Caribbean Destinations Cuba

Cuba Located between Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean at 21 degrees, 30 minutes, north latitude and 80 degrees, 00 minutes, west longitude, Cuba is the largest country in the Caribbean. The western most island of the Greater Antilles, Cuba is located just 90 miles from Key West, Florida. When Christopher Columbus discovered the island in 1492, he said: “This is the most beautiful land one has ever seen.”

Cuba’s location and beauty led to several centuries of development as a Spanish Colony, which lasted until the Spanish-American War of 1898. The archipelago is composed of a principal island, and multiple “Cayos” and rocky islets. Cuba’s stunning variety of landscapes, mixing mountains, agricultural valleys and endless sandy beaches, make it a fascinating destination for sailors and other visitors.

Cuban cities such as Trinidad, and particularly its capital, Havana, are renowned for their colonial architectural richness. UNESCO declared them both a “Patrimony of the Humanity” in 1982, to preserve their architecture and historical inheritance.

With its favorably warm climate year round, steady winds, unique natural beauty and open-minded, friendly people, Cuba goes beyond any sailor’s dreams. The island also has a reliable nautical infrastructure, which is receiving well-aimed support from the government. About 20 marinas and nautical centers all around Cuba gladly welcome yachts under all flags and offer all conceivable services. To the sailor, the whole coast and off-lying islands are fully accessible with one exception. That area is Playa Giron, or Bay of Pigs, scene of the ill-fated 1961 invasion to overthrow Fidel Castro.

Cienfuegos is one of Cuba’s largest and most prosperous cities, which is where the Dream Yacht Charter base is located. Filled with entertainment venues and eateries, the city is a hub of activity for shopping and soaking up Cuban culture. From the base at Cienfuegos, there are two main island groups to explore along the southern shore of Cuba.

Bahamas Destinations Abaco

Abaco With 29 islands, 661 cays and nearly 2,400 islets, The Bahamas is a true sailor's paradise steeped in both history and lore. The island group lies at 25 degrees 5 minutes north latitude and 77 degrees 21 minutes west longitude. This is where Italian explorer Christopher Columbus first made landfall in the New World on October 12, 1492, where pirates built a haven in the 1600s, and where many British loyalists made new homes following the American Revolution. Dream Yacht Charter's Bahamian base is located on Great Abaco Island at Marsh Harbor, and serves as our gateway to the stellar sailing grounds the islands offer. The Abacos chain is formed in a boomerang shape and stretches nearly 130 miles from Walkers Cay in the north, to Hole-in-the-Wall in the south. The islands lie roughly 175 miles east of Palm Beach, Florida, and 106 miles north of Nassau. The outer cays and islands create naturally protected waters commonly referred to as the Sea of Abaco. Abaco is the second largest island in the Bahamas, and generally cooler than the other islands. Summer temperatures average 26.5°C/80°F to 29.4°C/85°F. During winter, the temperature rarely dips below 10°C/50°F. More than 200 species of birds, including the Green Bahamian Parrot, are found in the islands, along with lush vegetation such as Pines, Madeira, and Coppish, as well as astonishing ferns, vines and varieties of wildflowers like Oleander and Stalked Orchids. The five inhabited cays of major importance are Walkers Cay, Green Turtle Cay, Great Guanna, Man-O-War and Elbow Cay. Green Turtle Bay has an uneven coastline with deep bays, sounds and delightful beaches at Gillam Bay and Coco Bay. The island is three miles long and half as wide. The community is diverse, and captures the quaint and harmonious atmosphere found throughout the islands. Hope Town is known for its boat building and was founded by British loyalists in 1785. It boasts many fine examples of British colonial architecture, such as Toad Hall, which was built in 1880 and restored in the mid-1970s, and Butterfly House. The British Imperial Lighthouse Service sought to build one of its signature “candy stripe” lighthouses here to mark the Elbow Cay Reef in the 1860s. Local residents opposed the lighthouse, however, because they viewed it as a direct threat to their salvage trade. The lighthouse was built despite this opposition, and began operation in 1863. Now, it remains one of only two manned beacons, and local residents have undertaken vigorous efforts to keep it so, going to extraordinary lengths to secure spare parts for the light apparatus, most of which are no longer made. A tribe of Arawaks, the peaceful Lucayans, first inhabited the Bahamas, arriving there in the early 9th century to escape the warlike Caribs. Columbus, searching for a shorter trade route to India, first made landfall in the Bahamas on an island he called San Salvador in honor of his patrons, the king and queen of Spain. In the mid-1660s, Pirates such as Henry Jennings and “Blackbeard,” or Edward Teach made the town of New Providence a sanctuary when they weren't plundering ships on the high seas. Britain finally took firm control in 1718 and created a new motto for the Bahamas: Expulsis Piratis – Restituta Commercia, Latin for Pirates Expelled – Commerce Restored. When Loyalist refugees began arriving after the American Revolution, they infused the Bahamas with both wealth and an entrepreneurial spirit that thrives to this day. During the American Civil War, the islands served as a safe harbor for blockade-runners and privateers exchanging Southern cotton for weapons and supplies. And during Prohibition, Americans flocked to Nassau where they could drink legally and gamble at casinos. More than 300 years of British rule ended in July 1973 when the Bahamas officially became a new nation, the Independent Commonwealth of the Bahamas. - See more at: http://www.dreamyachtcharter.com/english/destinations/bahamas/bahamas/#sthash.VMgeEPx2.dpuf

