Category: Destinations

Destinations: Looking for information for your next cruising destinations? Whether you’re planning a sail in the Caribbean or summering in Newport, our destinations resources will help you plan the perfect excursion. Our expansive cache of destination information includes Monthly regional reports filled with seasonal tips and travel itineraries,  Local knowledge on great boating locales, Cruiser resources—complete with photos, Insider tips, marina information and more!

An Unconventional Exuma Itinerary

An Unconventional Exuma Itinerary

There’s more to the Exumas than meets the eye. Check out this Exuma Itinerary to see parts unknown.

Of the 60,000 visitors who travel to the Exumas annually, some 64 percent are repeat visitors. Many of these travelers crave the familiarity that comes with visiting the smaller, more rural islands in The Bahamas. The faces you encounter at the marinas, shops, and restaurants infrequently change, so many of the people you meet quickly form part of your extended family.

Many travelers have also discovered it isn’t necessary to have a radically different itinerary on each return visit in order to have a unique experience. When “X” marks the spot on a popular dive site, you know the wonders of the sea will bless you, but there’s no telling if you’ll see turtles one year or dolphins another. The inhabitants of the marine underworld stay the same, but encounters with each species are not guaranteed. There is a natural anticipation and excitement for each year’s surprises.

The immovable islands don’t change position, and yet their physical character varies, dictated by the strength of the tides and shape-shifting sands, the texture of the sky and the mood of the light.

Undoubtedly, what’s common for most travelers is that the sea calls them to the Exumas. According to Ministry of Tourism statistics, even though only two percent arrive via private boat, 6 of the top 10 activities that visitors intend to engage in are marine-based: beaching, snorkeling, sailing, diving, and fishing. It is unsurprising, therefore, that 8 of the top 10 things to do on Trip Advisor are beach or boating excursions to locations such as the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, Pig Beach and Stocking Island. If you count yourself among the many that are called by the sea, we recommend these few common, yet offbeat things to do in your Exuma Itinerary.

Shroud Cay

An overview of Shroud Cay.

Shroud Cay is a spongy island for which the land and the sea continuously interchange places as the tides rise and fall. Protective mangrove creeks snake across the island like saltwater rivers that flow from the windward side to the banks. They are so shallow that in some places you can only explore by dinghy, kayak or wave runner. The seemingly endless beaches on this wilderness island are completely deserted and untouched, and dive sites off the northern end of the island include the Wax Cut Drift dive and Fire Coral Reef.

Warderick Wells

A sailboat in Wardrick Wells, a must-see on your Exumas Itinerary.

Warderick Wells is home to the Exuma Land and Sea Park headquarters. Its mooring area is visually stunning with all of the quintessential elements of the Exuma landscape. The deep channel runs parallel to the island, bordered on one side by the beach and on the other side by a sand bar. Beyond, the sea stretches to the horizon in layers of undulating white sand art mixed with deep and shallow blues.

The boundaries of the park stretch from Wax Cay Cut in the north to Conch Cay Cut in the south. Warderick Wells sits roughly in the middle, with several beaches to enjoy and multiple coral gardens. Common sightings include lemon and nurse sharks, spotted eagle rays and three- to four-foot-long lobsters hiding under coral heads. All marine life is protected in the park, and anchoring is prohibited in coral reef areas. On the island, hiking trails are posted with a variety of wildlife, including many bird species and the endangered hutia rodent.

Rocky Dundas

The most well-known underwater cave in The Exumas is by far Thunderball Grotto, named after the 1965 James Bond spy film. An alternative is the Rocky Dundas, south of Little Bells Cay (Cambridge Cay) in the national park.

An incredible view of Rocky Dundas.

There are two caves to explore. As with Thunderball Grotto, at high tide, you have to swim underwater to get inside. At low tide, simply swim through the larger of the two caves to enter. A small, low tide beach is inside; many stalactites and stalagmites texture the rock, and fossilized beetles and the imprints of shells and coral cover the cave walls. Snorkel outside the cave where you’ll find a sandy bottom and colorful coral outcroppings, including a splendid piece of endangered Elkhorn coral, bright orange and swarmed with marine life. For large boats, a mooring site is on the northwestern side of Little Bells Cay where the caves are easily accessible by dinghy.

Norman’s Pond Cave

Many of Exuma’s best natural attractions are loved for their simplicity and mystery; Norman’s Pond Cave is one such example. The cave’s deep labyrinth of underwater passages is not visible from the surface. The cave is captivating at first glance because a glowing turquoise rock pool peeks out from a huge slit in the limestone rock. This natural saltwater bath is the entrance to the underwater lair that has only been explored by cave divers to a depth of 85 meters. The inland corner descends into the cave, but the rest of the pool is a shallow private playground for swimming and cooling down.

According to one family’s experience in the rock pool, “The water was warm and the salt content so high that it felt as if we were floating on air.” Norman’s Pond Cay is located amongst a cluster of cays to the north of Barreterre, Great Exuma.

Angelfish Blue Hole

Next up on the Exuma Itinerary is Stocking Island. The island is best known for its beach bar and restaurant Chat ‘N Chill, a fun, social spot to hang with friends and family. The beach has ample space for relaxing or sport, including beach volleyball. Chat ‘N Chill will provide conch slop to hand feed stingrays on the shoreline. Beyond the beach, there are other accessible marine attractions, including Angelfish Blue Hole and Mystery Cave, snorkeling and diving sites located in an enclosed bay. The bay is frequented by a school of turtles and eagle rays. The entrance to Angelfish Blue Hole has a school of horse-eye jacks as well as blue parrotfish that guard the passage. Grunts, snapper, Atlantic spadefish, and other colorful marine life congregate around Mystery Cave.

No matter how often you’ve experienced the Exumas, there’s more out there than the meets the eye. Explore.

By Noelle Nichols Southern Boating, February 2019

Florida’s Big Bend

Florida’s Big Bend

The road less traveled: Florida’s Big Bend

Florida’s 300-mile Big Bend curve on the Gulf Coast remains the road less traveled for ICW navigators. Coming from the Panhandle, most point their bows straight to Tarpon Springs, the quicker way to warmer temperatures and sandy beaches.

Typically, Big Bend shorelines are not sandy. Geologists say ancient rivers just didn’t have enough “energy” to bring fine sand to shorelines. They’re quite wild, actually. Depending on your priorities, this could be a good thing. Maybe, as poet Robert Frost wrote, this makes all the difference. Welcome to Old Florida.

Steinhatchee is just a short distance up the river of the same name. Huge turtles bask on sunlit logs. Spanish moss flows down from sloping live oak branches. Locals tend gardens, relax on front porches and go fishing. Locally caught fish, scallops, blue crabs, and oysters are on the menu. Villagers and visitors raise a little Cain at the annual Fiddler Crab Festival, this year February 15-17. Good Times Marina, River Haven Marina and Sea Hag Marina are ready for transient cruisers.

Cedar Key is a quaint island town in the cluster of Cedar Keys, south of Steinhatchee a bit. Tie up, fuel up, chat up locals, browse funky stores, buy an Old Florida painting, bike trails, go birding, kayak the backcountry, sip craft beer and enjoy fresh seafood. Above all, be amazed at the bright stars and galaxies at night. Cedar Key (population 700) hosts 20,000 visitors for the annual Old Florida Celebration of the Arts, this year March 30-31. Cedar Key Marina II  monitors Channel 11 and welcomes cruisers.

