A Flock Of Ducks Have Been Discovered At The Caribbean Boat Show

I am oblivious to the fanatical sports fans from Oregon that support all aspects of their Teams

So, I am minding my own business at the Yacht Haven Grande office logging in my latest posting today. A crusty Caribbean taps me on the shoulder and asks if I am Jim Walberg. I say “Yes” with a curious look on my face. He introduces himself as Dick Schoonover, the Charter Yacht Manager from CharterPort VI. The reason why this is of any note is because he and I have speaking and emailing each other for the past six months about my 60th birthday charter on Double Feature – a Lagoon 57 catamaran. (Remember, I posted a blog about the Cats taking over the Caribbean?)

It is rare that I meet in person the Charter Yacht Managers of any company since most of them are headquartered on the East Coast or in the Caribbean. His office is in Road Town, Tortola, and I found out that I have walked by it many times.

We start talking about all aspects of the charter business and for some reason he lets it slip out that he is an Oregon Duck. Well, I asked him if he saw their football game last week which catapulted them into the #2 spot in the BCS football rankings. He said, “Of course!” I told him that the odd part of this conversation is that I have never seen so many Oregon Ducks watching football games as I have seen at The Caribbean Saloon in Red Hook, St. Thomas. He said he was there last week. He pays $60 for a water taxi ride to Red Hook, St. Thomas from Tortola, BVI, in order to watch the Oregon games with all of his alumni friends who live in the Caribbean at that bar! It blew me away that there is a gaggle or a flock of Ducks all over the Caribbean and they are at The Caribbean Saloon on the weekends to cheer for their Oregon Ducks!

After that bizarre moment, I heard a rumor that there was a “cocktail” party on Clasship I. You remember that I mentioned them yesterday in my posting. They have one crazy crew headed up by Captain Simon. So, I wonder over to their BIG motor sailor and ask permission to come aboard. Holy Moly! They produced a great cocktail party with Phil, Neil, Debra, and Captain Simon pouring drinks and Chef Lisa handing out her world famous appetizers. It was a brilliant marketing idea because not only were the Charter Brokers on board, but many of the crews from other yachts were there, too.

Also, remember this is the yacht that cost about £3,000 a day to charter! I had a glass of Rosemont Cabernet/Merlot, and while I took my first sip I noticed an man who I learned was Gustavo Hamui – President of Blue World Yachts, smashing some limes in a glass with sugar with a BIG knife whose blade was in his hand. I immediately asked Chef Lisa if there was a first aide kit on board in case we needed a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. She said she was prepared, but all Gustavo was doing was preparing a Mojito for himself.

During my brief visit to the cocktail party I met Captain Greg and Chef Lana from La Dolce Vita – an Irwin 56” 6-Pax. They invited me to stop by and visit their yacht, so I did. What a lovely experience their guests will have! As I got back on the dock from visiting La Dolce Vita, Captain Chris and Chef Julie Bennett, from the yacht Blu Moon – a Beneteau 51 4-Pax, snagged me and suggested I might want to also check out their beautiful yacht. Again, this is a crew and a yacht that is not to be missed by one or two couples who want to explore the Caribbean in grand style.

I am on my way back home so I will stop at The Rum Hut to secure a taxi and to have my next to last cocktail of the evening. Amber is there to help me with taxi and to mix up a Voodoo Rum drink. I may need a nap before I head off the Paradise Point tonight for the Friday night Boat Show party. I will get back to you in a bit. Until then….

A Whole Different Caribbean Chartering Experience – Regatta Racing!

Forget about the laid back crewed charter if you love the excitement of competitive racing!

The Boat Show is open for business today.  Each evening the crews re-clean and polish their yachts for the next day’s inspections by the Charter Brokers.  After last night’s Governor’s reception there were some slow moving crews.  Not only do they present their yachts in their very best conditions,  but they also show off their cocktail skills and prepare an example of their finest on charter hor’doeuvres.  Again, if think it is an easy job to own and crew a charter yacht, you need to be with me for the past few days and see the attention to the details on which they focus.

The BIG deal today is a “race day” hosted by ONDECK – a brand new chartering concept.  ONDECK has purchased and fitted out a fleet of Beneteau 40.7s regatta racing yachts that can be chartered with a full crew so you can participate in any one of the Caribbean Regattas and actually be part of the excitement as a crew member.  They allow for opportunities to develop your racing skills, match racing, and entering any or all of the Caribbean Regatta Series.