Grenada Yacht Charter

Grenada has beaches, a colonial port town, a volcano, and provides easy access to the Grenadines. The best time of year for yacht chartering in Grenada is from November to April.

The beaches are a big draw in Grenada. One of the best is Grand Anse, nearly two miles of sparkling white sand bordering a wide, sheltered bay. Snorkeling is superb in various spots around the island, there are wrecks for scuba divers to explore along the reefs, and in the winter, there is always a chance of a whale sighting. Inland, Grand Etang National Park and Forest Preserve is a popular day trip, offering rainforest hikes around the rim of an extinct volcano.
These are sailing waters; the bareboat sailing fleets located here, including Horizon Yacht Charters, recommend itineraries north through the Grenadines. In addition, the huge Grenada Sailing Festival brings two weekends of racing and partying to the island each year in late January.

How to Get Off the Couch and Go Sailing

Are you an armchair sailor, dreaming that someday you’ll take off on far away bareboat yacht charters? Do you wish you could add sailing to your weekend activities and family fun? Does the voice in your head keep saying someday instead of today?

If you want to make your dreams into a reality it’s all about taking one step at a time. It’s not that hard to begin sailing, and before you know it you’ll be ready for that amazing bareboat sailing charter you envision. There are a wide variety of ways to start learning; formal or informal, small boats or big boats, with or without a certificate of course completion—sailing is all around you if you’re willing to look. In the world of Google, there are no excuses.
Take a Class
Sailing classes exist at all levels of expense and expertise. Many options offer easy-to-learn classes through local organizations, and some may include certifications from nationally accredited organizations.
American Sailing Association (ASA) and US Sailing are the two largest nationally recognized organizations offering instruction and certification by experienced instructors that adhere to national guidelines and curriculum. Instructors with these credentials can be found from small to large operations—but they aren't a must in order to learn to sail.
Local Sailing Schools
If you live anywhere near water it’s fairly easy to find a local sailing school. You can find schools that teach the basics and advanced sailing. Some schools offer instruction by the hour, or they may have formally set classes meeting several times a week during evenings and weekends, to accommodate work schedules. These classes may even be accredited and can help you gain certifications.
Local Recreation Centers and Sailing Centers
Sometimes local sailing centers are affiliated with recreation centers in your area. Take a look at your local recreation center schedules and you may find offerings for adult and children’s sailing programs. These courses are all designed to get you out on the water and may be more economical than taking a formal sailing school program. Weigh your options and see what offerings may be available, so you can choose the best course of action to get out sailing.
Go Racing with Sailing Clubs
Local sailing clubs may be affiliated with yacht clubs, recreation centers, or standalone clubs that get together at varying levels of organization to race and socialize. If you’re interested in learning informal sailing and racing basics, you can contact local sailing clubs and see what their policies are on newbies coming out to go for a sail. Often this may be a free option, but with no experience you’ll likely start out as rail-meat—novices used as ballast on the windward rail, to keep the boat from capsizing.
Yacht Clubs
