It’s a small world!!!!

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Guest blogger

Life is better with a beach fire Looks like a $50 fish (he won the bet) In the cave, where is the light What a view coming into the cave[Shane – Would you believe I grew up in the same church with one of the guest this week and graduated from the University of Colorado with two others?  Just one more example of how small this world can be!  Here is their write up of the week.]

We began with high expectations, as we are good friends and travel a lot together, and Captain Shane delivered an amazing itinerary. We began with Willy T’s at Norman Island, where we basked the night away with a lot of drunks!!! We awoke to go snorkeling in the caves (truly a must see).  Great experienced for all! We got to see all the “must see” items on the islands like the Baths on Virgin Gorda,  Soggy Dollar, Foxy’s Bar, lobsters on Anegada  at The Big Bamboo and the wreck of HMS Rhone – which sank in 1867 with 300 aboard.  But Shane took us off the beaten path to do things like snorkel “the chimney” and other amazing places! He also helped to facilitate a beach fire for our group to hang out on the beach one night. We went to Guana Island where you snorkel with a million minnows, took a nature hike at Reef Bay Sugar Mill to see the Petraglyphs. Our group had a great mix of long sailing times and enough time off the boat to explore and really get a good feel for the Islands. We ended our week with an amazing time swimming with the turtles on Buck Island.

Captain Shane has been very helpful (he even went to shore to get medicine for one of our group!) and he is very knowledgeable about the Virgin Islands. It was a great trip.

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Top 10 Reasons to sail with Shane on the Guiding Light

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Guest blogger

Jump for joy we are on the Guiding Light  What a photo with us and the turtle Team building experienceEveryone say cheese...without drowning

By: Paul, Susie, Braydon, Alex, Greg, and Blake who chartered for Alex’s college graduation (go Sun Devils!!!!)

10. Unique experience of being on a boat

There is no place to experience the islands in the way one can on a boat. The perspective you intake of the beauty, serenity, and lushness of the landscape can only be viewed from the water. In addition to this perspective, you are in a position to see different locations daily. We have enjoyed the vast differences in each island. Some lush like a forest, some covered in enormous boulders, and others with white sand and palm trees. We enjoyed multiple island locations, hikes, snorkeling, swimming, and beaching it!

9.  Flexibility

The only way to have an exceptional vacation is to have a captain who is open and flexible to any and all ideas, spontaneous changes in adventures, and can navigate the trip to meet all our dreams. Captain Shane was wonderfully flexible on our trip. He had a fantastic outline of ideas for us and also modified our trip to meet our needs.

8.  Shane’s homemade bread and creative dinners

One of Shane’s finest attributes is his homemade bread…just kidding, but really. When you come sailing with Shane you can count on homemade bread each and every day. Another reason we chose Shane as our captain is because he includes cooked dinners in your captain-only price, unlike a lot of other charters. Whether you want to eat 1 dinner on board or 5, Shane is an awesome cook!

7.  Enthusiasm for sharing island history and activities

Most days included some sort of hike, kayak, or snorkel. Shane was always quick with a history lesson or story to enrich the experience. Every day was a new adventure and even better than the day before, which in most cases would hardly seem possible.

6. Snorkeling

We told Shane we wanted to focus on snorkeling and that’s exactly what we got. Whether he was in the water with us guiding the way or just giving us the full low down before we jumped in, we felt like Shane maximized our snorkeling. He showed us a one of a kind snorkeling experience through multiple destinations. We saw everything from dancing corals to sword fish, sea turtles, ship wrecks, barracuda, sting-ray, millions of minnows (literally), diving pelicans, and so much more.  We snorkeled, snorkeled, and snorkeled some more.

5. Attention to detail on trip itinerary and provisions

This was our first family trip for both sailing and coming to the USVI and BVI. I didn’t really know what to expect, I knew that we had a boat, plane tickets and I sent in a grocery list but that was about it. Shane had reached out prior to arrival to set up a meeting place and time. When we arrived I was put at ease knowing that Shane had the whole trip planned. Whether it was what we were doing in 15 minutes or what we were doing in 3 days, Shane had an answer.

4. Island restaurant and bar hoping

Soggy Dollar, Corsair’s, Foxy’s, Marina Cay Pusser’s Rum Restaurant, Pirate’s Bight, and Willy T.  Need we say more?

3. Shane delivers to random and quirky requests

Whether it was wanting to be dinghy up to a “swim up only” beach, or wanting to kayak at 7am, Shane was there to make our trip better in every which way he could.

2. Shane’s humorous jokes

Nothing like a unique sense of humor to brighten a trip. Shane’s fun, humorous and down-to-earth personality was a great asset to the trip.

And the #1 reason to sail with Shane on the Guiding Light is….drum roll pleeeaase….

1. The Day starts the second you open your eyes

Waking up on a boat in the middle of the Caribbean is something you can only understand by doing it. Walking up the stairs and jumping into the crystal clear blue water is the best way to kick start your day. Each and every day was so incredible and action packed. Piping hot coffee awaiting us as we finish our morning kayak, paddle board, or swim! Sun shining on our faces as we bask in the glorious morning light. Our eyes inhale the surrounding beauty of each unique island. Every day we were able to feast our eyes upon a different location, a new vision, a place of pure beauty. To begin each day in this manner is an experience one can only have while sailing on Shane’s Guiding Light!

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St Croix part 2

Posted on June 2, 2013 by Shane

Is it possible to look tough on a scooter? Can you see the two Ms 3 types of sugar mills Now this is an herb garden Who needs a drink of rum Anyone up fpr a dip in Annaly Pool Check out those colors Harder to get fresh water than Columbus thought

After spending the day exploring the wonderful little town of Christiansted it was time to see the rest of St Croix, which is larger than St Thomas, St John, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda…combined!  To say there is a lot of ground to cover is an understatement.  While it is possible to hire a taxi (expensive) or take the bus (inconvenient) I was thinking of renting a car for the day.  Then I ran across Cruzin Scooters (www.CruzinScooters.com) right on the boardwalk and rented myself a snazzy orange scooter.  As I headed east out of town I had a huge smile on my face, because driving that scooter was so much fun.

Udall Point at the end of the island is the eastern most USA point and had a monument built on it in 2000.  The basis of the monument is that the Roman numeral for 1000 is “M”.  Since the monument commemorates the year 2000 it was designed to be two “M”s on the main compass points.  I thought it was very clever.  Can you see it?

My next three stops were across the island on the southwestern section off of the main highway called Centerline.  Since this island was settled for the rich agricultural land and sugar was a dominate export during the 18th and 19th centuries, it made sense to visit a sugar plantation.  One of the best examples is Whim Plantation.  This plantation is still relatively intact and you start the tour at the Great House.  Under this vaulted ceiling are four huge rooms plus a full size cellar.  There is a dry moat built around the house, but it is for ventilation instead of defense.  Outside you will find the still functioning cook house, outhouse, village row house (where the slaves were housed), the caretaker’s cottage, and exhibits on the cruel and harsh treatment of the slaves.  To me the most interesting aspect of the plantation was the horse mill, wind mill, and steam mill.  Here in one photo you see the evolutionary process of extracting the juice from sugar cane.  The only tragic thing at Whim is that the factory itself has been lost to time and all that remains is the foundation, chimney, and boiling pots.

