Been to BVI 3 times. Looking for someplace new. 4 adults, 3 kids. Any input appreciated. Sunsail has a Cuba sailing location. Anyone been there? Thanks
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why not europe
i know that moorings and other companies have bareboat charters in europe. sailing the Mediterranean must be amazing. italian riviera, french riviera etc.
i know that moorings and other companies have bareboat charters in europe. sailing the Mediterranean must be amazing. italian riviera, french riviera etc.
AIR FARE
If you'll pick up the air fare for us to Europe that sounds great to me too. Have you been there?
If you'll pick up the air fare for us to Europe that sounds great to me too. Have you been there?
Greece is awsome!!!
I've had the opportunity to sail Greece several times and highly reccommend it. Great winds, beaches ( peaceful and rowdy). good food, wine, history... it has it all, and prices are reasonable. There are different groups of islands and you could sail different ones each trip, if you enjoy it. Each group is similar, but has subtle differences. The only Caveat I have is being American and travelling overseas these days. BUT in Greece there are "Tourist" police at all the major sailing ports. uniformed and well armed, but also very freindly and helpful. They want to protect the tourist $$$$. Egypt also has a "Tourist Police" group. I would check the State Dept. Web site for travel advisories. Good luck, Marc PS: It can also be dangerous crossing the street or taking a shower. v
I've had the opportunity to sail Greece several times and highly reccommend it. Great winds, beaches ( peaceful and rowdy). good food, wine, history... it has it all, and prices are reasonable. There are different groups of islands and you could sail different ones each trip, if you enjoy it. Each group is similar, but has subtle differences. The only Caveat I have is being American and travelling overseas these days. BUT in Greece there are "Tourist" police at all the major sailing ports. uniformed and well armed, but also very freindly and helpful. They want to protect the tourist $$$$. Egypt also has a "Tourist Police" group. I would check the State Dept. Web site for travel advisories. Good luck, Marc PS: It can also be dangerous crossing the street or taking a shower. v
NZ
Well, if air fare is a problem then this may not be the answer but the most beautiful place I have been to sail is New Zealand. Either in the Bay of Islands or the Hauraki Gulf (where the Americas Cup is sailed) you will have a spectacular time. Great People, countless little anchorages. The only problem I ever had was cows on shore mooing during the night! I have family there so I don't have to charter but there are several charter operators there including "the Moorings" in both places.
Well, if air fare is a problem then this may not be the answer but the most beautiful place I have been to sail is New Zealand. Either in the Bay of Islands or the Hauraki Gulf (where the Americas Cup is sailed) you will have a spectacular time. Great People, countless little anchorages. The only problem I ever had was cows on shore mooing during the night! I have family there so I don't have to charter but there are several charter operators there including "the Moorings" in both places.
Sea of Cortez, Mexico
The Moorings has a base in La Paz, on the Baja Peninsula. We sailed there in 1999. Desolate, beautiful, lots of dolphins, rays, seals, whales. Completely different than the BVI. Hot days, cool nights, no humidity. Very few charterers.
The Moorings has a base in La Paz, on the Baja Peninsula. We sailed there in 1999. Desolate, beautiful, lots of dolphins, rays, seals, whales. Completely different than the BVI. Hot days, cool nights, no humidity. Very few charterers.
Bob, more info
More information on Baja if you please. It is a location that I have considered before. How is the snorkleing, sailing, anchoring etc? What time of year did you go. We are limited to early June due to kids in school. Thanks for your input.
More information on Baja if you please. It is a location that I have considered before. How is the snorkleing, sailing, anchoring etc? What time of year did you go. We are limited to early June due to kids in school. Thanks for your input.
Greece
Hi there. I was stationed there in the Navy for 3.5 years. I loved all the islands and would go to them quite often. I was talking to my buddy who was there with me and thought we'd like to go back to sail them this time with a sailboat.Do you bareboat charter there, and if so where? Or did you cross over on your own. Thanks
Hi there. I was stationed there in the Navy for 3.5 years. I loved all the islands and would go to them quite often. I was talking to my buddy who was there with me and thought we'd like to go back to sail them this time with a sailboat.Do you bareboat charter there, and if so where? Or did you cross over on your own. Thanks
considering going to Baja in a 26x
We are considering taking our 97 26x to Baja & Sea of Cortez. We initially thought we needed a bigger, heavier sail boat, but have put so much into the one we have, we can't jusify it. I would like to hear from anyone who has sailed one down.
