After 20+ separate charters yacht vacations each season, a charter crew needs a break…and they take one every Summer up until November 1st!

I let you know in past articles  that owning and operating a charter yacht vacation business is not just having fun and sailing around the Caribbean.  It is a BIG business.  It is BIG work!  And, it is not for the faint of heart!  Imagine owning a bed and breakfast in the Caribbean, except that it is a boat!  If something breaks there is no one to call except your personal skills in fixing it; generators, ice makers, electrical, plugged plumbing, air conditioning break downs, sheets and sail issues, and on and on.  Are you getting the picture that is not just sailing in Paradise and keeping sun screen on?  The “job” of a charter yacht owner/crew is to produce an extraordinary tropical yacht vacation experience for every guest…for every week of charters.  And, if that is not delivered to their charter guests they will not have a “Caribbean floating bed and breakfast” business for very long.

So, in spite of what I have just described, there is a small community of charter yacht owners who would not change one bit of their lives.  They are some of the most professional and competent business owners you will ever meet.  They are the consummate problem solvers every day without their guests ever knowing there may be something wrong.  They deliver four to five 5-Star dining experiences a day!  Every water toy you can imagine is on the yacht – from water skiing, kayaking, snorkeling, wind su rfing, etc.  And, they know every special anchorage in the Caribbean so when the anchor is dropped for the night you will witness a brand new spectacular sunset every evening while you are being served you favorite cocktails.  ( If you think I am over stating the experience one has on a charter yacht vacation, it is because you have been yet.  It is the most unforgettable vacation experience I have ever had – 40 years of sailing in the Caribbean has not dampened my love for this amazing part of the world.)

Two of the “Rock Stars” of the Caribbean charter industry are Randy and Shelly Tucker.  I had the chance to work with Shelly at last year’s VICL Boat Show  at Yacht Haven Grande  in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.  They own the Irwin 72′ Three Moons – one of my favorite mono-hulls especially built for the Caribbean.  Randy and Shelly are legendary in the Caribbean charter industry because of the consistently exceptional experience they deliver to their clients.  Almost 90% clients are repeat or referral clients.  Here is a quote from Randy and Shelly that truly communicates what is awaiting you for a Caribbean charter yacht vacation, “Comfort, relaxation, and award-winning cuisine are yours sailing aboard our handsome 72 foot yacht throughout  an exquisitely inviting Caribbean playground…the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.”   Because of the cuisine experience that Shelly delivers to their customers everyday, Crew Life Magazine printed a feature story on this award-winning chef.  Shelly has also published the very successful “Three Moons Island Cookbook” - in its third edition!

I had the pleasure of hosting Randy and Shelly at our San Francisco Bay Area home this week during their off-charter adventures.  This was their first visit to one of my top five favorite cities in the world.  Yesterday they had fresh Dungeness crab at the Waterfront Restaurant  on the Embarcadero.  They walked their “deck shoes”  off exploring this magical City.  They stopped by a few days after attending a family wedding in Cabo, Mexico. ( If you look closely at the photo of the catamaran you will see them with very BIG smiles – even though they are not fans of multi-hull yachts.)  During their stay as OUR “charter guests”,  it was such a pleasure to deliver the best we had for every meal, and even dipping into our wine cellar sharing our favorite wines.  ( We also had one night that started out with Belevedre martinis, some BIG reds, and topped off with some amazing Tawny Port for the Sierra foothills – Indian Rock Vineyards.)  I look forward to all of you having the opportunity of booking a charter yacht vacation in the Caribbean.  It will change your life – and that is not an overstatement.  Email me  and I will be your guide in setting up an unforgettable sailing adventure.  Until next time….fair winds!

The Charter Yacht Society and the Virgin Island Charter League boat shows are booked again for November – Road Town, BVI and St. Thomas, USVI!

