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Showing posts with label Caribbean nature charters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Caribbean nature charters. Show all posts
Monday, February 6, 2017
Belize: Off the Beaten Path straight into the arms of Geoff and Iza Prower and their lovely Catamaran: Dreaming On
Sunday, February 14, 2016
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR PERFECT YACHT CHARTER! DETAILS HERE.
Details For
Planning Your Trip
HELPFUL TIPS FOR PLANNING YOUR CREWED CARIBBEAN CHARTER VACATION
Where, when, how and who?
Special Landmark Anniversary?
Milestone Birthday?
Family Get Together?
Just for fun?? (Who doesn't want to have fun?)
Special Landmark Anniversary?
Milestone Birthday?
Family Get Together?
Just for fun?? (Who doesn't want to have fun?)
Start with Your Shipmates? Who wants to come?
Gather your friends, family or
colleagues who express interest in joining in on this fantastic adventure. This
is usually the most challenging part of any vacation especially for the one
doing the planning. See if you can get your group to agree on some of the
basic interests they will have such as SCUBA diving from the boat, focus on
nature hiking, visiting some of the outer islands of the BVI such as Anegada or
choose your preferred location for chartering and if the customary term of 7
nights and 8 days will be enough for you all to see and do what you’d
like. The British Virgin Islands? St. Maarten, Anguilla, St. Barts
and St. Kitts and all that it has to offer? or further down island in the
Grenadines? Summer charters are GREAT in the Grenadines!
Determine a budget:
Rates can be as low as $1500 per person per week for all
inclusive meals and bar and up from there. This usually depends on several
factors:
The pricing of any type of Charter is for the whole boat and all toys and services on board. It’s
dependent on the number of people in the party as well. If there are
fewer people the price would be higher per person.
Also, the type of boat such as Catamaran vs Monohull
vs Motoryacht and/or level of service requested?
There can be 3
different levels of service on most boats these days:
·
Captain Only (less commonly offered): You purchase all
food, drinks for you and the Skipper , pay for all expenses such as water,
fuel, moorings each night where necessary, and any fees and taxes.
·
Half Board service: This means a mixture of meals and usually
standard bar is offered on board. Example: All breakfasts, 4 lunches and 3 dinners are included and made to your preferences, leaving several to be taken on land at your expense at
the restaurant/s of your choice. This usually works VERY well with children on board... They typically love to play on beaches and explore their surroundings on land.
· And All-Inclusive: All meals, standard ship's bar and expenses are covered in the
charter rate.
Slip Aweigh Charters will help you find the boat which
offers all that your party wants to do and experience and keep it within your
budget.
NOTE: Please take into consideration: Crew Gratuity is customary for all charters and usually ranges between 15-20% of the Charter rate and given to the Captain by personal check at the end of the term. The hard working crew will appreciate it very much.
NOTE: Please take into consideration: Crew Gratuity is customary for all charters and usually ranges between 15-20% of the Charter rate and given to the Captain by personal check at the end of the term. The hard working crew will appreciate it very much.
What about payments?
To
confirm any charter: Once we receive your inquiry, we set about finding the exact perfect fit for you and your party. Once that is settled, first, we place a HOLD on the yacht of your choice for the
dates you want to come.
This gives you, the client, time to round up the Guests, firm up the dates, check on Flight options etc.
This is a “no obligation” hold only and is subject to
challenge by any other entity wishing all or part of that term for that yacht.
If challenged prior to being confirmed, Slip Aweigh Charters has 48 working
day hours to provide payment along with the signed agreement.
Until a payment is made and a sanctioned CYBA Charter Agreement is signed by the
charterer, the boat remains on HOLD status, but for a limited amount of time. Once Slip Aweigh Charters receives
both the signed agreement and the deposit, we confirm your charter and the yacht’s schedule is blocked from
anyone else wishing to charter the yacht/term.
Your funds go into a secure, escrow account overseen by our
professional organization, CYBA for dispersement to the yacht according to the
customary schedule.
Payment schedules go like
this:
Bookings made more than 6 months out from the start date: 25% of
the charter fee is due to confirm.
The 2nd 25% is due at 6 months out from the charter start date.
If booked within 6 months of the charter, payment of 50% deposit
is due to confirm.
Final payments:
All charters must be paid in full in cleared funds approximately 60 days from the charter start date.
If a charter is booked within the 60 days, all funds are due in
full.
When is good to go?
Weather
will often play a role in when and where you want to go. For example, in
the Virgin Islands many places to have fun on land, dance, dine etc. are closed
for some of the Summer weeks usually from mid-August through September. This is the
perfect time to choose the islands of the Grenadines to
charter in.