Even though St Croix is covered in sugar plantations the only other one I felt the need to visit was just down the road.  St George Village Botanical Garden took a different approach to presenting the history and ruins of years gone by.  They have not tried to restore the plantation to museum status, but instead have left the ruins in a crumbled state and designed an absolutely gorgeous garden around it.  The walking tour of this 16 acre site takes a bit over an hour, but can be done in 40 minutes as I found out since I got there late in the day and that is all the time I had once they broke the rules and let me in after the cut off time.  As I briskly walked the self guided tour I was enthralled with everything, but the two spots that really stuck with me were the herb garden planted in the old cook house kitchen and the display of different types of palm trees.

Since the Caribbean is known for rum and the only brand I use when I make my “drink of the day” for my charter guest is Cruzan Rum, my final stop in this area is the Cruzan Rum factory.  On this tour you will get to see how the molasses is fermented into “beer”, boiled in stills to get raw rum, poured into barrels to age, stored in racks (I thought it was impressive to see barrels of rum fill the warehouse all the way to the ceiling), and then loaded for shipping.  The only disappointing thing was finding out the flavor mixing and bottling was moved to Kentucky 4-5 years ago.  At the end of your tour you get two generous rum drinks of your choice.

Now that we have some history under our belt it is time to drive through the rain forest (although it is not a true one since a rain forest needs 80” of rain and this area only get 50”) and over the mountain to the north shore in order to do a 5 mile moderate to hard hike and see the Annaly Pool.  This tidal pool is right at the water level, but is protected by a 10 foot natural rock wall.  Here the seas can pound the coast while you enjoy a dip in a calm secluded pool.  The pool is between one and ten feet deep and is longer than I expected.  A picnic lunch and a date would make this a very romantic trip.

After that hike back it is time to go snorkeling and you are right next to Cane Bay with a nice beach and snorkeling.  The claim to fame for Cane Bay is the wall dive where it plummets to 1000’s of feet near the shore.  You really need to scuba dive the wall in order to appreciate it, because the top of the wall is between 30 and 90 feet deep.  Instead my friend Peter, on Lightheart, took me to Frederiksted so we could snorkel under the cruise ship pier.  I know what you are thinking because I thought he was daft also, but it really is the best snorkeling on the island.  The water is 10-30 feet deep and each of the pilings is covered with the most colorful array of coral.  Most of what I saw was sponges and every color of the rainbow was represented.  It was phenomenal and I could have stayed for several more hours plus there is a beach nearby to rest after you are worn out.

On my last night I sailed the boat 5 miles west to go into Salt River, where you must be careful of white horse reef.  Once inside it was calm and a bit buggy, but I was at the location of Christopher Columbus’s only land spot in USA territory.  This historic event also contains the first hostilities between natives of the Americas and Europeans.  At the mouth on the western shore you can find the remains of the 1650’s earthen fort.  It is hard to find, overgrown, and you have to use your imagination since it is just dirt dug into a wall to enclose the area.  By visiting Salt River I feel like I really saw the island and the only anchorages I did not stay at were off Green Cay (where there is a nice marina), the western shore (which is deep and open), and the southern shore (shallow and industrious).

As I left St Croix and sailed towards St Thomas with a beam to broad reach I reflected on how much I enjoyed this island.  From the amazing scenery and fascinating historical sites down to the friendliness of the locals who would stop and make sure I was not lost when I was checking my map to see where I wanted to go next.  I wonder which of my guest will want to go off the beaten track and have me take them to St Croix instead of the BVI.

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St Croix part 1

Posted on May 26, 2013 by Shane

Beach time Look at the reef down there Follow the blue tangs Commanding Officer's quarters are the entire 2nd floor Don't shoot me as I come into the harbor Goverment Building staircase to the ballroom Shall we dance? Danish architecture

As a charter boat captain in the Virgin Islands I am often asked which is my favorite island.  As of this week I think I have a new answer…St Croix!

St Croix sits 35-40 miles south of the rest of the US and British Virgin Islands and is a dead end since the wind angles are so harsh to the rest of the Caribbean.  Therefore it is much less visited by the charter boats and cruisers alike.  Shoot it even gets less cruise ship traffic than St Thomas or Tortola.  Less tourism means that it is so much more special when you get there.

I left Tortola on Sunday morning around 7am and once I rounded Norman Island the Guiding Light fairly skipped over the waves on the 35 mile trip with 15-20 knots between a close and a beam reach.  The waves were a very tame 3-4 foot just forward of the beam.

My first stop was Teague Bay, which is a 3 mile reef enclosed lagoon on the eastern end of the north shore.  The main entrance is around the green buoy at the western end of the bay.  There is plenty of water as long as you watch for the coral.  There are not a lot, but the ones that are here are large and quite noticeable as long as you are looking.  For this reason I would not enter this bay, or any on St Croix, without good sunlight.  Once inside the reef you can head east around two miles and anchor off the St Croix Yacht Club.  The holding is great in 10 feet or so of water, but it can be a bit bumpy.  While here you can stop in for a drink, go to a public beach around the corner, or try snorkeling the reef.  I did not find the reef to be fantastic, but I am told the best parts are near the green buoy.

On Monday I got up and sailed to Buck Island through the Cotton Valley Cut, which is hole blaster through the reef back in the 50’s by an ex army enlisted man who owned property right there and got tired of sailing the one mile down and then back up to get around the reef.  I found the cut to be easy and straight forward, but make sure you know what you are doing before trying it.  Once clear of the reef it is about one mile to Buck Island and worth every bit of it.  Boats are only allowed to anchor off the beach on the western end.  I found the anchoring to be better at the northwest corner of the island verse the south west corner and had the boat dangling 10 feet above the sand within swimming distance to shore.  Once you are ashore you can spend the entire day hanging out on the amazing beach, but if you want a bit more adventure you can take a 1-2 mile hike over the island.  You can pick up the trail at the restrooms on the northwest corner of the island or at the pavilion just east of the dock.  At the top you will get one of the most impressive views of a reef around.  After playing on the beach and taking in the hike I spent the afternoon snorkeling the reef.  About halfway along the island on the south shore there is a break in the reef marked with a red and green buoy.  Go through these and now you are in a reef protected lagoon where you continue to the east end of the island and can pick up one of several mooring balls (warning there is no anchoring allowed and the moorings are for day use only).  I am told that this use to be one of the best reefs ever, but it was decimated by Hurricane Hugo in 1989.  There are a lot a fish and it is cool to watch the reef break up the waves as they crash in it, but there was not a lot of color.  Inside the reef you can follow a National Parks Service (NPS) snorkel trail, where plaques have been placed in 5-10 feet of water.  While swimming along the trail I deviated and followed some blue tangs through a tunnel and voila I was on the outside of the reef in 20-30 feet of water.  Even without the color I had a blast and even swam with a lemon shark.

Later in the afternoon I headed to the Christiansted harbor.  Everyone I have talked to stated how difficult this harbor is to enter, but as long as you stay in deep water on your approach (you will have Scotch Bank to the east and Long Reef to the west) and know there is a reef, named Round Reef, in the middle of the channel you will be fine.  I think most people are confused with the preferred channel buoy, since it is green, red, green, but you can go either way around the reef.  I anchored in the lee of Protestant Cay, but you have to be careful of all the local boats anchored here.  Another spot is west of the channel, but it is farther to the waterfront.

