The Kwanzaa began today in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the U.S. and several other Caribbean Islands.  It is a seven day celebration that began in 1966.  Each day focuses on a principle that reaffirms the African commitment to themselves, their families, their community, and their black struggle for equality.  The daily principles are;

• December 26^th – Umoja – Unity
• December 27^th – Kujichagulia – Self-Determination
• December 28^th – Ujima – Collective Work & Responsibility
• December 29^th – Ujamaa – Cooperative Economics
• December 30^th – Nia – Purpose
• December 31 – Kuumba – Creativity
• January 1^st – Imani – Faith

The seven Kwanzaa principles are referred to as the Nguzo Saba, and are intended to serve as guideposts for meditation and daily living.  The greeting each day of Kwaanzaa is Habari Gani, and the reply is Habari Gani followed by the principle of the day. Kwanzaa is celebrated by people of African descent in North America, the Caribbean and other part of the world connected to African heritage.  It was created by M. Ron Karenga in 1966.

The St. Croix Source has the schedule for this week’s Kwanza events.  The events vary from a 7K run honoring the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa, plays and songs, and much more. There will be family gatherings all over the Virgin Islands for the next seven days.  Also check out the local celebrations held in all of the Windward and Leeward islands.  Enjoy each of your Kwanzaa days. Habari Gani!

If you recall my last article about the “Rum Wars” in the Caribbean, you will then remember that the “Rum War” started over two years ago when Puerto Rico failed to negotiate a renewal of the Captain Morgan Rum production facilities with Diageo Spirits on their island Territory.  What transpired was a search by Diageo to find a new production location and started their search with Jamaica and Guatemala. When the United States Virgin Islands learned of Diageo changing production locations they jumped into the competition by having the USVI Governor John deJongh contact Diageo and propose they consider the USVI’s as their location on the island of St. Croix. The short story is Gov. deJongh and the USVI prevailed and signed an agreement two years ago to begin producing Captain Morgan Rum for the next 30 years. Read the rest of this entry »

Kids and the Caribbean are quite a pair!

The Caribbean is not just a place for adults to vacation and play.

Your kids are completely aware of the Caribbean.  Ask them if they have watched the movie Pirates Of The Caribbean .  I know many of you have never been to the Caribbean.  Your kids are now asking that you take them there for your next vacation.  I have done my homework, so here are some suggested Caribbean destinations for your first or next visit: Read the rest of this entry »

What does it take to create a memorable moment for the world you touch each day?

I was minding my own business yesterday, waiting in line for a sandwich at my favorite deli at Lunardi’s Market.  Pamela, one of the ladies that always is smiling and engaging who makes my sandwiches, welcomed me back to the deli.  I had just returned from the VICL Boat Show the week before.  After she made my sandwich she said she had something for me and asked me to wait just a moment.  She went in the back of the store and came out with a DVD of the movie “Pay It Forward”.  She asked that I watch the movie and return it to her the next time I came in for a sandwich.  I thanked her for her thoughtfulness, and let her know I had already seen the movie.  She asked me to please watch it again. I took the DVD from her and promised I would. Read the rest of this entry »

Jim Walberg  met two high school students who are making a difference in the world – $1 at a time.  This story will inspire all of us.

I met Garrett and Kyle Weiss last week at my Rotary Club.  These are two high school young men who were inspired to make a difference in this world because of attending the World Cup  games several years ago.  The most impressive soccer game they watched at the World Cup include an African team with almost no support and from a war torn country.  They sat next to the small enthusiastic group of cheering fans and had the chance to speak with them about their country.  They were shocked at the conditions in the country and how difficult it was to participate in the game of soccer that Garrett and Kyle love so much, because of having almost NO soccer fields. Read the rest of this entry »

The Virgin Islands are just one of the many regions that celebrate Three Kings Day!

One of the many locations that celebrated Three Kings Day was St. Croix this week.  Three Kings Day honors the arrival of the magi bearing gifts to the baby Jesus.  After the Christmas gifts have been unwrapped and put away,  many communities in the Virgin Islands and Pureto Rico celebrate this holiday, also known as Epiphany or Dia de lost Reyes Magos.  Many European countries still celebrate it, too.