Moving south, you’ll want to explore the Crystal River, the Homosassa River and the  Chassahowitzka River, spring-fed rivers the manatees love. You’ll feel warmer temperatures and notice lots of people on sandy beaches and the welcoming marinas in Tarpon Springs, Dunedin, Clearwater, Madeira Beach, and so on as you continue down the coast where you’re now back on the more traveled route.

By Bill Aucoin, Southern Boating February 2019

More Gulf Coast Updates:

Mardi Gras on the Gulf 

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras on the Gulf

Mardi Gras’s Fat Tuesday may not begin until March 5th, but festivities start in February.

Marching bands and floats brighten up many Gulf coastal towns. Masked krewe members carry armloads of plastic beads. Wave your arms and scream, “Hey Mister!” Ground zero for Mardi Gras is New Orleans’ French Quarter. If you’ve never been, go. But even before the big day, you can holler for trinkets at parades in the Old Quarter and in the Uptown section.

Galveston Island has been doing Mardi Gras for 108 years, and it has grown to a
14-day calendar of activities that bring about 350,000 to parades and festivals with live
bands and delicious food.

Just about every Mississippi Gulf Coast town from Bay St. Louis to Pascagoula has eat-drink-and-be-merry festivals and parades. Some have unique parade themes. Biloxi, for
example, will crown the “King and Queen of the Krewe of Barkloxi.” Dog owners and
their dogs wear lookalike costumes.

Mobile, Alabama, deservedly calls itself the birthplace of Mardi Gras celebrations
in North America. Mobile Carnival Museum displays old floats, crowns, gowns, and
photographs dating back to 1886. The history-rich city at the top of Mobile Bay hosts
almost 50 parades in February and in the first five days of March.

The four-day Mardi Gras weekend at Gulf Shores and Orange Beach includes a 12-mile
boat parade via the ICW from The Wharf Marina in Orange Beach to Homeport Marina.
Lucy Buffett’s restaurant, Lulu’s, next to Homeport, welcomes all to “keep the party
going” with live music. Costumes and masks might get you a spot closer to the band, so
laissez le bon temps rouler!

By Bill Aucoin, Southern Boating February 2019

More Gulf Coast Updates:

Florida’s Big Bend

Caribbean Multihull Challenge

Caribbean Multihull Challenge

Check out the inaugural Caribbean Multihull Challenge

Multihull classes were virtually nonexistent in most major Caribbean regattas. Sure, some events like the St. Thomas International Regatta run a small beach cat fleet and in recent years, the BVI Spring Regatta and Antigua Sailing Week have hosted a half dozen Gunboats, but the only regatta through the years to consistently welcome nearly 30 large multis, enough to divide them into three to five classes, is the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. It’s no wonder then that St. Maarten Yacht Club members, originators of the Heineken regatta, will kick off the Caribbean first this month.

The inaugural Caribbean Multihull Challenge is scheduled for February 8-10. “This is a 100-percent multihull event, catamarans, and trimarans, in five classes,” says Steve Burzon, a member of the race committee chaired by St. Maarten racing legend, Sir Robbie Ferron. “That means the race courses will be designed for multihulls with reaching or downwind starts, long legs as much as sixty miles and no windward/leewards. This all comes on the heels of the huge interest in multihulls today, for everything from cruising to racing.”

Over 30 entries are expected. Some include the Spronk 50 Twin Sister, the Dick Newick-designed trimaran Tryst; and the Bieker 53 Fujin. Burzon says there will also be a Pirate Racing Class for those owners and crew who just want to participate in an informal way. Parties, beach games, and even a small boat show will round out the fun.

smyc.com/caribbean-multihull-challenge

By Carol Bareuther, Southern Boating February 2019

Historic Boats

Historic Boats

History and boating come to life in the warmth of the southeast coast. Experience what life was like aboard this collection of historic boats and yachts, which are available for day trips, evening events or private charter tours.

When & If

When and If

When World War II was drawing to a close, General George S. Patton was contemplating retirement and his post-war life. He commissioned the famous naval architect John Alden and the F.F Pendleton shipyard to design and build a custom 63-foot schooner for him and his wife, Beatrice. He said at the time, “When the war is over, and if I live through it, Bea and I are going to sail her around the world.” Unfortunately, General Patton died of heart failure in 1945 without the opportunity to fulfill his dream. The boat was commissioned When and If and kept in the Patton family until 1975. It has now been beautifully restored and is available for charter at Stock Island Marina under the management of Sunset Sail Key West.

sunsetsailkeywest.com

KINGFISHER

Kingfisher

In 1928, Frank Pembroke Huckins invented one of the first planing hull forms, the Huckins Quadraconic hull, which became the renowned “Fairform Flyers.” Famous in the 1940s as builders of the durable Navy PT boats that helped the Allies win the war in the Pacific, Huckins Yachts went on to become one of the preeminent yacht builders.

KINGFISHER is a supreme example of a Huckins motor yacht and is available for day cruises, special events and weekend charter excursions so the public can experience the classic yachting life. KINGFISHER has recently undergone a complete restoration and is based in Palm Beach, Florida, for the winter season and in Charleston, South Carolina, during the spring and fall.

kingfishervintageyacht.com

String of Pearls

String of Pearls (formerly Pearl Necklace)

When the founder of the company that would become Berkshire Hathaway wanted a new yacht built in 1957, he commissioned naval architect Geerd Hendel and boat builder Malcolm Brewer to design and build Pearl Necklace. The 71-foot yacht was a gift to his wife, who had requested a simple strand of pearls for her birthday. The owner drove PT boats in World War II, so the yacht was equipped with four engines. Built for speed, he often raced his friend and neighbor, Jack Kennedy, on Cape Cod Bay. Now docked at the Morningstar Marina in St. Simons Island, Georgia, the renamed String of Pearls is available for day excursions, sunset cruises or private events.

stringofpearlsssi.com

Want more history? Try Presidents on Yachts

Cruising Through Greece

Cruising through Greece is like stepping back in time

The charts spread out on the nav desk are intimidating. There’s so much to see in the southern Aegean Sea with more than 200 islands in 1,000 square miles of water. Our challenge is to determine how many places we can explore in just two weeks. We decide to try for a dozen—an ambitious goal given the distances and amount to see and do on the spectacular Cyclades Islands of Greece where, it seems, time has stood still for millennia. Cruising through Greece is an unending pleasure.

Med-Style

We head south out of Lavrion just as the northerly winds pick up. Med mooring (docking a boat end-on as opposed to alongside) in 35 knots teaches us what a treat the Meltemi wind can be. As if it’s not hard enough to reverse into a gap that looks half the needed size, the wicked Greek Meltemi adds to the fun of our arrival at Mykonos Island. We face down some Croatian charterers for the last quay space, tie up and wait for the Meltemi to blow itself out.

Mykonos is where the beautiful people come to party, some on the superyachts that dot the large bay. The island seems to burst out of the sea, spilling chic eateries, artsy galleries, decorated staircases, and classic Greek island architecture in every direction. The town is made up of narrow alleys where tiny restaurants are shoehorned into every corner. Fashion boutiques carry everything from designer dresses to handmade flip-flops that are so beautifully arrayed, it nearly makes a shopper out of even me. Souvlaki (the popular Greek fast food of meat on a skewer) wafts on the breeze that curls around alley corners, and every door is a work of art.

