Sometimes it’s the little things that make the big difference. With more than 100 yachts open for viewing the details become paramount in choosing which of these stunning yachts and skillful crews to highlight. Here are some of the favorites thus far:
MELINKA is a classic Sparkman & Stevens 80ft. sailing yacht that is an ideal choice for friends who really enjoy sailing together. The crew on board MELINKA makes this yacht really stand out from the crowd. They share a synergy that is infectious and a team spirit that is reflected in the soul and spirit of MELINKA.
DONA LOLA, named for the family’s much-adored grandmother, is a stunning Westport 130. When we stepped on board we were immediately impressed with the oversized windows that flood the main salon with daylight. White furnishings enhance the cool, contemporary style that is soothing to the soul. Captain Adam Crooks is looking forward to a fabulous yacht charter season in the Caribbean and confided that when DONA LOLA returns to the Mediterranean for the summer season he would love to do a Monaco Grand Prix (May 24-27, 2012) charter.
Lunch on board DAMRAK II, a sleek and stylish Sunreef 70 power catamaran, gave guests the delightful opportunity to experience the amazing culinary creations of Chef Sharon “Shaz”, who is well known for her gourmet talent. The first course of delicately seasoned scallops was accompanied by a savory banana chutney and pared with a crisp Pouilly Fuisse, which also complimented the sumptuous main course of Caribbean lobster tails.
More inside views aboout the participating charter yachts at the Antigua show will be available shortly. Please follow this link to explore all aspects of Caribbean Yacht Charter.
It is the 50th anniversary of the Antigua Charter Yacht Show and reasons for the longevity of the popular event abound. The show sets the stage for charter agents to view the stunning array of availabilities for the forthcoming Caribbean charter season, to meet with captains and crews, and to sample the delicacies of the many remarkably talented chefs.
The attending yachts, which range in length from 46 feet to 245 feet, are berthed in three marinas, Falmouth Harbour, English Harbour and Nelson`s Dockyard. Our charter experts have been on board several of the yachts in all three locations.
At English Harbor top yachts included the magnificent 184ft. Perini Navi, PANTHALASSA, a high-performance sailing yacht with a James Bond flare. BLISS, a striking 121ft. Dubois features stunning interiors embellished by exotic elements such as stingray skin and glass-embedded metal. The attractive crew of BLISS ranks highly for enthusiasm and charm.
The week-long annual event also features the popular Concours De Chef and table-setting competition. This year chefs are asked to prepare a Caribbean banquet celebrating the Antigua Charter Show’s 50th anniversary.
Piper Heidsieck is sponsoring the Steward/Stewardess Table Setting Challenge with a prize for the most imaginative and elegant Caribbean-themed anniversary table decoration incorporating the number 50.
Check back for continuous updates about top yachts and show events!
Follow this link for excellent information about Antigua and Caribbean Sea Yacht Charter and to launch your charter adventure through these breathtaking islands.
Green Marine has been building many of the world’s best known racing and performance cruisers for 28 years, including the Volvo Round the World Race contenders, America’s Cup challengers, and cutting-edge performance superyachts. Their newest build, the 100ft Wally Cento, is on schedule with the hull completed and released from its female mould last week.
The black hull was turned upside down and moved into a long build oven at a new facility in Hythe, UK. The Judel Vrolijk hull design is built to a very high specification exclusively using materials and processes that are typically applied for Grand Prix racing yachts. Green Marine has earned a world-wide reputation as a leading specialist in advanced carbon fiber molding techniques.
The boat will now be faired outside while the boat builders carry on installing secondary structures inside the hull. Marcel Müller, Managing Director of Green Marine said: “All our build ovens have the extraction system and air filtration of a spray booth. This way we can provide the optimal and safe work environment for both teams working on the boat.”
The system and interior fit out will start before Christmas. This Green Marine high performance racer-cruiser is built under the WALLY Cento class rules. As the first boat of its class hitting the water it will be the pace setter for this new generation of exiting and extremely power full race yachts.
Long Island is known as the most scenic island in the Bahamas. Ideally our guests will arrive by private or charter plane, rather than make the crossing by yacht from Nassau. We anchor OLGA offshore from the Flying Fish Marina. It’s a funny thing; we never see any other superyachts here but many people spending big money to fly fish. This is a charming little marina, very friendly, easy to get in and out and really well protected. You see nurse sharks and other marine species found in the Exumas, and tons of turtles all the time. There is a stunning stretch of beach here.
Day 2: Eastern Jumentos
The first jump is the longest, 59 nautical miles from Long Island to the eastern point of Jumentos. Here we are only 50 or 60 miles from Cuba. The Jumento Cays are a rarely visited, beautiful group of islands rimming the southern edge of the 330-mile-long Great Bahama Bank in a hundred-mile arc. Only the southernmost island of the chain, Ragged Island, has about 40 inhabitants. There are several well-protected areas for mooring.
In the Exumas the water is shallow, but in Jumentos the water is very deep, so you can anchor very close to shore and be very well protected. There are reefs and coral heads everywhere on one side of the island and on the other the ocean floor drops from 700 feet to 7,000 feet, fantastic for fishing and diving. It’s the dream for the divers and fishermen to be that close, just a few hundred yards by tender. There are marlins, turtles, groupers, hammerheads and huge lobsters. We spend the first day here, fishing and diving in the morning and water sports after lunch.
Day 3: Water Cay
It’s only 20 miles to the next stop, Water Cay. Here guests are going to see the bank where you have three authentic blue holes. We anchor out in 20 feet of water and snorkel, or you can dive, and the holes are full of fish and marine life. People from Nassau now come here to pick up conchs because overfishing has left none close to Nassau. Here they are plentiful and Water Cay is also great for catching lobsters. It is easy to make our charter guests very happy here. We snorkel in the morning and catch 14 lobsters. Then we head for this pristine little beach. There is nobody here, no houses, and no yachts. Perfect for a lobster barbeque.
