Posts Tagged ‘Virgin’

British Virgin Island

                            British Virgin Islands  

           Am I demented or have a cash flow problem. Yes I have fallen for love.

   It’s a very unreal king of love because she has taken my money so many times, and made me a kind of poverty stricken sailor

             Her name is Fairwind not a female human being but a sailing yacht.

I purchased her as a hurricane damaged yacht in Grenada after hurricane Ivan hit the Island, and the Insurance company that I bought her from was only to keen to get rid her at  any price as they had thousands of damaged yachts

      She was all fore lone with two broken masts and a hole in her keel that had nearly sunk her, but flooded the boat and undertook extensive damage.

         She was sold to me at a bargain price for this Gulf star 55ft classic yacht.

  She is a bountiful yacht with low lines and a full heavy displacement keel, and after first misgivings I was happy with my purchase

           After my previous 25ft yacht that I had self built in England and sailed to the Caribbean ,she was a luxury.

           I undertook the repairs and the renovations to Fairwind over a period of four months. Replacing nearly all the electrics pumps and overhauling the engine. Repairing the masts and replacing a lot of the stainless steel topside and repairing the keel and other damage to the hull.

        I had flown in to Grenada from the BVI to join a friend who is a boat salvage contractor. I offered him my services free for a few weeks and he located this bargain Fairwind..

                    My plan was to get the yacht in good order and sail back to the British Virgin Islands where |I had based myself, and then advertise for business as a charter yacht..   Gulfstars were originally purchased in the seventies as charter yachts for the Moorings, but went out of favour, for the more accommodations cabin yachts like Benetue. However I was not at the time daunted as having two couples upon my yacht would be enough, in the two large cabins with onsite showers and toilets.

          I had worked prior to buying Fairwind for many yacht charter companies in Tortola BVI on a free lance basis and know the Island now extremely well.

             I am of a friendly a helpful disposition and enjoy my way of life.

   I entered  Fairwind in the BVI yacht charter show, and was disappointed that the brokers who market many yachts thought my yacht dated, and I was of the opinion that they preferred Cats as they made more commission than chartering Mona hulls.

          I managed to get little business at first, and with also my free lance charter work managed to keep busy.

     Come last December my good friend Michael Bean an entertainer and musician who plays regularly on Marina Cay ,a small little resort on a mini island, asked me if I would deliver to the Island of La Vache Haiti a consignment of ten  outboard  engines, cloths food ,and children’s school items for a small village  for the fishermens familys

                      I was at first reluctant to volunteer however after discovering he was the founder of his charity called the good Samaritan foundation, I agreed to deliver them for him come the 12th of Decenber,and then I set sail. I had many mishaps on the voyage and to date the whole adventure has cost me dearly with a a failed engine a lost dingy and outboard engine. However I have really no regrets as I offered and he accepted.and it was for a good cause.

        Leaving the buitifull BVI Islands behind me over the xmas period was disappointing as I have many friends and would have liked the xmas with them.

       However I set sail to an exciting adventure.

British Virgin Islands

British Virgin Islands

Am I demented or have a cash flow problem. Yes I have fallen for love.

It’s a very unreal king of love because she has taken my money so many times, and made me a kind of poverty stricken sailor

Her name is Fairwind not a female human being but a sailing yacht.

I purchased her as a hurricane damaged yacht in Grenada after hurricane Ivan hit the Island, and the Insurance company that I bought her from was only to keen to get rid her at  any price as they had thousands of damaged yachts

She was all fore lone with two broken masts and a hole in her keel that had nearly sunk her, but flooded the boat and undertook extensive damage.

She was sold to me at a bargain price for this Gulf star 55ft classic yacht.

She is a bountiful yacht with low lines and a full heavy displacement keel, and after first misgivings I was happy with my purchase

After my previous 25ft yacht that I had self built in England and sailed to the Caribbean ,she was a luxury.

I undertook the repairs and the renovations to Fairwind over a period of four months. Replacing nearly all the electrics pumps and overhauling the engine. Repairing the masts and replacing a lot of the stainless steel topside and repairing the keel and other damage to the hull.

I had flown in to Grenada from the BVI to join a friend who is a boat salvage contractor. I offered him my services free for a few weeks and he located this bargain Fairwind..

My plan was to get the yacht in good order and sail back to the British Virgin Islands where |I had based myself, and then advertise for business as a charter yacht..   Gulfstars were originally purchased in the seventies as charter yachts for the Moorings, but went out of favour, for the more accommodations cabin yachts like Benetue. However I was not at the time daunted as having two couples upon my yacht would be enough, in the two large cabins with onsite showers and toilets.

I had worked prior to buying Fairwind for many yacht charter companies in Tortola BVI on a free lance basis and know the Island now extremely well.

I am of a friendly a helpful disposition and enjoy my way of life.

I entered  Fairwind in the BVI yacht charter show, and was disappointed that the brokers who market many yachts thought my yacht dated, and I was of the opinion that they preferred Cats as they made more commission than chartering Mona hulls.

