Charter yacht MIRA in Turkey & Eastern Med Islands

S/Y Mira is available for charters along the Turkish coast and Eastern Mediterranean islands this summer 2009.

Mira, is a fully air conditioned, 70-foot Norlin/Sweden sloop, which can accommodate up to 6 guests in 3 cabins, all with ensuite heads. The master cabin has a king size bed, there is also a cabin with a double berth, and a cabin with twin berths.

An unforgettable experience sailing along the Turkish coast and islands of the Eastern Mediterranean. Discover beautiful bays and ancient classical sites in one of the world's most beautiful sailing grounds.

RATES for Summer 2009 (plus all expenses):

• 2 guests = 16,000 euros/wk
  
• 4 guests = 17,000 euros/wk
  
• 6 guests = 18,000 euros/wk
  

Mira invites you to join their new summer sailing program in Eastern Mediterranean waters.

Or choose your own tailor-made cruise according to your preferences Mira looks forward to welcoming you on board.

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book s/v MIRA
View MIRA's online brochure
Visit our website: www.ParadiseConnections.com

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Charter Motoryacht TRILOGY : Great Lakes Summer 2009

The motor yacht TRILOGY will be chartering in the Great Lakes this summer (2009), based out of Bay Harbor, Michigan.

Bay Harbor Yacht Club, Michigan

Trilogy, a 90-foot Stephens motoryacht has a crew of 4 and accommodates up to 8 guests in 4 cabins. Trilogy features two full-beam cabins, master and VIP, each with King bed, private bath and jacuzzi tub. Two additional guest staterooms with twin beds and ensuite heads with showers. All cabins with Sony TV/VCR's and satellite television. In addition to the usual toys, Trilogy tows a 31-foot Fountain Fishing tender. Trilogy was totally refit in 2007... new interior, new engines, new everything!

Captain Mike Witters has created the following scenic and entertaining 7-day charter itinerary for Trilogy this summer in the beautiful Great Lakes.

Click on image to enlarge

Day 1: Arrive Traverse City, Michigan
Your Captain will meet you at the airport and escort you to the city docks where you will board Trilogy. Settle in and relax. After lunch, cruise to the quaint antique fishing village of Northport on the western arm of the Leelanau Peninsula.

Day 2: Cruise to Charlevoix, Michigan
Here are shops, art galleries and restaurants to enjoy. Afterwards, take a leisurely ride down Lake Charlevoix to Boyne City, do some water skiing or tubing along the way. The golfers will have an opportunity to hit the links at Boyne Highlands or any of the other nearby golf courses.

Day 3: Bay Harbor
Leave Charlevoix for a short cruise to Bay Harbor, a quaint man-made community (similar to Vail, CO), known for its upscale lifestyle. Horseback riding, 27-hole championship golf course, fine dining and exclusive shops are just a few examples.

Day 4: Harbor Springs
Cruise to the historic resort town of Harbor Springs (somewhat comparable to Nantucket), long time summer home to some of Michigan’s wealthiest families.

Day 5 & 6: St. James Harbor and Mackinac Island
From Harbor Springs we proceed North and either head over to St. James Harbor on Beaver Island and spend some time there, or continue under the Mackinac Straits Bridge to historic Mackinac Island. There are no cars on the island; transportation is provided only by bicycle, horseback or horse-drawn carriage. Take a bicycle trip around the island (8 miles), enjoy touring the historic two forts, or visit the town’s many artisan shops. A visit to the Grand Hotel, boasting the longest outdoor open air porch in the world, is always a delight.

Day 7: Les Cheneaux Islands
Take a picturesque excursion through Les Cheneaux Islands. Spend the night at a remote island anchorage and return to Mackinaw City for your departure from Pellston, a short ride from the Mackinaw City Marina.

If arriving by private jet, one can fly into Mackinaw and finish up in Leland

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book TRILOGY
View Trilogy's online brochure
Visit our website: www.ParadiseConnections.com

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TIVOLI New England Yacht Charter Special Summer Rate

TIVOLI, a 90-foot Doggers Bank motor yacht, has a special price reduction for Summer 2009 charters in New England.

TIVOLI has a crew of 4 and accommodates up to 6 guests in 3 cabins. Three staterooms radiate from a central foyer. The master stateroom has a centerline queen bed and separate his & hers baths, one with a marble shower and one with a steam shower plus whirlpool tub. Two guest staterooms have twin lower singles and enclosed marble showers in the en suite baths.

RATE: Summer 2009

• $29,500/wk, plus all expenses

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book TIVOLI
View Tivoli's online brochure
Visit our website: www.ParadiseConnections.com

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New England Yacht Charters - WHISPER's availability

Whisper, the magnificent 116-foot Holland Jachtbouw Sloop still has some availability this summer (2009) for yacht charters in New England.

