Destinations

Why Not a Month?

by Lou Deutsch, Posted January 11, 2010

For the past few years we have chartered monohulls and catamarans in the Caribbean for the usual week or, sometimes, 10 days. We savored every moment of those brief charters, but invariably felt pressed for time and regretfully passed by anchorages we knew would be more perfect than all the rest. If only we had two weeks, or better yet, a whole month, we could ease into our vacation, explore

Bienvenue en Guadeloupe

by Meredith Laitos, Posted December 6, 2010

Though Guadeloupe has long been a popular charter destination for Europeans, the five-island archipelago is making its way onto the American radar, and for good reason. Explore the well-equipped marinas, protected bays, clean towns and tantalizing French cuisine through this photo gallery from SAIL’s most recent Guadeloupian

The Six People you Meet in Desolation Sound

by Meredith Laitos, Posted March 14, 2012

Two hundred and fifty miles north of Seattle and 3,400 miles from home, our crew of six was more than a little slaphappy after a long day of travel. As we drove toward Comox, British Columbia, we decided to create a wish list for the charter trip ahead.

Stories from the South Pacific: Entranced in Tahiti

by Wally Moran, Posted October 25, 2012

I yearn to return to Tahiti. I was there in 2010 for the Pearl Regatta and fell in love with the islands. I can still hear the crash of surf outside my room that first night, smell the scent of orchids at the top of the mountain on Raiatea...

A Series of Fortunate Events

by Kimball Livingston, Posted August 7, 2008

Riding a mild breeze along Turkey’s rugged Mediterranean coast, a charter sailor doesn’t have to be a poet to wander freely as a cloudFortunately, the people in the French charterboat had so much trouble anchoring that they gave up and went away. Unfortunate for them, I suppose, but we set our hook, swam a line to shore, and settled into what I regarded as the kingpin spot

Spanish Isles

by Peter Nielsen, Posted October 20, 2008

I like Jimi Hendrix, but enough is enough. As the final chords of “All Along the Watchtower” pierced the night air and vanished into the mangroves, I waved goodnight to the rest of the crew and went below. That started an exodus. Ten minutes later the bay was as completely, spookily silent as it had been that afternoon before we steamed in, dropped anchor, popped open some cold ones, fired up the

Cat Country

by Billy Van Der Wal, Posted March 2, 2010

"I can tell you guys are roughing it, but if you need any ice or water, just let us know—we make 400 gallons of water and 400 pounds of ice a day.” To the owner of the 40-foot sportsfisherman anchored next to our 30-foot catamaran at Highborne Cay in the Bahamas, we must have looked pretty desperate. But that was all part of the adventure.“We” were my dad, Onne, me, my 10-year-old brother

A Taste of the East

by Nigel Calder, Posted January 4, 2011

You know you are in for a different kind of cruising experience when a) the guide book says: “Do not go ashore onto either of the Koh Liang islands. They are sites for the collection of swallow’s nests to make bird’s nest soup. They are patrolled by local Thais armed with automatic weapons;” and b) the charter base manager (ours was Andy Middleton, who runs the Sunsail base in Langkawi, Malaysia)

Sun, Snorkels and Sailing in Turkey

by Rebecca Waters, Posted March 14, 2012

Thoughts of Homer’s walled cities, epic battles and tragic heroes filled our minds as we prepared for our weeklong charter in Turkey. True, our charter base in Marmaris was over 300 miles south of Troy, but that didn’t keep us from dreaming of ruins and lost civilizations.

Stories from the South Pacific: Whitsunday Magic

by Adam Cort, Posted October 30, 2012

Australia’s Whitsunday Islands, on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef just off the Queensland coast, are one of those “bucket list” destinations, known far and wide for great snorkeling, great sailing and some of the best beaches in the world.