We are considering taking our 97 26x to Baja & Sea of Cortez. We initially thought we needed a bigger, heavier sail boat, but have put so much into the one we have, we can't jusify it. I would like to hear from anyone who has sailed one down.
Here's more info re: Sea of Cortez
We chartered there in July, hottest month of the year but we were never uncomfortable, lived in bathing suits all day and then it really cools down at night. Winds are 5-15, water is flat, crystal clear, deep, no reefs or shoals. My kids swam and snorkeled with seals. Whales played with us by diving under our boat and then re-surfacing on the other side. The Moorings base is at La Paz, about 50 miles north of the southern-most point of the Baja at Cabo San Lucas. We flew into LAX and then connected on a 1.5 hour flight into La Paz. There are no restaurants or facilities out on the water, only at the marinas, so plan to eat aboard all the time. We left the dock fully provisioned from a local supermarket and could not re-provision all week, but the boat had a great refrigeration system and we were well stocked with food, drinks and ice, fresh water tanks, fuel tank. The local fishermen will trade their catch for beer or whatever. Beware of the "cormwells," 35-40 knot blasts of wind that come through after midnight and are gone by sunrise. Has something to do with the cool Pacific Ocean breezes coming in to fill the voids left by the superheated air. This only affects the southern-most area of the Baja peninsula, from Cabo San Lucas to just north of La Paz. North of there, it doesn't exist. We never dragged at anchor even one inch but it's a little scary until you get used to it. They will tell you about it at chart briefing. Also warned us about rays, but we never saw any at the shores, just swish your feet back and forth as you walk along the water's edge, also told us not to reach into rocky crevices at night (duh!) because of snakes and scorpions but we never saw any. It's kind of like sailing on the moon, all this mountainous reddish/rocky/sandy desert environment leading down to gorgeous beaches. Very few charterers or other boats. Forget your cell phone (maybe satellite phone would work). Bring your portable GPS. The Moorings is a first class operation. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience sailing the Baja. Let me know if this helps. I'll try to find my chartbook and let you know the publisher and title. Also, check out the Moorings web page. Also, check the archives on this site during the last few weeks, there were some other Baja posts with referrals to some web sites. Let me know what you decide to do or if I can answer any more questions.
We chartered there in July, hottest month of the year but we were never uncomfortable, lived in bathing suits all day and then it really cools down at night. Winds are 5-15, water is flat, crystal clear, deep, no reefs or shoals. My kids swam and snorkeled with seals. Whales played with us by diving under our boat and then re-surfacing on the other side. The Moorings base is at La Paz, about 50 miles north of the southern-most point of the Baja at Cabo San Lucas. We flew into LAX and then connected on a 1.5 hour flight into La Paz. There are no restaurants or facilities out on the water, only at the marinas, so plan to eat aboard all the time. We left the dock fully provisioned from a local supermarket and could not re-provision all week, but the boat had a great refrigeration system and we were well stocked with food, drinks and ice, fresh water tanks, fuel tank. The local fishermen will trade their catch for beer or whatever. Beware of the "cormwells," 35-40 knot blasts of wind that come through after midnight and are gone by sunrise. Has something to do with the cool Pacific Ocean breezes coming in to fill the voids left by the superheated air. This only affects the southern-most area of the Baja peninsula, from Cabo San Lucas to just north of La Paz. North of there, it doesn't exist. We never dragged at anchor even one inch but it's a little scary until you get used to it. They will tell you about it at chart briefing. Also warned us about rays, but we never saw any at the shores, just swish your feet back and forth as you walk along the water's edge, also told us not to reach into rocky crevices at night (duh!) because of snakes and scorpions but we never saw any. It's kind of like sailing on the moon, all this mountainous reddish/rocky/sandy desert environment leading down to gorgeous beaches. Very few charterers or other boats. Forget your cell phone (maybe satellite phone would work). Bring your portable GPS. The Moorings is a first class operation. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience sailing the Baja. Let me know if this helps. I'll try to find my chartbook and let you know the publisher and title. Also, check out the Moorings web page. Also, check the archives on this site during the last few weeks, there were some other Baja posts with referrals to some web sites. Let me know what you decide to do or if I can answer any more questions.
