Destinations

Top 5 Islands in the World: Conde Nast Traveler

By Peter Janssen on October 12, 2020 Cruising Life, Destinations

Conde Nast Traveler just announced the winners of its annual Readers’ Choice Awards for the best islands in the world (not counting the United States; that’s another story). This is the 33rd annual survey, and more than 600,000 readers voted. They chose the five best islands in seven regions of the world. Here are the winners: Caribbean and the Atlantic Winner: St. Barts. “While any mention of St. Barts tends to conjure up images of Rolexes and caviar, the tony territory has enough natural beauty and scenic views to give any five-star hotel a run for its money.” Also, #2. St. Vincent…

Outer Reef 580 Motoryacht Ariel at Holbrook Island Sanctuary near Castine, Maine. Photo by Miles Cherkasky

Cruising in Maine on an Outer Reef Yacht

By Peter Janssen on October 5, 2020 Cruising Life, Destinations

Owners of Outer Reef Yachts are an adventuresome sort; they also know how to take some terrific pictures. Here’s a story, from Outer Reef, about what you can expect from a cruise to Maine. If your summer cruising itinerary includes a visit to Maine, you’ll discover the true beating heart of this culturally fascinating, beautiful state. As the most northeastern state of the U.S., Maine is known for its dramatic, rocky coastline. Dubbed “The Pine Tree State,” the forests that cover much of the 400 km of coastline make for an impressive cruise. The dramatic landscape has been preserved in…

Moorings To Reopen Tortola Charter Base on Dec. 1

By Peter Janssen on September 28, 2020 Charter, Destinations

Here’s some very good news. The Moorings just announced that its Tortola marina is scheduled to reopen on Dec. 1. Click here to read the State Department’s information about covid-related restrictions there. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/BritishVirginIslands.html In normal times, The British Virgin Islands are one of the best, and most popular, cruising and charter destinations in the world. Here’s what The Moorings has to say about it: Stretching throughout the Caribbean, the British Virgin Islands are a kaleidoscope of aquamarine waters, sun-soaked harbors, and white-sand beaches. Distinct ports of call can be found among the more than 25 pristine islands that make up…

Cruising the Inside Passage on a Fleming 53

By Peter Janssen on September 17, 2020 Cruising Life, Destinations

Here’s a great story, with lots of pictures, from Fleming Yachts, about how Anne and Bill Knorr bought a used Fleming 53 and lived their dream by cruising for 12 weeks and 3,200 nm from Anacortes, Washington, to Glacier Bay, Alaska, and back. Read Anne’s account here: For several years, two long, narrow maps have hung side-by-side in our garage, a colorful illustration of the waterways from Puget Sound to Southeast Alaska depicting the route along the Inside Passage. It has been a long-time dream of my husband and me to motor the entire passage from Anacortes, Washington, to Glacier…

Boat Harbour Marina in the Abacos Now Open Again

By Peter Janssen on August 24, 2020 Destinations

Here’s good news for those of us who love cruising in the Bahamas (and I think that’s just about all of us): Abaco Beach Resort and Boat Harbour Marina in Marsh Harbour on Great Abaco Island are open again, offering some of the best cruising, fishing, and just plain boating fun you can imagine anywhere. Over the years, I’ve been to the Abaco Beach Resort many times, and each one was memorable, but in particular I remember a cruise with Scott Porter, the president of Formula, on one of his new boats, and fishing with Eddie Smith, the founder of…

The Moorings Opens Charter Fleet in St. Pete, Florida

By Peter Janssen on August 17, 2020 Charter, Destinations

What better way to get away from the trials of the pandemic, than to charter a boat and then take a week’s vacation with your family, spending time relaxing together, cruising over calm waters and swimming off some of the longest and most beautiful beaches in the world? Well, The Moorings, the charter powerhouse, has just opened up sail and power charters out of St. Petersburg, Florida, to help you do all that. St. Pete is a great destination in its own right, easily accessible from the Tampa international airport, and home to some great museums, art galleries, cafes, restaurants…

Locks Repaired, Lake Champlain Opens to Cruising Boats

By Peter Janssen on August 10, 2020 Cruising Life, Destinations

The Champlain Locks are finally open, after a long, coronavirus-delayed repair, and the 125-mile long Lake Champlain, one of the most beautiful spots in the U.S., is now accessible for anyone cruising up from New York or coming east along the Erie Canal. Whitehall, the last lock leading to the lake from the Hudson River, just above Albany, opened a few days ago; the repairs originally had been scheduled to be finished by the start of summer, but they were delayed by shutdowns caused by the coronavirus. The good news is that late summer and fall are spectacular times to…

Cape Cod Island Open to Public, First Time Since 1711

By Peter Janssen on July 26, 2020 Destinations

Sipson Island on Cape Cod just opened to the public – for the first time since 1711. The 24-acre island was the last one in Pleasant Bay in Orleans that had been privately owned. Much of the island was purchased in June by the Sipson Island Trust in partnership with Richard and Cheryl Nadler, who live in Orleans, to be used by the public for conservation and education programs. At the closing, the trust took ownership of six lots on the island, the Nadlers kept 2.2 acres for themselves and will temporarily hold two more until a fund-raising drive…

Change of Plans: The Favors Cruise to Cypress Island

By Peter Janssen on July 15, 2020 Destinations

Jim and Lisa Favors are on the water again, this time on Cypress Island in the San Juans in Washington state on their red-hulled Ranger Tugs 29 Kismet. In this time of COVID-19, it isn’t the trip they had planned (they had originally hoped to get up to Alaska), but they are finding that it’s a beautiful cruising destination in its own right. The Favors are one of the most experienced cruising couples we know. They’ve already completed the Great Loop, and they trailered their original Kismet, a Ranger Tugs 27, around much of the U.S. for six years, before…

Portsmouth, NH: A Historic and Charming Waterfront Town

By Peter Janssen on July 1, 2020 Destinations

If you’re cruising anywhere in the Northeast this summer, you might want to think about stopping at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Midway between Boston and Portland, Maine, Portsmouth is a little gem of a waterfront town with a blend of history, culture, architecture and (in normal times) some fun restaurants. And, if you don’t want to take the Piscataqua River the three nm to downtown Portsmouth itself, you can tie up at the first-rate Wentworth by the Sea Marina (pictured above) and take a cab to town. The marina is at the foot of a luxury Marriott hotel and spa complex…

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