I found the town of Christiansted to be the jewel in the St Croix crown and spent an entire day just walking around this town of less than a square mile.  Even though it never saw any military action a tour should start at the fort, which was built to protect the entrance channel from pirates.  This is one of five buildings owned and operated by the NPS and they have done a very nice job showing it off with historical and replica furniture and props for the enlisted man’s barracks (where they locked them in at night), powder room (check out the vent which is designed with a bend to protect the gunpowder from a saboteur shoving a torch into the room), armory, and officer’s day room.  You will also want to see the tiny holding cells, dungeon, and I found the commanding officer’s quarters to be over the top for the size of the fort.  The other four NPS buildings are the Steeple Building (the original Lutheran church), the scale house (where everything was weighed for tax assessment), the Customs House (where you paid the tax), and the Danish West India & Guinea Company Warehouse (where the goods were stored).

The other building in town to check out is the Government Building.  This building is actually two separate building (built in 1747 and 1794) tied together in 1830 and is still the center of the local government.  You are allowed to explore part of the buildings to see the courtyard, old kitchen (the oven and stove were wood burning and took up an entire wall and now the break room), several graves of bones found during a recent renovation, and the outside staircase.  But the best part is the formal ballroom at the top of the staircase.

The rest of your time in town should be spent walking around and seeing the old Danish architecture.  The buildings were usually two or three stories tall and the interior of the ground floor was set in about ten feet so pedestrians had a dry and shaded place to walk along the streets.  Most of these building are kept up nicely and the entire area is regulated to protect the look and feel of the Danish times.  I have even been told several blocks are listed as a World Heritage Site.

Next Sunday I will continue my story of St Croix, where I rented a scooter and drove all over the island.  I would love to hear what you think so far by leaving a comment below.

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Turn up the music

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Shane

Every now and then everyone falls into a funk, including me.  I try to have a positive “go with the flow” attitude, but once in a while I fall into one for a day or two (check out the 12/18/11 post to read about a bad one).  I think it is natural and good as long as it does not happen too often AND you have a way out.  Your way out could be family, friends, or…..MUSIC!

I am always amazed how music affects people.  The right song can instantly turn a frown upside down.  Whether it is a song with a great deep base beat that you feel all the way to your soul or your favorite dancing music that gets you up and shaking your booty.

Shoot, if it is a dating funk, because you your ex just walked out, the country song Brand New Girlfriend might be what was in order :) .  Or maybe it is a song you shared with a different ex whom you are still on good terms.

My personal tastes are all over the board and draw on most musical styles, and my playlist when I want to be pumped up is usually laced with great beats (Wild Thing by Tone Loc, Tim McGraw’s (my friend Jamie’s fake husband) I Like It I Love It, Play that Funky Music White Boy), great love ballads (Picture by Kid Rock, Reba Macintyre’s He Gets That From You, Wind Beneath My WIngs), songs from movies (Sound Of Music, Smoky And The Bandit, Cuban Pete From the Mask, and Danger Zone From Top Gun) or television shows (I Dream Of Jeannie and Mission Impossible), Oldies (Son Of A Preacher Man, Devil In A Blue Dress, and almost anything by Frank Sinatra), songs from my era (Madonna, Pump Up The Jam, Jungle Love), erotic songs like Darling Nikki by Prince, or my favorite song Glenn Miller’s In The Mood.  And these are just some examples.

What does your “Get Out Of This Funk” playlist sound like?

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One dark and stormy night…

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Guest blogger

Cheers to anoth fantastic meal Let's see if this place can out cook Captain Shane Everyone hold still for a photo These caves are awesome!!!!!

On the last night of our family vacation, I sit here writing our family’s trip blog.  It is a dark and stormy night, much like the drinks that have so lifted my spirits after hours of snorkeling. While I cannot say that I am currently drinking a “Dark and Stormy,” I must say that I have enjoyed several each night since I have been here.  So here I sit in the cabin….rain all around…lightning from all sides… memorializing the first family trip we have had in eight years.  I do not take this duty lightly.  My fingers tremble as I press each letter and I grow constipated with each passing thought.

Do not get me wrong, the Caribbean is beautiful.  It will leave you wide-eyed and open-mouthed.  You will snorkel miles and see thousands of fish.  Simply said, this trip is not for everyone.  However, whether or not you have a good time depends on the people you come with.  I cannot emphasize this enough.

Luckily enough for me, I came with my parents, who have been happily married for twenty-six years, and my sister, a recent college graduate.  I say luckily because I love them dearly, and while I do not want to spend every waking moment with them, I can honestly say that I love them and getting to spend a few days with them without any AC is worth not spending the weeks that I have to spend in my cool apartment alone.

While my family took care of the AC issue, Captain Shane ensured that my belly was full with homemade bread, tropical fruits, and lest we forget the famous “Drink of the Day.”  During our trip, Captain Shane was a welcome addition to our family.  He made the trip much easier with excellent meals, an eccentric taste in music, and a passion for life which he is eager to share.  Loving your family is an essential to living on a boat for several days, having a great captain is icing on the cake…..which Shane would be very happy to make for you.

Trips like these make stories, build character, and bring families together.  Take them while you can.

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Congrats & Goodbyes

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Shane

Congrats Steve. Way to go!!!!At Pirate Bight With Steve,Leah and ChristianSteve & I In kayaking near SwansboroCrews of Guiding Light & Southern Cross when we were buddy boating

Last Sunday afternoon my friend Chase stopped by to see if I wanted to hit the beach with him before he shipped out.  So I jumped on his boat and away we flew to Honeymoon Beach where we met several friends.  Chase is now the 1st mate on Dance Smarty, a 107 foot sailing yacht.  About this time three years ago Chase was stepping aboard the Guiding Light as crew and to start his sailing career.  He spent a month on the Guiding Light through the Florida Keys and was one of the best mates I have had aboard.  His vessel slipped the dock lines on Wednesday heading north for its summer home in Newport.  Fair winds and God speed Chase.

Even bigger news is Southern Cross, my buddy boat in June and July of 2010 (check the blogs for that time to read about our adventures), and her captain Steve Spracher just complete a circumnavigation  and were resting in the BVI before heading to the Chesapeake Bay yesterday.  I had to see him and give him my congratulations in person, since he is the first person I know to accomplish this wonderful feat.  So early Monday morning I lifted the anchor and motored upwind to Norman Island to spend a couple days chatting with him.

He joined the World ARC in January 2012 and was part of a fleet of boats completing the circle in 15 months.  Going around the globe that quickly defiantly took a toll on both boat and owner and he is now sailing to the Chesapeake Bay to refit the boat and sort out some personal issues.

I asked him what his favorite stop was and his answer was “that is like deciding which is your favorite child!”  Some highlights weregoing through the Panama Canal (“Shane, it is the canal of all canals”), the Galapagos Islands (where he woke up to a sea lion’s face in his hatch), Tahiti (where he showed me a video of a traditional hula dance), crossing the International Date Line (his phone went ballistic when he jumped one day forward), a safari in South Africa before rounding the Cape of Good Hope, St Helena (the 1st photo has a liquor bottle from there and it represents the famous staircase to the top of the island).

His entry back into the Western Hemisphere was in Brazil and he said once he got to Trinidad, and was back in the Caribbean, he all of a sudden felt like he was back home.

It was great seeing him, hearing about his adventures (which he had many more than he could tell me in two days), and remembering our time in the Carolinas (the last photo is of our crews at that time).  He has accomplished an amazing feat (someday I hope to do the same, but at a much slower pace) and I would love for each of you to leave a comment congratulating him.

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Not a fan of St Thomas Carnival

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Shane

Man do I feel short around these stilt walkersLooks like a flower to me, you?Here come the steel drum bandLight up the sky

I have done several festivals in the last four years of travel, but Carnival on St Thomas was the first to let me down.