Day 4: Flamingo Cay
The next destination is just 9.5 miles and one of my favorite places. Flamingo Cay offers anchoring with total protection. Even in 20-knot winds the water in the bay is going to be flat. The island has an elevation of about 300 feet with lots of lush greenery. A powdery white sand beach rims the beautiful bay. We are all by ourselves. There is an old ferryboat sunken in seven to 12 feet of water that is great for snorkeling. It is the perfect distance to go with our guests from the beach to the boat and return to the beach. Chef Claire always makes a magnificent paella on this beach. This is also an amazing place for fishing because there are pinnacles that jut up from 7000 feet of water to just 26 feet. Here you are one hundred percent guaranteed to catch grouper and yellowtail because they like things that go up, so they live around the pinnacles. If guests want to catch really big grouper, anywhere from 30 to 80 pounds, we go out a little bit further and let the line drag down to 400 or 500 feet. We chum for yellowtail. When you know the area and know where to go the fishing is easy.
Holocene eolianite on Long IslandDay 5: Buena Vista
Today we cruise 28 nautical miles to another splendid spot, Buena Vista, again a well-protected area, although not as good as Flamingo because you are open to the north. We anchor in 11 feet and take the guests drift snorkeling along the wall. It takes about 45 minutes and is an ideal excursion, especially for children, because it is not tiring and islands on both sides make people feel safe. There is a small but stunning beach on the northwest side of the island. Divers enjoy the amazing reefs and coral heads and there is also a small yet marvelous beach. Nearby Nurse Cay is home to a lot of baby nurse sharks hiding in the rocks. It is really nice because the sharks are not deep and you can touch them and take pictures.
Day 6: Ragged Island
Ragged Island is part of the Jumentos Cays and Ragged Island Chain and lies about 20 miles from BuenaVista. In Duncan Town, the only settlement in the entire chain, most of the inhabitants are the direct descendants of the original settlers. These islanders rely heavily on the mail boat for transportation, freight and commerce. The island is renowned for great bone fishing and there are four or five of sunken fishing boats that provide interesting snorkeling. We like to go ashore for a walking tour of the island, which is culturally unique and distinguished from Nassau and the Exumas.
Ragged Island is located on the passage between the Bahamas and Cuba where currents from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean flow into the Gulf Stream. The amount of marine life here is astonishing. We ride the tender for 20 minutes to reach
Columbus Bank. There is a six-foot deep area that is surrounded by a depth of 60 feet, which then drops off to 4,000 feet. There are thousands of fish here including spectacular jumping tuna. South of Ragged are more sensational coral heads with a delightful sandbar in the center. Magalenese Bank is another great spot for deep-sea fishing.
This is an itinerary for families and friends that want to spend quality time together. There are no shops, no restaurants, no casinos and no bars. This is an unsurpassed charter itinerary for those interested in exploring nature and an environment that has changed little since Columbus sailed these same Caribbean bays.
Charter OLGA with Captain Bernard and enjoy a rare opportunity of discovery while living in absolute luxury.
The Charter Yacht Society of the BVI hosted the 30th Annual BVI Charter Yacht Show, November 8-11. There were many wonderful events organized for attendees that culminated with a gala Farewell Dinner for all charter brokers and yacht crews at the Scrub Island Resort, Spa and Marina. Highlighting the event was the Best in Show awards ceremony,
Disembarking at Scrub Island
which took place following cocktails and a sumptuous buffet dinner.
This beautiful, sunny evening saw several yachts set sail over to Scrub Island, while other attendees were transported by complimentary ferry from the dock in Roadtown, Tortola. Scrub Island is located about three miles offshore from the Tortola airport. The development opened in 2010 and offers rental and residential vacation properties with docking and resort facilities on site including two restaurants, retail shops and a first class spa.
This year Sol petroleum, providers of fuel for the majority of marinas in the BVI,
provided some of the prizes for winners in five different categories. Prizes included two round trip tickets from Beef Island, Tortola to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The panel of judges, comprised of anonymous charter brokers, viewed seventy participating yachts and met their crews in order to submit their votes in each category. After the votes were tallied the winners were:
The Charter Yacht Show is the largest of its kind in the Virgin Islands and is an important annual event that provides an opportunity for charter industry professionals to develop a personal knowledge of yachts and relationship with
TAKAPUNA Crew
crews. BVI yacht charters contribute more than $35 million dollars in revenue annually from the many
charter guests who enjoy this exquisite cruising region.
Follow these links for information about BVI yacht charter:
MELINKA is a classic Sparkman & Stevens 80ft. sailing yacht that is an ideal choice for friends who really enjoy sailing together. The crew on board MELINKA makes this yacht really stand out from the crowd. They share a synergy that is infectious and a team spirit that is reflected in the soul and spirit of MELINKA.
grandmother, is a stunning Westport 130. When we stepped on board we were immediately impressed with the oversized windows that flood the main salon with daylight. White furnishings enhance the cool, contemporary style that is soothing to the soul. Captain Adam Crooks is looking forward to a fabulous yacht charter season in the Caribbean and confided that when DONA LOLA returns to the Mediterranean for the summer season he would love to do a Monaco Grand Prix (May 24-27, 2012) charter.
Lunch on board DAMRAK II, a sleek and stylish Sunreef 70 power 
catamaran, gave guests the delightful opportunity to experience the amazing culinary creations of Chef Sharon “Shaz”, who is well known for her gourmet talent. The first course of delicately seasoned scallops was accompanied by a savory banana chutney and pared with a crisp Pouilly Fuisse, which also complimented the sumptuous main course of Caribbean lobster tails.