The Meltemi wasn’t letting up so we book ferry tickets to Delos, the neighboring island, all of which is an active archeological dig. There are no tavernas, no discos, no shops, and most importantly, no anchoring, which is why you take a ferry.

Ancient History

Delos is the antithesis to Mykonos. It’s the birthplace of the twin gods Artemis and Apollo and was a hopping place back in 1500-1200 BC. Today, however, it’s a place to contemplate the ages and how even hearty civilizations can disappear. The island’s ancient homes, shops, and temples are amazingly well preserved. We walk along the Terrace of Lions that looks out over the Sacred Lake (drained in 1926 by anthropologists trying to eradicate mosquitos). It’s downright otherworldly. The site steps back a few centuries and you’ll want to dust off memories of high school mythology classes to take it all in. Much of the once-colorful mosaics are left exposed to the elements, which must give museum curators around the world nightmares.

After three days, we dislodge our anchor from an underwater cable and say goodbye to Mykonos just in time to ride the last of the Meltemi to Milos, an island made famous by the discovery of the Venus de Milo, which was unearthed there by a farmer in 1820.

We tie up in the town of Adamas and stroll the circular quay lined with captains hawking the next day’s excursions. They’re all gorgeous, Zorba-the-Greek types and they promise an unforgettable cruise to the western island sites, which are chock-full of caves, rock formations, and sheer cliffs. I walk from one handsome, sunburnt salesman to the next, eye their vessels and learn about the must-see stops.

The Greeks have a bit of a flirtation with the definition of vessel capacity limits, and owners of 45-foot sailboats promise full-day tours “with room for at least 20 people.” We’re seven in 56 feet, and that’s plenty. The highlight of every vendor’s Oscar-worthy presentation is a photo of the amazing lunch that would be served. I pour over their brochures and maps and realize we can do it on our own.

Seclusion for the Win

The next morning, we wait two hours and then follow the tourist boats on their trek to visit the highlights. The delay was a stroke of genius as we arrive at each stop just as the local boats pull anchor to move on, leaving us alone to enjoy the peace and quiet. We dinghy into the topless Sykia cave, which is a treat since no one is there but our own echo. And lunch? Well, our morning’s visit to a small grocery store makes for our own brochure-worthy feast.

Following the trail south, we turn the corner to Kleftiko, an unreal playground ringed with caves and arches that can only be visited by boat and explored by dinghy. There’s no bad place to point the camera, so we lose track of time and decide to stay the night. Protected from the northern wind by steep cliffs, we have the peaceful anchorage to ourselves after all the tourist boats head back to town.

In the morning, we continue on our circumnavigation of Milos and find Sarakiniko Beach. Made up of white sand, tall cliffs and hundreds of caves, the moonscape of Sarakiniko can be visited by land as well as by boat.

Sheer, white cliffs fall into the blue-green water, dotted by pink caves that lure you in for a swim. We have a unique vantage point as we’re the only boat anchored out and are photographed by the visitors deposited on the beach by tourist buses from Adamas.

Jump In

Young guys and gals dare each other to jump off the 60-foot cliffs above, but I opt for a long swim instead and wonder if Odysseus himself may have been lured here by sirens. That afternoon, we circle back to town and find one more space on the quay for another Med moor, this one executed in windless bliss.

Here, the islands and days flow by and too soon, it’s time to head back north, so we scour the charts to find one more island before returning to Athens. We settle on Kea, which turns out to be a great find. A weekend destination for Athenian yachties, Kea is often overlooked by charter boats and that’s a mistake.

The island benefits from frequent rainfall (by Greek standards) so it’s more verdant than the rest of the Cyclades and is covered by row upon row of olive tree terraces and beautiful vineyards; the countryside is more akin to Italy. Like most villages in the Cyclades, Kea’s town of Ioulida is built into a mountainside and practically vertical, which creates unbeatable views and memorable sunsets. We hike to the famous Stone Lion of Kea and its weird and enigmatic smile.

During our somewhat irregular and incomplete circumnavigation of the Cyclades, we learn that there are at least three different ways to spell every island and town name, which makes sailing and driving rental cars interesting. The old town on every island is called Hora or Chora, which doesn’t help. Greek names are a mystery, even when written in an alphabet we could recognize. In the native language, it’s quite literally, all Greek to us.

We visit seven of the thirty islands and barely scratch the surface of all there is to see. Our choice of anchorages often involves keeping a distance from the thumping discos that, in Greece, can go on until dawn. Otherwise, we were immersed in the history that we can’t even ponder on this side of the Atlantic, and we revel in the natural beauty of the water, the beaches, the countryside, and the people. Friendly and helpful, the villagers outside the main towns are genuinely unfazed by tourism. They just go about their lives, less hurried and harried, and only the advertising of free Wi-Fi in every taverna suggests that it’s not 1200 BC.

Cruiser Resources

  • May through July and again September through October are good times to charter in the Mediterranean but beware of August when all of Europe is on vacation.
  • The Moorings has a selection of powercats for charter from 43 to 51 feet. You can cover a lot of territory at 15 knots, but fuel is expensive.
  • Provisioning is excellent and affordable everywhere and the restaurants and tavernas are not to be missed. Greece is one of those places where you can go food shopping every day, so keep things fresh by buying small quantities at a time.

By Zuzana Prochazka, Southern Boating October 2018

Photos courtesy of Zuzana Prochazka, The Greek National Tourism Organisation, and Lefteris Papulakis

Annual Key West Fishing Tournament

Annual Key West Fishing Tournament

For serious anglers, the only thing better than catching a big fish is getting an award for doing it, which is why anglers flock to the Annual Key West Fishing Tournament.

Fishing tournaments draw anglers in record numbers each year. Fortunately, in the southeastern states, there is a tournament for just about every type of fish and every type of angler; you could fish in a different tournament nearly every weekend throughout the year. But there is one tournament that covers every type of legally caught fish in a region, is open to every type of angler (young and old, male and female, professional and amateur), doesn’t care if you’re fishing from a boat, a bank, a beach, or a bridge, and runs continuously for six months. Welcome to the 54th Annual Key West Fishing Tournament, which begins on New Year’s Day and continues until August 31st.

It was founded in 1965 by a Key West legend, Capt. Gainey Maxwell, as a way to support the Lower Florida Keys fledgling charter fishing business. Today, the tournament’s goal is to promote sport fishing, conservation, and tourism in the Lower Keys. According to tournament officials, “Each year, more than 2,000 anglers receive the Outstanding Angling Achievement award to commemorate their catch or a Sportsmanship Award for released catches.”

Awards are available for 44 different species in nine different line classes from 8-pound to stronger than 50-pound test line. Categories also include fly, spin and plug tackle. As a way to promote conservation and the release of fish, the tournament sets minimum weights in each class to discourage the loss of smaller fish. Awards are also limited to minimum lengths for some species in the release category. Entering the tournament couldn’t be any easier. Just have your catch weighed at one of the participating weigh stations by an official weigh master, fill out an entry form and mail it to the tournament office or deposit it in one of the entry drop boxes at Garrison Bight City Marina, Esky’s Rod Shop, Sunset Marina, or Sugarloaf Marina.