As you know, I am a RAVING FAN of the charter yacht industry in the Caribbean!  Each year for the past 34 years the Caribbean charter yacht industry creates an opportunity for the charter yacht vacation Brokers to inspect the charter fleet in two locations – Road Town, Tortola, BVI, and St. Thomas, USVI.  Each of the charter yachts that register for shows present their yachts in the most amazing condition – bright work sparkling, and all of the woodwork freshly varnished.  The crews are decked out in their finest, and the presentation of their yacht is meant to communicate what it would be like for a charter guest to share a week with them.  So, the yacht Brokers are taking notes during the days of the Boat Shows and generally picking their favorite dozen or so yachts they will be promoting to their U.S., Canadian, and European clients.  As I have mentioned in previous articles, there is NOTHING like a charter yacht vacation!  Forget cruise lines.  Be pampered by the most amazing service professionals you will ever meet as your captain and gourmet chef.

There used to be just one Virgin Island Charter League in the Caribbean that served the BVI and the USVI.  But, in the early 1980s the demand for charter yacht vacations grew at such a rate that it made sense to have two distinct organizations specifically serving the British Virgin Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  Even though they are separate associations, they work in tandem regarding any issues facing the charter industry.  An example of that would be like behind the scenes is the work they did together in negotiations with the BVI government that was about to implement an increased TAX on every charter yacht that anchored in the BVI.  It would have added a difficult burden of expenses to the charter fleet that spends most of it’s time in the BVI, when they are all dealing with the oppressive fuel costs for their boats.  Remember, even though most of them are sail boats, they need fuel to run their generators to make sure their guests are comfortable at night with air conditioning, and to make sure they have cold refrigerators and ICE!  So, even though the guests are on a sailing yacht, the yacht needs FUEL to create the unforgettable experience of a crewed chartered sailing adventure.

Back to the Boat Shows…these annual events in the BVI and the USVI are critical moments to support the tourist dollars for both of these island nations and territories.  Tourism is the KEY economy for both of these countries.  The charter yacht vacation industry is an important aspect of tourist dollars.  Speaking from a personal experience of sailing in the Caribbean for 35+ years, the amount of money spent before, during, and after a charter yacht vacation generate almost $1,000 per person to the island nations that are their start and ending port.  These are BIG dollars given the size of the Caribbean charter yacht vacation fleet.  During the 2008 boat shows there will be a Premier’s reception for the BVI show, and a governor’s reception at the USVI show.  Last year at the USVI boat show Gov. deJongh, Lt. Gov. Francis, and Senator Hill were special guests addressing the charter community.  They are not showing up at this event because they have spare time on their hands.  They all know that this industry is a key to the health of their economies.

In past articles, I addressed some of the issues that are facing the Caribbean charter and tourist industries.  The key one is having the airlines figure out a business model that allows them to supply transportation to all of the visitors who want to visit Paradise.  There was an almost 15% increase in tourist coming the Caribbean in the last 12 months.  However, American and Continental Airlines are cutting back their flights by 40% to San Juan, Puerto Rico starting September 1^st.  The airlines industries are struggling to figure out a business model that allows them to stay in business.  I will be at both Boat Shows doing the internet reporting for each of them.  You will have a great time logging on from November 6^th  – 14^th.  I will keep you posted regarding the fun events that will be part of both of these special annual Caribbean events.  Until next time…your Caribbean lifestyle reporter is on duty!

The decision was made by a specially convened BVI Cabinet meeting on Monday night called by Honorable Ralph O’Neal to defer the implementation of the Harbour Fees!

 ”Timing has everything to do with the outcome of a rain dance.”  The DANCE that is currently underway in the Virgin Islands is how to create a level playing field for the charter yacht communities in the USVI and the BVI.  The timing could not be BETTER than right now to create this result!  A discussion began with the USVI government officials this past week regarding the revision or repeal of the Six Pack Law  .  This topic was ratcheted up a notch yesterday with the announcement by the BVI government deferring the implementation of the harbor fees for yachts entering or remaining in the BVI Territorial waters, or those using a BVI Ports Authority facility. 

What does this mean?  Well, the BVI government had contracted a Canadian company to provide them a report recommending how they could increase their revenue off the backs of the yachting community – primarily the charter yacht owners.  The Canadian company’s approved recommendation was to have a “harbour fee” of $1.00 per foot per vessel for the first day’s stay, $.75 per foot for the second day’s stay, and $.50 per foot for the third and subsequent day’s stay.  The cost to the charter yacht fleet would have been enormous!  And, with the BVI being one of the top charter yacht destinations in the Caribbean it would have meant higher prices for EVERYONE!  This fee was to be effective July 15, 2008 – yesterday.

