# Your favorite Moorings destination?



## ScituateMan (Jun 22, 2008)

I just got back from my third bare boat sailing vacation. I chartered a boat from Newport RI and sailed to Cuttyhunk, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. It was great!

I'm already beginning to think about the next vacation. My crew and I want to charter a catamaran from Moorings. Our first sailing vacation was with the Moorings in the BVI. We are happy to go back there, but would also consider somewhere else. I'd like to hear from people that have sailed in the BVI and also other Moorings locations. What was your favorite place?

ScituateMan


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Try the moorings in the Abacos if you want easy sailing and even better water and reefs than the BVI's


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## cvbreno (Aug 7, 2008)

*We loved Tahiti*

The BVI are great -- we'll be going back soon. They are really perfect for easy sailing and a laid-back good time.

However, my wife and I had a glorious time chartering with Moorings in Tahiti. We picked up the boat on Raiatea and sailed around that island and also across open ocean (a full day) to Bora Bora. Both are exceedingly beautiful and exotic. The Polynesian people were also more friendly and hospitable than those in the Caribbean. Learning a few words in French helps a bit.

The rich and famous spend thousands to stay at the fabulous Hotel Bora Bora, with individual thatched-roof huts on stilts out over the lagoon. We, however, were anchored in the same lagoon and enjoying the same views for far less $$$, and even eating at the same hotel restaurant, and we could move around to the other side of the island whenever we wanted to. Also -- lots of friendly dolphins to keep you company under sail.

The sailing and anchoring are a bit more challenging than the BVI, which is a positive or negative depending on your tastes. I liked the open-ocean sail to Bora Bora -- it was challenging, but not so much as to be scary. You just have to stay well outside of the barrier reef until you find the range markers and buoys to safely pass through. The lagoons tend to be deep, so you often have to set a good hook with only 3-to-1 scope, to avoid hitting land if you swing during the night.

I really hope we can go back someday!


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## ScituateMan (Jun 22, 2008)

I have spoken to another person that sailed Tahiti. His thoughts were the same. Was his favorite place. I will check into the cost of flights.


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## ScituateMan (Jun 22, 2008)

camaraderie said:


> Try the moorings in the Abacos if you want easy sailing and even better water and reefs than the BVI's


I have been looking into the Abacos because of your suggestion. It looks pretty good to me.

Did you find it as crowded as the BVI? I was at the BVI in February, it was pretty crowded at that time. Having to be at the anchorage by 2:00 can take some of the fun out of the day.


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## Joesaila (May 19, 2007)

Did Belize via Moorings twice. It was about 6 years ago and we still had to deal w copies of old hand drawn charts and tall sticks that served as channel markers. The gps made it easier but it was a true adventure. The best part was anchoring in hidden lagoons and the starfilled skys. The snorkeling and beaches were nice too.


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## ScituateMan (Jun 22, 2008)

In Belize, did you find much difference between islands or anchorage areas? I like deserted islands sometimes but also like to have restaurants and pubs to visit ashore. I'm imagining that in Belize there is not much on the islands that you visit?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

You're right, there's not much on the islands in Belize. My wife and I just got back from a week's sail there with the Moorings on a 32' monohull...one of the few in their fleet of mostly catamarans. After seeing how shallow the waters can get in some of the reef areas I now know why keelboats are few and far between. In one week we only anchored at 2 inhabited islands in the southern sailing grounds. Most of the cays aren't much bigger than Sandy Spit in the BVI's...you know, that one with just a single palm tree on it just off Jost Van ****...so there isn't much area to build. Definitely nothing like Foxy's or Trellis Bay there. In all, we ate only 2 meals off the boat in the entire week, and they were both on Southwater Cay. But it made for some amazing experiences. We spent 2 nights at the Queen Cays, a string of three small islands just a couple hundred meters inside the barrier reef. Rather surprisingly, the largest of the three had several picnic tables, a giant brick bbq, and a his/hers outhouse with indoor plumbing fed by rainwater tanks. The first night we bought fresh lobster tails for dinner from the Mexican fishing boats anchored at the reef and by second night we were the only boat for miles, so we didn't even bother getting dressed that day. Those are a couple things you'd never get do in someplace like the BVI's. And the snorkeling was great. Lot's of big fish in relatively shallow waters. Placencia, the southern charter location on the mainland, is one of the best little Caribbean towns I've ever seen. But the relative isolation also meant we had no place to top up our rather small water tanks, and we ran out of water with 24 hours still left in the charter. All in all, Moorings was pretty good. It was our first charter with them. They treated us well, their provisioning was decent, and the office had the best air-conditioning in Placencia! But for Belize, Moorings and TMM are the only game in town, so you don't have much choice there. I'd still rather go with a good, smaller second tier company in busier locations, where you get a little more personal attention and more for your money. The older boats are worth the trade-off.


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## harryrezz (Dec 10, 2003)

If you want to be around lots of other boats BVI is good. If you want to get away from the crowds try the Moorings out of Canouan in the Windward Islands - part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The base is a stone's throw from Tobago Keys - one of the prittiest spots on earth - and has easy access to lots of great places with LOCAL culture and no cruise ships. (Keep an eye out for a cream colored CSY with burgundy accents and come on over for a beer!)