I managed to get little business at first, and with also my free lance charter work managed to keep busy.

Come last December my good friend Michael Bean an entertainer and musician who plays regularly on Marina Cay ,a small little resort on a mini island, asked me if I would deliver to the Island of La Vache Haiti a consignment of ten  outboard  engines, cloths food ,and children’s school items for a small village  for the fishermens familys

I was at first reluctant to volunteer however after discovering he was the founder of his charity called the good Samaritan foundation, I agreed to deliver them for him come the 12th of Decenber,and then I set sail. I had many mishaps on the voyage and to date the whole adventure has cost me dearly with a a failed engine a lost dingy and outboard engine. However I have really no regrets as I offered and he accepted.and it was for a good cause.

Leaving the buitifull BVI Islands behind me over the xmas period was disappointing as I have many friends and would have liked the xmas with them.

However I set sail to an exciting adventure. My crew and I arrived upon Eve,and to spend Xmas giving gifts to poor villagers was being like father xmas.

La Vache is so backward I was amazed. No mains water just water hand pumps,no electricity .no roads or vechicles on the island. Horses are there means of getting around the Island.  The fishermen made there own dugout canoes,and primitive sailing sloops. Due to gobal warming the fish have deserted the warmer waters near shore and the fishermen needed the outboard motors to get back against the wind to offload there catch before the fish goes off.

I stayed upon the Island some ten days and due to having a failed engine on Fairwind ,I needed to get to a boat yard and get the yacht hauled ashore to repair the engine. So I decided to sail downwind to Jamaica.

Harry

A Cruise In The Beautiful Virgin Islands?

Cruises are an exciting and relaxing vacation. They allow you the opportunity to relax, enjoy the open sea, and enjoy the many luxuries of the ship. Selecting a cruise destination can be hard. There are so many great destinations out there. One of the most popular destinations is the Virgin Islands.

If you are interested in a cruise to the Virgin Islands, there are numerous vacation packages you can check into. There are several offers online or you can check with your local travel agency.  The cost is going to vary depending on special offers, the type of accommodations you are wanting, how many days you plan to travel, and if you need airfare. Many packages include more than one port of call.

Most cruise ships are set up with activities to entertain people of all ages. Parent and children will have plenty to do throughout their day.  A cruise to the Virgin Islands will allow you to enjoy traveling the ocean as well as taking on time on new land. Here you can explore the beaches, rain forests, and exotic wildlife. You can then return to the ship to continue on your ocean journey.

Cruise ships are a very safe method of travel. Everyone boarding a cruise ship is instructed on safety procedures and life jacket use prior to the ship living the port. They also allow for more leisurely travel. Some cruise ships hold only a few hundred people while others hold thousands of people. Some of the activities onboard include exercise classes, night clubs, gambling, bingo, and crafts. Many cruise ships have pool tables and bowling alleys. You just might even forget you are on a ship once you start getting involved in the many available activities.

Things To See On Your Holidays To The Virgin Islands

The Unites States Virgin Islands are the group of small islands in the Caribbean that comes under the territory of United States. Basically, the islands are the geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. The United States Virgin Islands includes mainly three major islands. Saint Croix, Saint John and Saint Thomas and surrounded by the mirror islands. The total cover area of the island is 346.36 square kilometres.

The United States Virgin Islands is a place where you can enjoy your holidays at fullest. There are several tourist destinations that you can explore and have larger than life holidaying experience. One of the top ranked places of the island is the St. Thomas Island. This place offers many tourist attractions like Fort Christian. It is the oldest place standing structure in the Virgin Islands. This fort was built in 1671 by Danish. Now, this building is used as a government building along with a church and court house. Till 1983 this fort was used as a jail.

To come across with another historical place of the island, you can visit the Blackbeard’s Castle. It is another oldest standing building of the island. Today, this place is famous restaurant and hotel. It severs great hospitality and pleasure to the visitors. To experience the beautiful scenery of St. Thomas you can enjoy the Sky Ride. This is just few hundred yards away from the cruise ship terminal. It gives you a chance to witness the best natural sight seeing from 700 feet elevated viewpoint over looking Charlotte Amalie harbour. Additionally, you can also take help of the Trail walks that allow you to have more closure look and a personal interaction with the natural beauty of the island.

For all those visitors who love shopping and like to explore different shopping paradises of the world then this place is the best for them. St. Thomas is a commercial capital of the United States Virgin Islands. To make this place a complete shopping paradise, the government has declared it a duty free zone. This means from finest jewellery to branded cloths. You will get every thing in a competitive price. It is advisable that you should carry an extra carry bag along with your as you can not stop yourself from purchasing several things.

The Unites States Virgin Islands are also famous for its amazing water sports. This place has crystal clear water, breath taking coral reefs, thousands of colourful tropical fish and the best water sports activities. If you are a fan of under water diving then this is the perfect place for you. You can get a life time experience of scuba diving here.

