Dr. Michael Camps – Inducted 2011
Born October 30, 1938 in San Fernando, he started sailing at the age of 4 with his father in Snipes. By the age of 6 he was able to helm and one of his father’s favourite tricks was to have Mike helm the boat while the father hid under the deck while sailing past ships in the area which often caused a stir on the ship.
He fell in love with sailing and would often sail instead of do schoolwork. This passion for the sport was fuelled by regularly sailing the snipe with this father from San Fernando to Monas. At the age of 16 he was shipped off to Ireland Collage where his focus was realigned into schoolwork. In 1961 he qualified as a doctor of paediatrics and worked in London up until 1966 then he returned to Trinidad.
Once again he became immersed in his love for sailing, buying a number of boats until he upgraded to Coscaroba, a 36 ft. Swan.
Having previously made many trips into the islands of the Caribbean he now settled on his ultimate sailing objective: to sail around the world. He taught himself navigation using the famous Mary Blewitt book. Then, with an understanding wife who stayed home and helped support his venture, he set off on a 2 year round the world voyage with a group of friends. Some of the highlights of this trip were visiting the Galapagos Islands without the required permit, meeting up with fellow Trini Ian Hope Ross in the Marquesas Islands, visiting Tuamotu Atoll, getting sick with malaria in Papua New Guinea, getting cured from it in Dawin Australia, almost losing the boat while traversing in the Torres strait by night and mountain climbing in Balia. After returning from the circumnavigation, he went off to St. Lucia on a mission to improve the health care of the young. Once again his love of sailing and children got him involved with youth training and he started the St. Lucia youth sailing school patterned after the TTYSS which he had been involved with coaching. While in St. Lucia he also became involved with introducing disabled persons to the sport using his yacht as a platform for teaching. After 10 years in this role he returned to Trinidad, again assisted in the sailing school where he continues to be active on the sailing school committee.