It last for about a week and they play music in the “village”.  The music really starts around 11pm and seems to get loader every third song until three in the morning.  They must have every speaker on the island pointing straight into the anchorage, because it is so loud on the boat and I was a quarter of a mile away.  One time I was trying to talk on the phone in my solon and I had to close the sliding doors just to hear.  At night most boaters close up their boat.  Lucky for me it is not very hot or it would have been unbearable.  It would have been more bearable if it was a style of music I cared for, but it was basically a guy yelling into a mike over so some rhythmic tunes.

On the last day there is a parade, which I attended.  It was not very organized and took forever, mostly because there was a half mile or so between each group.

The best part of the week was the fireworks last night.  They set them off of a boat in the middle of the anchorage and I could lie on my trampoline and just watch them.  It was a nice twenty minute display.  Ironically the one time music would have been cool at the boat they stopped playing.

I am not telling anyone not to attend next year, but it was not for me and I will try to be out of the Charlotte Amalie harbor.  And this comes from a guy who had a blast at New Orleans’s Mardi Gras and Nassau’s Junkanoo!

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Sheep shaggers vs seppos

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Shane

The happy crew at the Indians How romantic Where everyone spent most of the time It is good to be the captain

It’s our last day of our charter, made up of half Americans and half New Zealanders, and it’s time to sum up a few life lessons.

First of all, grabbing the mooring ball is not the easy task it appears to be.  Every one of us tried it and every one of us screwed up at least once.

Second, apparently when you are on a boat, things fall overboard if you don’t tie them down. We are getting better at remembering that.

Third, even though we are all seasoned drinkers, we still are able to get properly pissed and hung over just like the younger whippersnappers!  Willy T’s is a floating bar in the middle of the cove off Norman Island, and on Day 2 we headed over there after a delicious dinner on board.  Willy T’s isn’t the classy joint the name connotes, and in fact encouraged women to take off their tops by displaying TVs with photos of others who had. (Don’t worry, we didn’t).  I wish I could tell you what happened over there, but for some reason I can’t remember a thing.  The next day no one even made it up on deck until mid-morning and we were all moving very slowly. After coffee and breakfast Captain Shane wanted to know if we were finally ready to let out the sails and turn off the motor. Rob had been itching to get the sails up, and here was his chance. Unfortunately, none of us were at our best.  Mark, Rob and Matt assisted with the sails and Erica did some steering (all I could do was nap on the deck). Rob was green for most of the ride and Mark ended up chumming for fish once we finally arrived.  It was a bit ugly, but we made it.

Fourth lesson, this is the life! We felt like the rich and famous as we cruised up to each mooring, hopped over for drinks or shopping on an island, and then lounged luxuriously on the spacious, comfy trampoline over the hulls.  We kept saying things like “Who do we think we are?” and “Bloody hell, this is amazing.”

Finally, hiring a captain rather than crewing ourselves was the best idea ever. Captain Shane planned a wonderful itinerary and here are some of the highlights:

  • First night’s dinner under the stars at Waterlemon Cay  in St. John, including a night-time snorkel with the tarpon under the boat
  • Swimming and snorkeling at the Indians and the Caves at Norman Island
  • Indiana Jones-ing around the Baths and Devil’s Bay at Salt Island
  • Matty’s action-filled birthday!  It started at 7am when we set sail for the 25 mile crossing from Anegada (most of which I slept through). Then we jumped off  the boat for a healthy 600m swim to Sandy Cay, a short hike around the island, then a quick sail to White’s Bay where he proceeded to swim straight to the bar and order two Soggy Dollars, which would have been quite clever if that was actually a name of a drink rather than the name of the bar, although he did pay with the notorious soggy dollars from his pocket. This bar happened to be the home of the Painkiller, one of our favorite drinks of the islands.  In fact, Erica had three in that one sitting alone!  Matty then kayaked around Great Bay before we went ashore for dinner.  We had a fantastic meal of conch fritters, pizza, tuna, and scallops at Corsair’s.  We ended the dinner with three 170 proof absinthe drinks that we were cautioned could be hallucinogenic, though none of us reported any of that but plenty of inebriation.  Finally we ended the night at Foxy’s in the early morning hours dancing to reggae music (along with one of our new local friends and his 30-year-old dreads), drinking copious amounts of alcohol, and crashing one of our neighboring boat’s party.
  • 15 mile sail to Anegada in 25-30 knot winds cruising at an average speed of  9 knots on a beam reach (I actually slept through the sail, but Erica tells me she steered for the whole trip)
  • 3 mile run on the white sandy road to the windward side of Anegada and lunch at Cow Wreck (which was completely empty due to the difficulty of sail that only our crew could manage)
  • Swimming at Turtle Cove with our new best friends, the turtles (Rob and Matty got a bit intimate with them, as a matter of fact)
  • Great run/swim/tour of the old Sugar Mill in St. John by Captain Shane
  • Fantastic snorkel at the Cow and the Calf rocks where we saw an eagle ray, an eel, a turtle, an intimidating barracuda and then a bull shark!
  • Endless inside jokes, including “eat an onion Mate”, Michaela setting world sleeping records while at sea, deciphering between which of our tour mates was the “bloke” of the relationship, that the sheep-shaggers refer to us Yanks as Seppos, but we know they come from a land where men are men and sheep are nervous.

As for the six of us, I thought we made a great crew with very compatible interests and personalities.  Captain Shane was always calm even when our sailing skills didn’t impress him, and he was a patient teacher and excellent guide.  Erica’s sweet smiling face was a pleasure to wake up to every morning, and she looked after all of us like the mother she is.  We also were impressed to see her get more comfortable in the water, and I’ll always remember watching her dive down to the wreck below (there’s a photo to prove it!) Mark as usual was the all-around sportsman and I think everyone enjoyed watching his many exertions, and then later seeing him match them with the number of beers each night.  Matt’s even, mellow attitude kept us all calm and collected (and was a great balance to my Type-A personality), and we all relied on him for important information like the name of a song from 1962 or what year a certain country got its independence.  And then there’s Rob.  He could have his own reality show I think.  His subtle humor had us all in stitches most of the time, and as I sit here I can still picture him shaking his head as he watches another sailor going by muttering something like, “That fella tacked a bit early, didn’t he, Cap?”  As for me, I have to say that in all my travels, this might be one of the best trips yet. Michaela is a happy, happy girl!

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Please visit again

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Guest blogger

This week’s blog will be delayed until Tuesday evening, due to having way too much fun on a charter!!!!  I hope you come back and read about the adventures of Mark, Michela, Rob, Erica, and Matt.  Three of them are even from New Zealand!!!!  See you again soon.

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Zipping through life

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Shane

Mid 70's Swiss Army truck Look at that view of Megan's Bay The Captain is about to go flying This is what I just zipped across

Sometimes in life we participate in an activity that is just asking to be a metaphor for life itself.  This week I partook of one such metaphor when I went zip lining at the new Tree Limin’ Extreme zip line course over looking Megan’s and Hull Bay here on St Thomas.

My fellow zippers and I started out getting safety equipment on and briefed on how to handle the zip line, just as we are given the equipment and believes by our parents on how to handle life once we reach adulthood.  Once that was done we boarded a mid 70’s Swiss Army transport and, just like sometimes in life, we had to traverse a steep and arduous ride in order to reach the top of the mountain.

From here we had one of those moments in life where you strap in and take a plunge not knowing exactly what to expect.  As I went racing along the cables, the excitement was palatable and I never wanted it to end.  But as we all know, life can not be one long uninterrupted feeling of ecstasy.  Otherwise we would knot appreciate how wonderful it can be.  With that said, the first zip ended before I really fully engulfed the whole experience and I was at a lull standing on a platform as everyone else joined me.