The Bahamas is a perfect destination for Spring and early Summer vacations as well.
The Bahamas is a perfect destination for Spring and early Summer vacations as well.
Seasonal Rate ranges: Lower seasonal rates usually begin on May
1st thru Dec. 14th. High seasonal rates are usually between Dec.
15th through April 30th.
Holiday and other popular times Travel Dates-Book early!
In the Virgin Islands, Christmas and New Years Eve week charter dates are by far the busiest and most FUN time to
come. There are many well-known Island Style Parties held around New Years week. (Known as Old Year's Night in the Virgin islands.)
So advance planning to get exactly what you want is essential. It’s not uncommon to book this trip a year ahead of the week you choose for charter. Another very busy time is Spring Break, usually from late March to mid April.
So advance planning to get exactly what you want is essential. It’s not uncommon to book this trip a year ahead of the week you choose for charter. Another very busy time is Spring Break, usually from late March to mid April.
Full Moon Charters
Particularly
in the BVI, you will find some fantastic parties centered around Full Moon dates. These fun times are particularly Family Friendly.
We highly recommend chartering around this time of the month. Check the calendar HERE.
Passports:
If all in your party do not have passports, have them
set about getting that done. The US State Department issues passports and
sometimes there is a waiting time. So, this detail should be tops on the list.
You can pay extra for expedited handling, but his expense can be avoided by
starting early. Visit the US Passport office HERE. It has recently come to light that Passports should be valid for 6 months in advance of the trip's date.
For charterers from other countries, please check with your official office for Passports and Visas.
No Passport? No Problem!
St. John USVI Adventures
St. John USVI
Important note: For those without passports: You can have a spectacular adventure without leaving the US!
Fly into St. Thomas USVI where the yacht will pick up up, and you'll be in St. John that same day. In a lovely cove. Jump over the side!! You'll see.
US Citizens: Passports are not required when staying within the area of the US Virgin Islands. You will have a wonderful time visiting St. John’s beautiful National Park lands and waters and some special little Cays off the East End of St. Thomas. The snorkeling is not to be believed and there are some cute little shops and restaurants to visit on land.
Take a look HERE
Side note: Always make copies of your documents and keep them in a safe
place either at home or in your luggage.
What are some fun things
to plan on seeing?
Sailing Regattas, Caribbean style: This is
a fun time to charter around.
In the BVI, the BVI Spring Regatta racing usually takes place at
the end of March and early April. You can view this exciting race from the side
of the course, or participate if you wish to bareboat with friends. We offer Bareboat Charters which permit Regatta racing!
Then there’s the annual Foxy’s Wooden Boat Regatta. May (Dates change annually) staging off of Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVI.
And of course, the classic yacht regatta in Antigua: Antigua
Classic Yacht Regatta returns once again. The Regatta will run in April with actual dates changing annually.
These Regattas are fun for all ages, and you could be on board
to catch the action as some of the most historically beautiful boats in the
world race for all they’re worth.
There are crewed yachts and bareboats available for all these
events.
(Dates are approximate yearly, but all take place around these
same time frames.)
What should I bring?
Pack light! First, only bring soft sided luggage since
space is limited and storage is easier. Hard luggage can damage woodwork and
paint. For those wearing clothing (joke!), bring casual wear, mostly
shorts, T-shirts, and swimsuits. For the ladies, sundresses work well in most
all restaurant venues. A few of the more formal restaurants, mostly limited to
the high-end restaurants of the BVI, require long pants and collared shirts and
occasionally a jacket, but "smart casual" is always accepted. A large
brimmed hat is very useful to keep off the sun. The tropical sun can be very
damaging to your skin, so bring a protective lotion that does not stain towels,
sheets, cockpit cushions and decks. Greasy preparations and oils in general are
discouraged. Most charter yachts will provide sunscreen on board. And
don’t forget the big shirt cover-up. Just great for reducing the red look of
the Peeling Tourist or Tourist Nose Tree! (This tree is common to all the
islands: Known as the Gumbo Limbo tree or Turpentine tree, the bark is thin,
peeling in a red-color.) Shoes of choice are the type of sandals with
heel straps. These will take you from the dinghy, to the docks, to the rocks,
to the sandy beach, to the shops and anywhere else. Flip-flops or tie shoes can
be bothersome for daily routine. However, if you plan on doing any serious
hiking, you might opt for more substantial footwear but we love the strapped
sandals for just about anything. All charter yachts now carry some form of
Underwater camera, often with video, but you can bring those waterproof cameras
with you. You will have fun taking candid shots with the fishes!