ONDECK has up to four fully crewed racing yachts available for a match race on the waters of St. Thomas.  Killian is their representative at the Boat Show, so you can imagine I have enjoyed the conversations and the great concept they have created for serious yacht racers when they are not interested in owning their own $2.5 million racing yacht.  I overheard Killian speaking with one of the guest “crew” and let them know everyone would be dropping in $10 into the bucket and the winning yacht would split the pot.  What a great idea!  The competitive juices are starting to boil around the docks.

Two of the crewed racing charters that intrigued me are the International Rolex Regatta in St. Thomas and Antigua Sailing Week Regatta.  For 34 years, St. Thomas has been running this annual sailing regatta.  It starts Friday March 28, 2008 with three days of very competitive racing.  With new rating methods being implemented, the ‘08 St. Thomas regatta promises to be an unforgettable experience.  Another major date for the yachtsman’s calendar, Antigua Sailing Week, is now in its 41st year.   It is scheduled for April 27 – May 3, 2008.  This event which started in 1967 with a handful of local yachts has grown to become one of the World’s premier regattas.  More than 1,500 participants including Olympic, America’s Cup and round-the-world sailors in more than 200 boats pit their skills against one another in a sportsmanlike but fierce contest in the blue Caribbean waters around Antigua.  Last year one of ONDECK’s chartered yachts took second place.  They hope to take the grand price in 2008 and you can be part of the crew!

I took a lunch break with Jason Kumpf from Raffles Tortola.  He joined me yesterday and has been meeting the same amazing characters I have, and is blown away by the charter community.  Jason has been on Tortola for about seven weeks and is continuing to expand his experience of the Caribbean as he prepares to launch the ultra-luxury resort at Lambert Bay.  He is off to Miami today for a few days off.  You will be hearing more about Jason over the next few months as we connect him up with our customers who want more information about this project.  A busy afternoon is awaiting me as I continue my Caribbean lifestyle detective work.  Until next time…

An opportunity for the Captains and crew to discuss ways to improve the Virgin Island tourist industry.

The preview of the charter fleet is closed for the day and I am headed back for a shower and to change into my “whites” for the Governor’s reception with Governor deJongh (right), Lt. Governor Francis, and Senator Hill.  Walking towards Havensight to find a taxi, I looked back at the fleet with the sun setting and snapped another example of why everyday is magic in the Caribbean.  The place to snag a taxi is at the Rum Hut, and the bartender, Megan, secures one for me.  The taxi driver, Joseph, picked Jason and me up, and I noticed a change of clothes in his Taxi.  It ended up that Joseph was going to stop by the Boat Show reception, too, in order to hear the Governor’s remarks.

I had told Shelly Tucker, the chairperson of the event, that I would volunteer to be a bartender at the reception so I could meet some more unforgettable characters.  Well, it worked.  Next to me were two guys, Kevin and Cheech, who had just opened The Tap Room, the second brewery in the U.S. Virgin Islands – St. John Brewers. ( A past posting had me visiting Fort Christiansen’s Brewery on St. Croix.)  They had an overwhelming response to their Virgin Islands Pale Ale.  My suspicions turned out correct.  I met a bunch of unforgettable characters and I ran into some of my new friends that I have met the past few days.  Holy Moly!  When the crews are not on charter they kick back and have fun! 

In the midst of serving drinks to the boat show crew and guests, I did have a moment with the three government officials and spoke about two questions I had prepared,  “What is the long term plan for creating a sustainable tourist economy in the U.S. Virgin Islands?”, and, “Is there any possibility that the “6-Pack” rule” will be changed in the near future which would greatly benefit the Charter industry?” It was a lively dialogue with each of the elected officials.  They are very concerned about how to sustain an economy that fluxuates with the ups and downs of the mainland economy.  ALL of the service businesses rely on visitors spending money on-island.  They have various ideas as to how to create an economic environment in the Virgin Islands that is so attractive that it will be hard to resist for tourists and investors no matter what the economic climate is on the mainland. 

The BIG issue for the charter industry is the “6-Pack” law.  The law states that no charter can begin in the U.S. Virgin Islands that has more than six guests.  This requires that the fleet of yachts that are able to accommodate more have to pick them up in a different country.  That country is almost always the British Virgin Islands, which allows more than six charter guests to be picked up from their ports. 