Encouraging the next generation of anglers is an important part of the tournament’s mission. Two of the most popular categories are the Junior Division for anglers up to 15 years of age and the Pee Wee Division for anglers under 10.

keywestfishingtournament.com

By Bob Arrington, Southern Boating January 2018

Check out more fishing tournaments.

Changes and Island Hopping in Eleuthera

Island hopping in Eleuthera

Eleuthera and Harbour Island are surrounded by a handful of islands and cays: perfect for an island hopping adventure. Blue waters connect them, unique animal encounters fill them, and the many secrets of low tide lay between them.

But changes are coming to the islands.

The investment pipeline is looking strong in the remote Out Islands of The Bahamas as they are experiencing a resurgence due to a significant increase in annual visitor arrivals. Overall, stopover passengers grew by 16.7 percent in 2018, or 220,000 passengers.

For Eleuthera, the growth spurt was significantly higher than the national average.  Stopover visitors to Eleuthera— those who stay three to four nights arriving by air and sea—increased by 26.8 percent in 2018, or 13,000 passengers.

For cruise ship arrivals, the increase was 105 percent. While Eleuthera and its sister islands, Spanish Wells and Harbour Island, are not popular first ports of entry for boaters
because they are located southeast of Bimini, the Berry Islands, Grand Bahama, and Abaco, they are popular fishing destinations and have general appeal for leisure travelers.
Spanish Wells, known as the lobster capital, has the largest commercial fishing port in The Bahamas.

Fishing in South Eleuthera, from the Cape Eleuthera Resort & Marina, provides ample opportunities to hook sailfish, blue and white marlin, mahi-mahi, wahoo up to 95 pounds, and yellow and blackfin tuna.

Here’s a snapshot of tourism developments underway in Eleuthera that is expected to increase interest in the Bahamian island.

Jack’s Bay Club in Rock Sound

Work is ongoing at Jack’s Bay Club in Rock Sound, including the construction of the Salt Spray Cafe and the Tiger Woods-designed, 10-hole, par-3 golf course overlooking the ocean known as “The Playgrounds.” Jack’s Bay is expected to have three subdivisions of residential lots, a beach club with a luxurious spa, fitness center, resort-style pool, and other state-of-the-art amenities and services.

Harbour Island Club & Marina

A $45 million revitalization for the Harbour Island Club & Marina by real estate developer Michael Wiener will expand the marina from the original 32 slips to 55 and upgrade the property into a 28-room boutique hotel supplemented by 10 luxury villas and a swimming pool. The hotel will also include a waterfront restaurant and bar.

Other Eleuthera Developments

Last December, the Bahamas Investment Authority (BIA) approved the development of Philautia, a five-star, 20-room, health and wellness boutique resort in Governor’s  Harbour. The property will also include 15 villas as part of its accommodation offerings as well as restaurants serving food grown at an onsite organic farm.

New owners recently purchased Windermere Island, Rainbow Inn Resort
and Middle Cay Guest Cottage— all established properties that are considered long overdue for upgrades. The respective owners are currently planning renovations and expansions.

Island Hopping

Don’t despair– the natural wonders of the island and their unique attributes are still the main attraction. Here are four places to visit on your next trip.

Comfort Cay

Comfort Cay is a rocky outcropping in North Eleuthera, the fourth most populated island of The Bahamas. Approximately 11,000 residents either fish or farm the rolling acres of pineapple plantations. Eleuthera is a mixed bag of isolated communities, well-developed resorts. The landscape is quite varied with rocky bluffs, low-lying wetlands, and massive coral reefs.

Pink Sands Beach

The almost indescribable pale pink color of the sand comes from microscopic coral insects, known as Foraminifera, which has a bright pink or red shell. Easily snorkel or swim near outlying reefs, which provide large areas of calm, shallow water.

Royal Island

Royal Island is a 430-acre island estate in the Bahamas, offering families and groups a unique and exquisitely private experience of this Caribbean paradise. The island features five stand-alone villas and a central beach club with resort amenities for guests of all ages, set amid pristine beaches and crystalline waters stretching as far as the eye can see.

Harbour Island

Harbour Island is chock-full of history and natural wonders. For a little bit of history, visit Loyalist Cottage, a wonderful example of loyalist architecture, Commissioner’s Residence built in 1913, St. John’s Anglican Church built in 1768, as well as the Chapel Street cemetery containing ancient graves. Or see a hidden overgrown 17t17th-century battery built by the English to defend the island at the southern end of Bay Street.

By Erin Brennan and Noelle Nicolls, Southern Boating July 2019

Top Ports on the East Coast

So many ports, so little… well, you know the tune. Here are the top ports on the East Coast.

East Coast boaters have a tremendous number of substantial ports to investigate. But other than checking out those closest to home, how do you decide which ones truly merit a visit by sea? For me, at least, a splash of history often seals the deal. These top east coast ports have some history behind them.

I want to cruise where famous battles once raged, boating achievements were made and a sense of yesteryear is felt yet still enjoy the conveniences of the modern boating era. Add in a few tales I never learned in school, great restaurant choices plus scenic views, and I’m hooked.

With just those parameters in mind, here’s a quick overview of four historic boating destinations worth adding to your cruising calendar. Each is also a busy port from both commercial and recreational standpoints, so you’ll need to stay on the lookout for tankers, ferries, tall ships, and cruise ships in addition to novice sailors and other pleasure craft. So take a cruise to these top ports on the east coast!

Boston, Massachusetts

Two peninsulas and a smattering of islands broke the power of the Atlantic Ocean providing a safe haven for ships when Europeans first settled Boston around 1630. The original is around Town Dock and most of the Great Cove where early sailors arrived have been filled in over the centuries. Now, it’s home to Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, and the Custom House Tower. When it was completed in 1721, Long Wharf jutted nearly a third of a mile out into the harbor.

Today, the towns of Hull and Winthrop buffer the ocean’s onslaught. The 34 remaining islands are part of the Boston Harbor Islands State and National Park, which includes lighthouses on Long Island, Little Brewster Island and the Graves. The filled tidelands have shortened Long Wharf to half its original length, but it’s still a bustling place. Watch all the action from the Chart House restaurant or grab a drink at The Landing. Just south of the pier is the New England Aquarium.

As early Boston bustled downtown, the surrounding waterfront neighborhoods became home to major shipbuilding facilities. That explains why you’ll find the USS Constitution docked in the Charlestown Navy Yard, where ships were constructed through WWII. In addition to climbing aboard “Old Ironsides,” visitors can explore the yard and learn about the history of boatbuilding.

Amid the modern, glass buildings that line the city’s shore, the historic Fish Pier still processes seafood caught up and down the coast. The waterfront highlight here is the Institute for Contemporary Art, which sits cantilevered over the harbor. Down the street is Fort Point Channel, ringed by the Barking Crab, Hook Lobster, Tea Party Museum, and the Boston Children’s Museum.

Cruiser Resources:

Boston Harbormaster:617-343-4721; VHF 16
constitutionmarina.com: Transient docking and yacht charters
libertyfleet.com: Tall ships sailing at Long Wharf

Newport, Rhode Island

Known as both The Sailing Capital of the World and the nation’s “first resort,” Newport was founded in 1639 and immediately established itself among the most productive coastal colonies. For nearly 400 years, commercial, military, and pleasure craft have patrolled its port waters.