Waiting there was like having met a new woman, with which you feel a spark, and you know you have to be patient and let everything happen as it needs to so you can allow the spark to grow, and the harness be strapped to the next zip line.  All the while all you want to do is jump headfirst into the relationship and fly along the zip line again with your feet out in front of you and your arms raised over your head.

Once we reached the next platform we had to walk across a precarious feeling, yet perfectly safe bridge, to get to the third platform.  This is no different than many of the decisions we make in life.  For example changing jobs or buying a house.  The metaphorical bridges to our decisions can be longer or shorter depending on the event they are spanning, but in the end we are usually in a better place and able to take in the magnificent view.  In this case out over Megan’s Bay, which is the nicest beach in the USVI and can compete with most in the world.

Even though in life there are many, many thrill defining moments zipping along spaced with steady, calm, quite platforms where you can reflect upon your experiences and what may lie before you.  On this zip line course there are a total of six zip lines and two bridges before you get to the Yo-Yo.  This is the tallest platform you slide off of and the cable is much looser, so you plummet down and then make a large upward arc to the other end where you end up going backwards along the same path.  Back and forth you go until you finally rest in the center of the cable happily hanging there until the platform is moved to you.  If this is not symbolic of life’s twists and turns, as you go one way and then the next until you find your calm, then I don’t know what to tell you.

I had a wonderful time on the Tree Limin’ Extreme zip line course and I hope if you are in St Thomas, hopefully aboard the Guiding Light :) , you take the opportunity to participate in this fantastic experience.

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We came bearing Shane’s favorite gift….CANDY

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Guest blogger

Bearing Shane's favorite type of gift...CANDYTorben found a conch with a hermit crab in itSnorkeling at The Indians was the most fish we have seenTorben gives the Rhone a positive review

We are having the most wonderful vacation ever. A dream comes true.  Patrik was the one insisting on having this boat trip. He’s dreaming of sailing once we are retired and wanted to find out if it would really be something for us.  Shane let us participate actively to the boat life and answered all of our questions without getting tired of it in anyway.  So we have now found out, we just LOVE it!

We went to the most spectacular snorkeling places. In one place, it was so crowded with fish! We have never seen such a high concentration of sea-life before. Today, Shane is taking us to a site where there are a lot of turtles. We have seen and swam with several already, but here, there should be even more.  So we’re really very excited about it!

As the cherry on the pie, after another wonderful day of snorkeling, hiking, sailing, sunbathing, we had another delicious meal on board and an even more delicious dessert.  Besides being an acknowledgeable guide, Shane is a fabulous cook.  What I personally liked even better, he didn’t mind sharing all his recipes with me. I’m already looking forward to serving his dishes to our friends.

During our entire vacation, we didn’t feel at all as ‘paying’ guests on his boat; we more felt like friends.

Torben, our sixteen year old son, had a great time!  Every evening (and sometimes in the morning too, while we were waiting until the oven fresh bread was getting ready…) we played some games.  We discovered Risk 2210 and Monopoly Millionaire, the card game. Torben loved it!

We really have been spoiled and will for sure think often about this trip once we’re back home…

Patrik, Tanka and Torben from Belgium

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Katie’s letter to her family

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Guest blogger

Honey come find me in the corner Feeding fish for my honeyBoy do I love snorkelingSmile for the camera

Hello Lovely Family!

These are “Golden Days”!  Oh me-oh-my, this is what I have been waiting for:  water, sun and no stress.  It took me a couple of days to not feel lost, just wasn’t sure what to do with myself without the noise and demands… by today, the 3rd day, I am found. I am absolutely enjoying my Juanito and our quite moments together.

This place is fantastic waking up to the sound of the ocean (similarly falling asleep to the lulling of the ocean) it is peaceful, relaxing, restful and regenerating!  There is nothing quite as blue as the topaz colored waters, breath taking.  I am surrounded by God. Just as the view above the water is magnificent so is the world below.

The snorkeling is phenomenal; really, it has brought out the wonder in me as though I was a child again.  It’s another world under there and I find that I am completely in my element.  It is a garden below, and life comes in every imaginable color.  There are large antler like corals that are bright orange, small pink ones that look like octopus tentacles, and you should see the royal purple fans the sway with the surge of the water.  Today I saw these sweet little purple “flowers” that look like Lily of the Valley clinging to the submerged wall, seconds later I was startled by the large sting ray that lazily slided over the reef and down to the bottom of the sea.  There is a fish that I have seen repeatedly that looks like he is wearing green colored fatigues.  I can’t even begin to explain all of the life in this underwater garden.  I feel like a child at the zoo and I just get excited and am amazed by each living thing.  You all know how much I have always enjoyed gardening, so here is my thought… live on a boat forget dealing with sprinklers and any time I need some color, well just jump in.

I am very interested in learning to sail.  Our captain, Shane has had his work cut out for him as he is trying to teach me to “man the helm” (steer).  I pretty much bounce around.  It’s not like driving a car because the “road” is constantly moving.  All I can relate it to is that it feels like driving a car on an ice rink, by the time you correct the wheel you are all ready moving somewhere else. It feels slippery so I am learning to feel the movement before it happens.  I am absolutely ready for the challenge of learning to sail, I think that it is something that I will be good at and that I would truly enjoy, however this trip is more about relaxation than “lessons” so I am going to have to plan for a “learning vacation” in the future.

I can picture Juan and I in a few years cruising in a catamaran with our kids, but first I think we will take Shane up on the offer of an extended package that would include the little ones and give us enough time to really get a feel for the ocean and learn the art of sailing.  I see it as an opportunity to reinvent ourselves again and share the world with the kids prior to them leaving the nest.  I want to dance with my kids to the sounds of the Caribbean.  The oceans are large; just think of how we could incorporate into their home school curriculum the history, science and cultural exploration of the coasts.  Maybe even a little music appreciation.

I am sure that my daughter would have loved the local band last night at Trellis Bay, the fun and happy sounds of calypso.  Ok so maybe she would have initially died of embarrassment watching her parents dance while everyone at first sat there.  Eventually she would have joined in because the rhythm is contagious and sooner or later everyone is dancing!

In closing I want to say… To Shane, our professional, pleasant and enjoyable captain you really made this an unforgettable week, I appreciate all of the details both big and small that you took care of so that Juan and I could make this week about us.  Thanks for sharing your knowledge of the islands, taking us to wonderful places both above and below the sea. To our family and friends who love us and cared for our babies while we were away thanks so much I owe you all big time and am so grateful.  Finally to my Juanito I adore you and am so thankful for this wonderful week of happiness, friendship and strengthening our bonds you are my anchor and I am so honored to have shared this time with you.

With love,

Katie

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What is in a name?

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Shane

Looking down on them putting the logo on They are almost done Hello Guiding Light!!! Here comes the Guiding Light

On a boat it becomes your identity!  As cruisers we rarely know each other’s last names, only our boat’s name. Some examples are “aren’t you Shane on Guiding Light”, “Ahoy Guiding Light”, and “here comes Guiding Light”.

With this truthfulness I wanted to pick a boat name that I would be proud of and knew would not be common.  I came up with my name because I wanted something representing religion and boats.  Therefore Guiding Light came around and stands for God and lighthouses guiding me through life and rough waters.  This means God helps guide me, but I feel he also expects me to actively make decisions based on the world around me.  I liked the name so well that when I found out there was a soap opera with the same name (bummer!)  it did not faze me.  In fact I figured it was another way for people to remember my name (plus it was the first soap opera, so at least I used a name that is trail blazing).

