If you are planning to dive or snorkel the reefs on your next charter voyage to the Caribbean, Bahamas or Florida Keys you may encounter the astonishingly beautiful lionfish. Beware, the graceful profusion of colorful fins belies venomous spines that, although not known to be fatal, are extremely painful and can (rarely) come with severe complications. In addition, some scientists consider them as one of the top 15 threats to biodiversity worldwide.

Lionfish are native to the Indo-Pacific region but in recent decades have invaded the waters of the Caribbean, the Bahamas, the east coast of the Americas as far north as Rhode Island, and as far south as Columbia. Their infiltration is likely the result of releases from tanks of saltwater hobbyists. With few known natural enemies, lionfish present a major threat to coral reef ecosystems as predators and competitors for food.

Humans are becoming the most lethal threat to date, as the fish emerges as a gourmet delicacy. Facebook groups promoting lionfish consumption include “I Spear Lionfish,” “Lionfish Derby” and “Eat the Lionfish.” According to an article published by the Washington Post, July 7, 2010, chefs, spear fisherman and seafood distributors are plotting to eat the fish out of non-native existence. The REEF Environmental Education Foundation, a leading organization in the research and development of lionfish control programs, is preparing to publish a cookbook this fall on how to prepare the lionfish, described with a flavor between snapper and grouper.

What you should you do if you see the foot-long lionfish? They are glamorous and peaceful creatures, so use the photo opportunity. Otherwise, unless you are a savvy fisherman, or have the proper training and equipment, leave it alone but report the sighting location to the local island authorities and/or REEF when you surface.

Photo credit: REEF

Visit REEF Environmental Education Foundation: www.reef.org/lionfish

Lionfish Recipes: www.lionfishhunter.com/Lionfish%20Recipes.html

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/06/AR2010070601003.htm

Peter Island is traditionally a very popular destination on every BVI charter itinerary. This season Peter Island Resort features two exceptional opportunities; photo documentation of your snorkel or dive adventure and professional cooking classes. Both will let you cherish a bit of the island color and flavor long after your return home.

Peter Island has some of the most awe-inspiring reefs in the BVI. Hundreds of brilliantly colored species of fish, coral and numerous shipwrecks set the stage for an extraordinary underwater quest. Armando Jenik is available to escort charterers undersea and professionally photograph their experience.

Armando is a highly acclaimed underwater photographer and cinematographer, with published images in Geo Magazine, GQ and others. His work has appeared in commercials, documentaries and feature films and he was honored with the Mobius award for best commercial in 1990. He will organize the optimum snorkel or dive adventure and create a personalized photo document that captures your experience as a work of art.

October 24-31 is the resort’s first Guest Chef Program of the season, with Corporate Executive Chef Jason Drysdale of the Norwegian Caribbean Line. Jason is the Culinary Trainer for NCL America and a genius at preparing trendy gourmet cuisine. Jason, along with the resort’s executive chef, Lisa Sellers, offer this creative, intimate cooking class limited to ten couples. The class will ferry to a working farm on Tortola to select produce, then return to the kitchen at Falcon’s Nest to create signature items that will be featured on the restaurant’s menu. This is an ongoing program so if you are interested please inquire as to future dates.

To participate in either the underwater photography experience or the Guest Chef Program at Peter Island Resort charter guests are not required to be guests of the resort but should consider program registration in advance, especially during peak periods, due to very limited space. Please read more about Peter Island in our Peter Island Yacht Charter Guide.

Should you need Internet access while on your Boatbookings Yacht Charter vacation the Bitter End Yacht Club provides free WIFI at the Almond Walk Terrace, the Clubhouse Restaurant, and the Pub. Bitter End also has two Internet connected computers available for guest use, which includes mooring and dockage guests, available at the front desk. Children are welcome to connect their games and iPads as well. BEYC would like everyone to know that strong Cellular/GSM phone coverage on the island provides excellent connectivity to the States and Europe.

Whatever type of bareboat charter you plan in the Bahamas or Caribbean  you’ll want to impress family and friends with this enticing yet simple dish. The recipe is provided exclusively to Boatbookings clients by Lisa Sellers, executive chef at Peter Island Resort. Be a gourmet chef on your next charter by using the cornucopia of fresh ingredients locally available in paradise.

