(Left to right) BVI Spring Regatta Chairman Bob Phillips, Governor Boyd McCleary, Sjoerd Koster, head of banking at VP Bank (BVI) Limited, and Geoffrey Brooks, curator of the VI Maritime Museum at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, sit aboard Intrepid docked at Nanny Cay. The boat is the newest addition to the territoy’s fleet of sloops, which will be raced and on display during the BVISR and Sailing Festival. Photo: TODD VANSICKLE

A piece of maritime history was returned to the Virgin Islands last week with the help of the BVI Spring Regatta and VP Bank.

The more than 100-year-old sloop, Intrepid, was handed over to the government during a press conference at Peg Leg’s last Thursday.

In November, BVISR and Sailing Festival Director Judy Petz and BVISR Chairman Bob Phillips were at the St. Croix International Regatta when they first saw Intrepid in a boatyard.

“We found out that the owner was willing to sell her,” Ms. Petz said.

After returning to Tortola, Ms. Petz met with Sjoerd Koster, head of banking at VP Bank (BVI) Limited, who was eager to help “bring her home,” Ms. Petz said.

With the help of Geoffrey Brooks, curator of the VI Maritime Museum at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, the boat was towed from St. Croix to Tortola by Husky Salvage and Towing early this month.

See the March 21, 2013 edition for full coverage.

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