While some people leave the name of their boat the same as it had when they bought it, other people I know chose their names for a variety of different reasons.  Bill & Michele on Steppin Up chose their name because this is a bigger boat, Mike and Rebecca on Zero To Cruising started with no idea about boats and worked their way to go cruising, Steve on Alternate Latitude bought his boat to charter and wanted a name that makes people think of Jimmy Buffet’s “Changes in Latitude” song, Rusty and Linda on Sea Yawl Later used their Texas roots and put a nautical spin on a common Texas phrase, Troy and Dena on Storyville named it after their favorite band, and Renee (who is Dutch) & Stacy on Pipe Muh Bligh translates to Blow Me Hard (I am sure they are talking about the wind ;) ).

Of course you can take the theme of the boat’s name to the dinghy also.  My best friend tabbed my dinghy Temptation because it takes you to shore with bars and other vices.  Thus it is taking you away from the Light.  On the same line of thinking my kayak is Redemption, because you have to work out to use it.  Dave and Leslie on Texas Two Step named their dinghy Line Dancer.

All of this is brought up because I just had the name plastered on the bows of the boat.  When I first got the boat I had the name and logo put on the stern as soon as I could.  Well it was not until later when I was out cruising that I realized other boats could not see my name with my dinghy hanging on the davits.   Therefore, I finally had the name put on the bows so everyone know who I am and I don’t look like a lot of the bareboats around here.

What do you think of the logo?  What is or will be your boat name and why?  Why don’t you leave a comment answering these questions for everyone to read?

Posted in Working on the boat | 8 Comments

Hassel Island, USVI trail map

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Shane

I know this is out of the normal for me to post twice in one week, but I wanted to make a trail map of Hassel Island, which I wrote, available to everyone in case you have an extra day in Charlotte Amalie and would like to do this fantastic hike.

I am working on getting this published in a magazine in the future, so look for it.

USVI Hassel Island Trail Map

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Over already?

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Guest blogger

Everyone Relaxing Everyone With Michael Bean Joe & Shanna On The Kayak Sailing

Hard to believe that eight days in paradise are over! It seems like yesterday Shane was greeting us at the airport and taking us on board the wonderful Guiding Light. Our days were filled with beautiful sunshine, gorgeous beaches, and fabulous sailing.

We sailed all the way to Anageda from Leverick’s Bay the maximum speed of 8.2 knots, which was excellent. All of the beaches were great. Our favorite was Salt Pond Bay. This was like swimming in an aquarium.

Shane was an excellent tour guide, captain, host, and gourmet chef all rolled into one person. He was knowledgeable of all the areas we visited, knowing specific details. This enhanced our experience, as we were quite specific in what we were interested in doing. We went off the beaten path mostly. He seems to know every nook and cranny.

If you like to eat good, healthy food, you will adore his baking and cooking. It was a week of truly fine dining from start to finish. The culinary experience was so impressive we have asked him for copies of his recipes.

Shane treats his guests like extended family members and encourages his guests to participate in sailing if they would like.

Overall, this has been a sensational week. We bring home lots of memories, pictures, and hope to keep in touch. We would definitely charter again with Shane. Our only regret is that the week passed too quickly.

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What brings joy to you?

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Shane

Sometimes it is the littlest things that get us thinking about how much we enjoy something.  For me it is living on a boat.

Even with the endless list of maintenance chores from scrubbing the hulls of barnacles (those suckers will rip you hand up at the slightest touch) to dealing with busted macerator pumps and other sewage issues (a crappy job if I have ever heard of one).  Then there is the improvements everyone wants to make on their boats like the hardtop, 12 volt frig, and shower just to name a few for me.

For me, the joy of living on my boat comes from waking every morning and seeing blue water, sandy beaches, and swaying palm trees.  I love the fact I can move the boat and get a whole new backyard if I want.  I really enjoy seeing new places and my travel videos let me share that with other people (I hope you enjoy watching them).  Shoot it is even fun at night to pause a movie, walk up on deck, and pee over the side (this would be more for the males reading this :) ).  When I have guest aboard I love showing them the joys of boat life, traveling, and seeing the history and beauty in each island.

Now I am not saying everyone should live on a boat or take up sailing, because it is defiantly not for everyone.  But I would like to ask each of you what brings joy to your life?  It could be camping, skiing, kids, wine tasting, ect.  Keep it in perspective, but indulge in your joy, because if you are happy then you will help make others around you happy.

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Happy 40th Christina!!!!

Posted on March 3, 2013 by Guest blogger

Living the dream….we set sail from St. Thomas on Saturday February 23rd – Christina’s 40th Birthday!  What an amazing way to celebrate with a week in the BVI with great friends.  We started the trip with a night out on the Willy T and that certainly lived up to its crazy reputation!   Our days were filled with snorkeling at some amazing sites – the Indians were our fav, day at the Baths with beautiful sites, a day on the most fantastic beach in Anegada, days with hours of sailing, swimming, relaxing and laughing.  Nights were spent having great dinners on board and on the islands including the freshly caught lobster dinner in Anegada.  Of course we stopped at all the fun drinking spots having great times at Saba Rock, Bitter End and Foxy’s.  We were lucky to be here to experience a Full Moon Party at Trellis Bay – a must for everyone! Spent our last full day at the Soggy Dollar (barely made it back to the boat) – home of the Painkiller!

Captain Shane did a great job with his first all girl charter.  We loved his freshly baked breads and chocolate cake!  The “outgoing geek” (his 2 words to describe himself) was fantastic as our ship photographer too.  Can’t thank him enough for capturing all our fun.

A trip of a lifetime that was above all of our expectations!

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Stiffing it up

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Shane

During the end of the hurricane season I had my old cloth bimini replaced with a fiberglass hardtop as I wrote about at the beginning of November.  I love the new hardtop and the sliding hatch over the helm.  I even got a LED strip which can blink, fade, or shine different colors and is a hit with guest.  The one problem I have had with the switch is the old frame was not structurally meant for the 200 pounds or so of the new hardtop.  If fact I am surprised the shipyard put the new top on without talking about reinforcing the framework.

This is where Bruce at Independent Boatyard came into the picture.  He came out to look at the old frame a couple weeks ago and got an idea of what he would like to do.  The problem was working within his, mine, and the work dock schedule.  It turned out he called me on Wednesday and said Thursday was the day and could I be there at 8am.  I had a charter starting Saturday at noon and knew I did not have much time, but I also did not want to lose this opportunity.

His assistant, Albert, and I ended up taking down half the ceiling panels on the boat to get access to the bottom of the deck.  While Bruce was busy measuring and welding new structural pieces Albert and I replaced all the bolts and added hefty backing plates to replace the tiny washers used in the past.

It took a day and a half (plus me staying up until 1am running new wiring for the cockpit light), but at noon on Friday we finished.  In addition to all the new bolts and backing plates Bruce added two poles to the back and two to the front (see the red circles in the 3rd photo).  Plus he had to fix at least three of the old welds, which cracked due to the side to side movement the old frame allowed because it had no lateral support.  If you have any welding you need to get done have him do it, because he is great and wonderful to work with.

The frame was now rock steady, but the boat looked like half the boatyard walked through it and the ceiling panels had hand prints all over them, plus I had to pick guest up in 24 hours.  I called a wonderful lady to come clean the inside of the boat for me while I went to the store and provisioned for my guest.  She was surprised by how dirty everything was, but she got to it and did an outstanding job.  With her help I was able to take Friday night off and relax before I got up on Saturday morning and hammered out the deck scrubbing.  I might have lost half my brush, but the boatyard dirt is all gone and the boat is ready for my next guest, which I hope you get to read about next week.