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I have yet to sail in the Med, but I've sailed with Moorings in the BVI, the Grenadines (Tobago Cays was indeed beautiful, but had so many boats there it felt like the BVI), and New Zealand. I have to say that the Vavau Group in Tonga is my favorite spot. Very uncrowded, warm and friendly people, and the sailing is quite good. Anchorages are awesome and plentiful. Not a lot of restaurants and bars like the BVI and other charter destinations, but you definitley feel like you left civilization behind. Shane Walker owns the Moorings in Tonga and Auckland, he and his staff are outstanding in every respect.

New Zealand (the Hauruki Gulf) was pretty cool, though. I definitley want to go back there and make it up to the Bay of Islands next time...


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## recycle (May 6, 2008)

I did St Martin, St Barts and Anguila last year on a Moorings 4000 Cat and just booked a Moorings 4300 for the BVIs for February. The St Martin area was great. The Moorings base was a dump in St. Martin but the sailing was great.


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## Duckwheat (May 6, 2008)

*moorings...*

We did the Abaccos two years ago and I liked it a lot. Not very fancy, but definitely laid back and not crowded.

The service in the local restaurants at first ticked me off, but then became absolutely comical.

Not a lot of 4-5 star restaurants. There was some really neat small places that were served great food in beautiful setting. Pineapples was one near Green Turtle Cay if I remember right.

I am going to the BVI in May for 10 days. Never been before, so I am hoping it is enjoyable. Need to be in an anchorage by 2PM, is that what I understand?

DW


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## ste27 (Jul 29, 2007)

Duckwheat said:


> I am going to the BVI in May for 10 days. Never been before, so I am hoping it is enjoyable. Need to be in an anchorage by 2PM, is that what I understand?
> 
> DW


By then? Probably... just got back from a week down there and the place was virtually deserted (off season), it was very nice to not need to worry about any of that - come into mooring field at 5pm and there's one, maybe two boats there


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Duck...May is well after peak. As long as it is not a holiday weekend, you should be able to hang out till dusk before getting a mooring. Yer gonna have an absolute blast!


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## donahuj (Aug 28, 2010)

For me Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was by far the best. I am going back there for a second trip in October. It is far more spread out than BVI with far less boats. You get a more authentic experience which is good or bad depending on what you want, but I really appreciated it. There are less services for yachters and the sailing is a bit more advanced, but not by too much. I agree with others that Tobago Cays is one of the most beautiful locations in the world. If you go, try to arrange your trip to spend more time there. The key is to go at a less crowded time of year. 

I hated Belize. The problem I had was that it rained a lot and the water is extremely shallow and with rain you can't see the bottom, so navigation was extremely tricky there and more than a pain than a fun challenge. Also, there are few mooring balls and anchoring was not great, particularly with rain, very shallow anchorages, and not super-good holding. Also, I tried to bring meat into Belize in a cooler so we had good food, and I was bribed at the border to get it in. I think I just had a bad experience in Belize, but it was my least favorite destination. 

BVI of course is Disneyland for adults. It's great for a first charter or for someone who doesn't mind going back to the same beautiful, pampered, safe place with lots of conveniences for sailors everywhere. 

I found St Martin a bit boring, but St Barts (part of the same trip) is beautiful. I haven't sailed Martinique or Antigua, but I'd guess they're a little similar. 

Good luck!


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## bareboatingtheworld (Sep 18, 2009)

*Croatia's the best*

I just read that Moorings has opened a base in Croatia. This is my favorite place to charter bareboat vacation, I've been 4 times. It's not tropical, but, you can't beat the Med and in particular the Dalmation Coast is heavily influenced by the Venitians. Beautiful cliff anchorages, great food, medieval cities, and island national parks. You can even cruise in fresh water to the inland waterfalls. For me, it's the BVIs of the Mediterranean. For some insights, take a look at my Croatia bareboating posts which provide mapped itineraries, pictures, and destination insights. Best to avoid August as it's the height of the European tourist season.

If the Med doesn't work for you, I found Belize a great tropical vacation but little restaurant action once you leave placencia and Baja California desert sailing with no civilization once you leave La Paz.

Finally the ultimate of all tropical vacation for me was bareboating in the Seychelles. One of the most beautiful places on earth, great snorkling, fantastic wild life, beautiful settings, and fantastic land excursions. The problem, time and cost to get half way around the world. But worth it once you get there.

Well, a quick summary of the places I've been from which moorings operates. There's a lot of detail on my blog, hope it helps.

Enjoy
Gaetano
Bareboating the World


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## sansegot (Sep 14, 2010)

Last year I rented a boat from this agency Yacht Charter and Boat Rental in Croatia
And altough they act only as an agent they provided an excellent service and they offered a great range of boats and prices. The boat we chartered (it was a sailing boat beneteau cyclades 50.4) was in great shape and the service in the marina excellent. They also gave us many advices on the route and destinations we visited during our trip. I think you can find whatever you looking for there...

Yacht Charter and Boat Rental in Croatia


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