{"id":1888,"date":"2026-09-23T10:37:51","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T14:37:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/westindiesregatta.com\/charpentiers\/starlight-v\/"},"modified":"2026-09-23T10:38:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T14:38:12","slug":"starlight-v","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/westindiesregatta.com\/en\/charpentiers\/starlight-v\/","title":{"rendered":"Starlight V"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"920\" height=\"613\" src=\"https:\/\/westindiesregatta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/starlight-v-paul-burnett-1967.jpg\" alt=\"La go\u00e9lette Starlight V amarr\u00e9e dans l\u2019ancienne marina de St George\u2019s, \u00e0 la Grenade, en 1967\" class=\"wp-image-1885\" srcset=\"https:\/\/westindiesregatta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/starlight-v-paul-burnett-1967.jpg 920w, https:\/\/westindiesregatta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/starlight-v-paul-burnett-1967-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/westindiesregatta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/starlight-v-paul-burnett-1967-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/westindiesregatta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/starlight-v-paul-burnett-1967-18x12.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 920px) 100vw, 920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Starlight V in the old marina at St. George&#039;s, Grenada, in 1967. Photo by Paul Burnett, published on the blog <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carriacou1968.com\/paul-burnetts-photo-gallery-from-1967\/paul-burnetts-photo-gallery-from-1967\/attachment\/1233\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Carriacou 1968<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Boat type<\/strong> \u2014 cargo and passenger schooner<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Name<\/strong> \u2014 Starlight V, often simply called Starlight<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Construction site<\/strong> \u2014 L&#039;Esterre, on the island of Carriacou<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Built by<\/strong> \u2014 <a href=\"\/en\/charpentiers\/boyie-stiell\/\">Boyie Stiell<\/a><\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Line<\/strong> \u2014 Hillsborough, Carriacou \u2013 St George&#039;s, Grenada<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Era<\/strong> \u2014 in service at least from 1965 to 1968<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>State<\/strong> \u2014 still to be found<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The mail boat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the 1960s, Starlight V was one of the schooners that carried mail, goods and passengers between Carriacou and Grenada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In April 1967, two New York Times journalists, Lorraine and Bill Eberhardt, boarded the ship in Hillsborough just as the crew cast off. They described it as a schooner somewhat larger than the Sea Hawk, another mail ship, and capable of carrying many more passengers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the middle of the cabin, a wooden enclosure lined with benches serves as &quot;first class&quot;. With sails hoisted in the breeze, the schooner passes Sandy Island, glides between the small islands south of Carriacou, crosses the chop of Kick &#039;Em Jenny, skirts Ronde, then descends the entire leeward coast of Grenada, past Gouyave, to the port of St George&#039;s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Midnight in Hillsborough<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bill Cameron, who lived in Carriacou in 1967 and 1968, took the Starlight several times. The boat left Hillsborough at midnight and arrived in St George&#039;s around 4:30 a.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>I lay on top of the cabin and almost tumbled off the side as Starlight pitched and rolled.<\/p>\n<cite>Bill Cameron, Carriacou blog 1968<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>On his blog, former passengers also remember the crossing: one made the round trip in May 1965, another in 1966 or 1967, during the August school holidays. For the latter, it was the first boat of his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">On the canvases of Bill Cameron<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bill Cameron, now a painter, has depicted Starlight V at least three times: at the dock, resting in the port, and in full crossing to Grenada around 1968, in a painting entitled The Crossing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Built in L&#039;Esterre<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The following is based on memories recounted in 2026. These are the stories that are passed down in Carriacou: they are not necessarily verified by other sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Henry Stiell, a former school principal who grew up on L&#039;Esterre, remembers his father building Starlight in their village. An island resident confirms that &quot;Uncle Boyie&quot; Stiell built Starlight on L&#039;Esterre Bay. Discover its builder: <a href=\"\/en\/charpentiers\/boyie-stiell\/\">Boyie Stiell<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does the &quot;V&quot; mean?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In Carriacou, the letter following a boat&#039;s name often refers to the initial of its builder or owner. Since the builder&#039;s name is Stiell, the V might designate the owner. His name remains to be discovered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What remains to be found<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The year of construction, dimensions, owner, captain, and fate of the boat remain unknown. Any information, photographs, or memorabilia that could complete this record would be greatly appreciated.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contact<\/h2><p>Aucun site, page ou adresse publique n\u2019est connu. Si vous en connaissez un, <a href=\"\/en\/sinscrire\/\">write to us<\/a> \u2014 this form will be completed.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lorraine and Bill Eberhardt, The New York Times, April 2, 1967: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1967\/04\/02\/archives\/getting-to-know-the-grenadines-by-yacht-or-mail-boat.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Getting to Know the Grenadines By Yacht or Mail Boat<\/a><\/li>\n\n<li>Paul Burnett, photograph from 1967, and reader comments, Carriacou blog 1968: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carriacou1968.com\/paul-burnetts-photo-gallery-from-1967\/paul-burnetts-photo-gallery-from-1967\/attachment\/1233\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">013-Starlight-V<\/a><\/li>\n\n<li>Bill Cameron, Carriacou blog 1968: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carriacou1968.com\/sport-in-carriacou\/sport-in-carriacou\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Sport in Carriacou<\/a><\/li>\n\n<li>Bill Cameron, paintings of the Caribbean: <a href=\"https:\/\/billcameronart.co.uk\/paintings\/caribbean\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Star Light V, The<\/a><\/li>\n\n<li>Explore Carriacou and Petite Martinique, Facebook, September 2026, interview with Henry Stiell: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/explorecapm\/posts\/when-we-speak-about-traditional-boatbuilding-in-carriacou-the-village-of-windwar\/1668093728652195\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">When we speak about traditional boatbuilding in Carriacou<\/a><\/li>\n\n<li>GIS Grenada, Facebook, 2026, comments under the video: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gisgrenada\/posts\/race-to-save-the-traditional-boat-building-industry-on-the-sister-isles-of-carri\/1366847372303672\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Race to save the Traditional Boat Building Industry<\/a><\/li>\n\n<li>Meaning of the letter following the name: information provided by the West Indies Regatta association<\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Le bateau du courrier Dans les ann\u00e9es 1960, Starlight V fait partie des go\u00e9lettes qui portent le courrier, les marchandises [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":942,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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