Planning to charter a private yacht (just captain, cook and us) beginning in early June and island-hopping for 7 days from St. Vincent down through the Grenadines and ending up in PSV for another 7-10 days. Is June a good weather month for this plan? Does anyone have any must do's or must avoids? Any input on chartering for first-timers? Recent feedback on PSV (choice of cottages, etc.)? HELP! THANKS!
honeymoon charter help!
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June is generally a good time to spend in the Caribbean. While some people fear that it is HOT, the fact is that the closer you get to the equator, the less variation there in temperature between winter and summer. So, while it will be warm, it's not going to be much worse than winter, and will probably be nicer than where you are coming from. Plus, you benefit from off-season pricing.
When in the Grenadines, some must-dos are:
- Spend time in the Tobago Cays -- they are magical;
- Snorkel off Sandy Island in Carriacou;
- Visit the market in Bequia;
- Eat callaloo soup and fresh fish (the last time I chartered in the Grenadines, I asked my crew to cook "local cuisine," and it was awesome (the chef was intrigued and challenged, and we all benefitted from fresh local ingredients and great food));
- Look for the green flash (I've seen it from both Mayreau's Saltwhistle Bay and from Chatham Bay, Union Island).
There's so much more as well, so I would suggest you grab Chris Doyle's cruising guide to the Windward Islands (you can get it on www.bluewaterweb.com or Amazon) and read it. Not only is it an entertaining guide, but it will point you to all the great things to see and do in the region. Also, visit www.usual-suspects-sailing.com - it's one of the best sites on sailing in the Grenadines that I've seen.
Callaloo
Thank you so much for the speedy reply and excellent info! As you have obviously done this before can you shed any light on the mono-hull experience for two first-timers on their honeymoon? We know we aren't totally seasick prone but am concerned about comfort sleeping and sailing for 7 days in this area, in this type of boat (52 ft Stellar), for this amount of time (7 days). Should we do BVI instead and/or look for a cat? Thanks again!
While I have no personal experience of a Stellar 52, I looked up its specifications and it sounds like you will be more than comfortable on this yacht. You'll have a huge stateroom to yourselves and plenty of privacy. A catamaran, however, can offer stability -- no heeling -- that a monohull can't offer, so if you are concerned about heeling, you may indeed want to look into a catamaran, which you can find in the Grenadines as well as the BVI. (Having done both, I personally prefer chartering monohulls, but I've owned monos for 10 years and prefer the feel of sailing them; catamarans are extremely popular and I'm beginning to feel like an anachronism...)
Also, while the Grenadines offer spectacular beauty and are more off-the-beaten path than the BVI, Grenadines anchorages also tend to be a little more rolly than those in the BVI. However, if you express your concerns to your crew, they -- having local knowledge and experience -- will choose anchorages that offer you the most comfort.
Finally, if you have ANY tendency to get seasick, bring along your favorite remedy (and if you don't know what your favorite is, test some out beforehand if you can -- if, for example, you are one of those people (like I am) who gets carsick while reading and riding, do that while under the influence of over-the-counter remedies and see which works for you; not all of them make you drowsy, and some work better than others).