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2nd time around equals turtles and the BVI

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Guest blogger

Last January I had such a great time in the Virgin Islands with Captain Shane that I had to return for more! This time around, we went to visit the British Virgin Islands instead of the US to see some new hot spots.

The last time I visited, my main requirement was to see and swim with sea turtles…unfortunately, no such luck. So when I got to the boat this year, our first stop was out to Buck Island where I swam with seven turtles! Don’t tell the National Parks folks….because I also touched them!  :)

When we had enough of the turtles we went to Jost Van Dyke in the BVI and did a small hike to the bubbly pool. This pool is similar to an inverted beach and the way the water comes in and hits the rocks – it looks like you’re in a giant hot tub. If you come to this area – it’s a must see!

The next day we went to Sandy Cay, Great Harbor and White Bay – all on Jost Van Dyke. Great Harbor is home to the infamous Foxy’s bar where I got serenaded by Foxy himself. Sandy Cay and White Bay were beautiful beaches where we played in the water and were beach bums all day.

Our next trip was to another BVI must-see – the Baths. Any pictures that you may have seen online don’t do this place justice – it’s huge! The giant rocks here make some incredible formations – and if you’re feeling brave enough you can explore off the traditional path and find some secret passages as well.

I had been a bit of a chicken with some of the adventures on this trip, so when it came time to snorkel the caves, I wasn’t so sure. Captain Shane had given me his underwater flashlight for the first one – but it still seemed like a bit much. I’m so glad I did it! Just about the time when I thought it was too dark and I should turn around and go back, I had reached the end. There’s even a little place off to the side where you go a little deeper. We sat there and tried to scare some kids – but they just looked at us like we were a bit crazy!

We eventually started to make our way back to the US and went to my favorite island – St John. We got a mooring ball at Salt Pond Bay and from there did the Ram’s Head hike (about a mile one way) to get the most incredible view of the islands. There was hardly anyone on this hike – I couldn’t believe we had the whole place to ourselves!

To round out my trip – we made one last stop to swim with the sea turtles. As many incredible things as I saw on this trip – the sea turtles are still pretty high on my list! They’re just so darn cute!

I was expecting a fabulous time back on the Guiding Light and Captain Shane didn’t disappoint. He’s so knowledgeable of every place he takes you, including the places no one has heard of, and makes sure that you are getting the vacation that you came down for.

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Dave’s playlist through the Virgin Islands

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Guest blogger

As my wife and I headed through the airport terminal celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary, we noticed a similarity of all the destinations of outgoing flights from the terminal gates we passed.  We walked passed Aruba, Montego Bay, Key Largo, etc. I commented to my wife, as we were leaving 12 degree weather, that I believe there has been a song written for each destination we passed.  In that vein, I would add a version of song lyrics for each day we sailed with Shane on the Guiding Light through the Virgin Islands.  If you have been on a charter with Shane, you probably have your own versions:

Day One (Weather change from 12 degrees and snow to 80 degrees and sunshine on bow of the Guiding Light):

There ain’t to many times, I feel like a king, but sittin’ here with you dear makes me want to sing.  Today the sun is shinin’ on me; sittin’ with my feet in the breeze ain’t sweating the little things; and who knows what tomorrow is gonna bring; but today the sun is shining on me.

Jerrod Niemann; Shinin’ on Me

Day Two:

When the sun’s at his back and the wind in his face it’s just him and the wheel, he wouldn’t take a million for the way it makes him feel…boats – vessels of freedom, harbors of healing – boats…

Went home that night and told his wife, you can tell all your friends.  It’s been real but it ain’t been fun, were gonna get us one of them boats; vessels of freedom, harbors of healing – boats.

Kenny Chesney, Boats

Day Three (A night at Foxy’s on Jost Van Dyke):

Gonna wear my dancing shoes out tonight, gonna have myself a big time again tonight.

John Mellencamp, Again Tonight

Day Four (Open water sailing and the locals on St. John):

It was early one morning on Playa Del Carman that’s when I first met Jose; he had a 12 foot scooner, three foot cooler full of the catch of the day. He was wrinkled from grinnin’ from all the sun he had been in, he was barefoot Cervase in hand, he said “gracias senor” when I paid him too much for all the snapper he had.

I told him my friend it ain’t nothing in the best broken Spanish I knew. I said I make a good living back home where I’m from, he smiled and said amigo me to;

He said, “I fish, I play my guitar, I laugh at the bar with my friends, I go home to my wife, I pray every night, I can do it all over again.”

Somewhere over Texas, I thought of my Lexus and all the stuff I work so hard for, and all the things that I’ve gathered from climbing that ladder didn’t make much sense anymore;  they say my nest egg ain’t ready to hatch yet, they keep holding my feet to the fire, they call it paying the price so that one day in life I’ll have what I need to retire…and just fish, play my guitar, laugh at the bar with my friends, go home to my wife, pray every night that I can do it all over again.

Kenny Chesney; The Life

Day Five:

Come on and let good time roll, we gonna stay here till we sooth our soul, if it take all night long.  One more time, come on and let the good time roll, we gonna stay here til’ we sooth our souls if it take all night long.  Gotta tell you.  Evening sun is sinking low, the clock on the wall say it’s time to go, I got my plans I don’t know about you, I tell you exactly what I’m gonna do.  Get in the groove and let the good time roll.  I’m gonna stay here til’ I soothe my soul.  If it takes all night long.

Sam Cook; Good Times

Day Six (Back to cold weather):

Sounds so good, it’s got me thinking.  What do you all say after I’m done singing, we just take a little get away, cruising down the A1A; Florida, Bama to the Keys, better keep your eye on me…I’ll go coastal on you.  I’ll go coastal on you…

Kenny Chesney; Coastal

Thanks for the all the great memories Shane!  Looking forward to going “coastal” soon!

Dave and Tamara

Virgin Islands

February, 2013

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The infamous William Thornton…aka The Willy T

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Shane

As promised last week let’s talk about the Willy T, your best chance for debauchery in the BVI.  The original concept for this joint started in 1989 when an old wooden Baltic Trader was acquired due to it not being fit to go to sea anymore.  Apparently it was not fit to handle the partying either because it slipped below the water in 1995.  The owners knew they had a winner and went about securing a new boat, this time a two story steel sailing vessel and drinks were flowing again by early 1996.

Towards the front of the boat is a kitchen, which turns out surprisingly good food for the $15-20 price tag (a deal in the BVI) and is open for lunch and dinner.  But it is known more for the bar area.  During the daylight hours day boats come over with cruise ship people who get rambunctious.  Then it starts to quiet down around 3:30…until around 9pm when all the charter boats come over and the fun starts all over.

The party is completely dependent on who is there that day, but it can get out of hand with alcohol flowing and music pumping.  There are two TVs flaunting photos of past parties (which I think is a bit much).  The dance floor is always hopping and ladies can get a special tattoo put on.  Of course it is customary to have it either licked or spanked onto you.

The specialty drink is the Shotski, a ski with four shot glasses drunk with three other people, and the body shot.  You must secure your own scantily clad female as it is not provided by the establishment.

