Just Cruises Plus

Most of our clients cruise on big, luxury ships with their outstanding cuisine, great entertainment and exquisite service — all within steps of a comfortable stateroom.  Plus, they get a new port almost every day.   We love and take these wonderful cruises.  We also love small ships that carry less than 150 passengers.  In this article, we are going to talk about the ultimate small ship– the sailboat which carries 4 to 10 sailors.

Have you ever strolled on a beach and gazed out to sea and spotted a tiny sailboat silently sliding across the waves with her big white sails full.  Now imagine yourself magically being transported from the beach onto the little sailboat.  What is your first impression?  Silence.  You hear only the ocean as you move quietly with only wind powering you to your next destination.  You feel the coolness of the breeze and a freedom, borne from the knowledge that you are now dependent only on nature.

Did you know that you can do this at about the same price as a cruise?  How?

The best way to enjoy the freedom and adventure of a private sailboat is to charter a boat with an experienced captain (and cook).  It is quite affordable when you get a group of like-minded friends to travel with you.  The ideal group is 4 to 8 people.  There are a number of very good companies that we use and recommend.

You can charter a sailboat almost anywhere in the world but we suggest the Caribbean for first time sailors.  The British Virgin Islands are a particular delight for sailors because the sailing distances between islands is short and the beach bars are many.

A vacation aboard a sailboat is vastly different from a traditional luxury cruise.  You trade many of the comforts and amenities of the cruise ship for freedom and adventure.

First, a description of a typical sailboat (which can be a twin hulled catamaran or a single hulled boat).  The boat will be about 40 feet long and will have private (but tiny) cabins.  It will also have a  “galley” (kitchen) and more than 1 “head” (bathroom) with shower and a “salon” (living/dining room).  All of this will be “below” (downstairs).

On deck will be the area for the sails and an area for the people.  The “cockpit” is where you spend most of your time when the boat is sailing or when it is anchored.  On catamarans, there is a large trampoline in the front of the boat.  You can lay face down on the trampoline and watch the water rush by only a few feet from your face.  On one of my sails, there was a school of porpoises having a blast within a few feet of the boat (and us).

The “helm” or driver’s seat will be in the cockpit.  Everyone who wants to “drive” the boat will have many opportunities to guide your boat to the next adventure.

You will also have the chance to learn a whole new language while sailing.  You were already introduced to galley and head.  Did you know that there are no ropes on a sailboat? Those long thick strings that look amazingly like ropes are called “sheets” and “painters” depending on their purpose.  Stairs are “ladders” and walls are “bulkheads”.

The real fun begins when you cast off, raise the sails and head to your first port.  Let’s suppose you choose the British Virgin Islands for your sail.  Your captain will meet you at a marina on the island of Tortola.  He will ask you some questions so he knows what your group likes to do.  Do you like to party or do you want peace and quiet?  Actually you can mix and match these attributes.  You’ve just cast off; the captain has raised the sails and served you and your friends your favorite beverages.   Your boat slices through the waves at a blistering 8 miles per hour.  The boat is amazingly stable.  It does not roll at all.  You are headed to Norman Island, supposedly the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island.  After a 2 hour sail, you arrive, the sails are lowered and you pick up a mooring but it is still early.  What do you do?  The captain suggests some snorkeling at the “caves”.  Sounds like fun, so let’s do it.  You and you friends jump (almost literally) into the dinghy (a little rubber boat with an outboard motor) for the five-minute ride to the caves.

You put on your snorkeling gear and slide into the warm, clear Caribbean water.  As soon as you face the ocean floor, you spot 2 beautiful parrotfish and a school of sergeant majors.  Soon, after an easy swim, you arrive at the “caves”.  These are literally caves that you swim into.  Pirate loot was supposed to have been hidden here but never found.  Hope you have better luck than me.  I didn’t find it.  It gets darker and darker the further you swim.  Definitely spooky.  On your swim back to the dinghy, two majestic queen angelfish glide silently past, totally ignoring you but you can’t ignore them.  Darn, you wish you brought the underwater camera.

Back on the sailboat, it’s time for dinner, which is prepared by your personal cook.  If you’re like me, after dinner is the time to watch a fantastic sunset, then do a little reading.  However, if the day is just starting for you, there is the infamous William Thorton anchored about a half mile from you.  Here you can dance, drink and engage in any other debauchery.  Just remember, you have to find you way back to you boat, in the dark.

To be continued….