WHISPER has:

• Accommodations for 6 guests in three en-suite cabins.
• Full beam master with centerline Queen - steam shower in head.
• One double and one twin guest room, each with full head and shower.
• Excellent views from raised pilot house/bar area.
• Full width salon with dining area.
• Large cockpit seats up to 10 guests.
• Professional crew of 5

AVAILABILITY:

• August 4-9 and all of September 2009

RATE: Summer 2009

• $80,000/wk, plus all expenses

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book WHISPER
View Whisper's online brochure
Visit our website: www.ParadiseConnections.com

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Newport Folk Festival & Yacht Charter

Combine the Newport Folk Festival with a Yacht Charter and perhaps the Newport Jazz Festival the following weekend, too. We have a large selection of yachts with a wide range of pricing & amenities available.

. Fort Adams State Park

Bannisters Wharf

Newport Mansions Cliff Walk

Click here for a selection of yachts: CHARTER YACHTS FOR NEW ENGLAND

George Wein's Folk Festival 50 celebrates five decades of music and will take place at the Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island, August 1-2, 2009 from 11:30am to 7pm.

Saturday's Line Up:
Pete Seeger, The Decemberists, Fleet Foxes, Gillian Welch, The Avett Brothers, Billy Bragg, Iron & Wine, Mavis Staples, Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Ben Kweller, The Low Anthem, Brett Dennen, Tift Merritt, Tao Rodriguez Seeger, Langhorne Slim

Sunday's Line Up:
Pete Seeger with Judy Collins, Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie Neko Case, The Campbell Brothers, Josh Ritter, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Tim Eriksen & Shape Note Singers Del McCoury, Guy Clark, David Rawlings Machine, Deer Tick, Balfa Toujours, Joe Pug

Look at this 4-day sailing itinerary that would nicely round off your week.

Or, how does this sound for you music buffs: Do the Newport Folk festival, go do a bit of sailing, then come back for the Newport Jazz festival (see our post) on August 7-9!

We plan to be anchored off Fort Adams & hope to see you there!

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book your sailing vacation
View a selection of New England yachts for charter
Visit our website: www.ParadiseConnections.com

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Newport Jazz Festival & Yacht Charter

Combine the Newport Jazz Festival with a Yacht Charter. We have a large selection of yachts with a wide range of pricing & amenities available.

. Fort Adams State Park

Bannisters Wharf

Newport Mansions Cliff Walk

Click here for a selection of yachts: CHARTER YACHTS FOR NEW ENGLAND

George Wein's Jazz Festival 55 will take place at the Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island, August 8-9, 2009 from 11am to 7pm. This event will be kicked off by Etta James and the Roots Band on Friday, August 7th at 8pm at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, 194 Bellevue Avenue, Newport. This year's lineup features Tony Bennett, Branford Marsalis and Dave Brubeck.

Look at this 4-day sailing itinerary that would nicely round off your week.

Or, perhaps you'd like to start the weekend before and take in the Newport Folk Festival.

Get yourself in the mood by checking out Amazon.com's selection of their pick of "The 100 Greatest Jazz Albums of All Times"



We plan to be anchored off Fort Adams & hope to see you there!

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book your sailing vacation
View a selection of New England yachts for charter
Visit our website: www.ParadiseConnections.com

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Sail New England: 4-day yacht charter itinerary

NEW ENGLAND - Four-Day Yacht Charter Itinerary, by Tom Rowe

Day One, 09.00:
Depart Newport for Martha's Vineyard. Sailing out the scenic East Passage of Narragansett Bay and then turning east, along Ocean Drive, you will pass a number of the grandiose "Summer Cottages" which proliferate along the waterfront. Depending on the weather there are several delightful lunch stops available in the Elizabeth Islands. The pristine beach and protected anchorage at Quick's Hole on Nashawena Island is a favorite. After a leisurely swim and lunch, continue on past Nobska Point and West Chop to Edgartown, where you will arrive in the late afternoon. The protected anchorage, moorings, launch service, facilities ashore and classic New England atmosphere of the town make Edgartown a must see destination on everyone's itinerary. This would be a good night to dine ashore as the variety of restaurants available is extensive. Distance 55 miles.

Day Two, 10.00:
After a relaxing breakfast aboard set sail for Tarpaulin Cove on the South shore of Naushon Island, another of the classic picnic stops in the Elizabeth Islands. A brisk afternoon sail across Buzzards Bay brings us to Padanaram Harbor, home of the New Bedford Yacht Club and the world renowned Concordia Yacht Yard. There is limited shopping ashore, yet the center of town is but a short walk from the launch and who knows what treasures may be found. Dinner this evening is definitely aboard, where you will enjoy the chance to view the sunset in unsurpassed tranquility. Distance 35 miles.

