Destinations

New Cruising Guide for the Virgin Islands

By Peter Janssen on October 12, 2021 Cruising Life, Destinations

If you’re heading for the Virgin Islands any time soon, or even if you’re just thinking about cruising or chartering there, take a look at the new Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands by Simon Scott. It’s an updated version of the guide that’s been helping cruisers in both the British and U.S. Virgins for 40 years. The new 2022 version of the guide has everything you need to enjoy your cruise there: detailed charts with aerial photography of anchorages, plus piloting, anchoring and shoreside information. It has key GPS coordinates, customs and immigration regulations, and information about marinas, chandleries,…

Branson Opens Second Island Resort in BVI

By Peter Janssen on September 29, 2021 Destinations

Sir Richard Branson’s original resort on Necker Island in the BVI wasn’t all that shabby. Indeed, you could relax there with the Private Family Hideaway package, including a six-person private jet, private pool, a DJ, and a Great House with 20 bedrooms, for $137,000 a week. But now Branson has opened a smaller and even more upscale resort on Moskito Island, only two miles away, where offseason rates start at $19,000 a night for the Oasis Estate and $17,500 a night for the Point Estate. But those rates include an estate manager, private chef and staff, all meals, drinks and…

Cape May, NJ: A Cruisers’ Crossroads

By Peter Janssen on September 22, 2021 Destinations

If the old saying that the three most important things in real estate are location, location, location can also be applied to cruising, then Cape May, New Jersey, is about as good a spot as you’re going to find. Cape May is particularly important this time of year, as more and more snowbirds are planning their cruises south for the winter. At the very southern tip of New Jersey, it’s where you make a choice about whether to continue offshore down to Norfolk, Virginia, or take the longer, but more scenic, route up the Delaware Bay, through the C&D Canal,…

Bitter End Yacht Club Plans To Reopen Soon

By Peter Janssen on September 15, 2021 Destinations

The iconic Bitter End Yacht Club, one of the most popular cruising, charter and watersports vacation destinations in the world, is getting ready to open up again. Located on 64 acres with a mile of waterfront on Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, the Bitter End, along with most other resorts and charter fleets in the area, was destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017. Founded in 1969, the Bitter End got its name because it’s the last island outpost before the Caribbean meets the Atlantic. But its very location, on North Sound at the east end of Virgin Gorda,…

The Moorings Reopens Charters in the Abacos

By co_admin on September 1, 2021 Charter, Destinations

The Moorings just announced that its is starting power catamaran charters in the Abacos, one of the best cruising destinations in the world, on December 1. Two years ago, Hurricane Dorian devastated the low-lying islands, the marinas and the charter fleets there. But now The Moorings will start power charters from their marina in Marsh Harbour, while sail charters are scheduled to start in April. Here’s more from The Moorings: Resting in the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast of Florida, the Bahamas have become a sought-after destination for travelers seeking an intimate paradise. The chain of more than 700 islands,…

Montenegro: New Hot Spot on the Adriatic

By Peter Janssen on August 22, 2021 Destinations

The Balkan country of Montenegro, about the size of Connecticut, has become of one of the preferred yachting destination in the Med this season. On the Adriatic, between Croatia to the north and Albania to the south, Montenegro offers about 180 miles of gorgeous coastline where sheer mountains dive into the deep-blue sea, with new world-class marinas designed to attract yachts and yacht owners for long periods of time. The often-preferred spot within Montenegro is the Bay of Koto (locals call it Boka) on its northern end, a historic fjord-like spot with charming medieval villages. Lately the superyacht set has…

A Fast Guide to the Ionian Islands off Greece

By co_admin on August 17, 2021 Destinations

Here’s a great story about the Ionian islands off the west coast of Greece, with some of the world’s most beautiful cruising destinations, from nationalgeographic.co.uk and the Greek National Tourism Organization: Imagine sailing across a shimmering emerald sea, bottlenose dolphins cresting the waves alongside your boat. Ahead lies a mountainous island thick with oak, hornbeam, cypress pine and olive groves. Closer in, a pastel-shaded fishing village tumbles down the hillside, its harbour quay lined with traditional tavernas. A nearby sheltered cove, fringed with a pale gold beach, offers safe anchorage and a refreshing dip in limpid lapis lazuli waters. It’s…

Canadian Border Now Open, But with Rules

By Peter Janssen on August 11, 2021 Destinations

The good news, the very good news, is that the border to Canada opened to U.S. boaters on Aug. 9, meaning that fully vaccinated Americans can cruise up the Inside Passage and British Columbia on the West Coast, along the shores of the Great Lakes, and up the Rideau Canal, the Thousand Islands, the St. Lawrence or Nova Scotia on the East Coast. But…and there’s a big but. The Canadian government has set some restrictions and guidelines, so it’s not quite like the good old days, the time before Covid. Fully vaccinated U.S. citizens can enter Canada on their boats…

Exploring Glacier Bay on a Kadey-Krogen 48

By co_admin on August 2, 2021 Destinations

Veteran cruisers Jeff and Susie Parker just spent a week exploring Glacier Bay, Alaska, on their 2006 Kadey-Krogen 48 North Sea trawler, Idyll Time. Glacier Bay is dear to my heart, since my daughter and her husband lived there for several years while working for the National Park Service, and loved it. You can read about the Parkers’ adventures, and see Jeff’s terrific pictures, on their blog here: With the fog beginning to lift, we weigh anchor at 10 am and ease out of Geike Inlet. We keep a sharp lookout for the Orcas that were in the anchorage earlier today…

Ganges, Salt Spring Island, BC. Aerial photographs of the Southern Gulf Islands. British Columbia, Canada.

Salt Spring Island: Pacific Northwest Gem

By Peter Janssen on July 28, 2021 Destinations

Now that Canada is starting to open up again, Salt Spring Island, in the Canadian Gulf Islands, is an appealing destination for U.S. cruisers. The largest of the Gulf Islands, Salt Spring is just above the popular San Juan Islands in Washington State and off the east coast of Vancouver Island. It’s easy to get to, and hard to leave, as I can attest from personal experience. Salt Spring is 17 miles long, nine miles wide, with a year-round population of 12,000 people, including large groups of painters, writers, musicians, retirees, and farmers: it’s home to more than 200 farms…

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