At the announcement of the deferment of the harbor fee, Premier O’Neil stated that the decision was based “… in an attempt to protect the BVI Territory’s competitive edge as a yachting destination.”  He further stated, “After all, the BVI has been known as the sailing capital of the Western Hemisphere, if not the world, and therefore it was extremely important for the Cabinet to consider the representations that were made by local associations (such as the BVI Charter League) , maritime agents, and others involved in the yachting industry, both locally and abroad.”

He added, “It must be remembered that the yachting industry contributes to the economy of the Territory and the yachtsmen enjoy our waters from Anegada to Jost Van Dyke.  The yachting industry is a significant contributor to the local economy, and as such, the sector must be safe-guarded against adverse economic impacts.”

The Premier concluded, “The Cabinet reviewed the new harbour fees and we considered the cost implications of the charges to the yachting community when compared to the rising cost of fuel.  In addition, the Cabinet determined that if the BVI were to implement this new fee structure, the Territory may have become the most expensive destination in the world for mariners and yachts.”  Premier O’Neil said that the BVI Government is committed to ensuring maximum economic development for the Territory and providing the necessary protections for the sectors that propel its growth. ( The revenue from the charter yacht community is enormous to the BVI! )

This is BIG news for the USVI charter yacht community as it works hard to create a level playing field for economic growth with its BVI neighbors.  It is all of our hope that this move by the BVI government will be a further message to the USVI government administration to address the Six-Pack Law in order to secure and protect the economic growth that continues to move to the BVI because of not allowing more than six charter passengers to be picked up from the USVI.  Again, the millions of tourist dollars that are lost to the BVI is unbelievable.  It is very encouraging to know that this issue is being seriously addressed by the USVI government today.  It appears that the behind-the-scenes person outside the government agencies who is championing this issue from the charter yacht community is Erik Ackerson from the Virgin Islands Charter League.  The message that needs to be heard by the USVI government departments is that we are all standing ready to support the needed changes to the Six-Pack Law.  Your comments are always welcomed.  Until next time…

This law states that a charter yacht vacation that has more than six guest cannot begin their voyage from the U.S. Virgin Islands!

You remember that last November at the Virgin Island Charter League Boat Show in St. Thomas, I was asked to be the internet reporter for the event.  Because taking on this fun and challenging task I had the opportunity to meet and get acquainted with some wonderful people within the charter yacht industry and several of the USVI elected government leaders; Gov. deJongh and his wife, Lt. Gov. Francis and his wife, and Senator Hill.  My last blog posting was about a letter I received from Gov. deJongh last week responding to a letter I sent to him about the Six-Pack law and how it may be time to have it changed.  One of the people at the show that I met was the chairperson for the show, Shelly Tucker - co-owner of the charter yacht Three Moons.  She immediately jumped on the band wagon regarding how to invite the government officials to address the Six-Pack law.  Below is the letter that I referred to in my blog that Shelly wrote and I edited.  IT IS A LONG LETTER,  BUT ONE THAT I BELIEVE YOU WILL FIND VERY INTERESTING.  Today, the results of this law are causing a BIG loss of income to the USVI because any charter yacht vacation with over six guests now picks them up in the British Virgin Islands - about 20 minutes away from American Yacht Harbor in St. Thomas.  ALL of those tourist dollars are spent in the BVI – hotels, restaurants, etc.  We are hoping that finally the USVI government administration will take this project on and get it repealed.  We welcome your input to these government officials by encouraging them to assist with this important issue.

To:  Governor Of The United States Virgin Islands – June 2008

Dear Governor John deJongh, Jr.

