speaking just for us. We stay clear of the
Caribbean during
hurricane season.
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You might think of
Australia and sailing the Whitsunday Islands. We have done this twice for about 12 days each trip, and added in lots of neat adventures as well as bare boat chartering. Skippers are available as are catamarans. Whitsunday Escape, Moorings, and Sunsail.
We also
SCUBA dived the
great barrier reef and the
coral sea on both trips on board the Spirit of Freedom 120 foot luxury dive boat ( 4 days ), Also, white water rafted the Tully River, class 5 of 5 when we went with Raging Thunder. We Hiked, and attended other fun adventures....had great times with the aussies, they are super great people.
As to the sailing the Whitsundays, we had some super sailing, as well as amazing snorkeling, quiet peaceful
anchorages, beautiful beaches, some partying, but many of the islands are not inhabited or sparcely so. We spent time in
Sydney, Carins, and the
Queensland coast towns, as well as Cape Tribulation. We were there about the first part of October. Long Airplane Ride, but the party light was lit, and the adventures were fantastic. ( we did 30 plus day visits due to the long distance from LAX, one trip, and
Kauai Island on the last visit.)
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Other places that we enjoyed south of the equator
Tahiti, four different sailing vacations, two weeks each split between the Moorings and Sunsail. Bareboating, but they do have skippers available. Riatea, Taha'a,
Bora Bora, and Huahine. People were great, and plenty of good times as well. Also, many people just do 7, or 10 days.
Tonga , one trip, we went a bit late in june /july and had a mean low presssure system effecting us slighlty, but great sailing winds, in the Vavau Group. We preferred
Tahiti, hence 4 different sailing vacations there.
No matter where we travel, we make our own good time. Life is great !
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Our take on
Hurricane Season. I know in the
Caribbean many
charter outfits have a special in Sept. and Oct. 10 days for the
price of 7 days. Well, that is nice, but we would not risk all of the precious time and the
money to possibly bet whacked by a hurricane in the two worst months for hurricanes. You buys your ticket and takes your chances on that one.
I have made professional careers in both sailing and flying, 35 years, and have a great deal of respect for what mother nature and king neptune can sling at us. So, we wimp out and stay clear of hurricane and typhoon seasons .
In the caribbean , we chose may, the
kids are not yet out of
school, and before hurricane season begins.
Our caribbean experience is the Abacos, BVI, French West Indies, and the Windwards and Grenadines.......for scoops on islands further south and the path of Hurricanes that come roaring across from
Africa, others will have to help you on that one.
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A coupe of other ideas.......
IRELAND......two different trips, bareboating a
motor vessel up the River Shannon from Portumna, two weeks, thru the locks, and visiting and partying at the small riverside villages, plus a few days in Dublin. The Irish people are fantastic, the fun never stops, the scenes along the river are marvelous. The have huge
motor vessels, as well as the smaller 34 footers that Erica and I bareboated.
Weather in
Ireland in Sept..Oct....sun, rain ( soft rain they call it ), but it was not a bother, we had a super fun time, visiting castles, hiking,
boating, and yes, a wee bit of party time as well.....OK, a lot of party time.
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Happy 50th , youngster, spoil yourselves silly . There is a grand and wonderful world out there waiting to welcome you.