The OCC announces Award recipients for 2021

Dustin Reynolds © Ocean Cruising Club

This is a list of the award recipients for 2021.

• The Club's premier award, The OCC Barton Cup, is presented to Dustin Reynolds.
• OCC Seamanship Award goes to George Arnison s/v Good Report and Duncan Lougee s/v Minke
• OCC Award recognises Team South Pacific 2020: Juan Boschetti, Liz Back, Cynthia Rasch, John and Lyn Martin, John Hembrow, Viki Moore, and Sue Richards.
• OCC Lifetime Cruising Award 2021 is presented posthumously to James Wharram.
• OCC Environment Award recognizes Richard and Stephanie Hackett of Sea Mercy.
• OCC Vasey Vase is awarded to Ginger and Peter Nieman.
• OCC Jester Award to Katie McCabe for her single-handed circumnavigation of GB
• OCC Qualifier's Mug to James Frederick
• OCC Port Officer Service Award to Natasha Wolmarans, Port Officer Representative, Richards Bay, South Africa and Westbrook Murphy, Port Officer, Annapolis, MD
• OCC Events and Rallies to Colin Cambell and John Head for the West Country Meet
• OCC David Wallis Trophy for 2021 to Graham and Avril Johnson for their excellent article Full Circle. Amongst Flying Fish's most regular contributors, this was their 20th and final submission since setting off on a (very) leisurely circumnavigation in 2002.
• Earlier this year, the Vertue Award, a regional US award, was presented to Moira and Dick Bentzel.
• The Australian Trophy went to Barry Lewis for an Australia to Australia circumnavigation.

Commodore Simon Currin congratulated all the winners upon notifying them of their awards, "Once again, we had the opportunity to recognise not only the most adventurous among us, but also those who took it upon themselves to help others in great need during adversity, whether on land or at sea. Thankfully, it appears that cruising as a lifestyle will become more stable in the coming years as the pandemic takes on an endemic stance in our lives."

Awards Sub-Committee Chair Eoin Robson concluded, "My sincere thanks to the independent judges who took their task very seriously! We had several categories with multiple deserving nominations and even had to institute tie-breakers for the first time. They did a stellar job. I am grateful for their time and effort as well as for all the nominations by our members."

The awards will be formally presented to the recipients at the OCC AGM and Dinner in Annapolis this April, the first time the OCC AGM weekend event will be held outside the UK.

Read the full press release here

This article has been provided by the courtesy of Ocean Cruising Club.