Chef Sellers’ Signature Shrimp Dish

Lemongrass infused Shrimp, Green Papaya & Mango “Salad”

Serves 4 People

12 shrimp- size 16/20, peeled & deveined

1 stick fresh lemongrass

Sea Salt & Freshly ground black pepper

1 ripe mango

1 green Papaya

½ Sweet red peppers

½ Sweet Green Peppers

Dried Mango slices

Dried Green Papaya Slices

A small pinch fresh Chilies

Extra virgin Olive Oil

Method:

Crush the lemongrass and chop, mix with shrimp & salt & Pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil cover and marinate for a few hours

Finely chop mango, green papaya, peppers & mix, add chili and season to taste, bind with a small amount of mango puree

Heat a sautéed pan, with olive oil, sear of the shrimp both sides, and cook, this will take about 3-4 minutes,

Arrange the mango & green papaya salad in a mold; place the shrimp on the plate, putting dried papaya & Mango slices in between the shrimp

Garnish with Micro greens or arugula.

Enjoy!

Magical, lush and inspiring, the islands that comprise the British Virgin Islands are without equal as a sailing destination. Verdant hillsides, thick with ancient mahogany, cascade down into sweeping white sand beaches. White powder sand slips beneath clear turquoise tides into a Technicolor aquarium of diverse sea life, living coral reefs and infamous wrecks. The storied past of Amerindians, slave traders, plantation owners and pirates is ever present. Whether you select a Boatbookings crewed, skippered, or bareboat charter, you set sail for an unforgettable experience.

Among the many extraordinary destinations in the BVI are three privately owned islands, Guana Island, Necker Island and Peter Island. Many discriminating clients like to include an island stay as part of their charter vacation experience and take pleasure in the best of both land and sea. These three islands each offer exclusive and distinctive options for an island interlude.

Guana Island

For charter clients with an interest in history and ecology Guana Island offers an unrivaled experience. The eighth largest island in the chain, Guana Island has a storied past. At the museum guests learn about two 18^th century Quaker families’ thriving cotton and sugar plantations whose walls, mills, cannons and other ruins can be explored around the island. Subsequently abandoned, the island reverted to local families that sold the island in 1935 to Beth and Louis Bigelow of Massachusettes. These creative visionaries constructed several vacation cottages to attract well-heeled intellectuals and eccentrics from around the world. In 1975, Henry and Gloria Jareki purchased the secluded island and succeeded in improving facilities while preserving the unique history, flora and fauna.

Today their sons, Andrew, Tom and Eugene, insure that Guana Island remains an extraordinary place for future generations. Indeed, scientists say the abundance and diversity of plant and animal species exceeds that of any other island of its size in the Caribbean.

In addition to fabulous hiking trails and seven powder sand beaches, scuba divers and snorkelers will thrill to three reef areas that are home to parti-colored tropical fish, amazing varieties of coral, and deepwater reefs where tuna and king mackerel can be glimpsed gliding among the wrecks.

The Guana Island Resort has all-inclusive accommodation in private cottages with balconies, a romantic gourmet restaurant, an outdoor spa, yoga classes and nightly special events. Visit www.guana.com.

Peter Island

Peter Island is the largest private island among the 60 islands, cays and exposed reefs that comprise the British Virgin Islands. Located just four miles southwest of Road Town, Tortola, Peter Island has a colorful history of notable visitors including pirates, planters and privateers. Yachtsmen are welcomed at Peter Island Resort’s full service marina to enjoy hours or days spent at the resort’s numerous facilities that include an award-winning Ayurvedic spa.

Of the five spectacular beaches on Peter Island, Little Deadman’s Bay and Beach, a private island enclave, is the favorite anchorage for superyachts. On Deadman’s Beach, of Blackbeard notoriety, guests can play or party at the resort’s sports center and Beach Bar and Grill. World-class snorkeling and diving is also just a few steps off the magnificent beaches.