The Biblical story tells how the Kings or Wise Men or Magi – who according to legend are named Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar – presented the baby Jesus with gold, frankincense and myrrh. During this weeks holiday,  Three Kings Day was celebrated by giving gifts.  There was a parade, and afterwards families gather together for a community meal,  and for the gifts from the Wise Men are given to the children.  On St. Croix over 300 gifts were distributed.

It is also a National holiday in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and many others. It is looked upon as an extension of the Christmas holiday, and all government agencies and business are closed. There is a public procession in most of the local communities and it is focused on retelling the story of the magi to all the children involved in the celebrations.

If you participated in any of the Three Kings Day celebrations I would enjoy hear about your experience.  We need to find many more opportunities to celebrate life’s important traditions in all our cultures.  My observation is that we miss too many “moments” that allow us to take a break from the typical stress of our lives and get some further perspectives as to what is really important – family and dear friends.  Until next time…fair winds!

Jim and his family send you Holiday greetings and best wishes for 2008!  We know 2009 is going to be another unforgettable year!!!

December is the time of year that all of us spend time with family and friends, and it is a time we remember the many blessings that we have received each day throughout the year.  One of our wishes for you to is that this Holiday Season is not the only time that is only focused on a few days in December, but actually everyday throughout the year.  There are so many grateful moments that we need to pay attention to each day!  There are people to love, to serve, and even to just take a moment and listen to that will improve whatever condition they are in.  There is a quote I really like, “If you are wondering if your mission in life is complete, it is not if you are still alive.”  Below is a prayer that we will be using at our Holiday celebration dinner.  Make a copy of it and review it from time to time.  It means a lot to us.

Dear God, this is the Season of getting together with our loved ones; feast, toast, enjoy the blessings of life – and give thanks.  Thanks for life all around us, under foot, and overhead.

Thanks for the ability to remember the things that we love as well as to forget how much we’ve been hurt. Thanks for fine young bodies and old, venerable minds; for sun on our faces, the rain on the roof, and the food on the table grown by people we don’t even know.  

Thanks that the jets overhead aren’t dropping their bombs, that our healing hands have a place to practice, that children are born every minute of the day, and that death is there to gather us up at the end. And thanks for at least a few days a year when we all take the time to get some perspective.

 We send our best wishes for a wonderful Tropical Holiday Season with your dear family and friends!  Until next time…fair winds for 2009!!!

Recently I asked the Owners/Crew of s/v Three Moons, Randy and Shelly,  to write down their observations of what happens with a charter guest as they enter into the unfamiliar experience of a Caribbean charter yacht vacation.  Enjoy their response to my question.

So, let’s see if we can get into the mind of a first time charter yacht guest.  “I wonder if I will get sea sick during this vacation on a boat?  How much sunscreen will I need?  Will I really like being in such a small space for a week?  Do I need to be worried about safety issues – both on the boat and when I am ashore?  What about bug-bites?  Are the promotional photos really representative of the boat and the color of the water?  Do the fish bite if I get in the water?  What about sharks and barracuda?  Will I have enough to eat and drink, and will it be good food? I really hope I find the beautiful post card beaches, swaying palm trees, azure blue waters, some local culture and everything that embodies the “good life”.  But, will it really happen for me, or was this a bad choice for a vacation?”

The guests stayed over night at Secret Harbor Resort on Friday night, and they are now walking down the dock Saturday at noon at American Yacht Harbor, after eating breakfast at Molly Malone’s, and they see their crew for the first time.  “Well, they look friendly enough, but what is a Captain supposed to look like? They appear a bit young for this work.  WOW!  They really are nice and they even know my name.  I walked aboard our floating home for the next week, and they already have Tropical drinks waiting me.  I can’t believe they asked me to take off my shoes before I climbed on board.  Why did I buy “deck shoes” if I am required to be barefoot on the boat?  We have a brief crew meeting where the safety issues of a charter yacht are discussed and I learn where the life preservers are located.  This is very important information I need to remember.  And, I learn that whatever I want to happen on this vacation may really happen.  Another WOW!  I hope it does.

