One of the multitude of objectives while in the Caribbean is to discover hundreds of the cocktails that have been invented here. For example, have you tasted a; Black Velvet; Cha Cha; Soppys; Guava Colada; Deadly Denise; or a Wham! ??? Well, you may have discovered a new hobby worth exploring.

At last year’s St. Thomas Charter Boat Show, hosted by the Virgin Island Charter League, I had the pleasure of re-connecting with Captain Jan Robinson of the yacht Vanity. She is a native of New Zealand and has cruised the Caribbean for more than 20 years. Not only is she an amazing and creative chef for her charter guests, she also decided to collect recipes from other yacht chefs and wrote her first cookbook – Ship To Shore I.

My interest in reconnecting with her was because of her third book that she has published, Sip To Shore. Now, this is my kind of book! It has over 100 cocktail recipes that will keep you supplied with some of the tastiest concoctions you could ever imagine. In addition, she has compiled an equal amount of mouth watering hors d’oeuvres that have also been compiled from charter yacht chefs’ in the Caribbean whose clients have rated as the best they have ever had.

One of the key ingredients of a charter yacht vacation in the Caribbean is the food and drinks. In fact, I would rate this aspect of a charter vacation as possibly 50% of the experience. On these types of voyages you will have from three to four 5-star meals a day. You will be blown away with what a yacht chef prepares from such a small galley, plus the presentation of the meals is over the top! We are talking about real China, crystal, silverware, cloth napkins, fresh flowers – everyday for every meal!!!

Anyway, start a new hobby and keep a list of your favorite Caribbean cocktails. Send me a few of your favorite recipes.

Glaucoma: from Captain Richard George from Yacht Emerald Lady

Guaranteed To Cure Blindness Or To Make You Blind! ( Use an Old Fashion glass – serves one )

1 oz. vodka 4 oz. Lemon Juice

1 oz. rum 1 tsp. sugar

1 oz. gin Powdered sugar to dip the glass rim in

1 oz. kahlua Ice

Combine each of the listed alcohols to the four ounces of lemon juice with 1 tsp. of sugar. Pour over the ice in a shaker. Shake well. Strain into a glass with the rim dipped in the powdered sugar.