This, of course, was the long-time home of America’s Cup Trophy, which was held by the New York Yacht Club from 1857 to 1983—the longest winning streak in global sports history. The 132-year record was held until Australia II took top honors for the Royal Perth Yacht Club. Though the departure of The Cup broke the hearts of American sailing enthusiasts, it spurred the birth of Sail Newport later that year. The nonprofit organization provides hundreds of children with sailing lessons and instructional programs. Sail Newport was instrumental in luring some of the most highly touted regattas to the area. That includes the America’s Cup World Series in 2012 and the Volvo Ocean Race in 2015 and 2018.

Sail Newport

There’s plenty to explore here, both cultural and nautical. Check out the International Tennis Hall of Fame, the Newport Art Museum, Fort Adams State Park, and the Redwood Library & Athenaeum (America’s oldest lending library). For true shipbuilding aficionados, the Herreshoff Marine Museum & America’s Cup Hall of Fame in nearby Bristol is one of the nation’s most important historic maritime treasures.

Finally, be aware that the City of Newport has a Maritime Center for transient boaters to do laundry, take a shower and get on the Internet. It’s located in the basement of the Armory Building on Thames Street.

Cruiser Resources

Newport Harbormaster, and to obtain transient dockage (first-come, first served): 401-845-5815; VHF 16
discovernewport.org: For all things about visiting Newport
sailnewport.org: Sail Newport is RI’s public sailing center
herreshoff.org: Herreshoff Marine Museum & America’s Cup Hall of Fame
fortadams.org/visitfort-adams: Fort Adams State Park

Norfolk, Virginia

Norfolk is the northernmost port on the eastern seaboard that doesn’t freeze in the winter months. It’s also home to the largest naval complex in the world, situated in the Sewells Point area near where the Monitor and Merrimac had their historic encounter. You can see remains of the Monitor and discover additional maritime history at the Mariner’s Museum and Park.

Norfolk also hosts the “Mile Zero” mark on the ICW. A new, 3,000-square-foot mural representing the Magenta Line on ICW charts was unveiled at Nauticus Pier last September and shows how proud this port is of its seafaring community. The pier marks the waterfront for downtown Norfolk> You’ll also find the National Maritime Center with its museum, aquarium and the battleship for which it’s named.

To grab a bite while surrounded by history, pull in at Nauticus Pier and take a short walk or cab ride to Freemason Abbey Restaurant and Tavern. Originally dedicated as a church in 1873 by the congregation of the Second Presbyterian Church, it later housed the First Church of Christ Scientist and then served as a meeting hall for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Today, wait staff serve an award-winning she-crab soup.

Be sure to take a look, too, at Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church. Following defeat at the Battle of Great Bridge, England’s Lord Dunmore attacked Norfolk from the sea while fleeing Virginia on January 1, 1776. In retaliation, Patriots set fire to the homes of loyalists and the fire destroyed almost the entire town. The church was the only major building to survive, although a cannonball did strike its wall and can still be seen today.

Cruiser Resources:

Norfolk Harbormaster: 757-625-3625; VHF 16 or 68
watersidemarina.com: For transient dockage and easy access to the new waterside district restaurants, stores and bars
visitnorfolk.com: Plan your trip to Norfolk
freemasonabbey.com: Freeman Abby Restaurant and Tavern

Charleston, South Carolina

Colonists sailed into Charleston Harbor in 1670. Tales of merchant traders, pirates and naval foes have been told ever since. While the city skyline is now speckled with church steeples and ship-loading cranes, a leisurely cruise across this large harbor is a panoramic experience that harkens back to the era of cannons and rum casks.

The “Lowcountry,” as locals call the shore aligning this harbor, spans 90 miles of coastline, salt marshes, barrier islands, and pristine beaches. The last manned lighthouse built in the U.S. was Charleston Light, an iconic black and white tower first lit in 1962 that still shines from Sullivan’s Island. The harbor’s most visited ship—the USS Yorktown—doesn’t move, but many folks are moved by the Congressional Medal of Honor Museum located in the hanger bay of this decommissioned WWII aircraft carrier. At Charlestown Landing, the S.S. Adventure is a reproduction of a 17th-century merchant vessel.

Two Charleston forts offer a bow seat to history. Fort Moultrie traces America’s coastal defense from 1776 to 1947. The original 1776 Palmetto-log fort came under fire from the British before it was even completed. A century later, it served to defend both Union and Confederate forces.

Across the harbor, Fort Sumter drew the opening volleys of the Civil War from Confederate troops. Today, the Fort Sumter National Monument features one of the country’s greatest collections of 19th-century seacoast artillery. Charleston Harbor was also the site of the first successful submarine attack in history in 1864 when the H.L. Hunley ambushed the USS Housatonic at night during the Civil War.

Cruiser Resources

Charleston Harbormaster: 843-577-8192; VFH 16
ccprc.com: Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve, Folly Beach
charlestownelanding.travel: Charles Towne Landing

By Tom Schlichter, Southern Boating November 2018 

Food Festivals in the Gulf

Food Festivals in the Gulf

For many boaters, the only thing better than a food festival in the gulf is a food and music festival near a marina. Check off all three categories at mid-January events in Galveston, Texas, and Sarasota, FL.

Galveston

Galveston hosts Yaga’s Chili Quest & Beer Fest January 18-19 at Saengerfest Park in the historic Strand District. It features live music, of course, as well as chili and craft beer tasting, a margarita contest, and a 5K “Fun Run & Walk.” Galveston Yacht Basin is conveniently located within a short walk from the venue.

yagaschiliquest.com

Sarasota

Downtown Sarasota’s Seafood & Music Festival January 18-20 is a couple of blocks from Marina Jack. Gulf-fresh seafood options include grouper, oysters, stone crabs, shrimp, and softshell crabs. Music venues include jazz, Caribbean, soul, rock, and R&B.

If you want to take a break, you have permission to slip away for a day or so and tour The Ringling, the state art museum of Florida. It has three centers of attention. One is John and Mable Ringling’s 50-room Mediterranean-revivalist palace on Sarasota Bay. Another is a circus museum, a historical testimonial to “The Greatest Show on Earth.”  The third is an amazing 21-gallery art museum with sculptures and artwork by Rubens, van Dyke, Velazquez, and other European Old Masters.

By Bill Aucoin, Southern Boating January 2019

Reflecting on Sharks in the Northeast

Sharks in the Northeast

“You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”

That famous quote, uttered by Chief Brody (Roy Schneider) to Capt. Quint (Robert Shaw) in the 1975 movie thriller Jaws serves as a catch-all phrase for being under-gunned. Last summer along the northeast coast, however, it seemed more appropriate than ever in several instances when great white sharks plucked distressed stripers and tuna from the ends of anglers’ lines.

From the Cape Cod surf on out to the Hudson Canyon waters that straddle New York and New Jersey, there were more reports of hooked trophies gobbled by sharks last summer than at any time in recent memory. Such reports numbered in the dozens from surf casters, and one offshore angler claimed a 400-pound tuna was taken in a single bite. Another reported feeling two “bumps” before his line, with an estimated 200- pound bluefin battling at the end suddenly went slack in the vicinity of the Coimbra wreck. Five minutes later, a huge great white appeared parallel to the port side, 50 yards of fishing line trailing from its mouth. The highly experienced offshore skipper estimated the shark’s length at 18 feet.

