Tradewinds Info & Referral Info
Hi Marcy,
Hopefully, I can answer at least some of your questions...
The folks in the reservations office at Tradewinds are very helpful and familiar with flights & ferries between islands. I would contact them and ask for some input on your itinerary. If I were you and I was going to travel to St. Maarten for some land-based time anyway, I'd probably just schedule the cruise with Tradewinds there as well. You will see and experience the (even more) laid-back side of the island and it will give you a more complete experience. Your time on the yacht will be a completely different vacation when compared to your land-based time, although both will be enjoyable.
If you do decide you'd like to travel to another island for the sailing... I'd recommend Tortola. Mainly, because it is such a sailing mecca and you're so immersed in the sailing lifestyle... You are right, from St. Maarten, you are almost equadistant from Antigua and Tortola - but St. Vincent is much further south.
Airlines that offer inter-island flights:
American Eagle to Tortola
LIAT to/from Antigua & Tortola
Windward Islands Airways (WINAIR) to/from Tortola
Ferries:
I didn't find any direct ferries to Tortola or Antigua... Here's what I did find...
Ferry service is available to Anguilla and St. Barths from St. Martin's Marigot ferry dock and to Saba from the Pelican marina near St. Maarten's airport. Ferry service is not available to St. Eustatius (Statia). The travel time to St. Barths is 75 minutes on a conventional ferry and 35 minutes on a catamaran ferry.
Large intercontinental jets fly directly from the United States, including Delta Continental , US Airways and American. Europe is served by KLM and Air France.
Now, as far as the history / archaeology... I am a huge fan, but my hubby is not. I can camp out for hours watching the History Channel and for the most part, he thinks it's a big yawner :zzz: That being said, we had a wonderful captain and first mate on our BVI trip - Chris and Ali on the Turquoise Dreams. I'm not sure if they will still be in the BVI's in Jan. 2009, but if they are, I'd recommend them in a heartbeat. My husband loved them as much as I did, in spite of Chris' slant toward historical significance. As a SCUBA diver, I've always dreamed of diving the RMS Rhone - and it was so great to be briefed by Chris before the dive - as he explained some of the history and significance of the wreck. It was obvious that he had some emotional ties (as a sailor) to that site. Additionally, all of the pirate history that he shared along the way was fascinating - and to actually snorkel inside of Blackbeard's cave where he hid his treasure was amazing!
You'll have plenty of opportunities to snorkel and if you dive, about 4 opportunities. Whenever we were diving, there was also a place to snorkel...
The food was fabulous! It was gourmet and very diverse. The best part is that you don't have to do anything... no setting the table, no cleaning up afterwards, nothing except let them wait on you. They will also provide alternate meals if necessary due to diet limitations or likes / dislikes. You just send them your info ahead of time... Of course, it's an open bar. Special cocktails are prepared every afternoon by the captain, but you can fix any drink you like. They also had approx. 120 bottles of wine on board.
If you'd like to help sail the boat, they are all for it - although it's not required at all. Depending on the wind, they may use the motor in order to stay somewhat on schedule - so that you can fully appreciate your time in the BVI's. However, we got in plenty of sailing time, too.
[Sorry, Susan, but referral deals constitute advertising and are not permitted on these forums. I have removed the portion of your post dealing with this. -- Makai Guy, BBS Administrator]
Happy Sailing!
Susan