Caribbean charter?

[C. Ross]

SWMBO and I and another couple are dreaming about a charter in the Caribbean. Sail. Captained not bareboat.

I've searched the forum and found some good stuff but I'm still looking for ideas.

1. Where should we go?
2. What are good charter companies or captains? No one but me would care if it was a wooden boat, but I would care a fair bit, savvy?
3. What time of year?

[pefjr]

Just about anywhere, I like the Bahamas. There are many on-line. Wooden boats in those waters are hard to find, but there are a couple. Go in Winter.

[The Bigfella]

Take me, take me.....

[erster]

Jan and Feb is not really good months for cruising the Bahamas or the out islands because of the cold fronts and nasty and unpredictable winds. March the winds begin to subside to managable. Dec in the Virgin Islands has what is called the Christmas winds and its not uncommon to have 30 plus knots during that month.
Georgetown Exumas offers some of the best waters and facilities and gunkholing is only a short hop in anything away from the base camp.

http://www.exumabahamas.org/article-family-island-regatta.html

If you wish to watch a true sport of native sailing, this is first on the lists and you will never forget it.
http://www.myoutislands.com/news.cfm/story/12/type/Event

The 2010 dates appear to be as follows.

http://www.outislandexplorers.com/apr10.html

**Family Island Regatta- April 20th-24th (make reservations early)


2009-2010 Trip Calendar (http://www.outislandexplorers.com/calendar.html)
The fanciest region is Treasure Cay in the Abacos. HR is headed that way but is still in the states. Contact him through the pm feature on this site and get more feedback if you wish.
Nassau has a new resort, Atlantis on Paridise Island, quite a place.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantis_Paradise_Island
This is just an overview for some of the nicer areas if I was headed that way that also have a number of boats by contacting them directly too.

[ripley699]

Christmas winds in theB.V.I.s are usually gone first week of january,,,,but you can have some gusts.

Captain and a boat ? they have thousands to choose from ...I normally go every year between jan 10 and jan. 25 th ...lower price than "high season"
Take a look at
www.traveltalktalkonline.com (http://www.traveltalktalkonline.com) I have been a member for 10 years and they are great...anything you need to know ..
RIPLEY

[erster]

Christmas winds in theB.V.I.s are usually gone first week of january,,,,but you can have some gusts.

Captain and a boat ? they have thousands to choose from ...I normally go every year between jan 10 and jan. 25 th ...lower price than "high season"
Take a look at
www.traveltalktalkonline.com (http://www.traveltalktalkonline.com) I have been a member for 110 years and they are great...anything you need to know ..
RIPLEY

Having spent years directly on the water in that region years ago, I am not far off from what the experts say. ;)

Carribbean magazine speaks about the weather in that region. Trade winds are called just that. You can also explore weather in the Mona Passage and related stories concerning the winds and weather during the winter months which is west of Puerto Rico.

http://www.caribbeanmag.com/search/weather/British_Virgin_Islands/#weather

The Windward Islands which is in close proximity of BVI being on the east side of the region also lists this on their travel link.

http://www.paradise-islands.org/caribbean-windward-islands.htm


The Caribbean Windward Islands are so named due to being on the windier and wetter side of the Lesser Antilles and consist of Martinique, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada.
Another contact in that region would be Rick Starr which frequents this place less now but I think still lurks. Maybe send him a pm and get some feedback too. He lives in St. Croix.

[Paul Pless]

SWMBO and I and another couple are dreaming about a charter in the Caribbean.Already... its not even got good and cold in Minnesota yet.;)



You should have a chat with Gareth.

[Woxbox]

Ditto the remarks on the weather in the BVIs vs. the Bahamas mid-winter. Your guests will be much happier farther south. Probably you will be, too.

[C. Ross]

All good and helpful advice, thanks. I'm avidly reading the links.

This trip might be in March, so more southerly and wind-sheltered might be better.

One other criteria - our group would probably want to explore some islands as well as sail, swim and beach. I know there are too many choices, but would take recommendations about islands with interesting hiking, sightseeing, history, culture....

[Paul Pless]

Post if you have any other queries.Might you have any one or two dollar sign island recommendations?;)

[C. Ross]

Spectacular. Thanks Rum Pirate!

Exactly, Paul. I may need to ask Lefty for those...

Much for our group to discuss. I'll be back with more questions.