From the Nov. 22, 1996 issue of Virgin Islands Business Journal:
Yachting:
V.I. charter
crews . . . they love making dreams come true
|
From the Nov. 22, 1996 issue of Virgin Islands Business Journal:
|
||
|
Yachting: |
|
|
Captain Michael Durland and
Chef/Dive Instructor Melanie Johnson feel right at home
aboard Le Go II, a comfortable 51-foot trimaran in its
third season of successful chartering in the Virgin
Islands. Their clients usually come in groups of six and
for $7,500 per week are shown the time of their life. A typical charter starts out on St. Thomas and proceeds to St. John - usually the northern coast - for one or two nights. Anchorages such as Leinster and Francis Bays or Christmas Cove on Little St. James provide an excellent first night. Then it’s off to B.V.I. waters and the islands of Jost Van Dyke, Norman, Peter, Tortolla, and Virgin Gorda. Virgin Islands waters are a sailor’s dream - calm, clear water and protected harbors make it an easy sail for guests, especially if they aren’t seasoned sailors. On occasion, Le Go II will sail as far as St. Lucia or St. Vincent and the Grenadines to do charters. “It’s a more challenging sail since the seas are rougher and more challenging than Virgin Islands waters,” said Captain Durland. “Usually, we reserve these charters for more experienced clients,” he added. Down island countries welcome charter boats as it is well known that on-board clients are mostly affluent and the chances of dropping a few dollars while in port are high. Most islands eliminate red tape and charge a simple monthly fee as a cruise license. This removes any waiting time so the yacht can commence business right away. “Many of our guests do enjoy the larger islands. The scenery and culture is vast. Rain forests, volcanic mountains, waterfalls, diverse cultural experiences, spectacular diving, different and more primitive shopping all tend to make the experience more interesting than just white sand beaches” added Johnson. On the next dock, Chef Susan Chandler aboard the 46-foot yacht Sopris, absolutely loves the business and it shows. “I love it all. Meeting people, making new friends, having fun and being a goodwill ambassador,” she said. “Think of it. The average passenger has planned this dream come true for years in advance. They have worked hard for it, saved years for it, dreamt about it, and now it is here. I have the fun part of making that dream the best ever,” she proudly stated. Looking at Chandler you would assume that yachting was always in her blood, but think again. Most of her adult life she was in the corporate world as a high level executive. She always admired the people who would pass on the yachts that sailed in view of her balcony on the Northern California coast. “One day, I just decided to take up sailing lessons. That was only seven years ago,” she said. Then, fate took over. While on a plane trip to Boston from California, Susan purchased a sailing magazine from the airport vendor and immersed herself in reading along the long route. A stranger came by and commented on the fact that he was a sailor, too, and could he borrow the magazine when she was finished. That was six years ago and that stranger, Don Chandler, later became her husband. Susan credits the owner of Sopris, who lives in Colorado, Flagship booking agents and other charter yachts for her first freelance chef jobs that allowed her to have (as she calls it) a wonderful mid-life crisis. “Thinking about going back to the corporate world soon?” she was asked. “Are you crazy?” is the question received in answer.
For more
in-depth business news and information, |