“Next, I have a tour of the boat and I am directed to my bedroom, and I am given instructions regarding the use of the toilet called a head.  I learn that the shower actually works, even though it is in the same space as the toilet.  I am actually surprised at how efficient space planning is on a yacht.  The storage locker for my clothes is pretty small for all the stuff I brought.  As I meander back up to the deck, what awaits me are some beautifully prepared appetizers before we shove off for Norman Island.  Another WOW!  I am being swept away with the reality that my Crew is taking all the vacation hassles away so I can just stay in the moment of Paradise for seven days. I haven’t taken my watch off yet, because it is always important to know what time it is.  I wonder where I will be able to read a book since the boat is always rocking?  Boy, I hope this vacation works out O.K.?

“What I am discovering within the first few hours is that the Caribbean Sea is allowing me to dump all of my typical daily “baggage” for just a few days.  I am starting to realize that there may be some remarkable thoughts that I will hang with for a moment or two during my Caribbean sailing adventure.  I didn’t realize that the need to feel cared for is such an important part of the experience I have been secretly craving,  since my “real world” expects ME to always do the caring.”

We, in the charter vacation industry understand this is not the typical vacation experience most people have.  AND… it is the one we deliver to each of our charter guests every moment of everyday.  In the past eleven years of having our charter yacht business, we’ve discovered that our guests are not just looking for the 5-star service and quality of a vacation.  They are actually looking to be more in the “moment” each day, and have an “extraordinary experience” of pampering and discovering new adventures during their time away from there personal rat race.  Anything less yields just the same old run-of-the-mill vacation where we’ve all said the following: “We went, we saw and we can check that one off our list.”   A really devoted charter yacht crew realizes the importance of having an awareness of what is going on around them without having to be told about anyone’s needs. A good charter is not complete without a crew that intuitively anticipates what you need before you realize that you need it, or even better, they know right before their guests even ask for something.

Here is what we deliver for every charter guest…the realization that your Crew is delivering an extraordinary experience, from their hearts, in order to create another raving fan for the Caribbean sailing experience.  99.9% of our guests say, “I didn’t expect it to be this nice!” Later on it’s another comment that we hear,  “Boy, you guys work hard, yet you make it look so easy”.  Or, “Wow! How did you find enough time to prepare an appetizer, meal and dessert like that when we were all out doing water sports together this afternoon?”  Other funny comments are: “Are you guys’ psychic?  As I got out of the water, you were there to hand me a towel and my favorite drink”.

We have to admit that some of our charters are just “vanilla” and others are “double decadent fudge chocolate” topped with a dose of pure joy.  We can honestly say after eleven years and hundreds of charter guests, we’ve only had two guests who really would have been happier at a resort or on a crowded cruise ship.  Lucky for us, we have had wonderful mentors in this business. Everyday we are part of a very large “village” of Crews from all different backgrounds, many different countries, many levels of experience,  who are willing to offer their advice and support. The collective commitment of all charter vacation Crews is to deliver to their charter guests the BEST experience of their entire life.  Extraordinary experiences are what makes a Caribbean charter yacht vacation so special.  Because of the experience we deliver to them each day, 80% of our charters are returning guests!  Most of our charters are now like “family reunions”.  We invite you to experience a transforming moment on a charter yacht vacation, too!  We have never found one person who wants a charter yacht vacation to end.  And all of our guests start planning when they can return for another unforgettable Caribbean sailing experience, before their charter vacation with us is even over!  It is very hard work.  There are times we are actually tired.  And, we love our charter career so much, that we can’t wait for our next guests to arrive, in what we call “Paradise”!   Fair winds until we meet again…and I know we will.   Captain Randy & Shelly Tucker - s/y Three Moons

The Boat Show is over, and today the Crews and a few of the Brokers started their day relaxing at the Yacht Haven Grande pool and some even moved the party on to Secret Harbor Resort beach.

Yes, there was an after-party today!  Many of the Crews have charters that start on Saturday, so they had one more day to relax before they started their provisioning details.  Since their yachts are all charter-ready, it gave them one more day to relax and enjoy the time off before their real work begins – six to seven months of hosting charter guests.  And, some of the Brokers are stay an extra day or two, since they are already on-island.  The day started pool-side at Yacht Haven Grande, and then transitioned in the afternoon to Secret Harbor.

