Destinations

The Recovery in St. John: Cruz Bay Is Lively, Major Hotels Remain Closed, but Beaches and Vistas Are Still Beautiful

By Peter Janssen on March 25, 2018 Cruising Life, Destinations

Here’s a pretty thorough update from The New York Times on the recovery in St. John in the U.S. Virgins, six months after Hurricanes Irma and Maria, reporting that major resorts are still closed and the cleanup is continuing. The story quotes a frequent visitor from Connecticut who says, “There are two ways to look at it. Some people say, ‘What a mess.’ On the other hand, you still have the beautiful views and the beautiful beaches.” Flights from the U.S. are about half of what was normal before the hurricanes, and the head of tourism says tourism is down…

Anacortes, Washington: Colorful Cruising Central in the Pacific Northwest

By Peter Janssen on March 21, 2018 Cruising Life, Destinations

One of the major boating meccas of the Pacific Northwest, Anacortes, Washington, about half-way between Seattle and Vancouver, BC, is both a great place to start a cruise as well as a destination in its own right. On the northern tip of Fidalgo Island, Anacortes provides a straight shot over to the San Juan Islands to the west, and is a favorite spot for cruising people, whale watching and kayaking. Its huge (950 slip), newly refreshed Cap Sante Marina, operated by the port, has at least 150 transient slips, and is only a two-block walk from the colorful downtown area,…

Rising Sea Levels, Erosion, Threaten Easter Island and Its Mysterious Past

By Peter Janssen on March 18, 2018 Cruising Life, Destinations

Easter Island, some 2,200 miles off of Chile in the South Pacific, has been on the bucket list for a lot of serious blue-water cruisers for many years. The main attraction (other than getting there) is the mystery surrounding the 1,100 monumental statues, built from the 13th to 16th centuries, of human figures with oversized heads, resting on enormous stone pedestals. How did they get there? And what happened to the people who built them? Now, a new report from UNESCO says that rising sea levels and erosion around the island threaten many of the statues, burial grounds and other…

Plan Your Cruise Now: Ten Best Small Towns on the Chesapeake

By Peter Janssen on February 28, 2018 Cruising Life, Destinations

Some of the best cruising in the U.S. is on the Chesapeake, and some of the best waterfront towns, in my opinion, are along its shore. It seems too obvious to mention Annapolis, except that I’m happy every time I go there, by land or by sea. And then there’s the trifecta of Oxford, Cambridge and St. Michaels across the bay on the Eastern Shore; all three are also cruising meccas, and they’re all filled with history, charm, and (unfortunately) a lot of summer visitors. But what about the other small towns on the Chesapeake that also are cruising destinations,…

On the Banks of Albemarle Sound, A Charming Edenton, NC, Celebrates Its 350th Anniversary

By Peter Janssen on February 11, 2018 Cruising Life, Destinations

A charming little town (population: 5,000) on the north shore of Albemarle Sound, just west of the Intracoastal Waterway (and the Great Dismal Swamp Canal), Edenton, North Carolina, is often overlooked by cruisers heading north or south. That’s a shame. Edenton is picturesque with a lovely waterfront area and gracious Georgian homes dating back centuries. Forbes.com once called Edenton “one of America’s prettiest towns.” And this year Edenton is celebrating its 350th anniversary, with a year-long series of festivals and special events. Edenton actually traces its history back to 1658, when explorers from the Jamestown Colony found its natural harbor.…

Site of the Miami Boat Show, Virginia Key Also Is the Center of a Local Dispute

By Peter Janssen on February 5, 2018 Cruising Life, Destinations

Virginia Key, the site of the Miami International Boat Show since 2016, is also the site of a local dispute, pitting developers against some local officials who want more public access and environmental sensitivity. The one thing everybody agrees on is that the 1,000-acre key on the Rickenbacker Causeway offers beautiful views of Biscayne Bay and the downtown Miami skyline. Former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz says Virginia Key should be Miami’s version of New York’s Central Park. And the key’s master plan seemed to be heading in that direction. But the city already has allocated $750,000 to design a mooring…

The Moorings Reopens in St. Martin, but from a New Charter Base in Marigot

By Peter Janssen on February 1, 2018 Charter, Cruising Life, Destinations

The Moorings and Sunsail, the world-wide charter companies, just reopened operations in St. Martin on Feb. 1, only four months after the Caribbean island was devastated by Hurricane Irma. They are now working out of a new charter base at Marina Fort-Louis in the island’s French capital of Marigot. The charter base there will have a diverse fleet including many powerboats, and more boats are expected to arrive as part of the companies’ $66.5 million investment in their Caribbean fleet after last fall’s hurricanes. Boats are available for bareboat and crewed charters, and one-way charters also are possible. Marina Fort-Louis is…

Charter a Canal Cruiser on the Thames from Le Boat, Even If You Don’t Have an Invitation to the Royal Wedding

By Peter Janssen on January 24, 2018 Charter, Cruising Life, Destinations

A charter boat vacation on the River Thames, rich in history, bordered by rolling pastoral countryside, English villages, pubs and even some castles, would be a treat at any time. But now Le Boat, the largest self-drive charter operation in Europe, has a special this spring. It’s called The Royal Cruise, and it can take you to Windsor Castle on May 19, for the wedding of Prince Harry and the American actress Meghan Markle. You actually can cruise on the Thames any time from Le Boat’s base in Chertsey, about 25 miles west of London and just short of Windsor…

Trent-Severn Waterway: A Unique and Unforgettable Cruising Experience Connecting Lake Ontario and Lake Huron

By Peter Janssen on January 17, 2018 Cruising Life, Destinations

The Trent-Severn Waterway, the 240-mile-long picturesque passage that connects Lake Ontario to Lake Huron through largely pastoral farmland and little towns in southern Ontario, provides one of the most unique cruising experiences in the world. Indeed, many cruisers who complete the Great Loop say it is the highlight of their entire 5,000-plus-mile trip. The basic route for the Waterway was traveled by Samuel de Champlain in 1615; he saw it as a way to provide a trade and military advantage connecting the two big lakes. After much debate, work on the Waterway, which starts in the town of Trenton, on…

It’s a Long Way to Go, but Curacao is One of the Most Colorful Cruising Destinations

By Peter Janssen on January 8, 2018 Cruising Life, Destinations

If you’re looking for a colorful cruising destination, think about Curacao, where the old Dutch colonial capital of Willemstad (pictured above) is rich with pastel-hued buildings and the island is dotted with beautiful beaches, coves, and coral reefs rich with marine life. And the temperatures are warm year-round, the breezes are gentle and the humidity is low. Curacao is, admittedly, a long way to go. It’s all the way down in the Caribbean, only 44 nm north of Venezuela. But it has many marinas to choose from once you’re there, including Curacao Marine, a large, full-service marina and yard in…

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