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| CREW PROFILES |  | | Captain: Barry Rice | Nationality: British | | Number of Crew: 1 | | Crew Profiles:
Captain - Barry Rice
Barry is a permanent resident of the BVI. A founding member (and past chairman) of the BVI Charter Yacht Society and a member of the BVI chamber of Commerce and hotel Association. So where did this all begin?
..... In the spring of 1977 he sailed out of England with his wife Roz. The plan was simple. Spend the summer in the Mediterranean, cross the Atlantic to the Caribbean for the winter and then back to England and his engineer/marketing career with British Gas.
The yacht was also simple, a 32' Nicholson with a 10 hp single cylinder diesel and a sextant for navigation. No radio or means to communicate with the outside world, 20 gals of fuel and 70 gals of water. No refrigeration or other modern convenience except a radio cassette player (remember those?) that had a SW band where they could listen to BBC world and Voice of America. The Atlantic crossing took 28 amazing days arriving in English Harbour in Antigua on Christmas Eve. In the New Year they explored the islands south all the way to Trinidad (in time for Carnival) on a path of discovery that permanently erased all thoughts of returning to England.
Their first crewed charter yacht was a Gulf Star 50 working out of St Lucia in 1978. It was a new career that they loved - meeting interesting people, making friends around the world and having time in late summer to travel. Less than a year later, they were offered hull number one of the Stevens Nautical 56 showing at the Annapolis Boat Show. Following the show, they took her down to the islands through the inter-coastal waterway to Beaufort and then straight to the Windward Islands to start her chartering career. For two years, they spent the winters in the islands and the summers in Long Island NY.
In 1982, Barry was appointed Captain of "Endless Summer I" an Irwin 65 in the Virgin Islands that had been modified to meet the charter market. A year later, when the owners decided to buy a second yacht, Barry worked with Ted Irwin to redesign the interior to make the “four equal aft guest cabin” version that became Endless Summer II.
Six years later Barry and Roz bought ESII and he has managed or captained her ever since. In 1996 he found time to build their rental villa on Tortola - Summer Heights. Now in 2011, ESII is a classic sailing yacht, renowned throughout the BVI and the sailing world beyond. In her sunset years, it seems befitting that Barry once again returns as Captain.
He brings wealth of local knowledge and charter experience. Certainly his age belies his youthful outlook on life. More than three decades as a charter captain have not dulled his easy going nature and concern for the success of each and every charter.
Presently, he says life couldn't be better. He loves working along side his daughter. It's an awesome team!
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