Thank you for your reply concerning the strategies to modify the “six-passenger rule”.  According to our files, the last time a position paper was written concerning this law was in 1994. The paper stated that the charter yacht industry contributed well over $100 million dollars to the U.S. Virgin Islands local economy. By 1993, the figure had fallen to below $30 million. The figure was further reduced after Hurricane Marilyn in 1995. Anecdotal evidence supports this contention. In June 1998, an article was published in the Daily News with the following quotes: Judy Knape, former director of the Virgin Island Charter Yacht League, said,  “The organization had 80 members in 1998. In 1991, the figure stood at 102, and in the mid-1980′s, it was over 204.”  Kathy Mullen, who at the time was the head of the Virgin Islands Marine Industry Association stated, “Within the last five years, the number of businesses that support the marine industry, such sail makers and those providing services to the yachts has dropped by 25 percent.”

In 2001 an official meeting was held with charter yacht captains, charter clearinghouse representatives, and the U.S Coast Guard officials on St. Thomas.  Lt. Kevin Smith of the Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment agreed to try to identify acceptable safety equivalents to regulations concerning passenger vessels to allow previously un-inspected charter yacht vessels to obtain Certificates of Inspection, increasing the guest capacity from six to 12 passengers. Since there has been such an expanse of time since the last attempt at changing the six-passenger law, we must begin again with renewed efforts to bring this to the consciousness of the decision makers who can re-draft it in a manner that meets all the needs of those who are being negatively impacted.

Despite being designed and constructed to accommodate a larger group of overnight guests, many luxury charter yachts classified as “un-inspected small passenger vessels” are currently restricted by the Passenger Safety Act of 1993 to a six-passenger maximum while operating in U.S. waters, including the U.S. Virgin Islands. In order to carry more than six passengers on charters within U.S. waters, vessels must obtain a Certificate of Inspection, which verifies compliance with the Passenger Vessel Safety Act.

Most of the high-end charter yachts in the League cannot meet the Certificate of Inspection criteria without major structural changes, as well as some equipment and systems refits in order to comply with specs written primarily for passenger ferries and other commercial vessels.  The luxury charter yacht industry as we know it today didn’t exist on the same scale at the time the rules were written.

The inspection issue is not about just compromising passenger safety standards.  It’s about financial viability of the charter yacht industry, and the impact this law has on the tourist revenue to the USVI.  The intent is to identify “acceptable safety equivalences”.  We would like to emphasize that this is an interim step in a multi-level process that will require coordination between the U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington D.C., as well as Coast Guard officials to ensure compliance with existing laws and regulations involving licensing requirements, structural and equipment equivalents.

 The Virgin Islands Charter Yacht League would like to call for a multi-pronged approach to return the St. Thomas charter industry to a semblance of it’s former self and again become a major contributor to the revenue of the USVI:

• Negotiate with the federal government and the U.S. Coast Guard to change the six-passenger maximum rule to allow yachts to pick up as many passengers as they have berths. (Such as in the BVI)
• Allow charter yachts not based in the USVI to do a reasonable number of pickups each year without licenses. The BVI currently allows seven pick-ups each year for yachts not based in their area. This would encourage yachts working up and down the Leeward and Windward chain of islands to pick up guests in the USVI. .
• Provide tax incentives for yachts based in the USVI.
• Increased advertising of the local charter industry through the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism.  
• Have the USVI become more yacht-charter friendly for the benefit of all aspects of the USVI economy.

There are many positive,  supporting facts which strengthen the need to change the six passenger law in the U.S. Virgin Islands:

• Since 1997, the production of luxury yachts 80 feet and above has more than tripled. In 2005, there was a staggering 28% increase in new luxury yachts being built!
• In 1993, the world had fewer than 700 privately owned yachts over 100 feet. Today an estimated 7,000 large yachts are in use!
• Aside from the high entry cost of buying a large yacht, there are tax incentives and advantages to further fuel the desire of owning and providing a yacht for charter.
• Yacht chartering now tops the list of the most popular and most expensive activity for people with a net worth of more than $10 million US.
• According to a survey by Prince & Associates for Elite Traveler magazine, summer holiday spending in 2007 was up 56% from 2005. They attributed majority of the jump in spending toward chartering private yachts – most of which occurred in the Caribbean.  
• Annually, charter yachts in the U.S. Virgin Islands will spend between $20,000 US and up to $200,000 US in provisioning and fuel depending on the size of the vessel.  This does not include the added revenue to the businesses of the USVI from the charter yacht guests who book hotels, restaurants, and shop within the USVI.

