Caribbean

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

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.

Expert's Choice: Leeward Islands

by Chris Doyle, Posted August 8, 2008

Chris Doyle has been writing and updating the Cruising Guide to the Leeward Islands since 1989.FOOD AND DRINK» ProvisionsIf you decide to self-provision or just need to restock, it doesn't get better than in St. Martin, where the supermarkets are giant and waterside provisioning services ensure that superyacht guests (and you) are never

Insider Tips from the BVI

by John Glynn, Posted June 2, 2010

After fairly busy Winter and Spring seasons in the BVI, things have slowed down a bit lately. In the wake of months like February, March, and April, when anchorages are full of families on school holidays, May and June are a time for couples to get together (often with like-minded couples) and charter a boat or go on a sailing vacation at a fraction of the peak-season cost.While May and

Secrets of St. Thomas

by Meredith Laitos, Posted July 9, 2012

When it comes to chartering in the Caribbean, St. Thomas has always stood apart for its convenient airport and top-notch shopping district in downtown Charlotte Amalie. But after Peter Nielsen’s exceptional experience at the St. Thomas Rolex Regatta, I wanted a taste of what else the island had to offer.

Expert's Choice: Windward Islands

by Chris Doyle, Posted August 8, 2008

A resident of Grenada, Chris Doyle wrote his first Cruising Guide to the Windward Islands in 1980. The current 2007-08 guide is the twelfth in the series.By Chris DoyleFOOD AND DRINK» ProvisioningThere was a time when charterers set off for the Windwards with bags of food—who knew what you would find down island? Forget

Brand New World

by Adam Cort, Posted November 10, 2010

It quickly became a running joke. “How come we never went snorkeling here before?” my wife, Shelly, would ask. “What a great beach. Why didn’t we go swimming like this the last time we were here?”The answer in each case was exactly the same: we’d been sailing, beating our way up and around St. John, reaching through the trades, reveling in the sheer joy of our boat speed. Not until the sun

Excessive Merriment & Hilarity in the BVIs

by Meredith Laitos, Posted October 15, 2012

The first time I met Julian Putley, I brought him a pair of shoes. We were shooting a video on bareboat sailing, and Julian’s boss didn’t want him to be barefoot on screen. “I’ll only wear these once,” he laughed when he saw them.

Last Mango In Paradise

by Dana Williams, Posted August 13, 2008

Splat! A large lump of something yellow hit the path in front of us. Then another, and another. Flinching, I glanced up into the rain-forest canopy. Flashes of movement and an insolent chattering betrayed the culprits—monkeys, and plenty of them. Splat! Now we recognized the somethings as the remains of mangoes dropping from the canopy as the monkeys finished munching them. Messy

The Great Octopus Hunt

by Peter Nielsen, Posted November 10, 2010

Some people start a charter with a set itinerary worked out well in advance. Sunday night in anchorage X, Monday night on a mooring in bay Y, Tuesday the lobster special at bar Z, and so on. Others take a more free-form approach, only deciding where to go after they get up in the morning and check out the wind strength and sea state; if getting to X involves a stiff beat that’ll wipe the grins