Destinations

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…

Bahamas Reopen on July 1. Here’s What You Have To Do

By Peter Janssen on June 23, 2020 Destinations

The Bahamas will reopen to international travelers on July 1. All visitors must present a negative COVID-19 test, taken in the past 10 days, and complete an electronic health visa. Here’s the official word about what you have to do from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation: NASSAU, Bahamas, June 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation is preparing for Phase 2 of the Tourism Readiness and Recovery Plan, which will begin on Wednesday, July 1 and allow for the resumption of international travel to The Bahamas, with the exception of visitors from China, Iran, Italy…

How To See Amsterdam by Boat This Summer

By Peter Janssen on June 17, 2020 Charter, Destinations

This isn’t exactly blue-water cruising, but it sure looks like fun, for a whole lot of reasons. First, Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities in the world, which isn’t surprising given my Dutch-derived last name and the fact that a great-great-grandfather was a Dutch sea captain (or so the story goes). But Amsterdam is so full of history, art, and fascinating architecture that wandering along its ever-present canals is a pleasure, no matter what your family heritage. Here’s a great story from Dutch News about how to see the city by water, even for a short visit: There is,…

Bahamas Reopen to Boating on June 15

By Peter Janssen on June 3, 2020 Destinations, On Watch with Peter Janssen

Tourism officials in the Bahamas just announced a two-phase plan to reopen the islands to international travel. In Phase 1, recreational boats can return starting June 15; in Phase 2, the islands will be open to international air and ship travel starting July 1. Dionisio D’Aguilar, the Bahamas Tourism Minister, said that Phase 1 “is expected to see the opening of the tourism sector with the return of boaters, yachters, and private aviation being allowed to enter the destination. We are starting with these smaller special interest groups as they provide a more controlled segment. They all will pre-register electronically,…

Florida Keys Open to Visitors on June 1

By Peter Janssen on May 20, 2020 Cruising Life, Destinations

The Florida Keys will open to visitors on June 1, after being closed for almost two months to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The checkpoints on the access roads in the upper Keys will be lifted; the roads had been blocked off since late March to anyone who did not live or work there. The Keys are a major cruising destination, for people cruising on the Great Loop and for people who simply want to enjoy some of the best boating, fishing, diving, and most exotic locales, in the continental United States. Marinas that had been closed are now scheduled…

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