The third Annual Festival Del Mar on the weekend of April 3 and 4 has been described as a success by the organising committee and by many of those who witnessed and enjoyed the event. The organisers are a community-based group of persons, under the chairmanship of the Hon. Othlyn Vanterpool, working in conjunction with residents of the fishing village, and the Anguilla Tourist Board which is assisting with its promotion.

Preparing for exciting race

The event, otherwise referred to as “Festival of the Sea,” is not only a celebration of the fishing industry in that area of the island, but also of the many other associated cultural and culinary traditions which are part of the way of life in Anguilla on a whole. That, in large measure, is the reason for the hundreds of persons, at times swelling into the thousands, who converged on the beach causing a people and traffic jam in the vicinity.

Part of the crowd at Festival Del Mar

The officials who spoke in praise of Festival Del Mar were Minister of Social Development, the Hon. Edison Baird; the Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, the Hon. Haydn Hughes and the Hon. Othlyn Vanterpool who, as Chairman, was grateful to the committee and other persons who worked closely with him.

Swimming race in progress

The Deep Sea Fishing Competition, one of the major activities on the opening day, involved the participation of a number of the well known young fishermen at Island Harbour and its environs. The results were as follows:

Trophy presentation with friends

First place Bottom Fishing Heaviest Overall Catch: Naboth Richardson; second place, Justa Duncan; First place Wahoo/King Fish Heaviest Overall Catch: Roger Smith; second place, Frankie Lake; First place Mahi Mahi Heaviest Individual Catch: Frankie Lake; First place Wahoo/King Fish Individual Catch: Roger Smith; second place, Frankie Smith.

Keith Harrigan on the grill with Anguilla's delectable lobster

In the B-class boat race, from Island Harbour Bay to Black Garden and back, the winners were: First place, Tornado; second place, Alma Gloria; and third place, Magician. The winners of the A-class Elliott Webster Memorial Boat Race on Sunday were De Tree, first; Sonic, second and Real Deal, third.

Roger Smith shows off trophies

The Sunfish race junior winners were: Clarone Webster, first; Shackeel Gumbs, second; and Corrani Proctor, third. The senior winners were: Luther Bryan, first; Clarone Rogers, second; and Cyana Richardson, third.

Ernie Lake and Troy Bacchus frying fish

In the culinary competition, the best seafood salad and best traditional dish were won by Harriet and Keith Harrigan; the winner of the best seafood soup was Pam Baker; Shawne Webster and Maris Webster won the best grilled seafood; and Freddie Harrigan was the winner of the best roasted seafood.

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