The Tribune

Antique Auto Club of The Bahamas. - The Antique Auto Club of the Bahamas is very pleased to announce that proceeds from the 29th Annual Antique Auto Show and charity Cook-out, to be held at the Arawak Cay Cultural Centre (Fish Fry!) on Saturday, April 2, are to be donated to the Sir Victor Sassoon (Bahamas) Heart Foundation to help an eight-month-old girl with urgently needed life-saving surgery.

Therefore, Bahamian residents and visitors are asked to offer their support and help little Amaris Smith in her fight for life. Come and see the wonderful antique vehicles for a very nominal $2 entry fee. Raffle tickets are also available for a chance to win useful prizes – including a 32in flat screen TV, but the winner will have to stay until the end of the show for a chance to win that!

Dinner tickets are available from club members at $15 for either a steak or chicken dinner and if pre-purchased there is no admission charge. Children are also catered for as the famous Rotary Club hamburger and hotdog van will be in attendance providing delicious snacks for $5.

Bahamas Maritime Cadet Corps. - The participants in the Bahamas Maritime Cadet Corps took full advantage of the mid-term break to visit and tour industrial sites in Grand Bahama which are connected to the shipping industry. Recently, they had the opportunity to visit the Grand Bahama Ship Yard and Bradford Marine Bahamas Ltd, both of which are involved in the ship repair aspect of the maritime industry. Additionally, these field trips afford the cadets the chance to observe first-hand, the concepts and principles which were discussed in class, thereby bringing the instruction to life and drawing it into a clearer focus.

The students got the chance to see how important it is to have proper maintenance of the vital parts of the ship, as the neglect of one small area may result in a catastrophic event and will end up costing the owners of the vessel a considerable amount of money as well as keeping the vessel out of service for an extended time. They learned how strategically located the Ship Yard is along with the other benefits like a sheltered harbour and the ideal climate which makes it possible for the facility to remain open year round. Their proximity to an international airport has also proven to be advantageous.

The ability to effectively and efficiently perform repairs on luxury cruise liners has set this facility apart from the other shipyards around the world. This coupled with providing top quality work in a timely manner has made the Grand Bahama Ship Yard among the top five ship repair facilities in the world. Safety and environmental consciousness remain the hallmark of the Ship Yard, as they realise that amidst everything else, they operate in a pristine environment in a country whose economy is sustained by a vibrant tourism industry and the livelihood of many depend on the bounty that is gleaned from the seas surrounding these islands.

The operations at Bradford Marine mirror those of the Grand Bahama Ship Yard but on a considerably smaller scale as they handle predominantly luxury pleasure craft and smaller cargo vessels which are engaged in either limited international trade or plying between the islands of this archipelago.

The Maritime Cadets in Grand Bahama have a significant advantage in that they are located literally right next to large industrial sites which are recognised as world leaders in their respective areas and this is not taken for granted by the students, as they are always grateful to these companies for providing this level of exposure and assistance with their programme. The Maritime Cadet Corps is an after school programme which is designed to expose students in grades 10-12 to the various aspects of the maritime industry with a view to encouraging them to consider this as a viable career option. The instruction is primarily geared towards a life at sea as either a bridge watch officer or an engine room officer.

Cycling Club Bahamas. - Upcoming events:

Weekday rides east - morning, Tuesday and Thursday, leaving 5am sharp from Sea Grapes Shopping Centre, East Prince Charles Drive. This ride is a 17-mile loop to the Northbound Paradise Island Bridge and back again (Both bridges are sometimes incorporated depending on available time). Open to riders capable of 18+ mph for one hour. Lights are essential.

Weekday rides - west, morning, Wednesdays & Fridays leaving 4:45am sharp from Cable Beach Police Station, West Bay St. This ride is a 20-mile loop. The route is varied. Open to riders capable of 18+mph for one hr. Lights are essential. Contact Shantel to confirm your attendance.

Afternoon, Tuesdays & Thursdays, leaving 5:30pm sharp from Lyford Cay Gas Station Parking Lot. This ride is 18-20 miles depending on whether you choose to do a second loop. Recommended for strong riders capable of 20+mph for 1-1.5hrs. Intermediate Riders 18-22mph -see Spyda

Weekend rides - Saturdays leaving 6am sharp from Harbour Bay Shopping Centre in front of First Caribbean Bank (Starbucks) 30 miles headed West. In order to complete this ride it is recommended that you have done some recent cycling! Leaving P/I bridges optional at the end! The pace will range from 18–20+mph, two-hour duration

Sundays, leaving 6am sharp from Harbour Bay Shopping Centre in front of First Caribbean Bank (Starbucks) 40-50 miles headed east. This ride is not recommended if you have not cycled recently or first timers! P/I Bridges optional at the end! The pace will range from 18–20+mph, 3-3.5 hour duration (cyclists are invited to join in anywhere along the route).

March 18-20 - Great Abaco Family Fitness Weekend Triathlon. http://www.gaffw.com/registration.

May 15 - The Caribbean Championships in Miami. www.multirace.com/events/86. Please contact Cameron Roach at cam92@hotmail.com if you or anyone you know wants to compete!

May 16 - Seagillian Ride, 50 miles/100 miles.

May 15 - Caribbean Championship Triathlon, www.multirace.com/events/86 Miami.

July 2 and 3 - Independence T/T & Road Race.

July 23 - Seagillian Cycling Fest.

August 13 and 14 - VIVA! Bahamas Invitational T/T & Road Race

September 24 - Potcakeman main event Triathlon.

St Andrew’s Celebration. - Take a trip down memory lane at the first St Andrew’s ‘Whole School Reunion Celebration’ for all friends of the school, including alumni, parents and supporters.

The event takes place on Saturday, March 12, at 7pm at the John Watling’s Distillery.

Tickets include hors d’oeuvres and two bar drinks, and are available for $75 from St Andrew’s School and Custom Computers, Harbour Bay, Cable Beach and Old Fort locations. Live music and a raffle will be featured during the event. Deadline to purchase tickets is this Saturday.