Greece charters
The Moorings (few $$$, but worth it) and Albtross Charters both work out of Piraeus (Athens). Fly over, tour a day or two (History), then charter. The back of the Sailing Mags have ads for all the major Companies. Have fun, Marc
The Moorings (few $$$, but worth it) and Albtross Charters both work out of Piraeus (Athens). Fly over, tour a day or two (History), then charter. The back of the Sailing Mags have ads for all the major Companies. Have fun, Marc
Greece & Turkey
Greece is indeed a great place to sail, and the different sets of islands provide different sailing conditions from potentially fairly windy to gently breezes. Turkey's worth considering too mind you. As a neighbour to Greece you may find that you'd be sailing along the Turkish coast but are closer to a Greek Islands. i.e. Islands hopping is quite possible with both countries. Although all the big workdwide companies are easily found, you can find some of the local big players for these countries on www.marsbrookboating.com Croatia also an interesting option, but not one we're had a go at yet. Richard
Greece is indeed a great place to sail, and the different sets of islands provide different sailing conditions from potentially fairly windy to gently breezes. Turkey's worth considering too mind you. As a neighbour to Greece you may find that you'd be sailing along the Turkish coast but are closer to a Greek Islands. i.e. Islands hopping is quite possible with both countries. Although all the big workdwide companies are easily found, you can find some of the local big players for these countries on www.marsbrookboating.com Croatia also an interesting option, but not one we're had a go at yet. Richard
Italian Riveria
We just got back from a Star Clipper cruise in the Western Med. We were sailing around Corsica, Sardinia, Elba and the Italian mainland. I saw lots of Moorings bareboat charter yachts, so there's at least one charter base in the area. The swells in the Med would be an issue for me, however. I would characterize them as "unrelenting six-footers." Nothing you can't handle, obviously, but irritating after a while, I'll bet. Decent wind. If you're heading for Europe, I hope you practiced your "Med Moor" at that marina in the BVI that requires it. Anyone remember what island that's on? It's the one just northeast of Norman. Paul sv Escape Artist
We just got back from a Star Clipper cruise in the Western Med. We were sailing around Corsica, Sardinia, Elba and the Italian mainland. I saw lots of Moorings bareboat charter yachts, so there's at least one charter base in the area. The swells in the Med would be an issue for me, however. I would characterize them as "unrelenting six-footers." Nothing you can't handle, obviously, but irritating after a while, I'll bet. Decent wind. If you're heading for Europe, I hope you practiced your "Med Moor" at that marina in the BVI that requires it. Anyone remember what island that's on? It's the one just northeast of Norman. Paul sv Escape Artist
New England!!!!
Pick up the latest issue of Sail magazine (or maybe last months?) to read about a couple of cool cruises in LI Sound and out to Martha's Vineyard. There are lots of boats for charter in the New England area now, the people don't talk gibberish--well, there is Maine--and no funny-money. (Forgive me, but I am not a fan of overseas travel
There's Newport (we play tennis on grass courts there), Block Island, Martha's Vineyard, Mystic, and the beautiful, smooth waters of Eastern Long Island, where you can visit the Hamptons and eat a $75 lunch. This place is way different than the BVI however. You better know how to read tide charts, and you better be able to navigate. In the BVI the worst thing you can do is run into an island.
Pick up the latest issue of Sail magazine (or maybe last months?) to read about a couple of cool cruises in LI Sound and out to Martha's Vineyard. There are lots of boats for charter in the New England area now, the people don't talk gibberish--well, there is Maine--and no funny-money. (Forgive me, but I am not a fan of overseas travel
There's Newport (we play tennis on grass courts there), Block Island, Martha's Vineyard, Mystic, and the beautiful, smooth waters of Eastern Long Island, where you can visit the Hamptons and eat a $75 lunch. This place is way different than the BVI however. You better know how to read tide charts, and you better be able to navigate. In the BVI the worst thing you can do is run into an island.Pudget Sound
I chartered in out of Bellingham Wa. and sailed the San Jaun islands as well as Victoria BC. Great water and you see the killer whales also.
I chartered in out of Bellingham Wa. and sailed the San Jaun islands as well as Victoria BC. Great water and you see the killer whales also.
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