the
thought of whale killing, while Rita told
of islandwide celebrations after a success-
ful humpback hunt.
Listening to Rita reminded me of
other personal connections that pro-
vided lessons in local life. In Malaysia,
we spoke into the night with a Chinese-
Malaysian business owner. We learnedabout everything from his hopes for his
children and the challenges they face to
the systematic discrimination against
this ethnicity that makes up a quarter
of Malaysia’s population. In Papua New
Guinea, it was the many ways that com-
munities are locked into poverty with-
out opportunity, which stemmed from
a long discussion in our Totem’s cockpit
with a man from the island off of which
we anchored. Conversations with SouthAfricans from different backgrounds
hammered home the complexities of ed-
ucation and race and justice that hinder
that beautiful country.
As I sat in the close space of Rita’s
room, I couldn’t regret how much of the
Bequia we’re “supposed” to see but had
to miss. With our limited time, there
was no hike to Bequia Head or Peggy’s
Rock. No truck-bus to the turtle hatch-
ery. No snorkeling on the lobster nursery.
We passed up the waterfront restaurants,
although with a longing eye (buffet din-
ner with a tin-pan band cost more than a
week’s groceries for our family). Connec-
tions like this with R. Williams bring a
much deeper meaning to a place.
I brought the rest of my family back
to meet Rita the following day. While
the sun sank behind Bequia’s fertile hills,
Rita again illuminated the stories in the
apron. Her words brought us an unfor-
gettable, human side to the culture of
this island. “I’m so glad you found me
still alive,” she said. So am I.Behan Gifford and her family have spent the
past 10 years sailing around the world aboard
To t e m, their Stevens 47. Follow the family’s
adventures at sailingtotem.com.MANAGING A CRUISING
LIFESTYLE: BOAT AND
SAIL MAINTENANCE
Andrew Waters looks at boat maintenance
for a safe and enjoyable time on the water.
Being proactive will set you up for a much
better experience on the water.
SAILS: Sails change shape over time.
Consider taking photos of your sails at
periodic points throughout the season.
Send the photos to your sailmaker who can
use them to make suggestions for minor
adjustments that will maintain the most
desired sail shape.
RIGGING, HARDWARE, & LINES:
Inspection of your standing rigging by a
rigger or a surveyor on a routine basis is
imperative. Next, look carefully at your
deck hardware, lines, and fi ttings. Look for
worn areas, loose screws, and UV damage.
A reminder for saltwater sailors: It is
important to rinse the boat at the end of
every sailing day.
HULL: Make sure to implement an anti-
fouling/hull cleaning routine to keep growth
off the boat and prop.
ENGINE: Service your engine regularly,
with routine checks of the oil, belts, and
impellers. Post a pre-sail checklist on
the bulkhead so important steps don’t
get skipped. Follow the instructions and
maintenance schedule as closely as possible.
CHECKLIST: Create a task checklist
and organize it by what makes sense to do
preseason, mid-season, and post-season.
In addition what is mentioned above, add the
following to your list.
Electronics
Systems on the Boat
Rudder Quadrants
Halyards
Winches
Blocks & Fittings
LEARN MORE
Read the full article on QuantumSails.com.
QUANTUM SAILS
CRUISING
TIPS
Hull & Thru-Hull
Fittings
Sails
Lines
Mechanical Services
Validate electronic
EquipmentMeeting Rita, the artist who made the author’s beloved apron, and hearing her
stories was what made the time on Bequia truly memorable.COURTESY OF BEHAN GIFFORD