We took the one below with a little Snapshot waterproof camera. Fabulous fun!
Tarpon and Silversides Peter Island Great Harbor, BVI
Do I Need Trip Cancellation Insurance?
Slip Aweigh Charters always recommends that you purchase Trip
Insurance. Things can happen…..and when it happens that you cannot make the trip, it’s always best to have a
“safety net” to cover potential losses when it turns out you cannot come on
your trip. We do recommend a visit to www.insuremytrip.com to review some of your
options. There are so many, so it’s best to just call them to discuss your
needs. They are always very helpful and will point you in the right direction.
All confirmed Charters include signatures indicating mutual acceptance of binding Charter Terms and Agreements between the Charterer and the Yacht's Owner/Agent. Trip Cancellation Insurance will protect funds from loss due to unexpected occurrences.
What are other good times
to come?
Now, having said all this, here are a few special pointers from
us at Slip Aweigh Charters. We’ve lived aboard in charter there for more
than 10 years.
If school schedules are a non-issue, consider taking advantage
of the less crowded times in all of the Caribbean, but especially in the
popular Virgin Islands. These months are all of May, June and early July.
Toward the fall, mid to late October, early November and December are also good times to come. You’ll find all
venues are open, historically the Trade Winds are a bit lighter than in Winter,
and the rain chances are about average to lower than average. We say
“typically” as there’s no guarantee.
It’s de eyelands, mon. ☺
We look forward to Welcoming You Aboard your dream trip of a lifetime. BUT, word of warning: Most of our clients keep coming back!!
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Eco-Touring by Charter Yacht in the Virgin Islands
What in the World???
.....An adventure unlike any other.....
"Eco-touring by Charter Yacht in the world famous
Virgin Islands"
Virgin Islands"
Why charter in the Virgin Islands?
The
US and British Virgin Islands are recognized as two of the very best sailing
and yachting destinations in the world.
This Caribbean archipelago sports
more than 60 islands and cays, populated and unpopulated. With countless
places to anchor or moor, the close proximity to other islands and reliably
spectacular Caribbean weather is it any wonder that when one thinks of a
yachting vacation these islands simply pop to the front of the mind? Few
travel destinations in the world offer so much to see and do in such a small
geographic area for all ages and interests as the Virgin Islands. And you can
easily go from one to the other in less time than you can walk to the corner
convenience store.
Over
the hundreds of years since Columbus encountered the Virgin Islands in 1493,
these islands have been planted, plundered, pillaged and populated...at one
point, with fierce Pirates...ARRRGH!
The
very channel separating various islands in the British Virgin Islands is in
fact named for the flamboyant darling of Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Francis
Drake, perhaps the greatest pirate of them all.
And it is this well protected
channel which makes for modern day smooth sailing and motor yachting even if
it might be boisterous outside. Major open water crossings are a non-issue.
Imagine...every
night, a different cove to explore with pure white sand beaches, another
glorious sundown viewed from your favorite spot on deck and yet another
gourmet meal with all the trimmings created especially for you. You set your
own schedule...it’s entirely your vacation.
So, grab your eye patch, peg
leg and parrot—get ready to explore the Land and Waters of the Pirates.
Just be sure to obey the Pirate's Rules!!
The Nature of the Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are
located at Latitude 18, Longitude 64 or approximately 1500 miles southeast of
New York City and just 50 miles East of Puerto Rico.
Volcanic in origin, these rocky green scrubby islands rise
dramatically from the sea creating a natural Northern boundary for the
Caribbean Sea and a Southern boundary for the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean.
There
are miles of hiking trails, historical landmarks and crumbling sugar mill ruins
from the cane plantation days. An energizing hike can bring you to the tops of
hills where you’ll think you can see forever. On these islands you might find
some rare small lizards, iguanas, many colorful butterflies and flowers, several on the endangered species list.
One notable exception is the picturesque, very flat island of Anegada, BVI. It is a coral atoll and not to be missed for your eco-touring adventure. More on that locale another time.
At certain
times of the year, various colorful trees bloom: The flame-orange heavy
canopied flamboyant and the wild and
fragrant native frangipani among many others give quite a show.
Whole hillsides glow bright orange splashed with speckles of white.