Yacht clubs have a variety of offerings from junior sailing programs to formal racing schedules. Often times you don’t need to be a member in order to partake of organized lessons or join in on the racing and learn a few tips as you go.
Sailing Vacations
This may be a more expensive option, but it may also be a more enjoyable route to take. There are many groups and companies out there that offer sailing vacations with a sail-and-learn element as part of the trip. Some even offer certifications. This is a great way to immerse your self in the sailing experience, while enjoying a vacation in an assortment of locations.
Rent a Sailboat
Once you get your feet wet, both figuratively and literally, it’s time to up the ante and get some practice on your own. But buying a boat is a big financial commitment, so you may want to consider the pros and cons of renting a boat to gain more experience.
Whether you go the informal route of a couple of hours sitting on the rail during a race, look at more formal instruction, or dive into a sail-and-learn vacation, you’ll find a fun easy way to ease yourself into sailing—and right off the couch.
Leah Kaiz, a former sailboat captain, is also a PADI dive instructor and an avid traveler. She has sailed all over the Caribbean on education vessels and worked in charter, and also traveled around the world on various adventures. She currently runs her own marketing company on land, Blue Gypsy Inc., and writes on a variety of topics for her diverse clientele. Future plans include buying a catamaran and sailing around the world.

Bring Your Dog on a Charter Yacht

I think it was the Tai Ping carpeting that made me shake my head in disbelief. Sure, I’ve heard of dogs going boating. A lot of dogs love it, and my own dog Blue happens to be a fan. But on this particular occasion, when the crew told me that I was on a “dog-friendly charter boat,” I happened to be standing aboard the 196-foot CRN Darlings Danama. More specifically, I was standing in her main salon with my bare feet buried in the super-thick, unearthly soft, wall-to-wall Tai Ping silk carpeting. This stuff can go for about $200 per square yard, which is, I figured, about the size of an area that a dog might find suitable for having an accident on any given day.

“We don’t worry about that,” the purser aboard Darlings Danama told me. “We just rip it up and have more installed.”
Since Darlings Danama brings in a base rate of $420,000 for every one-week charter she does in the Caribbean, I suppose the owner has that option (the yacht is for charter through Camper and Nicholsons International). But the more I asked around, the more luxury crewed charter yachts I found out there that are dog-friendly these days.
The 93-foot Argo sailing yacht Taza Mas, which takes four to eight guests at a base rate of $27,000 to $29,000, not only welcomes dogs as part of the charter party but even has a chef who regularly fills their water bowls with ice cubes to help them keep cool. That yacht is for charter through Nicholson Yachts. There’s also the 95-foot Feadship Zazu, which welcomes small dogs onboard for charters with their families. (Great Danes need not apply.) Her weekly base rate is $29,500 through Churchill Yacht Partners.
Before you get too excited about bringing Fido along on your next crewed yacht charter, remember that (depending on where you are cruising) you may have to provide not only his rabies and other certifications, but also an import license that some countries, like the Bahamas, require. A good charter broker will be able to help you determine any extra paperwork that you’ll need up front, and the documentation likely will be written into your charter contract—along with an extra security deposit, no doubt.