The impact on the charter fleet is a MAJOR expense for them to sail or motor to Tortola to pick up their guests instead of having them fly into Charlotte Amalie and walk right on to their yacht.  In addition, the loss of revenue to the economy of the U.S. Virgin Islands is significant.  All of the 8-Pack charter guests spend all of their hotel, airport tax, taxi fares, restaurant fees before and after their charters in the BVI. 

I had an extended conversation with Lt. Gov. Francis and his wife Cheryl, and Senator Hill about this issue.  They clearly understand the problem and the hurdle they have in resolving it, is that the U.S. Federal government is the one imposing this law on the U.S. Virgin Islands.  So, as a protectorate they do not have much clout on Capital Hill to impact the law.

After the reception I decided to walk down the docks and breath in the salt air and saw that Clasship I was all lite up and having a party.  I didn’t stop by, but I snapped this photo.  Another day of interacting with some of the professionals I most admire – charter crews, has come to an end.  I will check with you in the morning.  A great day is planned tomorrow for the Boat Show.  Bacardi Rum is showing up for the Master Blender contest and there will be a BIG party for the participants at Paradise Point in the evening.  We will talk soon…

Never Judge A “Book” By It’s Cover In The Caribbean

From Simon Davies, to Lisa Mead, to Katy Bednar, to Big Mamma, to Jason Kumpf – all are equals in the Caribbean!

Simon Davies: He is the British captain of Clasship I and is one of the charter captains who is at the top of his game. Clasship I is considered one of the mega-yacht motor sailors. It sleeps 12, has a crew of five or more and cost almost £3,000 a day to charter. Simon is a Royal Yacht Association Yacht Master for both sail and power yachts. If you are the Captain of a yacht like Clasship I you are at the top of your game. His current crew of Phil, Debra, Lisa and Neil are in a similar category. Check out their website.

Lisa Mead: Executive Chef of Clasship I. Lisa is from Australia and comes to Clasship I with 15+ years of cooking experience on yachts ranging in size from 50 feet to 150 feet throughout the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Australia. She was born in Malaysia, raised in Singapore which assisted her Asian Cuisine. Her cooking style also includes Mediterranean, Caribbean, Fusion, and Mexican. There is no way a charter will succeed without an unforgettable chef and Lisa is one of them.

Katy Bednar: She is the First Mate of Three Moons, a 72’ Ketch. Originally from Marblehead, Massachusetts, Katy Bednar always had a love for the ocean. After completing a major in Biology in 2005, she took a sailing trip down to the Virgin Islands with her family and the rest was history. After a season of crewing on another yacht she found Randy and Shelly who owned Three Moons. She was welcomed aboard without hesitation as their First Mate. Again, without some with the qualities of Katy as a First Mate, the charter experience is not complete. We discovered that her next adventure is to return to New England and become an orthodontist. Can you imagine the tales she will be able share with all of the patients?

Big Momma: If you want an unforgettable moment of shopping, stop by the Wikked Shack at Yacht Haven Grande and browse through the Wikked branded clothing with Big Momma. I just stopped by to take a look at their awesome baseball caps and before I knew it I had spent over $100 in clothing. When she handed me the credit card slip to sign there was a line for “tip”. I have never purchased clothing where a tip was suggested, but it didn’t seem to be odd with Big Momma. I left her a tip and she wrapped her arms around me and let me know that I needed to “divorce” Catherine – the manager of Wikked, and marry her. It was so confusing because I’m not sure who I am needing to pay alimony to – Catherine or Big Momma. I will sort it out over the next few days.

Jason Kumpf: Jason is the sales executive of Raffles Tortola - the ultra luxury resort development that is just starting it’s build-out at Lambert Bay, Tortola. I highlighted this full ownership resort project in one of my past blog postings. Jason decided to jump on a boat today and join me at the Boat Show. His entire career has been working with people of wealth, whether it was in money management in London to luxury developments all over the world. He is the go-to guy for those that have decided they want to own a piece of the Caribbean dream. We have a marketing agreement with Raffles that allows us to serve all of clients needs who are considering a purchase with any of the Raffles Resorts.