The summer of 2018 also witnessed several shark attacks involving swimmers. Two confirmed incidents came from Long Island, New York, and two more occurred in Massachusetts. The Long Island attacks were attributed to sand tiger sharks, less dangerous than larger great whites, but that didn’t quiet any nerves.

All this begs the question: Are we seeing more and larger sharks invade northeast waters or simply hearing more about such incidents due to 24/7 news coverage?

“We’ve seen subtle increases in the great white population since they became a protected species in the late 1990s,” says Dr. Gregory B. Skomal, a fisheries biologist with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and a leading shark expert. “There’s anecdotal evidence for a growing population; spotter planes are seeing them, anglers are reporting encounters, and we’ve tagged over 150 off the coast of Massachusetts alone. I’m not surprised they’re showing up amongst Long Island’s tuna fleet or even in close to shore.”

Skomal points out that a large great white is a massive animal. “An eighteen-footer would certainly have no problem eating a tuna in a bite or two,” he says. “A fish that’s bleeding and making the right kind of sounds as the fight goes on is a natural target. If a great white gets the chance, he’s going to grab a relatively easy meal. As for actual increases in shark attacks, last summer was a hot one. That means more people in the water, so a greater chance of shark encounters. But I don’t think the numbers were out of line.”

Is an increase in the seal population attracting more sharks to our coastline? “Absolutely,” says Skomal, at “least along the shores of Cape Cod. Sharks are amazingly adaptable creatures. They’ll feed on whatever is available. We also have more bunker [fish] these days, too, so that may be another part of the equation.”

Either way, experts agree most sharks leave northeast waters by late December if not sooner, so we should all be safe until next spring. Then again, the research group Ocearch, together with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, tracked a 16-foot, 3,500-pound great white shark they named Mary Lee for 40,000 miles over five years starting in 2012. In 2013, it left the Northeast for southern waters as expected but then returned to New Jersey and Long Island for the last week of January.

Makes you think twice about that polar bear swim.

By Tom Schlichter, Southern Boating January 2019

Brush Up on Your Boating Skills

Brush Up on Your Boating Skills

With many boats stored away in the Mid-Atlantic, winter is a fine time to visit cozy, indoor boating and fishing shows or brush up on your boating skills.

Winter is a great time to take a boating safety course. It’s also a good time for mariners to schedule an upcoming lesson with One Knot On Water Boat Training. While basic boating courses oer information on navigation rules and basic boat handling skills, actually docking a boat in a strong current or wind can be an anxious undertaking. One Knot, now available in Virginia Beach and Myrtle Beach, helps mariners gain confidence in maneuvering their boat on the water. John Phillips, a licensed captain, launched One Knot in 2016.

“We learned that our market is bigger than new boat owners,” says Phillips. “The people most interested are husband-wife and parent-teen teams. It turns out husbands and dads aren’t the best instructors.”

Phillips tailors training sessions to each customer’s needs. A general overview can be offered or more focused instruction on specific aspects of boating, such as handling lines, understanding throttle response, setting an economical and safe cruising speed, and so on. Instruction starts at $225 for three hours.

oneknotboating.com

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Maryland, offers hands-on learning opportunities throughout the year. From 10 AM to 4 PM on January 12th, work with shipwrights and learn some boatbuilding fundamentals by taking part in the restoration of Delaware, a 1912 river tug that hauled scows laden with lumber and towed schooners up and down the Eastern Shore’s narrow, winding rivers. On January 19th from 10AM to noon, knob turning, button pushing and screen reading will be part of Capt. Jerry Friedman’s talk titled “Electronic Navigation for Non-Technical People.” Friedman, a 100- ton, USCG-licensed Master, will answer questions and provide short non-technical descriptions of how GPS, GPS plotters, radar, depth sounders, and automatic identification systems work.
cbmm.org

Safety Course IDs Required in Virginia

Virginia boaters looking for an easy way to demonstrate they have passed a safety education course can now order a lifetime boating card through the Department of Game & Inland Fisheries website. The durable, driver’s license-styled card is $10 and is available to anyone who has passed a course approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA). If you have yet to take a basic boating safety course, winter is a great time to get it done or take a refresher.

In Virginia, all personal watercraft operators ages 14 and older and all operators of motorboats with a 10-horsepower or greater engine need to take a boating safety course and must have a course completion card on board when operating a vessel. There are, however, some exceptions, such as proof of relevant military service or U.S. Coast Guard license holders. If you have previously taken a NASBLA-approved boating safety course and still have a card or certificate, carry it with you. Most state boating courses, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary courses, and U.S. Power Squadrons (USPS) courses are now NASBLA-approved.

Both online and face-to-face course options are available and affordable. The basic Boat Virginia Course offered by the Department of Game & Inland Fisheries is free. Courses offered by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and USPS may include some cost to cover materials, generally $25 to $50, but they are well worth the investment and may help save your life.

dgif.virginia.gov

Winter Boat Shows

With many boats stored away in the Mid-Atlantic, winter is a fine time to visit cozy, indoor boating and fishing shows and plan for the next boating season. Besides offering a large selection of boats to mull over, many shows offer seminars focused on ways to improve your skills on the water and present a large selection of information booths and vendors offering the latest equipment, accessories, and service.

By Chris Knauss, Southern Boating February 2018

Southern Exumas

Southern Exumas

An iconic place for beaching and boating in The Bahamas is a string of pearl-like islands —the Exumas. But, if you visit the southern Exumas, Acklins Island, Crooked Island and Long Cay in particular, you’ll find the familiar aquatic landscape more commonly associated with the Exumas to the north.

These three atoll islands encircle the Bight of Acklins, a 500-square-mile lagoon, where you can wade in the water knee-deep for thousands of feet offshore. The shallow seas encasing the islands radiate turquoise light. A tapestry of undulating white sands blankets the ocean floor, peeking out here and there to showcase a collection of elongated sandbars. The meandering coastlines are dotted with countless sandy bays, crescent-shaped coves, and mangrove nurseries. A network of tidal creeks and inlets snake through the land, and from sky high, they appear like saltwater rivers slicing cuts into the coast.

Long Crooked Acklins

Acklins Island, Crooked Island and Long Cay are truly underexplored island gems in the southern Bahamas. Unlike the Exumas, these sister islands are known more for their bonefishing and ecotourism than for their boating and physical beauty. But island-hopping in these islands will turn that perspective completely upside down. Take in the scene at the French Wells  Channel between Long Island and Crooked Island, or cruise around Turtle Sound or Lovely Bay, and the stunning picture will be abundantly clear.

The Bight of Acklins is the “Exumas of the South” when it comes to beaching and boating. Beach Hop the North Coast­ Start in Lovely Bay, where you can comb for shells on the Lovely Beach sandbar or spot iguanas on Snake Cay. Chase stingrays in Chester’s Bay or head beyond the main Atwood Harbour Beach to a cay locals call Saddleback. Saddleback Cay marks the opening of a creek that winds its way down to Gordon’s Bay. Depending on the tides, Saddleback is only connected by the beach.  On the tip of the cay is a large osprey nest. The birds stand watch over this entrance, soaring above to keep an eye on visitors.

Underexplored

Despite its array of offerings, Acklins and Crooked Island are not as accessible as other islands in The Bahamas. There are no marinas or official docking facilities, so boaters have to use the various anchorages. Commercial flights with the national airline, Bahamas Air, originate from Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas, and fly to Acklins and Crooked Island only twice per week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Long Cay is only accessible by private boat or a ferry from Crooked Island.

