Pierre La Borde

Pierre La Borde (born 12 May 1964) is a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, and is part of a well-known sailing family. His parents are Harold La Borde (died 11 June 2016) and Kwailan La Borde, whose first major voyage was from Trinidad to Poole, England, in their home-built, 26-foot plywood boat Humming Bird.

In 1969, the La Borde family set off on a circumnavigation of the globe, when Pierre was just 5 years old. They sailed in their home-built, 40-foot wooden ketch, Humming Bird II. The voyage took approximately 4 years, and took them to such places as Panama, the Galapagos Islands, the Marquesas, Tahiti, Fiji, New Zealand (where Pierre's brother Andre was born on this trip), Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and South Africa.

Pierre was taught at sea by his mother, but also attended school in various countries whenever they were in port for an extended stay. On their return home, Harold and Kwailan were awarded their nation's highest honour, the Trinity Cross. They were the nation's first citizens (and the Caribbean's first family) to have sailed around the world.

In 1984, the La Bordes set off on a second circumnavigation of the globe, this time in an easterly direction, taking them into the Southern Oceans, and around the infamous Cape Horn. Their boat was the Humming Bird III, a 55-foot teak and plywood ketch, built by Harold, who had built all his previous boats. Pierre was 21 years of age, and became the 1st mate on this voyage, doing full crew work, and sharing in the watch-keeping and navigation duties. He was joined for the second half of this circumnavigation, by his then girlfriend, Ave Narinesingh. They sailed to such places as, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, the Falkland Islands, Argentina, and Uruguay. On their return home in 1986, Pierre was awarded a national honour, the Humming Bird Medal Gold, for Navigation and Adventure.

In the year 2000, Pierre, his father Harold, and a friend Jim Donaldson, sailed from Trinidad to Spain in Humming Bird III. They toured Spain by rail and bus, with one of the main highlights being, Pierre running with the bulls in Pamplona in July. On the return sail home, Pierre became the captain, as Harold had to fly back to Trinidad for medical reasons. Pierre was joined on this voyage by his younger brother Andre.

Pierre is also an avid yacht racer, and has sailed in numerous regattas and races in local waters, as well as in the wider Caribbean.

He has one brother, Andre La Borde, who resides in Wellington, New Zealand. Andre has himself made five Atlantic crossings - twice on Humming Bird III, and three times on other boats.

Pierre has one daughter Shannon Isabelle Solitaire (born 18 July 1989), who lives in Winnipeg, Canada, near her mother Ave Dinzey (née Narinesingh).

He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film Production, from Concordia University in Montreal. He also holds a Master of Science in Maritime Operations, from the University of Trinidad and Tobago.

On 18 June 2016, Pierre and Andre sailed their father's body and casket from Grenada (where he had died), to their home port in Trinidad on the Humming Bird III.

References[edit]

An Ocean to Ourselves by Harold La Borde (1960)

All Oceans Blue by Harold La Borde (1974)

Lonely Oceans South by Harold La Borde (1987)

Wind, Sea and Faith by Kwailan La Borde (2010)

External links[edit]

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Pierre La Borde

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