Winter Charters off the Beaten Path

These four destinations offer fewer

crowds and more pristine natural vistas.

Bareboat charters not only are growing in popularity, but – judging by the rate at which charter fleets are adding new bases in remote locales – the sail and powerboat cruisers who take them also seem to be gaining in wanderlust. A case in point: Leading charter firms The Moorings and Sunsail, which operate successful bases in tried-and-true destinations like the Abacos in the Bahamas and the British Virgin Islands, both opened new locations in Grenada this fall. Starting in November, Sunsail also has announced it will open a bareboat base in the Central American country of Belize, featuring its Sunsail 384 sailing catamaran.
“You have some people who want to do the ‘bucket-and-spade’, relaxing experience – where there is nothing much new, but they know what they’re going to get,” said David Rohr, product manager for The Moorings Power and Crewed Yacht Charters. “Then you have the other fifty percent, who are more adventurous.”
If you are in the latter group and are looking to spread your wings on an exciting bareboat charter this winter, here are four enticing destinations that lie “off the beaten path”.

Belize

Belize, at right and below, is home to nearly 500 species of fish, 70 types of coral, and miles of deserted sandy beaches just waiting for an adventurous cruiser to land and make the first footprints of the day.

At the base of the Yucatan Peninsula, where the Caribbean turns a hard corner, lies beautiful Belize. What attracts cruisers to this Central American country is its unspoiled barrier reef, which is second in length only to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. In fact, in 1842, Charles Darwin called it “The most remarkable reef in the West Indies.”
Today, there are quite a few charter companies to choose from in Belize, mostly offering cruising sailboats. Several, including Sunsail and The Moorings, are based on the Placencia peninsula near the southern end of the reef, a short local flight from the country’s only international airport, near Belize City. Pack your dive gear, if you’ve got it – this is a real water-sports paradise, above and below the surface.
According to The Moorings, which offers luxury crewed charters from its local base, highlights of a seven-day itinerary through the islands north of Placencia might include stops at Laughing Bird Caye for sublime snorkeling; Lime Caye, which looks like a South Pacific isle transported to the Caribbean; Hunting Caye, with its perfect half-moon beach, and palm-studded Tobacco Cay with its laid-back fishing lodge. Placencia Village, famous for the mile-long concrete walk where fisherman once carted their catch to market in wheelbarrows, now has beach resorts where you can wine and dine. A side trip to  go hiking in Monkey River Jungle on the mainland might put you within earshot of a howler monkey.

Grenada & the Grenadines

The Grenadines in the southern Windward Islands have long been popular with sailors because they are short on sailing distances and long on scenic anchorages. For the past decade or so, Grenada, at the southern end of the chain, has taken a backseat to its neighbors, but recently, the “Spice Island” has re-asserted itself as the gateway to the archipelago. Major charter operators are returning to Grenada thanks to improvements to local marine facilities, the welcoming attitude of the local people, and the international airport, which has direct flights from the U.S. While the first boats that The Moorings has delivered to its base in St. Georges are sailing catamarans and monohulls, David hinted that the company is considering also sending power catamarans to Grenada by early spring.
Waterfalls and rum distilleries will tempt a charter party to linger on the big island for a day or two. But ddn’t wait too long to head north into the Grenadines, stopping to explore each pearl in this unique string of islands. According to David, Cariacou offers great snorkeling, particularly at Sandy Cay. Petit Martinique is a top photo op thanks to the colorful plywood speedboats locals build on its beach. Union Island’s Chatham Bay is an unforgettable anchorage, and Salt Whistle Bay Beach on Mayreau’s windward side is rated one of the top 10 beaches in the word.
In the Tobago Cays, David recommends anchoring off Horseshoe Reef to experience “The beautiful breezes that roll across the uninterrupted ocean—you are the first person to breathe them in three thousand miles.” The Moorings’ sub-base in Canouan Island, which allows one-way charters from Grenada, permits charterers to push farther north to celebrity-filled Mustique, where, he says, “You could find yourself talking with Mick Jagger on the next barstool.”

St. Lucia

Everyone knows St. Lucia’s famous Pitons, above, but there are uncrowded beaches just up the coast.

Helen Island Yacht Charters’ 39-foot bareboat, Seaquel

Sometimes, all it takes to get off the beaten path is simply to visit a destination’s lesser-known side. “Many boaters are already aware of St. Lucia’s three big attractions:  Rodney Bay Marina, Marigot Bay and The Pitons,” says Malcolm Burns, president of Helen Island Yacht Charters Inc., which is based on the island. “I would like to add Anse Cochon, which is a delightful beach with superb snorkeling. It has mooring balls and generally a sandy bottom on the north side of the bay for easy, safe anchoring. Cruisers should avoid the southern side of the bay, which has a rocky bottom with some rocks close to the surface.”
Malcolm, who offers charter vacations aboard Seaquel, a Mainship 390, also recommends anchoring off the fishing village of Anse La Raye on St. Lucia’s northwest coast, and taking the tender ashore. “Anse La Raye has a street party on Friday nights, featuring freshly caught fish and seafood, especially local lamb, and is a very festive occasion,” he says.
On the island’s Atlantic coast, he adds, “Dennery and Micoud are fishing villages worth visiting, although both should be approached with great care, with close attention to charts and depthsounders.” He also recommends Maria Islands Nature Reserve, at St. Lucia’s southeastern point, a remote park with excellent snorkeling and exotic wildlife that can only be visited with advance permission.

Charlotte Harbor, Florida

Fisherman’s Village is a waterfront community with shops, restaurants, evening entertainment, a butterfly garden and a full-service, 111-slip yacht basin.

Southwest Florida Yachts offers bareboat charters on powerboats from 32 to 42 feet, including trawlers like Sweetness II, left, and on sailboats from 24 to 35 feet.

For those who want to do their chartering a little closer to home this winter, delightfully “off-beat” destinations can be found even on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Most of Southwest Florida Yachts’ charter clients never tire of the popular run to Sanibel Island from its North Fort Myers powerboat and trawler base or its sailboat base near Punta Gorda. But, reports Barbara Hansen, who owns and operates the company with her husband, “We have some third-time charterers who say, ‘Where can we go that’s different?” She adds, “We always say you can cruise our area ten times and never cross your own wake, but for the person who has done it all and wants to try something new, there’s tons of places to go besides Sanibel and Captiva.”
One of them is a tour of Charlotte Harbor, east of Boca Grande. Southwest Florida Yachts (SWFY) Captain Chris Day recommends the following stops: “Bokelia has a pretty little harbor where you can buy smoked mullet at a fisherman’s shack on the beach. Matlacha offers nightlife, art and excellent local fish. Turning north past the more popular Burnt Store Marina (home to SWFY’s sailboat fleet), you will find quiet Alligator Creek, home to a good eatery, the Riviera Restaurant, which few people from out of town even know about.
“Farther north is the historic town of Punta Gorda. This is a good jumping-off point for a cruise up the leafy green Peace River, a great place to see wildlife, including alligators. The Myakka River, farther west, is another pretty spot. You are now at the northeast corner of Charlotte Harbor, and by heading south along the west shore you will pass several remote, uncrowded anchorages on the south side of Cape Haze near Bull Bay or Devilfish Key.
“Consult local knowledge and use caution regarding depths and check wind direction regarding suitability for anchoring overnight at some of these locations,” says Capt. Day – good advice for all charterers who choose destinations that lie off the beaten path this winter.