The entire VICL Board of Governors is willing to work with you to assist in changing the six-passenger law. Virgin Islands Charter Yacht League mission is to improve the crewed yacht charter business in the U.S. Virgin Islands through public relations, advertising and promotion. Our members stand ready to help you and the USVI Government to restore a “level playing field” and return fair competition between the USVI based charter yacht fleet and our neighboring island/nations. We are truly appreciative of your assistance, and welcome any further questions or comments.

 Sincerely,    Shelly Tucker, VICL Secretary

Until next time…your Caribbean life-style reporter remains on duty!

From:  United States Virgin Islands Governor John deJongh, Jr.      Date:   July 9, 2008

I sent a correspondence to Gov. John deJongh, Jr. a week or so ago and asked for his input as to what his administration is doing to address the challenges of several airlines cutting back their flights to the Caribbean by 40% when tourist visits to the Caribbean have set new records last year – 15 million.  I first met Gov. deJongh at the 2007 Virgin Island Charter League Boat Show in St. Thomas where he was a featured speaker addressing the economic health of the Caribbean.  Here is his letter in response to my correspondence last week.  I sincerely thank Gov. deJongh for his, and his administration’s proactive actions in creating a dynamic economy for the USVI focused on the tourist industry who loves visiting Paradise.

Dear Mr. Walberg, 

Thank you for taking the time to share your views on what is a very important issue. As you rightfully mention, tourism numbers have been steady, in fact they have been increasing, while flight service from two major airlines serving the Territory has been cut. My Administration, in cooperation with the Department of Tourism and the Virgin Islands Port Authority, has been targeting markets worldwide with special packages and incentives to attract new and returning travelers to the Territory; this includes European and other international markets. European travelers, in particular, are encouraged to travel to “America’s Caribbean” as they are able to enjoy a favorable return on the exchange rate. Keeping this in mind, we are also working diligently with other Caribbean nations through the Caribbean Tourism Organization and the Caribbean Hotel Association to forge the relationships that enable our placement as a favored Caribbean destination location for travelers from the mainland United States and globally.

Additionally, our collaborative efforts have recently made possible the increased flight service of other, low cost airlines to the region. This added service will allow visitors’ increased flexibility in their travel plans and highlights the continued commitment of the Department of Tourism and the Virgin Islands Port Authority in working cooperatively to offer incentives for travelers to the Territory.  

Also, thank you for attaching the January 7, 2008 correspondence from Ms. Shelly Tucker, VICL Secretary.  (This was a letter addressing the “six-pack” law which is negatively impacting the charter boat industry and the tourist dollars that the USVI lose because of this outdated law.)  Unfortunately, I had not previously received this letter which responded to my December 2007 correspondence.  I have forwarded this letter to the Commissioner of Tourism for her analysis and our later discussion on execution.  Needless to say, the charter yacht industry is a key component in our package of offerings and its protection and growth is a central focus of my Administration.

Thank you once again for providing your views and for your efforts to raise awareness on these important issues.

Sincerely,
John P. de Jongh, Jr.,
Governor – United States Virgin Islands

I welcome your comments on Gov. deJongh, Jr.’s remarks.  I will pass them on to the Governor’s office.  Until next time…your Caribbean life-style detective continues to be on-duty.

If you want the best vacation experience of your life, book a crewed chartered sailing adventure in the Caribbean

You will recall that I have been sailing in the Caribbean for over 30 years. Because of those years of sailing I have met some of the most unfogettable people I know – Dougy the head of cabbies at Beef Island Airport; Foxy the owner of Foxy’s on Jost Van Dyke; Mick the bartender at Soggy Dollar Bar; Liz the owner of Duffy’s Love Shack; a Danish couple who had been sailing for over five years with two of their three kids being born on their boat; Baby Bull Rhymer who ripped me off at Cane Garden Bay; Captain Whitey of the catamaran Tamarin; Ustis from Dominica who is the best dancer I have ever met. (He enjoyed dancing with each of our women guests at Quito Rymers; Quito Rhymers, the famous Caribbean “Jimmy Buffet”; Dick at CharterPort; and hundreds more!!! And…whenever and wherever I am sailing in the Caribbean it is always unforgettable!