In addition to the island’s natural wonders, Peter Island Resort hosts a variety of scheduled activities to please everyone form serene romantics to curious children. Among the many festivities, Halloween is celebrated with pirate-themed merriment, and for connoisseurs, the Holiday Wine and Dine package is an unsurpassed culinary experience. With abundant natural wonders, posh amenities and diverse activities, Peter Island is an unmatched destination for couples, families and friends who wish add an island stay to their charter itinerary. Please see www.peterisland.com

Necker Island

Perhaps the most magical paradise of the private islands is Sir Richard Branson’s all-inclusive retreat on Necker Island. Balinese open architecture, exotic woods, imported furnishings and stunning artworks create an awe- inspiring setting. The Great House, perched atop Devil’s Hill, has six marvelous rooms including a master suite with private terrace and Jacuzzi. In addition, six secluded Bali houses with magnificent views dot the island. Michelin-trained chefs prepare culinary delights that range from formal to beachside and traditional to themed.

Normally the entire island is privately rented to accommodate up to 28 guests. However during ‘Celebration Weeks’ couples or singles can book individual stays to share the island ‘house party style’. There are also ‘Family Fun Weeks’ when children are welcome.  There are several open weeks in September, October and during the BVI Kite Jam, February 26, 2011. For additional information visit www.neckerisland.virgin.com

The British Virgin Islands are a spectacular destination any time of year, but are especially popular during the high season; November to May. These winter months bring gentle trade winds that maintain a tropical climate and create optimal sailing conditions, minimal rain chance, and average winter temperatures that ascend from a deliciously cool 70°F at night to a daytime high of 84°F. We strongly advise you to reserve your Boatbookings sail and stay vacation well in advance, especially if traveling during the holidays, as availability is limited.

Be sure to see our BVI images gallery on Facebook, and feel free to add you own!

Sharon Bahmer, Boatbookings.com

Sharon Bahmer has run the Caribbean/North American Charter Business for nearly 4 years at Boatbookings.com, and has managed literally hundreds of charters in the BVI. She takes great pride in placing guests onboard her favorite catamarans in one of the world’s most excellent charter destinations. Here are her thoughts about the BVI and expectations for this year:

Q – What makes the BVI such a special charter area?

I like this question because essentially the BVI is just a perfect environment for sailing, and yachting of all kinds.  The seas are generally calm because the many islands shelter the Sir Francis Drake Channel. The wind is predictable – almost always from the East at 10 – 12 knots.  The sun shines nearly every day. Each island is an easy sail away offering a new adventure with something for everyone – a great hidden beach, the Baths to crawl through, a perfect beach bar, sea turtles coming right up to your boat, amazing snorkeling, shipwrecks, pirate lore… As I said it offers everything!

The BVI is such a special charter destination because the yachting and charter infrastructure has evolved to the point where you now have more yachts/boat types to offer guests, many options for provisioning, excellent marinas, so you can spend a lot more time enjoying being on your boat, and less hassling about getting everything the way you want it.

I prefer recommending the BVI, and crewed catamarans options to my guests, because I know they’ll come back happy!  I have many testimonials from ecstatic guests even some who are now repeats, making my job more fun! See our BVI Catamarans for charter.

Q – Who do you see chartering in the BVI, and what do they normally charter?

We’re seeing more and more families, or groups of families, because there is so much for the kids to do, and I think families like the thought of a “green” holiday on the water instead of being cooped up in a resort.  So much more freedom for the kids – it’s more special for them. Generally we recommend that families charter a catamaran, because cats are so “family friendly” – big salon, complete kitchen, private cabins, great deck area, less seasickness, etc.  And unless you really know the islands, we always recommend a crewed cat or a bareboat with skipper – it takes all of the hassles out of the day and allows the whole family to relax.  Even with a skipper, people can do plenty of sailing!  More on Chartering with Children.

Another type of charter guests are couples. Honeymoons and Anniversaries are often celebrated in the BVI on these beautiful catamarans. Crews know how to spoil you and make you never want to return home and back to reality.

Q – Provisioning, What are your thoughts?