The reason I highlighted these five memorable people is because it is an example of how important each of them are to the Caribbean experience. Without each of them there would be something lacking in the total package of a charter sailing adventure. They are all required; captain, chef, first mate, retail sales person, and the resort executive. What a fun afternoon mingling with another group of unforgettable Caribbean characters! Until later…I will be meeting with the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands tonight for an interview.

Non-stop inspiration from courageous people following their dreams.

Where do I even begin today? A purposeful life continues to unfold at the Boat Show. I stopped by Wikked today for breakfast.

There was a woman waiting at the host desk waiting for a table to have a quiet breakfast. I asked her if she would mind if I joined her since I was also eating alone. Margot Rose is now on my growing list of courage people who do not stand on the shoring wishing they could see the world. She decided to change her life course in 1992 and has no regrets. She was the owner and captain of Southwinds for years before she sold her and opened her charter yacht vacation brokerage.

In 1992 Margot was deep into a very successful corporate career in Buffalo, New York. She had the opportunity to join a friend on a sailing vacation in the Grenadines that year, and decided to change her entire life direction. What she discovered is that she was a “sea turtle” who had been separated from the sea at birth and rediscovered that when she was on the water she was always at home. The manner in which she describes herself is “peculiar”. I would say she is one of the courageous few who follow their dreams. I look forward to when our paths cross again – which they will.

Victor Hugo aptly described this moment in his quote: “Each person should frame a life so that at some future hour their “fact” and their “dreaming” actually meet.”

My next stop was a moment with Captain Mike Calhoun of Southern Comfort – a Nautica 62 mono-hull. I am very familiar with this yacht because I got acquainted over the years with the previous owners, Mike and Sandy Lampe, and their son, Chris, who ended up being the Captain the last several years. Last year was Captain Calhoun’s first charter season as the new owner and he continues to deliver an unforgettable experience for his guests. Check out their website for more information.

I decided that there were so many yachts at the show that there was no way I would get to all of them. So, I had the bright idea of taking pictures of each of the boats and then go back and meet the captains and crew. Well, that idea lasted about ten minutes. When I took the picture of Honiara I – a mono-hull for one, two, or three couples, Adele Constantineau-Paré – the chef for Honiara I stepped off her yacht and asked if I had a moment to come aboard. How could I resist. She introduced me to her husband, Captain Pierre Boudreau and another amazing moment began.

The story that unfolded was of two French Canadians that had dreamed of sailing the world, and their “fact” and their “dreaming” had not yet met. Several years ago they decided to change that when they “practiced” a charter business on Lake Ontario. That single experience gave the confidence and courage to take the leap and see if they could create a business. The response from their first customers has already created a non-stop referral business. The experience they deliver to their clients is based on having them join Pierre and Adele for a week or more of sharing a sailing vacation with them. It was worked and they are have not looked back. Courage and having dreams come true seem to be a trend for this entire group of amazing professionals. I am off again to see what exciting experiences the day continues to bring.

Estate Maho Bay in St. John will soon become the largest expansion of the US Virgin Islands National Park in the last 50 years after its purchase was secured by a US conservation group.

The untouched tropical land will be handed off to the National Park Service during the next few years when the $19 million deal will be finalized. Its 419 acres hold ruins of colonial plantations and Indian village sites, making the preservation of the area vital to keeping the island’s physical history intact.

If negotiations for the property’s purchase hadn’t been completed by The Trust for Public Land, preservationists would have continued to fear that the untouched land might have turned into commercial developments. Unprotected parcels near the middle of the Estate Maho Bay had attracted numerous construction proposals over the years.

St. John is the smallest island in the USVI territories. Protecting whatever significant piece of land reminding us of the past is the least we could do for future generations.

- Joseph Natividad

The title of junior Tourism commissioner was up for grabs this weekend and V.I. high school students jumped at the opportunity.

Held last Saturday morning at the Legislative Conference Room in Frederiksted, the competition was aimed at introducing Caribbean youth to the important role that tourism plays in their region’s economic development. The position of junior Tourism commissioner is designed to inspire local teens to pursue a career in tourism and leadership positions.

No USVI student has ever won the contest – that is – until now. Kia Griffith of St. Croix Central High School impressed the panel of judges, which included Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty as moderator. The finalists of the competition were considered based on their vocal projection, their physical appearance and the appropriateness of their speech.