Wild Frangipani (plumeria)
Flamboyant (Royal Poinciana)
Some
of the older spiny century plants decide it’s time in the Spring to produce an
enormous spike from their centers which quickly becomes a “tree” of yellow
puffy flowers to decorate the hillsides in great numbers. They will be mobbed by hungry honeybees, the local bananaquit aka "sugar bird" and
hummingbirds grabbing a meal of the nectar and pollen.
They evolve and die after about a week and then they become
Christmas Trees! Some well over 20’ tall. Yes, the islanders and boaters have been using
these “skeletons” for generations.
They make a fine Christmas tree and you will
see some yachts carrying them on their decks decorated to the hilt!
More things to do and see.....
If
you’re lucky, after dark, a hawk moth might come to visit you in the lights of
your cockpit relaxation area.
The moth is so large, on first glance you might think a bat has
flown into your area! But, no, it’s just this very large, rather drab brown moth
who thinks you might be a night blooming flower to sip from!
This is the adult form of the colorful frangipani caterpillar which can grow up to 5" long. It can strip a tree in less than one day. But never fear, the tree comes back even more beautiful than before.
Birders
will be treated to the sight of red billed tropic birds (in season), brown
boobies, pelicans, various egret and herons, all the tropical terns in your
birding book, small finches, the ubiquitous sugar eating bananaquit, various
species of hummingbirds, magnificent frigatebirds AKA “The Pirates of the Air”,
oystercatchers, night herons and on and on. The Virgin Islands provide generally great exploring
for all interests natural.
Before “civilized” man populated these islands, there was known to be two indigenous mammals: A rodent about the size of a possum, and an insect-eating mammal looking a little bit like a very small anteater. These species have long gone extinct. The only present-day native species of mammal is bats (possibly 6 species), though rats and mongoose have taken up residence due to man’s incursions.
____________________________________________________
While on your charter, you might be interested in feeding your own bats! Yes, after dark, in many coves you might be treated to the sight of a bat flickering in and out of your vision on the water’s surface. You are seeing the fishing bat.
Fishing Bat in the US and British Virgin Islands
Ask your chef to give you some bread, cast it on the water and sit back to watch the show. These bats do not eat bread but the little fish which are their only prey do...These bats are extreme specialists in detecting even the smallest fish ripple on the surface of a usually wind roiled water surface. Only they know how they can do this, and they aren’t talking. The bread will attract the fishies and the fishies attract the bats.
I have known of several charter clients who have captured this wonder on camera! And please don’t worry...they won’t get in your hair! They know exactly where you are and where they are. Ne’er the ‘twain shall meet.
_______________________________________________
The
beaches are made of……WHAT?
The
myriad beaches are a blinding eye-squinting color of white...We can thank our parrotfish
friends for creating these beaches. Parrotfish love to dine on algae which
tends to accumulate on coral. Of course, when they scrape the coral, they will
take in some of the hard skeleton of the coral itself which serves to keep the coral clean. Then, later, well, you
know.
Yes, the make up of the fine white sand is largely due to the colorful parrotfish and its poo! You can tip your snorkel to them for providing you with the sugary beauty of this sand. 
And then, there are the "pajamas" !
Yes, every night, certain species of parrot fish envelope themselves in a transparent "pajama" cocoon made of mucous secreted from an organ on their head. Scientists think the cocoon masks their scent, making them harder for nocturnal predators, like moray eels, to find. Ask your crew to take you on a night snorkel and you will see this. We have, many times.
Aside from the few “major” islands, the charm of this place is the countless
little crumbs of cays sprinkled all around ringed with colorful and pristine
coral reefs. And most all are in sight of each other. You are challenged to
name and count all the different shades of blue you will see in the waters of
the Virgin Islands. And the colorful fish!! you will spend quite a bit of time trying to
identify those seen while you scuba dive or snorkel. It goes like this: “It was blue, had a yellow stripe through
it’s eye, and black fins, and it was......” All Fish I.D. books are well thumbed.
We recommend this book for your nature study library: Paul Humann Reef Fish Identification These are just some of the natural wonders you will encounter as you move from one place of beauty to another, of course, on your Charteryacht with your professional crew. There is so much more to see and do. _____________________________________________________
To sum it up, you would have to look
long and hard for another destination which offers you so much to see and do
all in one very tightly knit group of tropical islands. Access is easy, people
are more than friendly, inter-island transportation is frequent and reliable,
weather is wonderful and abundant foods are a combination of exotic and familiar. As
so many before you have discovered, this is indeed a very special place
comprised of Nature’s Little Secrets, and America’s Paradise and it waits for
you. You will come back again and
again....We stayed for more than 10 years!
Please visit our site HERE for much more information |
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