A Chase, a Ghost, and a Very Good Way to End the Year

A Chase, a Ghost, and a Very Good Way to End the Year

New Year’s Eve at Nelson’s Dockyard has a habit of blurring the line between past and present, and this year was no exception. Among the tourists, dockhands, and sailors clutching coffee (or something stronger), a certain one-eyed admiral made a surprise appearance. Dressed head to toe in 18th-century naval finery, “Admiral Nelson” (aka dockmaster Tommy Patterson) wandered the dockyard as if he’d never left — calmly overseeing the Antigua Yacht Club’s annual Nelson Pursuit Race and, one suspects, quietly judging modern sail trim before awarding prizes to the fleet.

On the water, the race delivered its familiar mix of strategy, suspense, and good-natured banter. The pursuit format — with boats released in handicap order — turned the course into a floating game of cat and mouse, as the faster yachts hunted down the early starters in a dramatic race to the finish.

“You spend the whole race doing mental arithmetic and shouting at the horizon,” laughed one skipper. “It’s exhausting — and brilliant.”

Founded by the late Stan Pearson, the event has become a firm fixture in Antigua’s sailing calendar, and his influence is still keenly felt. His record time remains a benchmark many talk about and few truly expect to beat. As one long-time competitor put it, “Stan would have loved this — the boats, the banter, and the fact that nobody agrees on who was actually winning until the last five minutes.”

The fleet was as eclectic as ever: 24 racers, cruisers, classics, the occasional wildcard and four ghost ships. Carriacou sloop Summer Cloud, flying the French Tricolour, led the way with the earliest start at 10:25, while progressively faster boats followed according to rating and past performance. The goal, as ever, was a thrilling convergence at the finish — with first across the line declared the winner — and this year delivered one of the most dramatic conclusions in recent memory.

Despite starting a full hour and a quarter after Summer Cloud, at 11.40, the Mills 72 Maxi Balthazar powered through to take line honours, turning heads with its striking black sails. “The conditions were perfect,” said Jules Mitchell. “We didn’t expect her to take quite so long to catch the fleet—but it was clearly a day when every boat was having a good time.” AYC Vice Commodore Richard Fear on Apache said “we rounded the Curtains mark in eighth place, worked our way up to fifth on the upwind beat before the black sails suddenly powered past, finally finishing a credible twelfth. The only way we could beat Balthazar is if she started after prize-giving!”

Beyond the racing and the rum, the day carried a deeper significance. The Nelson Pursuit Race celebrates Antigua’s naval heritage and the enduring importance of Nelson’s Dockyard — an especially fitting moment as the island celebrated 300 years of history in 2025. “This race reminds us why this place matters,” said AYC Commodore Dr Clarence Pilgrim, who joined the fleet on

Franklyn Braithwaite’s Lady B. “You’re sailing through history, not just around some marks. I love seeing Tommy Patterson in his Nelson gear bringing it to life.”

Conditions delivered their own New Year’s gift: steady breeze, calm seas, and visibility so clear that distant islands seemed almost within reach. “It was one of those days where everything just worked,” said another sailor. “Those are rare — and you remember them.”

The final applause, however, was reserved not just for the winners, but for St John Hospice, which once again benefited from the generosity of sailors and supporters. As one participant neatly summed it up: “Great sailing, great cause, great way to end the year.”

As the sun dipped and glasses were raised, the ghost of Nelson appeared to approve. Another year closed not with fireworks, but with sails, stories, and the kind of laughter that only a day on the water can produce. And really — what better way is there?

By Zoë Carlton