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Welcome to my website visitors:
This is the website associated with my cruising
aboard "Tradewinds of Emsworth III" in the Caribbean. The site also
includes general information relating to the British Virgin Islands, United States Virgin Islands
and the so
called Spanish Virgin Islands off Puerto Rico. It also includes information on
the Windward Islands of the Caribbean, where Tradewinds has been based since November 2008.
The information provided in this
website is provided as a general guide to cruising in the Caribbean. As with any website
of this type, information relating to the islands cannot be guaranteed for
accuracy, although every effort has been made to provide useful and helpful
information based on several years of experience in and around the areas
involved. The
site also contains several Galleries of pictures of the places I have visited
and of the friends and relatives who have joined me over the years.
Enjoy the islands and please feel free to use the
wealth of information contained in this website. Contact me if you like - I
shall be happy to provide further details should it be of interest to you.
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Welcome to future crew members:
To new crew members I extend my hand of
friendship and hope that you enjoy your time aboard "Tradewinds of Emsworth".
Whilst on board we shall visit many of the Caribbean islands, enjoy some of the
best sailing in the world, and share some fun and memorable experiences. Being
aboard my boat as a crew member requires a lot of "give and take", but most of
all I value crew who are interested in the places we visit, are energetic and
want to explore and adventure ashore, and are prepared to live the cruising life
with me (sharing in the chores as well as the sailing). Tradewinds is not a
charter boat, so don't expect to party all night long or to spend any time tied
up alongside in marinas. The cruising lifestyle I enjoy is much more relaxing
than that - we anchor every night, eat mostly on board and enjoy the peace and
tranquillity of the Caribbean as it was before it was invaded by mass tourism.
Please feel free to browse this website, read
about the places we may visit and take a look at the many pictures I have posted
whilst other crews have been aboard. Please also take a look at the many
references and testimonials previous crew members have felt inclined to write -
click here.
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New Crew Members please click here for more information
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Tradewinds of Emsworth III proudly wears the British
Blue Ensign
Prior to the reorganisation of the Royal Navy in
1864, the plain blue ensign had been the ensign of one of three squadrons of the
Royal Navy, the Blue Squadron. This changed in 1864, when an order in council
provided that the Red Ensign was allocated to merchantmen, the Blue Ensign was
to be the flag of ships in public service or commanded by an officer in the
Royal Naval Reserve, and the White Ensign was allocated to the Navy.
In British maritime law and custom, the ensign proper to a British ship is one
of several flags with a red, white or blue field, with the Union Flag in the
canton (the upper corner next the staff), known as the red, blue and white
ensigns respectively. Outside the nautical sphere, there are some flags which
are modelled on the red, white and blue ensigns, but which use more unusual
colours, e.g. the sky blue of the Royal Air Force ensign.
British ensigns currently in use can be classified into five categories, in
descending order of exclusiveness:
the White Ensign
the Blue Ensign
the Blue Ensign defaced
the Red Ensign defaced
the Red Ensign
Since the reorganisation of the Royal Navy in 1864, the White Ensign has been
restricted to ships of the Royal Navy and their boats. The Royal Yacht Squadron
also fly the white ensign by special dispensation.
The Blue Ensign undefaced is worn by masters of vessels in possession of a
warrant issued by the Director of Naval Reserves, and by the members of certain
Royal yacht clubs, such as the Royal Naval Sailing Association of which I am a
member. Such warrants are issued to officers in the active or retired lists of
the Royal Naval Reserve and the maritime reserve forces of other Commonwealth
Realms and territories. The master must be of the rank of Lieutenant RN or
above, and fishing vessels must be crewed by at least four other Royal Naval
reservists or pensioners.
British government departments use a variety of blue ensigns defaced in the fly
with the department badge, and colonial governments use blue ensigns defaced
with the colonial badge. The flag of Australia and those of its states as well
as the flag of New Zealand are defaced blue ensigns. Several yacht clubs are
also entitled to fly blue ensigns defaced by their club badge.
The Red Ensign defaced by a badge is flown by Trinity House and various
organisations and yacht clubs. Merchant ships and private vessels registered in
British colonies and dependencies, and in several Commonwealth realms, fly the
Red Ensign defaced by the badge of their territory.
The Red Ensign undefaced is for the use of all other British Merchant Navy
ships, yachts and private craft. The Red Ensign is the correct flag to be worn
as courtesy flag by foreign private vessels in United Kingdom waters.
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Private Files
Page updated:
Tuesday December 13, 2011
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