Since many of the charters will be starting this Saturday at American Yacht Harbor, it made sense to move to the Red Hook side of the island for the rest of the after-party.  Secret Harbor is the perfect location for any party.  Even some floaties showed up so cocktails could be consumed while sunning in the water.  There even was some fun happening at the outdoor showers.

The sunset set with more goodbyes, and some were even planning on participating in Jonny and Meredith’s wedding tomorrow.  Remember them?  they are the adorable crew from s/y Conundrum.  Yes, they have been planning a wedding for months so it coincided with the Boat Show.  That way their family and friends could fly down for the wedding, and all of their very special Crew friends could join them, too.

The light started to dim and we watched another glorious Caribbean sunset.  The “Charter Gang” started to dispurse for the actual start of another very successful charter yacht season.  And, the mantra we talked about several times today that many are now going to post in their crew quarters to read each morning when they get up to face another day of customer service is;

“Today I will declare a commitment to a result that has no present evidence of possibilities.  Let’s make miracles happen today!”

Fari winds to all, as your Boat Show internet reporter signs off until November 8th – 11th, 2009 at next year’s VICL Boat Show!  Contact me  any time with updates on your adventures.  I will glad to post them for all to read.

Almost a year of planning, blood, sweat, and some tears went into producing one the best Boat Shows VICL has presented.  It takes an army of people and sponsors/ vendors to pull it off. A sincere thanks to all of them!

What a Boat Show!  Now for the list of “credits”.  I know there are many more contributors I may have missed.  If you are one of them, please contact  me  and I will be sure to add you to the list.  The Boat Show Stars were actually all the Crews and Yachts that dazzle our charter guest all season and make the Brokers proud of the businesses they are in.  The “Charter Life”  may not always be easy, but it is certainly fun and very satisfying when you see your clients’ smile from ear to ear because of the experience delivered to them on their most unforgettable vacation – a crewed yacht charter vacation in the Caribbean.  Fair winds to all of you.

Presenters & Honored Guests – In Order Of Appearance

• Erik Ackerson – VICL Director
• VICL Board of Directors:
• President Mike Calhoun…s/v Southern Comfort
• Vice President Franz Gradler…s/v Hanalei Bay
• Secretary Kevin Mare…s/v Instant Karma
• Vince Stracener…s/v Drumbeat 1
• Brian Johnson…s/v Sublime
• Gordon Monsen…s/v Liberte’
• Sue Maki, Gen.Mgr. Flagship – New Broker Seminars
• Charter Chef Ashley Lynn Hotchkiss
• Bill Canfield St Thomas Yacht Club
  Lt. Cmdr. Tim Grant U.S. Coast Guard
• Gov. John deJongh
• Lt. Gov. Gregory Francis
• Senator Louis Hill
• Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson Doty
• Lt. CMDR. Tim Grant – USCG
• Director Mel Vanterpool Homeland Security
• Mike Fitzsimmons (Maritime Law) 

Sponsors & Vendors

• Yacht Haven Grande
• Flagship
• Treasure Hunt Grand Prize – Donated By Owen & Mary – s/v Fidelity
• The Workbench Limited at Virgin Gorda Marina
• Frenchmen’s Reef Resort Hotel
• Budget Marine
• Hooters
• Premier Wine and Spirits
• Bad Ass Coffee
• Southern Trades
• V.I. Wine Wholesale
• Gourmet Gallery
• CharterPort – Boat Show’s Virtual Office
• The Real Estate Center
• Dolphin Cove Resort
• Fat Turtle
• Bellows International
• V.I. Dept. of Tourism
• Yacht Haven Grande
• ONDECK Racing
• Theodore Tunick and Company
• CYBA
• Paradise Point
• The Pirate’s Chest at Paradise Point
• Reefco
• Marshall Islands Yacht Registry
• A.H.Riise,
  Island Marine Outfitters
• Virgin Islands Canvas
• Custom Canvas and Sails, Inc.
• High Tech Water Sports
• The Pegasus Group
• Caribbean Islands Realty  - Internet Reporting