Destinations

The Ten Prettiest Coastal Towns in Maine: Did Your Favorites Make the List?

By Peter Janssen on April 26, 2017 Cruising Life, Destinations

The coast of Maine, with all its jutting peninsulas, rocky shoreline and hidden coves and harbors, offers some of the best cruising anywhere – if you can avoid the fog and the lobster pots. Maine also has some of the prettiest coastal towns anywhere, filled with charm, character and boating history and tradition. Which towns are the prettiest? Well, much of this is in the eye of the beholder. I personally would vote for both Northeast Harbor and Southwest Harbor, Port Clyde, Southport and Wiscasset, but that’s just me. To see what others think, here’s a top ten list from…

Charter A Yacht in Bermuda to Watch the America’s Cup

By Peter Janssen on April 25, 2017 Charter, Cruising Life, Destinations

You shouldn’t need an excuse to go to Bermuda (it’s one of the world’s greatest spots), but if you do, start thinking about the America’s Cup, one of the world’s most enduring sports contests. Don’t take too long to think about it: The first Louis Vuitton qualifying race starts May 26. One of the best ways to see all the action, of course, is by chartering your own yacht, power or sail. We have a story and video listing seven reasons why you should do that, below. And then below that we have another story telling all about Bermuda itself.…

St. Vincent and the Grenadines: Postcard-Perfect Cruising Grounds

By Peter Janssen on April 18, 2017 Cruising Life, Destinations

Back in Columbus’ time, the natives called the island of St. Vincent “home of the blessed,” a description that today could apply to its appeal as a postcard-perfect cruising destination with beckoning coves, incredibly white beaches and drop-dead gorgeous aquamarine waters. Way down the Caribbean, south of St. Lucia and west of Barbados, the country of St. Vincent consists of the main island (St. Vincent) and a chain of smaller islands and cays stretching some 40 miles down to Grenada. It has a colorful history of wars, slave ships and pirates (with a possible whiff of cannibalism); today the old…

Want a Glamorous Cruise or Charter? Try the Cote d’Azur

By Peter Janssen on March 2, 2017 Charter, Cruising Life, Destinations

There are vacations and there are vacations, but where else in the world is as appealing and as glamorous as the Cote d’Azur, the 60-mile stretch of absolutely gorgeous blue water from Monaco to St. Tropez? Think Princess Grace, Brigitte Bardot, Cary Grant and James Bond, not to mention F. Scott Fitzgerald. Now you can get there yourself on a cruise or week-long charter from MarineMax Yachts. Here’s a sample itinerary to whet your appetite: http://www.marinemaxyachts.com/private-yacht-charters/cote-dazur

Cape Breton Island: A Canadian Cruising Heaven that Still Beckons

By Peter Janssen on February 23, 2017 Cruising Life, Destinations

Many years ago, I drove a Phoenix 35 from Norwalk, Connecticut, up to the little Canadian town of Gaspé, on the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula, with my friend Eric Schweikardt, the photographer. The trip took us up to Maine, over to Nova Scotia, up to the Canso Canal, past Prince Edward Island and finally to Gaspé, at the entrance to the St. Lawrence. Unfortunately, we went right by Cape Breton Island and Bras d’Or, the magnificent lake in the middle of it. We were in a hurry, or thought we were, and, with the ignorance of relative youth, thought…

Formentera: A Gorgeous, but Not-So-Famous, Cruising Destination in the Med

By Peter Janssen on February 12, 2017 Destinations

Tired of the same old, same old? Want to cruise or take a crewed or bareboat charter to a slightly-off-the-beaten-track destination in the Med? Then head for Formentera, the fourth largest of the Balearic Islands, just off the southern edge of Ibiza, with sensational beaches, great waterfront restaurants and bars, and a much more relaxed vibe than its more famous neighbor. About the same size as Manhattan, Formentera has tourists, but not too many. It does not even have an airport. If you want to fly there, go to Ibiza and take the ferry over to the port town of…

Heading for the Miami Show? Take a Weekend in Bimini

By Peter Janssen on February 8, 2017 Cruising Life, Destinations

If you’re heading to the Miami show, or just cruising in Florida, you may want to think about taking a 50-mile side trip (with your passport) over to Bimini. Even at 15 knots, you could leave Miami after breakfast and be sitting down for conch chowder at the Big Game Club (founded in 1936 and a Hemingway hangout) for lunch. Or dive, or explore Alice Town (that will be fun but it won’t take long), or fish, or just relax. For me, Bimini has been a favorite for a fast change of scene, and drop of blood pressure, for many,…

On Watch

By Peter Janssen on February 2, 2017 Destinations, On Watch with Peter Janssen

Moving On – and Moving Up – With a Dedicated Cruising Couple It would be hard to find a couple more committed to the cruising life than Jim and Lisa Favors. Indeed, they’ve been boating for most of their lives, starting with a 20-foot Four Winns in their home town of Traverse City, Michigan, moving up to a 32-foot Silverton, a 42-foot Silverton and finally a 40-foot Fathom trawler. They lived aboard the two 40-footers full-time for five years after Jim retired, completing the Great Loop once and returning to favorite spots to almost complete it a second time, cruising…

Avoid the Crowds and the Roads: See the Gorgeous Amalfi Coast by Boat

By Peter Janssen on January 30, 2017 Charter, Destinations

By all accounts, the Amalfi Coast of Italy, stretching along the southern coast of the Sorrentine Peninsula south of Naples, is one of the most beautiful spots in the world. Sheer cliffs seem to tumble down to the azure-blue waters, while small towns are scattered along the coastline, filled with red-tile-roofed homes and inviting small hotels with outdoor patios opening up to incredible vistas. A tourist mecca in the season, over the years the Amalfi Coast has been celebrated in writing by John Steinbeck, in film by Federico Fellini, and in music by, well, Beyoncé and Jay-Z. The only problem…

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