My favorite activity here is jumping off the second floor, but it is supposedly not allowed since the accident in 1996.  This is not true at all and everyone still jumps even if there is a no jumping sign (lots of people like their photo with the sign before they jump).  What the Willy T does not do anymore is reward adventurous ladies who jumped naked with a free tee shirt.  Of course that does not stop them from jumping naked….to everyone’s encouragement and delight.

Late in the night I have seen people tumble into their dinghies and I have heard stories of people taking the wrong one and even waking up on the wrong boat in the morning.  Now that is a story you will remember when you are in the old folks home.

With all the drinking and partying it is ironic this place is named after the designer of the US Capital building who was born in the BVI and was a Quaker.  I am going to be the first one to admit this bar is not for everyone, but I usually have a great time when I am here.  What do you think?  Want to come on down and give it a try?

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Norman Island, BVI

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Shane

People often ask me what my favorite islands are and I tell them St John is by far my favorite, and I have written about different sites around that island many times, but today I want to tell you about my third favorite…Norman Island.

This island is the inspiration of Robert Lewis Stevenson’s Treasure Island.  His uncle visited here and told Robert about it.  Robert then drew up a fake map based on the descriptions he heard and wrote that wonderfully fun pirate tale.

Usually our first stop is actually a mile from the island itself.  This would be the Indians (1st photo), which is four huge rocks sticking up from around fifty feet of water.  On the other side it is around 15 feet deep with some great crevices and a fantastic and fairly easy swim through cave (just don’t panic if a surge does not let you go forward right away).  Towards the south side there is some wonderful soft coral (2nd photo).  This is where I got one of my most colorful videos of a turtle, which you can see on the Chartering tab towards the top.  As you come around the most southern Indian you will be amazed as you are swimming over a rock around 5-10 feet deep with great coral and lots of fish and the bottom seems to never materialize.  This is because is plummets from that 10 feet to the 50 feet you moored you boat in.  Many people have told me this is the most colorful snorkel I took them on in a week.

The next site is The Caves (3rd photo), which has been inspiring the “X marks the spot” fantasy since these islands were discovered by Columbus.  There are really four caves on Treasure Point, but one of them you have to climb to and no one counts it.  The first one from the north is great because you swim into this huge hole in the side of the cliff.  Once inside it shoals up to 5 feet or so of small cobble stone.  This cave goes back about 80-100 feet and even makes a turn for another 15 feet or so.  Going in you can’t see anything and a flashlight is recommended, but once you turn around and look towards the entrance you can see everything.  What is fun is to go all the way in, turn the corner, and sit at the very back waiting for everyone else to enter.  Usually you will get a scream or two when you say hello.  The second cave is just a big concave and what you see is what you get.  Some people like it the best, because the colors are spectacular.  The third one is hard to see from the boat due to the angle it faces.  This one you enter in the middle and it goes to the left and right.  The left side shallows out to a point where it can be dry at low tide.  To the right you can walk out a hole and exit the cave that way.  Across from the entrance there are some very colorful underwater bowls to look at, but I would not recommend getting into them due to the coral.  Look for the glass sweeper fish which are
always at the entrance on the left side swaying back and forth with the surge.  As with the Indians, The Caves are part of the BVI Nation Parks system and mooring balls are offered during the day for you to use.

At night you may want to try dinner at Pirate’s Bight.  Many people have told me this is their favorite restaurant and it got a complete makeover this last summer.  I still can’t get over the difference.  Way back when the original “establishment” was a guy with a grill and cooler.  He would fire a signal cannon around 4pm and everyone would come in.  The party went on until either the gas for the generator ran out or the ice and that was it.  Now it is a nice boutique resort.   After dinner you will want to party on the Willy T, but I am saving that until next week.

The Bight is where all the fun is at night, but if you are a cruiser you may not want to pay the $30 mooring fee.  I have seen boats anchored here, but it is pretty deep.  You may want to try the balls south of the Caves, because I am told they don’t collect money very regularly there, or anchor in Benures bay on the north side or Money Bay on the south side.  I have seen boats in both spots and they are suppose to be nice, but I have never done it since I always want to be near Pirate’s Bight and the Willy T.

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Wisconsin Badgers attack the Guiding Light

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Guest blogger

From Lesley-

Well, it’s officially here- the end of the “most awesome vacation ever.”  We coined this phrase about 9 months ago when we booked our trip and have been excited to board the boat since.  This trip for us (Jim and Lesley) is something we’ve been talking about for the last 10 years, so when the Renick’s threw it out to us- needless to say we were quick to decide.  After a bit of research, we choose Shane because he offered a vacation experience we were looking for.  Let me tell you- we hit the Captain jackpot.  Shane gave us just the experience we were looking for.  He was a great guide, helped us find the best spots- on the day I wasn’t feeling well, he took care to find a calm spot for the night that still offered everyone else a great beach and snorkeling.  So- my highlights:

  • We dove in on Day 1- did the Caves, Indians and Willy T- it was a blast and a great way to jump into a vacation with both feet.  I think the Indians was my favorite snorkel spot.
  • I loved the Bathes, amazing, amazing, amazing.  You just have to see it.
  • We chose to take the trip to Anagada- and I love traveling with sails up.
  • The trampoline- my favorites spot on the boat.

Jim and I vacation every year and typically it’s to an all inclusive.  I can say hands down- this was the best vacation I’ve ever taken.  I went directly too relaxed within minutes of boarding.  I’ll be honest- I didn’t know what to expect by sleeping on a boat- having a Captain, basically living in some else’s home.  It’s amazing, I highly recommend it.  Shane knows his way around, he’s super easy going, was a great guide and we can’t wait to book with our new friend again!

BTW- Listen to me when I tell you to pack your bag and then take 50% of it out- you won’t need it.

 

From Krista-

Having to wait 9 months for this amazing vacation was terribly hard, but the minute I stepped on board I knew it had been worth the wait.  From the minute I stepped on the boat I was completely relaxed and at home for the week.  First and foremost Shane is an amazing captain!!!!  He makes you feel so welcome on board and really knows a lot about the islands.  After cruising with him, I seriously can’t even imagine choosing another captain.

Choosing a favorite spot for me is really hard because each island had something different to offer and had it’s own highlights.  The Baths are probably one of the best attractions and one of my favorites.  They are simply amazing and a must see.  Our day at Anagada was another highlight for sure.  The beach is and beautiful-you could seriously walk for miles and miles.  We topped off that day with Lobsters on the beach-something that I will always remember as a highlight of the trip.  Just hanging on the trampoline sunbathing while we were cruising was definitely another top favorite of mine.  I loved Jost Van Dyke-it had such a Caribbean feel to it and it was awesome getting to visit with many of the locals.

Typically Aaron and I vacation once a year-sometimes we go on a cruise and sometimes we go to an all inclusive and this by far was the best trip ever.  Every day I woke up relaxed and ready for a new adventure.  This is such an amazing way to travel-I am seriously spoiled now and can’t wait to do this trip again someday.

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Cruising vs Chartering

Posted on January 13, 2013 by Shane

Even though I have the same boat and I am the same person cruising and chartering are completely different approaches to boating.

When I am cruising the pace is very leisurely and quite flexible due to weather, other cruisers I am hanging out with, and my own motivation.  I would spend a full day to a week or more in one location meeting the locals, seeing the sights, and just relaxing.

When I have charter guest aboard we usually have a one week period (sometimes a little more sometimes a little less).  Everyone is on vacation and want to see everything in that timeframe.  The pace is faster and we eat out a lot more than cruisers do.

Both lifestyles are fine and wonderful.  It just comes down to what mindset you have and what your agenda is.  Either way have a great time because you are still on a boat and the is the most important part!

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