You can also visit the Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve. This is the home of thousands of mango trees, coral reef and a submarine canyon that are surrounded by the sea.

The U.S. Virgin Islands: The American Owned Tropical Paradise Popular Among American Express Vacation Clients

With new passport requirements causing much frustration among U.S. travelers, American Express Travel is suggesting the US Virgin Islands as an excellent tropical vacation alternative to Mexico or the other Caribbean islands. The US Virgin Islands can be visited by tour packages, luxury vacation packages or by luxury world cruises. Although this island chain is not the first place most travelers think of when planning their luxury travel vacation, The US Virgin Islands has much to offer making the destination just as attractive as other Islands of the Caribbean.

The Climate & High Season

When planning your luxury travel vacation to the US Virgin Islands, it’s important to know the climate is very comfortable during all seasons of the year with moderate humidity and average annual temperatures of 80 degrees-making the the destination a great luxury travel destination any time of the year.

The busiest tourist season is from December to May, during the northern hemisphere winter. These months are more popular because the humidity doesn’t increase until about June. Outside of these months, room prices tend to be less expensive, not to mention the islands are less crowded from June through November. The water is considered more beautiful between April and August. During these months, the waters are calmer and underwater visibility is best for diving and snorkeling. The islands have a rainy season, usually between the May and November, with most of the heavy rainfall between August and October. Similar to other Caribbean Islands, the US Virgin Islands has experienced hurricanes in past. Hurricane season runs from roughly, August through November, with the real threat generally being in September.

Amazing Water Activities

Most travelers who desire a luxury vacation, http://www.amtvacations.com/american-express-vacations.html, in the Caribbean are looking for crystal clear water, breathtaking coral reefs, thousands of colorful tropical fish and the time to simply play in warm waters. For the snorkeling fan or diving enthusiast, there is plenty to entertain you. Buck Island Reef National Monument tops the list. This nationally protected site was established to preserve one of the finest marine gardens in the Caribbean Sea. For a day combining land beauties with the mysteries of the deep, visit Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve. The preserve is home to some of the largest mango forests in the Virgin Islands, as well as coral reefs and a submarine canyon. It’s not necessary to bring snorkel gear along; it can be rented just about anywhere and is often provided free for use by villa owners to guests.

American Express Tours says the U.S. Virgin Islands make a great luxury travel destination most any time of the year and more travelers are choosing the islands because they have so much to offer first time or seasoned vacationers. Discount luxury cruises, http://www.amtcruises.com/, seem to be becoming more and more popular as travelers uncover the beauty of the US Virgin Islands. For many visitors, the US Virgin Islands is considered “America’s Paradise.”

US Virgin Islands Are America’s Paradise Diving

Located among 50 islands with the US Virgin Islands are the three islands of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix where some of the best diving in the region can be found. Accessing these islands is simple with flights from many major US airports daily.

St. Thomas

The dive centre will all take you to the waters of Pillsbury Sound between St. Thomas and St. John to dive sites which have several shipwrecks encrusted with bright sponges and coral. One of the more famous is the “General Rogers” which is a 100 plus foot US Coast Guard buoy which was sunk there to form an artificial reef which is located in around 60 feet of water. The reef is established on the coast guard buoy which is formed some lovely Orange cup coral and others with an abundance of fishes such as angelfish and grunts to name a few.

Probably the best diving in the Virgin Islands is Sail Rock which towers up 125 feet in the air off the West End of St Thomas and is teeming with jacks, wrasse, barracuda, turtles and others.

St. John

Congo Cay and Carval Rock are located between the islands St. John and St. Thomas and are two popular diving sites and is home to many turtles swarming silversides, cruising reef sharks, and waving sea rods and gorgonians. The swim-through is a must do which tower is between two towering rock faces is covered with vibrant marine life.

Congo Cay’s is an opposite dive to Carval Rock with a drift dive though some amazing weathered; the dive site has its own resident sting rays creating a lovely dive. Both dive sites can be done from a basic level but if the weather is bad only experienced divers can dive.

St. Croix

North side of St. Croix is known to be one of the best wall dives in the Caribbean, the wall starts only 100 yards of the beach line and drops to several thousand feet, there are around 20 dive sites located along the wall with varying natures features such as pinnacles, ledges, walls and caverns.

All the Dive shops on all three islands of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix will offer resort courses, complete certification classes and rental equipment. Many package deals are available with local hotels and dive operators combining for a single price package. Accommodations range from 5-star resorts and villas to small, family run inns and hotels. Camping is even available for those who want to rough it a bit outdoors.

Vacation to the Virgin Islands what do you think?

Looking for an affordable week of vacation. Price range around 1000-1500 USD. Want somewhere to swim in beautiful water and snorkel and relax. What do you think about the US Virgin Islands? We’re open to suggestions other than this though. What’s your experience and a clean hotel?