Day Three, 09.30:
Another leisurely start to the day has us setting sail for Woods Hole and Hadley's Harbor. This is an easy sail and allows us to enjoy the prettiest harbor within 100 miles; but, we must get there early as there is limited anchoring space available inside. After lunch the Sou'wester usually perks up and it affords us the opportunity to have a spanking sail down the bay to Cuttyhunk, a quaint island village, at the western end of the chain separating Buzzards Bay from Vineyard Sound. Going ashore you will be struck by the feeling that you're going back in time to the turn of the century or before. Cuttyhunk has several inns where the dining is family style and concentrates on the wholesome, simple specialties of New England Cooking. Distance 35 miles.

Day Four, 10.30:
Today we depart Cuttyhunk and head westwards again, back to Narragansett Bay and Newport. Depending on the time available a nice lunch stop is at Third Beach in Middletown, a few miles up the Sakonnet River, back in Rhode Island. If we're pressed for time and a stop isn't possible, we should be back in Newport no later than 2:00 in the afternoon, having had a brief glimpse of the best that Southern New England has to offer. Distance 25 miles, nonstop.

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book your sailing vacation
View a selection of New England yachts for charter
Visit our website: www.ParadiseConnections.com

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Charter Yacht MAGPIE in Grenadines this Summer

MAGPIE II will be chartering out of the beautiful islands of the Grenadines this summer, and they have extended their special offer through 31st August 2009.

MAGPIE II is extending their special offer of either:

• 8 days for the price of 7, or
• 10% off the charter price with a one week minimum charter

to all charters taking place by the 31st of August 2009.

Regular Rates for Summer 2009 Caribbean Charters :

• $6,900/wk for 2 guests
• $8,400/wk for 4 guests

Inclusive except for bar, local cruising taxes/fees, dockage and communications.

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book MAGPIE II
View MAGPIE's online brochure
Visit our website: www.ParadiseConnections.com

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Promenade crew - Rich & Lisa UPDATE

Back on April 1st (no it really wasn't an April Fools) we posted that Rich and Lisa were returning as crew for Promenade this summer... Well, unfortunately that isn't going to happen :(

In the latter part of April, Kerry shared an email she'd received from Lisa with us... Here's the gist of it:

"...Rich went kite surfing today, had a great old time, till he got hit by a gust, hurled in the air and landed rather badly. I took him to hospital and he has broke his knee, fractured the entire bottom bit, from top of knee down! He is scheduled for surgery in the morning. I have just left him at the hospital, we have just arrived at auckland, I now have to sort out taking van and everything back, but he is going to be potentially non weight bearing for 3 months and it could take up to 12 months till he is properly better."

Here's today's update from Kerry:

"And for those who want an update on Richies knee, they are still in Auckland and I believe flying back to England in another week or so, where, as you can probably tell by the xray, he will have a long recuperation, and they have warned that a year from now he will have to have the pins taken out so it will make it easier to do a knee replacement in the future! Gulp! I am not seeing him climbing around boats for quite awhile with that, so I am busy trying to suck up to my crew members so THEY stay and work (of course, they love me, so I hope I don't have to work too hard at that!) Best of luck Richard..."

We wish you a speedy recovery Richard. We're thinking of you, too, Lisa. Hang in there!

Introducing VICTORIAN ROSE New England charters Summer 2009

VICTORIAN ROSE and her crew of three look forward to welcoming you aboard.



This Classic Lady has been lovingly restored from the bare metal up. Everything on board is NEW! The final interior details were completed spring of 2009.

VICTORIAN ROSE is ideal for a small family or 2 couples. Guest accommodations are located aft and crew is forward with own head and shower. Full width master with queen berth and ensuite head and shower and Guest Twin with separate head and shower (there is space for 2 more children in the V-berth crew area forward). Air conditioned aft deck with removeable Isenglass curtains. State of the art entertainment

VICTORIAN ROSE is available in New England this summer.

• Weekly rate: $13,000 plus expenses
• 2 day rate: $4,500 plus expenses
• 1 day rate: $2,500 plus expenses

Here's an idea... charter Victorian Rose and attend the Newport Folk Festival!

• Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters for more details
• View Victorian Rose's online brochure
  
• Visit our website: www.ParadiseConnections.com

Maybe we'll see you up there!

Gary (ex-Lady Jane) Returns to Charter Yacht GALATEA

Here is some happy news! While David of Glory of Christiansted is retiring, Gary Messick who you may remember from the Gulfstar 50 charter yacht Lady Jane that they owned & chartered in the Virgin Islands, has returned!

GALATEA is a 2002 47-foot Beneteau sloop. It's a three stateroom layout, lots of deck space and a very spacious cockpit with a walkthru to the swim platform.