You also recall that my last ”crew” was made up of seven guests who had never sailed in the Caribbean, nor had they been on a crewed chartered yacht.  Each of them are world travelers and they said it was the BEST adventure they had ever had!  The catamaran’s are currently my favorite choice if you have a group of guests who are unfamiliar with the sailing scene.  However, when I want the pure pleasure of sailing my preferrence is the traditional mono-hull. Our sailing adventure last month was again on “Double Feature”, the Lagoon 57 crewed by Captain Jonny and 1st Mate/Chef Kelly.  My mono-hull of choice this year is Three Moons – an Irwin 72 crewed by Captain Randy, Chef Shelley, and 1st Mate Katy. They also deliver an amazing experience for each of their guests aboard Three Moons.

The reason why it is called an adventure is because you have no idea what will unfold between the moment of your launch and the moment you drop anchor at your final desitnation of the voyage. All of the STUFF that happens in between is the reason why I can’t wait to launch on any sailing adventure. I eat up the STUFF in between! Some of the ”moments” that happen are unforgettable.  Some of those ”moments” are hopefully forgotten quickly. ( Remember my comments months ago about dancing with a goat at Foxy’s?) Well, last month I ended up at The Last Resort with my guests and was swept away with the music and the rum that ended up having me as the back-up singer for the BAND! Most of the moments that need to be forgotten usually happen late at night after some Meyer’s Dark Rum and Caribe beer chasers. With that combination, anything can happen…and usually does.

Back to sailing…that is the real deal in the Caribbean. I am at my “spiritual center” when I am under sail, and with any job that is assigned to me. I have captained my share of sailboats, but I have also been the chef on many boat deliveries, and even been as lowly as a 4th Mate whose job is typically clearing out a clogged head - one of the worst jobs on the boat.  There is nothing like the feeling of the helm in your hands as you steer your course to your next anchorage. The expected activities during any voyage includes; SCUBA, snorkeling, water skiing, wake boarding, kayaking, daily gourmet moments, great beverages because thirst is a dangerous thing, reading, napping, sunning with various degrees of clothing, and even the occasional squals.  Are you getting a better idea as to why I can’t wait to step aboard my next sailboat going to who knows where? Contact me and I promise to set up this type of experience for you, your family and friends.  I am such a fan of this experience that I secured by charter yacht brokerage license in 1997 and I have arranged hundreds of sailing adventures.  Until next time.  Fair winds.

At the start of any sailing voyage, this is the mantra Jim Walberg uses when he raises the anchor and sets sail for another adventure!

This phrase, “Do not be fearful,” is one that I have not only used as a life long sailor, but in many aspects of my life.  It is the phrase that is used by both those staying behind and those on the sailboat as it leaves the anchorage or dock for another voyage.  My experience with this mantra is based on the fact that no one knows what will ever happen on a sailing adventure. The one constant is you know the latitude and longitude of your destination.  What happens from the moment you set sail to the moment you drop anchor at your destination is what is called “a sailing adventure”.

I could write a book about all of the “unexpected / expected” experiences that relate back to “not being fearful”. Well, I guess it is OK to be fearful, but a sailor doesn’t let the fear prevent her/him for setting sail, even knowing the challenges that will be faced during the voyage.  Someone that lets fear stop them from setting sail to a familiar or new destination is called a “landlubber”, not a sailor.  So, fear can either serve you or it can paralyze you.  I chose to have it serve me, even though I have been in some pretty scary experiences during my life time of sailing adventures.

One example of my 50+ years of sailing adventures was during a sailboat delivery on the west coast from San Francisco to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico. The sailboat was a MacGregor 65 that is a “rocket ship” that is only twelve feet wide and sixty-five feet long, and is primarily used for racing. It is not considered a “blue water” sailing vessel. It is just built for speed – 12 to 14 knots for a mono-hull! It is known to break up in even moderate seas because of it being so narrow and light. (If a MacGregor does break-up it doesn’t sink because it is filled with foam so it actually floats and one can hang-on to debris as a last resort while awaiting someone to save your ass.)