Griffith stood out among other competitors with her vision of promoting the Caribbean as health-and-wellness vacation spot and was the only student who opposed a hassle-free entrance into the USVI. Referencing 9/11, she said that “We should not let our guard down.”

- Joseph Natividad

image courtesy of The VI Daily News

This weekend, thousands of Virgin Islands residents are expected to head to the beaches armed with garbage bags and gloves…to clean, of course.

V.I. Coastweeks is happening at the same time as the Ocean Conservancy’s 22nd annual International Coastal Cleanup day. In its 12th year, V.I. Coastweeks will continue on until October 6th.

During the last two years, the event has seen local participation shoot up from 674 volunteers in 2005 to 1083 in 2006. Organizers are expecting an even larger turnout this week.

From my previous experiences cleaning up shorelines in the Bay Area, it’s mind-blowing to witness the amount of trash that settles in an area inhabited by wildlife. Needles, plastic containers and wrappers are actually quite harmful to birds and sea creatures. Only last year, the Ocean Conservancy estimates that over a million seabirds and 500,000 marine life died from consuming random debris.

The volunteer effort isn’t just a beatification project. The vitality of the Virgin Islands’ precious wildlife is at stake and it is our duty to clean up the mess we made.

- Joseph Natividad

Dominican Republic Is Becoming The “Chic” Caribbean
Have you visited this undiscovered Caribbean “jewel” yet?

The first words that came out of my mouth when I stepped onto the beach at Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic was - WOW! My past impressions of the Dominican Republic – DR to the people in the know, was an island with two countries, one of which seems to be generally in turmoil most of the time – Haiti. The only other information I had about the island is that most of my cigars are made here by the Arturo Fuente’s family – my personal opinion is they are some of the best cigars in the world.

Again, this Old Dog was wrong – my wife reminding me daily of my confusion and misconceptions regarding many topics. The best way I can describe the DR I am discovering is, AMAZING! As you know, I love to discover unspoiled beaches, new sailing grounds, diving and snorkeling sites, and, of course, an unforgettable bar or two. It is all here to be discovered in the DR!!! There are five or six distinct regions in the DR. The one I am exploring is the Northeast coast – the region of the best windsurfing and kite sailing in the Caribbean.

The first DR beach I dug my toes into was Las Terrenas, right on the Samana peninsula. As I mentioned, it was a WOW! moment for me. As I explored the area I stumbled onto an construction site right on the water and started asking questions. Even though the DR is highly influenced by it’s history with France, there was no problem finding someone to speak English. What I had stumbled upon was Jardins de Coson – a luxury fractional ownership resort right on the beach! Check out the link.

I had no idea that the some of the best beaches in the world are on the DR! Conde Nast Traveler has rated Playa Rincon as one of the top ten in the world! It was only a short goat ride from Las Galeras to this unforgettable, unspoiled paradise of a beach. The DR is known for it’s mash potato white sand that is always a pleasure to walk on because it is never hot because of being made from coral. This three mile long beach is surrounded by coconut palms and almond trees, not to mention the 2,000 foot mountain on one end of it.

The Dominican Republic is a country and an unforgettable Caribbean experience all wrapped into one package. It will take me months to discover it all, so I will just hang out in the Las Terrenas area and find a new rum drink to add to my 30+ year journal. ( I snuck into the bar at the Viva Wyndham Samana all inclusive resort and had my old favorite – a Navy grog.)

Let me know what you have discovered in the DR. I am looking for my next unspoiled paradise. Until next time….

Claudia Creque, a 66-year-old retired educator from Anegada of the BVI, has recently garnered the honor of Member of the Order of the British Empire.

Gov. David Pearey was on hand during the awards ceremony at the Government House to praise Creque on her accomplishments that improved the overall quality of education on the island.

Having worked as a student teacher and principal at the Anegada School, she is credited for adding a full secondary division that made it possible for all children — not just those who could afford it — to receive a full education.

Outside of her professional life, Creque has also done many things to promote the culture of Anegada. Through a museum and the music programs she organizes at church, there is no denying her involvement for the greater good of the community.

Almost all of us have had at least one teacher who has made a difference in our lives. Claudia Creque has had an impact on the many children she has taught or encountered through her career, which has spanned four decades. The BVI government, along with nominations by its citizens, show the appreciation they have for her.

- Joseph Natividad