Galatea is offering all-inclusive charters in the Virgin Islands, with a crew of one (Captain Gary). This includes the yacht, captain, all meals aboard and standard ship's bar, and use of boat's amentities/toys. Gary is willing to cook, although he'll allow the charterers to do so, too. If you'd prefer, you can have an additional crew member/chef on board for an extra $700/week.

RATES (All inclusive with captain only, 2nd crew/chef additional $700/wk), beginning Dec.2009:

• $4,900/wk for 2 guests (plus BVI taxes)
  
• $6,400/wk for 4 guests (plus BVI taxes)
  

SPECIAL SUMMER OFFERS:

• $3,800/wk for 2 guests, and $4,900 for 4 guests (plus BVI taxes). Fully provisioned, but only captain as crew.
• June, July, August 2009 charters: Kids under 16 at time of charter are FREE. This means that a family of FIVE (3 kids in a cabin or 3rd kid on settee in salon) can book a charter for only $3800... Such a deal!

We've had many happy charters with Lady Jane in the past and we are very happy that Gary has returned to charter. Where's Jane? She is up at their place in Florida and involved with a couple of business up there. Plus, someone has to take care of the kitty cats (we certainly understand that one!).

Gary is a Dive Master and is offering 5 dives/week for certified divers at $150/diver. You can bring your own gear or rent from a local dive shop which Gary can arrange.

• Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters for more information and to book Galatea.
• View Galatea's online brochure
  
• Visit our website: www.ParadiseConnections.com

Don't wait too long as we expect Gary to book up quickly once the word gets out!

Glory of Christiansted - David Retires from Chartering

This is good & bad, happy & sad news.

We are sorry to see that Glory of Christiansted is retiring from the charter fleet as David really filled a niche, plus he's a great guy. But, on the other hand, we are happy for him and wish him the best with his "new" life.

Here are some excerpts from his email that we'd like to share. I'm sure those of you who know David and Glory will enjoy reading it.

After 18 years, 500 charters, 10,000 charter meals (only 73 of which were eaten below), 50-70% annual repeats and an all-time high of one guest returning 10 times, another 9 times, others 8 and 7, too, never mind the 4s and 3s, I am retiring from the business.

...For the years before 911, I was always one of the three top-booked boats in the fleet. It was exhilerating and produced three magazine articles. I've kept in contact with many, and know the tremendous impact I've had on their lives, as boat owners, cruisers, sailing instructors, bareboaters, and professional captains, too. It is wonderful to know how many I have touched in that way. Some have been flying me around the country so as to help them with their knotty boat problems on-site.

I've made wonderful friends, had memorable moments, but the time has come. In November, I am getting married to an old old friend... my best friend of some 22 years, who sailed into Christiansted with her husband on their Southern Cross 31, about the time I was getting divorced and living on my little race-boat in Christiansted Harbor before I bought Glory, before I starting chartering. Debbie's husband, Art, has since died, but our close friendship continued, and now has blossomed to "something more than friends." It's very exciting, as well as frightening!

...I am back in St. Croix with Deb, and have blocked out my calendar for the future. Why St.Croix when I could do so many other "day" boat jobs in St. Thomas? Because St. Croix has been my home for 43 years, it is the land that I love and the land of my children's birth. The land of friends and roots. And Debbie's, too, for 22 years. While her house is 300' up on a lovely hill overlooking Christiansted Harbor's entry channel, offering million-dollar unobstructable sea views from there to east of Buck Island and miles of countryside, and we will be living there, I do not intend to sell the old girl. A friend of her's asked her, "Oh, God, if David is going to live with you, is he going to sell the boat?" She replied, "If he sells that boat, I won't marry him!"

For the time being, I am going to continue and finish the "replace the external teak" project, as well as some other things to make Ole Fatso more of a longer range cruising boat than a charter vessel. We plan to see many of the islands neither of us did in our earlier cruising days. She'd sailed from CT to the Chesepeake, up and down the east coast and back and forth to both sides of FL, to the DR, PR, the ABCs and Venezuela, and simply by chance, stopped off in St.Croix while en-route to PR again, "for a few weeks" to visit one of Art's old friends from his aerospace days. That was the 22 years ago. St. Croix has a way about her.

...When the boat projects are done, there are ideas for her house that she's wanted to implement for years. I have the skills to do that instead of hiring a contractor or $50-120/hr tradespeople. After that, well, I'll look for something else or we'll just bag it and go sailing....

Keep well.........David

And all the best for you, David & Debbie!

Yacht Charters : Special offers worth repeating

Here are some special offers on yacht charters that we have posted previously but are definitely worth repeating!

EXPIRED

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book your sailing vacation

Visit our website: www.ParadiseConnections.com

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