Off the Santa Barbara Islands our crew of four decided we better stress the boat to the max to see if there were any flaws that could be uncovered before we got into Mexican waters. Another important note – sailors do attempt to always find the “surprises” during a voyage before they are actually surprises.  Well, one showed up with all the sails out in a 20 knot wind. Within minutes the boom broke in half and I happened to be in the path of the broken parts. It hit me square on the head and knocked me out. (When we meet again you will now note the dent that is still on the right side of my bald head.) My crew mates acted quickly – another important trait of a sailor, and first made sure I didn’t roll overboard, and then lashed the broken boom together and re-grouped. As a sailor you need to constantly improvise during these types of moments which requires a curious and inventive mind. With the boom broken in half you can’t use your mainsail effectively. So, we rigged it to use the jib and “jerry rigged” the main so we had a small portion of it in the wind. We limped to a repair facility in San Diego harbor and set sail again to complete the delivery. We did deliver the yacht on time, in spite of the detour, and I added another story to my journal of sailing tales.

Well, enough of my musings for now. My point is that you can never explore new shores by standing on the dock wishing you could get their. You must get on board, set the sails, and be prepared for many sailing adventures between the launch and your destination.  Hum…maybe there is even some analogies in life that the sailing mantra applies, too – “Do not be fearful!”!!!    So, what about some of your tall tales from sailing adventures?

Most everyone I know thinks the Bahamas are in the Caribbean – they are not, but you will think they are when you arrive!

For the past year or more, we have been getting inquiries from Buyers who want information about buying in The Bahamas since they believe these islands are in the Caribbean.  Up until about six weeks ago I told all of those inquiring that the Bahamas are not in the Caribbean. Starting about six weeks ago there has been non-stop inquiries about real estate opportunities in the Bahamas. If you remember my “Brits & Boomers” blog posting, most of these inquiries are coming from Brittan, Europe and Eastern U.S. With this type of interest I had better pay attention to what the consumers are looking for.

One of the BIG benefits is that the Bahamas are so darn convenient for visitors to get there – direct flights from England and the Eastern coast of the U.S. It is definitely a British experience when you arrive. The uniforms of the police and driving on the left side of the road are just the first two clues of the British influence on this 100,000 square mile cluster of 700 islands that include an estimated land area of 5,382 square miles, and the highest land elevation is only 206 feet!

The diving is over the top as one of the many draws since The Bahamas have the third largest barrier reef next to Australia being #1, and Belize being #2!  It also has 14+% of the world’s coral. There are just over 305,000 Bahamians living on the islands with the majority of them on Nassau and Paradise Islands. There are actually only 14 main islands that serve the remaining 686 islands – either by boat or plane. The boat anchorages available throughout the Bahamas allows a sailor to never have another boat anchored next them if they plan their sailing adventure properly.

The African culture has created the flavor and texture of The Bahamas.  There is definitely a British influence , but the culture is West African.  One of the amazing festivals in the Bahamas is Junkonoo. This would be a close cousin of the Caribbean Carnivals, but it is held twice a year on Bay Street in Nassau, so the typical tourist does not get a chance to experience it.  But if you venture down the Prince George Dock in Nassau, you can check out the Junkanoo Expo. 

If sailing is your deal, as it is mine, then you need to show up at Montagu Bay for The Valentine’s Day Sailing Regatta. This regatta is part of the Caribbean regattas that are some of the most competitive in the world.  Remember Ondeck Ocean Racing charters?  They will be entered in 2009 and they are always competitive. It is truly a championship race that has all the fun of Race Week in Antigua. I have finally accepted the fact that the world embraces The Bahamas as part of the Caribbean scene.  So, if you would like to check some of the real estate opportunities in this “paradise” that is only 600 miles off the coast of the U.S., email me and I will send you some fun stuff.  Until next time…

The choice of adventures to celebrate my 60th b-day was a chartered sailing adventure in the BVI

I have been missing in action on our Caribbean Islands Realty site for the past two weeks because of taking time with my wife and friends chartering Double Feature - a Lagoon 57 with Jonny as the Captain and Kelly as the First Mate / Chef.  What a time we had exploring old and new adventures in the British Virgin Islands! We started our adventure by checking out several real estate projects in the USVI and the BVI that have contracted our real estate marketing services; Dolphin Cove Resort; Ritz Carlton Residence Club; and, Raffles Tortola. We had hoped to fit in some time on the Turks & Caicos visiting L’Emeralde, but our travel schedule was changed because of weather.