­Hotels are limited to a few bonefishing lodges scattered around the Southern Exumas, including Chester’s Highway Inn, Chester’s Bonefishing Lodge, Grey’s Point Bonefish Inn, and Ivel’s Bed and Breakfast on Acklins Island. Also, Acklins only has a population of about 500 people compared with Nassau, which has about half the landmass as Acklins with a population of about 300,000. Acklins, Crooked Island and Long Cay are relatively secluded and rural. The inhabitants fend for themselves and epitomize the simplicity of island living.

There are no gourmet restaurants, although the local food is delicious. Chester’s Highway Inn serves creamy lobster chowder as its welcome meal, and it’s chock-full of flavorful, meaty goodness. There are a few local bars for entertainment. You’ll meet a charismatic (and perhaps pestering) local drunk. You’ll also meet hard-working island people who pass the time by drinking rum and gossiping.

City slickers would likely not survive in Acklins unless they were specifically looking to go off the grid. Boaters, however, with simple tastes and plans to spend their days on the water fishing, snorkeling, diving, beaching and enjoying the outdoors, would find an attractive vacation home in Acklins, Crooked Island and Long Cay.

Launch a Kayak

Atwood Harbour, Relief Bay, and Gordon’s Bay have ample bonefishing flats. But it’s also an ideal spot to kayak. These uninhabited parts of the island hardly have any civilization to speak of. Many areas are only accessible by boat, but they all have at least one inland access point to launch a kayak. They also serve as anchorages. In Atwood Harbor, you can land a dinghy on the beach and walk about two miles to Chester’s Settlement.

Spot Flamingos

If the horizon line is glowing pink, it’s not a mirage, it’s a colony of West Indian flamingos in the distance. Acklins, Crooked Island and Long Cay all have flamingos. Flamingos are The Bahamas national bird. These regal birds are skittish about visitors, but there are three reliable places to spot them in their natural habitat: Mason’s Bay and Chester’s Pond in Acklins and Flamingo Bay in Long Cay.

Bonefishing

There’s tons of fishing in the Southern Exumas, but bonefishing is the ticket. You don’t need a boat for most of the flats. Instead, you can walk off the shoreline, wading and stalking your fish. The peak fishing months are March through November as the weather is more unstable between December and February. However, fishing is a year-round pastime in the south.

In addition to these core activities, sail around the atoll or cave on Crooked Island. There are coral gardens and historic ruins, including the remnants of slave and cotton plantations. Bird Rock Lighthouse sits on the northwestern point of Crooked Island, and Castle Island Lighthouse sits off the southern tip of Acklins. Boaters can also explore the Samana Cays to the northeast and the Plana Cays to the east.

By Noelle Nichols, Southern Boating January 2019

Six Spots to See in in 2019

Six Spots to See in in 2019

Have you started planning your 2019 cruising itinerary? So many places, so little time. Here are six geographically diverse hotspots to get you excited for cruising in the new year.

Sanibel, FL

Sanibel and her sister Captiva offer easy access to the Gulf of Mexico for serious offshore fishing adventures and open-throttle cruises. At the same time, this is where Florida’s Gulf Coast Intercoastal Waterway (ICW) begins, allowing boaters to tuck inside Pine Island Sound where waters are generally mellow but some routes run shallow.

As for dining out, it’s hard to go wrong here. Among dozens of fine eateries, The Lazy Flamingo has restaurants on both Sanibel and Captiva. Catch your own fish and they’ll cook ’em three different ways.

The Berry Islands, The Bahamas

While this isn’t technically a city, the Berry Islands hold great historic intrigue owing to their past as a drug transshipment Mecca and a playground for the rich and famous to live out their fantasies. Nevertheless, it’s the championship sport fishing and island tranquility (with their many secluded beaches) that attract leisure boaters.

Thinking about chartering in the Berrys? From Nassau, daily flights are morning and afternoon on Le Air’s 19-seater. From Fort Lauderdale, Tropic Ocean Airways offers direct flights every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday.

 

River Dunes, North Carolina

Located just of the Pamlico Sound, River Dunes aims to enhance the cruiser’s lifestyle, and it shows through with lush landscaping, architectural design features, gourmet meals, fully outfitted facilities, and a friendly staff. Cruisers on the property agree that it’s more of an experience than a marina.

For transient cruisers, the best part is that they’re welcome to use all club members’ amenities at no additional cost. In fact, one cruiser discovered the benefits of River Dunes quite unexpectedly.

Nantucket, Massachusetts

Nantucket, an island located 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, stands apart from other cities. An ideal one, where the beaches are always perfectly windswept, the lighthouses are straight out of a postcard, and life moves a little slower. Could it be “the best island in the world”? National Geographic thinks so.

In spite of Nantucket’s relatively small size—less than 50 square miles—its inhabitants and history offer a bounty of captivating stories that have been passed down through generations. The New England island is a must see in 2019.

Tangier Island, Virginia

You’ll have to move quickly to see Tangier Island. Due to a changing climate, the island is losing its coastline and losing it quickly. Getting to the rustic and charming town is an adventure in itself.

But, when you get there, you’ll discover a beautiful, rugged place populated by interesting folks who march to the beat of their own drummer, no matter what Mother Nature throws their way.

Bonaire, Caribbean

Bonaire has 86 official dive sites that will suit almost any diver.  Dedicated to marine conservation and protecting their gorgeous waters, the primarily Dutch island has unparalleled dive sites. The island is dedicated to conservation and preservation throughout all of its tourism initiatives. Bonaire pursues projects that will reduce the CO2 effects on the planet and works toward being an eco-friendly destination.

Where will your travels take you in 2019?

Cruising through Europe

Thomas Kittel retires from a successful executive career and with his wife, Jutta, he embarks on a series of cruising adventures that most would not have the courage to consider. Here is his travel diary cruising through Europe.

With a flying start, we set out on our Marlow 72E Azura for our fourth major voyage and leave Rostock, Germany, on May 12, 2017. A strong easterly wind pushes us through the Fehmarn Sound to Kiel where German customs show that they are still attentive and pay us a visit. Even though the check is routine, they wear bullet-proof vests and one person must stay on the dock. After checking our papers, their main interest is our 13,000-liter fuel tank. Some boat owners use tax-saving sources because of the high fuel prices, but we employ no such means and have nothing to fear. They are satisfied by the email exchange from the fuel supplier. With that, we’re on our way to begin cruising through Europe.

The locks and motoring through the Kiel Canal are routine for us, and we stay in the familiar Cuxhaven SVC Marina. One morning, however, I learn that too much routine can have its downsides. When backing out from the yacht harbor, I turn in a little too early and ram a lightweight floating dock. Luckily, only our hull’s paint and gelcoat are damaged, but the floating dock is heavily bent. We immediately dock at the nearby diesel filling station and then, of course, the whole communication goes off with the port, the water police, and my insurance. Finally, everyone has what they need, and we’re back on our way.

Safety First

Misfortune, however, is seldom alone and shortly after leaving Cuxhaven, dense fog envelops us. Sailors without an automatic identification system (AIS) are only visible as a small, colored point on the radar screen and I’m forced to dodge them. After some tense moments, the fog clears and the day becomes glorious with sun and little wind as we travel along the East Frisian Islands to Norderney.