You’ll also have to make sure Fido can handle the ride, which makes some dogs seasick if they’re not used to the motion of being on the water. I've heard of charter clients bringing Piddle Pads and turf-like “grass patches” onboard so the dog has a place to relieve himself under way, but also think about things like Nature’s Miracle clean-up solution and other rug-friendly items that charter yachts may not carry in their usual stash of cleaning supplies.
That is, of course, if those yachts have standard rugs that don’t easily stain. I’m not sure how the stuff in my pantry would affect Tai Ping handwoven silk, so I probably wouldn't offer it up. Then again, I’d also probably look for a boat that had all teak decks, inside and out. And maybe a few easily replaceable throw rugs from the Home Depot or Ikea.

San Juan Islands: Photo Tour

The San Juan Islands lie between Seattle, Washington, and Vancouver, Canada. Uniquely beautiful, they are best visited by boat between the months of May and September.

Family boating is easy in the pastoral San Juan Islands of Washington, with Mount Baker in the background.

Looking east over Orcas Island shows the many nooks and crannies of the San Juans—all perfect for gunkholing.

The sailing is idyllic in deep waters and cool summer breezes off Haro Strait, where resident orcas are seen frequently and bald eagles dot the tree tops.

A Nordic Tug sits in front of majestic Mount Baker, in a cluster of tiny islands within the San Juan archipelago.

Classic Benetti Motoryacht Dune: a Study in Yacht Charter Value

Finding a crewed motoryacht for charter on the French Riviera with five guest staterooms is easy. They’re lined up in marinas by the fistful each summer, charging anywhere from about $100,000 to about $500,000 for a week’s vacation onboard.
Finding an affordable crewed motoryacht for charter on the French Riviera with five guest staterooms, however, is an entirely different story. Finding such a yacht on the open market, in good condition, with solid crew, going for less than $30,000 a week, would be like finding the Hope Diamond on sale in a display case at a jewelry store in the mall.

Yet that’s exactly the picture that management company Neo Yachting is painting about the 85-foot Benetti Dune, which it is marketing as “probably offering the best value for money on a five-cabin yacht in the South of France.” At a lowest weekly base rate of €22,000, or about $28,650, Dune costs literally one-third of what even the least-expensive 10-guest charter yachts are asking.

Why? Because of her build year, which is 1974. Notice, though, that I didn't say “because of her age.” That would be inappropriate, given the major refits that Dune has undergone to keep her interior looking great and all of her mechanical systems fully modern.

Dune has a classic blue hull and a traditional, teak interior décor. She looks nothing like the modern-day, go-fast express cruisers in her size range that seem to have evolved from a Star Wars speeder, nor does she look as extravagant as some newer and better-known Benneti builds, like the Diamonds are Forever. But she also does not look, well, old. Instead, she looks modest in the best sense of the word. Admittedly, she’s not going to turn heads in every port—but I think that’s a quality that anyone seeking a little privacy on the Côte d’Azur will see as a benefit.

The refit that Dune is currently undergoing is her third, and her first big one since 2003. The owners are painting her superstructure, installing two new generators, giving the air-conditioning system a full overhaul, installing new carpeting in guest areas, and more. That project list is significant, because it tells you that the owners are investing as much in what charter clients don’t see as they are in things like furniture and fabrics. Anybody can rehab a nearly 40-year-old motoryacht to look good to the naked eye, but keeping systems and machinery in top condition is an entirely different story. Dune’s owners don’t want any breakdowns, and they’re putting their money into the boat to ensure that charter clients don’t experience any, either.

Dune also offers amenities that you would expect to find aboard new builds, including WiFi throughout the guest areas, iPod docking stations, and water toys for fun in the sun. To me, Dune represents not just a noteworthy charter option in the Mediterranean, but also a mode of thinking that it’s nice to see in the world of yachting. A charter yacht doesn't have to be the newest or the sexiest in order to be among the best values out there. She just has to be herself—and appreciated for all that she offers.