Destinations

Report from Lake Okeechobee: “Ugly, Dark Brown” Water and an Unhappy Lockmaster

By Peter Janssen on November 14, 2017 Cruising Life, Destinations

For all you snow birds who are heading south and perhaps thinking about crossing Lake Okeechobee to get to the west coast of Florida, take a look at this report from Peg and Jim Healy, very experienced cruisers on their Monk 36 Sanctuary. They crossed from east to west last week and wrote the following for Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net: “The condition of the water is deplorable. In the anchorage at Stuart, the water is ‘Lake O chocolate milk.’ The water throughout the system is an ugly, dark brown. Water levels are high, and there are no water level issues…

Post-Hurricane Status Report of What’s Open, and What is Still Recovering, in the Caribbean

By Peter Janssen on November 13, 2017 Cruising Life, Destinations

It’s now been about three months since Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated parts of the Caribbean, but the swath of destruction was selective. Some islands were virtually destroyed. Almost every building on Barbuda, for example, was knocked down, while on Antigua, almost next door, the damage was minor. Generally, the southern Caribbean, from Martinique on down, escaped undamaged, while Puerto Rico and the nearby U.S. and British Virgin Islands took a big hit. But that was then. What’s open now? Here’s an island-by-island update from the Travel section of The New York Times, reporting on the recovery situation and when…

Month-by-Month Itinerary for Cruising the Sea of Cortez, from November to May

By Peter Janssen on November 13, 2017 Cruising Life, Destinations

By all accounts, Mexico’s Sea of Cortez is a boating paradise, a 570-nm-long warm-water cruising ground filled with marine life and some 100 uninhabited islands, often surrounded by white beaches with nary a soul in sight. The question is not whether to go there or not; it’s really how long to spend once you get there. This story from Sea magazine suggests an answer, saying it takes seven months to sample everything the Sea of Cortez has to offer. Why rush? You need to avoid the hurricane season in summer, but otherwise just relax and enjoy yourself. Sea suggests you…

What’s Open in the BVI? A First-Hand Status Report

By Peter Janssen on November 7, 2017 Charter, Cruising Life, Destinations

We all know that the British Virgin Islands were hit hard – twice – by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, causing widespread damage and destroying many yachts in the charter fleets there. Still, the BVI remains the BVI, one of the best and most widely recognized charter and cruising destinations on the planet. The gorgeous water, the easily navigated cruising grounds, the dive spots – the basic geography – are the same today as they were before the storms. But what can you expect now if you want to go there? Here’s a report from the people at Dream Yacht Charter…

Seven Reasons to Charter in Mallorca from The Moorings

By Peter Janssen on October 30, 2017 Charter, Cruising Life, Destinations

You probably don’t need many more reasons to visit Mallorca, the gorgeous island in the Med 50 miles east of Spain, but just in case you do, The Moorings has come up with a list to nudge you along. One of Spain’s Balearic Islands, Mallorca is an uber-appealing destination if you’re cruising or chartering or just looking for a special vacation. For the past few decades, Mallorca has been a major European tourist destination, with its long, protected beaches, sheltered coves, limestone mountains and Roman and Moorish ruins. Mallorca is rich with history. The capital of Palma was founded as…

Recovery in the BVI: Tortola Airport Reopens for Commercial Flights

By Peter Janssen on October 25, 2017 Cruising Life, Destinations

Good news if you’re thinking of heading to the British Virgin Islands for a cruise or charter vacation. The Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport on Tortola has just reopened for commercial flights. The airport, a welcome sight on Beef Island for generations of travelers to the BVI, had been closed after Hurricanes Irma and Maria caused “severe damage,” according to Denniston Fraser, the head of the BVI Airports Authority. It had been closed to commercial flights but it was open to some humanitarian, relief and evacuation flights. Now it is open to commercial flights on Cape Air, which already operated…

Le Boat Opens First Charter Fleet in North America on the Rideau Canal in Canada

By Peter Janssen on October 23, 2017 Charter, Cruising Life, Destinations

Le Boat, the European charter company with 16 bases in eight different countries, is opening its first operation in North America, centered on the Rideau Canal in Ontario, Canada. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Rideau winds 125 miles through beautiful Canadian countryside with unspoiled lakes and picturesque towns from Kingston, on Lake Ontario, up to Ottawa, the capital of Canada (pictured above). With a series of 47 locks, the Rideau is the oldest operating canal in North America; it was considered an engineering feat when it opened in 1832. Le Boat offers only boats that you drive yourself. It…

Ten “Happiest” Seaside Towns in the U.S. Is Your Favorite on the List?

By Peter Janssen on October 9, 2017 Cruising Life, Destinations

Well, there are lists, and there are lists. But this list should hit home with cruising boat owners, since it names the “Happiest Seaside Towns in America,” according to Coastal Living. They’re the happiest, the magazine says, because they “are sure to make you smile.” Having been to all of them over the years, I’ll certainly agree to that. Not to spoil the suspense, but here are few of my personal favorites among the top ten. At least they’ve made me happy: Camden, Maine. Coastal Living calls Camden “an advertisement for New England charm come to life.” Fair enough. And…

For Something New, Head for Crystal River, 70 Miles North of Tampa, and Swim with the Manatees

By Peter Janssen on September 28, 2017 Cruising Life, Destinations

If you’re looking for a new cruising destination, or just something fun to do, head for Crystal River, Florida, about 70 miles north of Tampa, and swim with the manatees. About six miles up the river, you’ll find a system of 40 bubbling springs that stay a constant 72 degrees all year long. Because of the warm water, the area is the home of the largest manatee population in the U.S., and it’s the only place in North America where swimmers can legally interact with them. Here’s a great story from Southern Boating that gives details about how to get…

Get Away from It All in the Similan Islands of Thailand

By Peter Janssen on September 11, 2017 Cruising Life, Destinations

If you really want to get away from it all, head for the Similan Islands, a chain of nine small islands about 50 miles from Phuket in Thailand. They’re the home of incredible landscapes, spectacular diving and not a whole lot of other people. The Similans are numbered one through nine, going from north to south, and they’re a national park in the Andaman Sea. You can swim in the turquoise waters of all of them, but you can only step foot on the white sandy beaches of Number Four, which has simple bamboo bungalows, and Number Eight, the largest…

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