One recommendation about provisioning, if you’re on a bareboat.  I wouldn’t recommend trying to order all the food online – there’s a good chance you’ll get things you didn’t want or produce that is not quite fresh.  Most of the provisioning companies will pick you up and take you back to your boat for no charge – you won’t need to rely on a taxi service, waiting on you to find that right spice for your chicken dish.

Q – What recommendations do you have for charterers in the BVI?

My main recommendation is to always tell your charter broker exactly what you’re looking for (and what you want to avoid). Taking time to communicate with us greatly assists us in finding the right boat for you. Ask your charter broker if they have personally viewed the boats and met the crews, ask us for itineraries, favorite restaurants and bars – we’ve researched as many as possible 

Q – What’s your favorite story about a BVI Charter?

Well there was this group of 5 skippered Catamarans for a tandem charter with a total of 12 adults and 15 kids.  After a year of emails, phone calls, boat changes, price changes, flight schedule changes and after the adults had decided to cut some of their time onboard short because they feared the kids would be bored being on a boat for too long. The satisfaction came when I received the testimonials and photographs from the group, including the kids saying ‘When can we do it again?’

Sharon has helped author many of our British Virgin Islands Pages – if you want more information, please click on one of the following: 7 Day BVI Sailing Itinerary, BVI Yacht Charter Guide, BVI Attractions and things to do, BVI Yacht Charter Slide Show, our BVI charter yachts listing.

Everyone asks us how the summer went and what is going on in the charter market these days, so here are our views on the market and and a few of our expectations for the remainder of the year.

About midway through July, demand for Mediterranean charters picked up dramatically – last minute charters came out of the woodwork and we’ve been inundated ever since. Anecdotal stories from other industries such as villa rentals generally say that same thing. People wanted deals, but in the end they still wanted a great holiday, despite the recession.

We believe that there is much more confidence amongst charterers, and that this will continue into the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Asia/Pacific high seasons from December through April. We’ve seen our traffic and enquiries accelerate (more than double from last September when the world was falling apart) and our operators in the Caribbean say that Christmas and New Years availability is becoming scarce. If you’re planning a charter during this peak period in the Caribbean, especially the BVI, then best to contact Boatbookings.com soon to discuss the boats that are remaining (we’ve created a nice listing of BVI Yacht Charter Availability here. Unfortunately, with the rebound in the economy, the possibility of “deals” during this peak period is dramatically diminished.

We’ve also seen a significant pick-up in demand for the Indian Ocean – especially in the Seychelles and Maldives. Because these are longer haul destinations, they seem to be picking up a bit more slowly, so there is still good availability, but if the current trend continues we wouldn’t recommend waiting until the last minute and looking for deals, or you may be disappointed.

Thailand got hit with a double whammy at the end of 2008. Just as the world economy was falling apart, the Bangkok international airport was closed by political protesters, heavily impacting the tourism sector in general. This lead to much lower demand in the first half of 2009, and some amazing charter deals being available to counteract all the bad publicity.

But just as our Asia Charter Manager was starting to wonder if the world was still in love with Thailand, July/August has seen a dramatic rise in enquiries and bookings for Thailand charters. As Europeans return from their summer vacations, we expect this increase in demand to continue. In fact, like every year, most cats are already booked up many months in advance for the peak periods of Christmas and New Year in Phuket.

As for the Mediterranean next summer – it’s anybody’s guess, but we certainly expect that next summer will be significantly stronger than this year, so don’t expect the type of deals that we were seeing this year. It may sound self serving, but the best way to guarantee the current prices and get a bit of a discount as well is to get an early booking discount – which generally means booking your summer charter before the end of the year.

Getting to the BVI has been particularly difficult since American Airlines cut back their flights last year.  Good news – beginning May 2, AA has announced that it will have 7 flights per day.  The earliest leaves at 8:36 am, and the new late flight leaves at 8:05 pm – making it much easier to start a charter the day after you leave the States (and also removing stress about missing that last flight and being stranded in San Juan).  The flight takes 40 minutes on Aerospatiale/Alenia 72’s which have 64 seats – no need to be in a little Cessna, unless you like them!

