WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT 'THE DONALD', THEY GENERALLY MEAN THE DISGRACED EX PRESIDENT - BUT NOT ME
WELCOME TO THE July edition of Sailing Today and it is fitting that this, our blue water issue, should open with a celebration of one of the great bluewater sailors - Don Street - who passed away last month at the ripe old age of 94. A native Long Islander, sailor, adventurer, journalist and cartographer, Don was on the sailing scene before many of us were born and for those of you who don't know who he is, go sailing in the Caribbean and you will see lots of charts marked 'Imray Iolaire'. Iolaire was Don's 48ft classic yawl - built back in 1905. Don rescued the boat from the beach in St Thomas in 1957 and set about restoring her. It was the beginning of a 50 year romance that involved innumerable voyages throughout the Caribbean, which back then was still relatively wild and unexplored. Don set about charting many of the undiscovered bays in his engine less classic yacht. He did an extraordinary job and his cruising guides and charts remain absolutely essential reading for anyone exploring the area. Being an authority on the area and an expert sailor, it was natural that Don decided to become an author and journalist - and a very successful one - publishing many books on sailing. Don told me that he was enticed into this metier thanks to the author John Steinbeck, who was also cruising the Caribbean. Don ended up having a few drinks with Steinbeck, who suggested he should become a writer too - to which Don replied 'but I can't write,' to which Steinbeck said: 'that's what editors are for!' This is how I got to know Don - and we are talking latter day Don here - he would h