We took the ferry from Red Hook and met Double Feature at Village Cay Marina with our charter guests and immediately sailed to Norman Island at The Bight for our first anchorage. That began another adventure of a lifetime! The activities on a chartered sailing vacation are over the top; snorkeling, diving, water skiing, wakeboarding, wind surfing, kayaking, reading, napping, journaling, and the non-stop 5-star meals from Kelly’s galley, and fine wines from around the world and Captain Jonny’s daily cocktail menu. None of our guests on this charter vacation had ever done it before! And, for the last ten months of planning I told them that there is no way to truly describe the experience that will happend during this type of Caribbean adventure. If you ever run into this crew they will tell you I was correct. They could not believe what unfolded during our time on Double Feature.

In addition to all the work we do in serving our Caribbean real estate clients, I have a charter yacht vacation brokerage company, Navigations, that not only books charter vacations in the Caribbean, but all over the world – from Europe, Mexico, and the South Pacific! (If you want more information about this type of adventure, email me.  I will send you all you need to know about the cost and planning required.) There will be lots more information coming on future blog postings regarding my 60th birthday sailing adventure, but for now, I need to plug back into the world of real estate and my Caribbean lifestyle dective work.  Until next time…

After 30 years of sailing in the Caribbean islands, it is still a thrilling moment to step aboard a BIG catamaran and shove off for another sailing adventure in Paradise!

The packing mantra for a Caribbean sailing adventure is, “Less is best!” For the first-time Caribbean sailing guest, they usually bring three times as is needed for this type of laid back vacation.  So, layout on your bed all you want to bring for your voyage then immediately put half of it away. You should probably go through this process twice! You will then pack your small pile into a soft-duffel bag because it will need to be rolled up for ease of storage on the yacht. If your duffel bag is too big for carry-on you have packed WAY too much stuff!

During your voyage you will be wearing the least amount possible because the temperature is 85 degrees F, and the water is the same temperature;

• Bathing suits ( Tops are optional most of the time for both men and women. When you are going ashore on any of the British Crown Colony islands both men and women will need to wear a t-shirt.) When you are on your yacht you can wear as little as you want.
• T-shirts,  tank tops, shorts and boat shoes, or sandals/loafers are the remaining clothing required for this type of adventure.  The women may want to have a light Summer dress for evening comfort, and men may want to bring a pair of light weight linen pants and a Tommy Bahama shirt, also for the evenings.
• Polarized sun glasses and a wide brimmed hat are a must,  plus a baseball cap.
• A light windbreaker will be all you need for a boat jacket.   I also bring a pair of light pajama bottoms and a light sweatshirt in case the evenings on the yacht are a chilly 70 degrees F,  which is not likely.
• Sun block – non-oily, will be used all the time,  and so will moisturizing cream.   There are no biting bugs when you are sailing,  but Avon’s Skin So Soft seems to work very well when you are walking on the sand and the “no-see’ms” show up.
•  Be sure to bring a camera.  Everyday at dusk you will witness an unforgettable sunset.  You will also need the camera to record moments each day that demonstrate what it means to be “limin’ in Paradise”. You can even buy the disposable cameras that work under water.
• I bring my own diving mask and snorkel,  and/or regulators for SCUBA diving. I have found that guest’s personal mask are the best way to achieve the most comfortable snorkeling and diving experience.   The yacht will have a variety of fins for your use.  Also, there will be water skiing, windsurfing, kayaking, and “floaties” to be used by those that just want to relax in the water and still get some sun.

The reason I bring all of this packing information up for your review is because I am about to gather my gear for another Caribbean Sailing adventure next week with three other couples. We have booked a Lagoon 57 – “Double Feature” with Captain Jonny and 1^st Mate / Chef Kelly. You will be getting daily postings of our adventure starting on February 16^th.  Stay tuned. On my last voyage some one snapped a photo of me dancing with a goat at Foxy’s. I am still looking for that photo and will pay top dollar for it.