Shame they didn’t do this during the 2009 high season, but it will certainly help charterers next year.

Each one of the 27 people who went on our BVI Charter said that it was either the best or one of the best holidays they’d ever had.  The variety the BVI offers, the comfortable catamarans, the superb beaches, and the freedom of a charter combined to create lifelong memories for everyone.  The BVI proved once again why it is the world’s top yacht charter destination.

Although it worked out well, it wasn’t without its risks and stresses.  Some conclusions about family and group chartering are the following:

- Kids will love it, but you have to plan for them and brief them properly. Beach toys, cards, electronic games, videos, guidebooks all are indispensable. And teach them to snorkel before they arrive in the BVI.
- Don’t skimp on the boat size or amenities.  Little things like an ice maker, flush toilets, and fully equipped kitchens make a huge difference.  The added cost will get lost in the increased enjoyment of the trip.

- The BVI is not cheap, especially the food, there’s no way around it. There are plenty of ways of making the trip more cost effective, but do be aware that the BVI is not a low cost holiday destination and budget accordingly.

- Unless you know all the islands and have sailed there before, we strongly recommend a Skipper.  He’ll take so much of the planning and worry out of the trip.  Trying to keep children and family happy while also concentrating on the day’s itinerary doesn’t leave a lot of time to relax and enjoy!

- Plan a basic itinerary before the trip, and communicate it to everyone.  There’s nothing more stressful than trying to get multiple groups and captains to agree on a destination and agenda for the day.  Of course it can be adjusted (we had a 5 minute nightly meeting to confirm the plan for the following day), but starting with a blank sheet of paper each day is asking for trouble.

- Have a group meeting before you leave.  We had everyone over and did a thorough briefing on the trip 3 weeks prior to departure.  Items discussed were travel plans, safety rules for the kids, provisioning, general itinerary, and, importantly, how to make a pina colada.  Some of our European Friends also had to learn who Jimmy Buffet was (yes, hard to believe).

- Finally, plan your trip with like minded people who like to have fun, are flexible and aren’t looking for all of the creature comforts of a 5 star hotel.  Even though our catamarans were comfortable, they are not a floating resort.  People who are used to boats understand that weather can be bad, things may break, and changes of plans will inevitably occur.  If you don’t think they will be happy on a boat for a week, put them in a resort such as the Bitter End and meet them along the way!!

The last two days of our charter were spent on Jost Van Dyke, with a quick stop on marvellous Sandy Spit – the glorious deserted island ringed with an excellent sandy beach and offering some nice coral snorkeling. The main events on Jost were to be Saturday night at Foxy’s and Sunday all day at the Soggy Dollar Bar, just around the corner.

Foxy’s, to be honest, was disappointing.  We had geared the whole party up for a great party on Saturday, and had been building up Foxy’s throughout the trip (based on previous visits there). But, even though it was a Saturday night and probably 60 boats were anchored in the harbor, there was no atmosphere at Foxy’s and almost no people. By 9pm, there were maybe 20 people in the place, and the recorded music was certainly not begging anyone to hit the dance floor.  Disappointed, we headed back to our cats and had our own parties!

We certainly did not have the same fate at the Soggy Dollar Bar!  White Bay has a gorgeous beach, just as nice and clean as Deadmans Bay, Peter Island. And the Soggy Dollar bar was everything you’d want it to be – relaxed, with great beach food (we all had Cheeseburgers in Paradise), magic Painkillers, uplifting Caribbean music, and plenty of happy people arriving and partying throughout the day.  We rafted 3 of our cats together and anchored them 20 feet from the beach, so everyone could swim to shore whenever they desired.  It’s hard to imagine how we could have spent a better day at the beach.

In the evening all of the crowds left, leaving just our boats and 2 others in the Bay. We helped close down the bar, bought our obligatory t-shirts, and then had a group dinner on our rafted boats.  The Soggy Dollar Bar is also a hotel, with elegant evening candlelight dining, but kids are not allowed.

Our suggestion is that perhaps it would have been better to spend two nights in peaceful and beautiful White Bay, and just take a quick taxi over to check out if there was any action at Foxy’s.