Destinations

If Paris Were an Island

by Meredith Laitos, Posted September 28, 2011

"Wait right here. There’s something you must see.” Erique grins, then hurls his muscular figure into a forest so thick he’s invisible within seconds. We hear him wrestling with branches as a light rain falls around us. Erique, our fearless guide, has led us to a ruined sugar mill deep in the hills of Marie Galante, a tiny island south of Guadeloupe. Because of his expertise,

Whitsunday Magic

by Adam Cort, Posted September 30, 2011

Australia’s Whitsunday Islands, on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef just off the Queensland coast, are one of those “bucket list” destinations, known far and wide for great snorkeling, great sailing and some of the best beaches in the world. This past February, I had the opportunity to explore the islands aboard the 41-foot Seawind 1250 catamaran Seawindow, which proved to be the

December Sunsail Flotilla

by Sail Staff, Posted October 3, 2011

Looking for a new way to enjoy a charter sailing vacation? Join SAIL on a Flotilla Adventure in the British Virgin Islands, where SAIL host Chris Museler will guide you through a week of fun and relaxation.

America's lonely virgin

by David Schmidt, Posted July 9, 2009

Would you like fresh banana in your smoothie?” asked the woman at the roadside smoothie shop, nestled in the higher elevations of St. Croix’s rainforest area. “It’s sweeter with banana.”I readily agreed, and Mark Jones, my tour guide, and I strolled through the establishment’s collection of native fauna. Mark explained that the smoothies take a little while to prepare, as the woman had to

Reef your bareboat budget

by Sail Staff, Posted July 23, 2009

Are you contemplating a Caribbean bareboat charter, but concerned about the cost? Here’s how you can blow those worries off the chart with just a few simple tricks.Most charter companies have tempting deals that offer full or partial meal provisioning. If you choose not to take advantage of these, you will save money by not paying for items that you don’t use. We recently met a couple who,

Decisions, Decisions

by Amy Ullrich, Posted January 7, 2010

"If I were on my boat, I wouldn’t go out today,” says Harry from the wheel. Of course he wouldn’t. Harry and Lyn Wey—friends, neighbors and lifelong sailors—keep their boat in Maine, where even a tiny splash could freeze you in the winter. Harry, who is on his first Virgin Islands charter, hasn’t quite tuned in to the essential facts of Caribbean sailing: any splash will be as warm as bathwater

Caribbean for Newbies

by Sail Staff, Posted January 7, 2010

The question came up every year: “Whadya think about chartering in the Caribbean?” And every year the answer was the same: “Nah.”My wife, Jennifer, and I sail our Caliber 38, Catamount, in the northern latitudes, on the fresh waters of Georgian Bay on Lake Huron. The idea of chartering in the Caribbean raised many different questions: Isn’t everything so close you don’t really

Why Not a Month?

by Lou Deutsch, Posted January 11, 2010

For the past few years we have chartered monohulls and catamarans in the Caribbean for the usual week or, sometimes, 10 days. We savored every moment of those brief charters, but invariably felt pressed for time and regretfully passed by anchorages we knew would be more perfect than all the rest. If only we had two weeks, or better yet, a whole month, we could ease into our vacation, explore

Cat Country

by Billy Van Der Wal, Posted March 2, 2010

"I can tell you guys are roughing it, but if you need any ice or water, just let us know—we make 400 gallons of water and 400 pounds of ice a day.” To the owner of the 40-foot sportsfisherman anchored next to our 30-foot catamaran at Highborne Cay in the Bahamas, we must have looked pretty desperate. But that was all part of the adventure.“We” were my dad, Onne, me, my 10-year-old brother

Safety, Friendship, and the Handling of Messages

by Dawn Dupree, Posted March 2, 2010

When the five of us— Dana, Bird, Pip, Laura and I—left Boston, Massachusetts, last April for a week’s charter in the Abacos, we thought we were in for a week of easy sailing and stress-free sunbathing. We certainly didn’t expect to become part of a sailing community. That hadn’t happened on any of our previous “girls' trip” charters together in St. Martin and the British Virgin Islands. Why would