To continue on through the Netherlands, we opt to cruise inside on De Staande Mastroute because it allows the vertical clearance we need and avoids the North Sea. We already know a large part of the route, but it is always fun to steer our large “steamer” through the pretty Holland countryside with its narrow canals and bridges.

We stop over in Dokkum and get to know this picturesque “dollhouse” with distinctive windmills. As we travel through Lemmer, Amsterdam, Haarlem, and Dordrecht, Willemstad is one of the highlights on the Dutch section of our trip. Here, we manage to get a place in the old, small town port without a reservation. This harbor, built into the former citadel, offers a very rare photo opportunity, but you’ll have to accept the tourist crowds because Willemstad is an attractive tourist destination.

Our visit here the previous year was filled with annoyance and unplanned detours from blocked bridges, but everything goes smoothly. We reach Zeebrugge, Belgium, as planned, where we take our first guest on board and leave behind the familiar waterways. Dunkerque is our first French seaport and a significant rite of passage. It’s where our watersports activities began 20 years prior with a motorboat we chartered in Pontailler-sur-Saône (Burgundy) without the slightest clue about boating.

From the sea, Dunkerque is not exactly inviting. Immediately at the entrance to the harbor, huge industrial buildings with smoking chimneys form the reception committee. We decide for the marina closer to the center and are rewarded by two female harbormasters who are friendly, professional and create space for us on the jetty. However, there is no real French “feeling” here. Much appears to be outdated, many places are empty and deserted, and the sailboat next to us is sprinkled liberally with verdigris and doesn’t help the atmosphere. It’s the same with Boulogne-sur-Mer, despite the very well-preserved old town built on a hill.

Lock it up

But then comes Le Tréport. Some courage is needed to enter the small fishing port and marina, which can only be reached at high tide by a barely sufficient lock. You have to rely on the harbormaster for possible free berths because on your own, you see nothing from the lock. In the lock, we get a pontoon number assigned and sneak through the ever-narrowing port to discover that the designated space is occupied. We tie up provisionally alongside the tour boat Eros, but with no other alternatives, we remain there albeit with no electricity, no water, and a small climb through the tour boat to get ashore.

Le Tréport is located at the mouth of the Bresle River and the coast’s more than 100-meter-high chalk cliffs strongly remind us of the English coast, which was probably the reason for Queen Victoria’s two visits. You can climb the 370-plus steps or ascend the cliffs with an inclined lift hewn into the rocks. At the top, your reward is a breathtaking view of the sea, the village of Le Tréport and Mers-les-Bains across the river.

Here, the undisputed star is the 1844-built lighthouse that stands on the top of the western pier to the harbor entrance. Even at high tide, it rises impressively, but at low tide, it unfolds an even greater impact. Up to 10 meters of water has disappeared, and the fairway to the port is completely empty. The piers projecting out of the sand now look like huge castle walls on which the lighthouse towers like a keep.

There’s an additional building that houses a large bell and several giant fog horns. It’s easy to imagine which hellish spectacle prevails here in fog. I feel reminiscent of the ill-conceived fog horn in Long Day’s Journey into Night by Eugene O’Neill, which I recently saw in Hamburg. But unlike the play, the weather is peaceful. Evening walkers populate the pier to the lighthouse, whose romantic flair no one can escape, and a short-term cloud hole offers a near completely calm sea. The air is like velvet and silk, a moody atmosphere for our photography.

Memories

Before we leave Le Tréport the next day, the wind suddenly turns and increases in strength. We have only two hours to Dieppe before us, but for the first time on this tour, things get a bit bumpy. Luckily, we stowed the fenders and lines in port beforehand. Dieppe welcomes us with a large, well-protected marina in the city center. Here we rent a car for the first time and drive to Amiens, the departmental capital of Picardy, with which I connect many memories from my school days—first trip abroad, appearances with the school orchestra, accommodation with a French family, flirting with the daughter of the house.

Often the reality of today disappoints the glorified memories of yesterday, but here it’s the other way around. The grey Amiens of my school days has become a charming city. The famous Cathédrale Notre Dame d’Amiens, one of the three great cathedrals of the High Gothic era, has the highest nave of all French cathedrals and served as a structural model for the Cologne Cathedral. The cathedral overlooks a pretty, old town where the Somme River’s side arms and canals create an almost Venetian flair.

Where the Somme enters into the sea lies the Baie de la Somme, which is dry at low tide and offers refuge for more than 300 species of birds. Le Crotoy, Saint-Valerie-sur- Somme and Cayeux-sur-Mer connect via a wonderful steam train. Somehow, despite their attractiveness, they have not succumbed tourist traps. Here, we feel France from its most beautiful side and enjoy again the fresh moules-frites (mussels and fries).

Change of Plans

The tide is unfavorable for cruising to Fécamp and Honfleur, so we opt for the always approachable Le Havre. Because the marina is so big, we’re almost alone. The sea is close to our outdoor pontoon, so the waves of the passing ships rock us to sleep.

We pick up our rental car and drive to the Rouen Cathedral, which owes its fame, not least of all, to the 33 paintings comprising Claude Monet’s series of pictures created in different lighting conditions from 1892 to 1894, a highlight in Monet’s oeuvre. We encounter paintings at every turn because, in many places in Normandy, there lived poor, now world-famous painters. Often, their pictures are informational signposts. This helps you see the artist’s perspective.

We next voyage to St.Vaast-la-Hougue and reach the lively harbor just as the gates open. There is still room at the visitor pontoon, and various English flags indicate that the eastern tip of the Cotentin peninsula is very popular with the British.

We leave St.Vaast the next morning. The weather is wonderful. We head for Cherbourg before the weather turns. At Marina Port de Chantereyne, our scheduled berth was occupied by its owner that evening. But the harbor officials make up for their oversight with a much better berth next to the harbor office. The city is just a short walk away.

Croatia Awaits

Cherbourg is located at the northern end of the Cotentin peninsula. It’s the second-closest connection to England after Calais and where the World War II D-Day Normandy landings took place; Utah Beach is not far away. The fortifications of the Atlantic Wall on the huge flat sandy beaches are still present today, and many museums and events are reminiscent of historical events.

We’re here on the 73rd anniversary of the landing, and there’s a little celebration in Quinéville with military music, and historic military vehicles, tanks and uniforms—most under the American flag. Two speeches in French and English recall the events of yesteryear but also reference the threat posed by today’s terrorism. The German flies and we hear the national anthem and Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. Anyone expecting a one-sided celebration would be pleasantly surprised by the inclusivity. Before World War II, Cherbourg was the largest European gateway to the New World. The RMS Titanic stopped here before its fateful journey.

Despite the massive destruction in the World War II, a lot of history was preserved or restored. That includes the former nuclear submarine Le Redoutable, which could remain underwater for 70 days, was in service for 40 years and never fired any of its 16 atomic rockets.

Out at Cap de la Hague, the storm-ridden sea makes us happy to be safe in the harbor. Just south at Nez de Jobourg, we stop at the Auberge des Grottes and enjoy local specialties and spectacular views of the sea as far as the northernmost Channel Island, Alderney. After several days, the storm over the Atlantic begins to slow down, and we embark on the next great adventure: the Channel Islands.

By Thomas Kittel, Southern Boating October 2018

Exit mobile version