Fellow-Traveler - The Caribbean Sailing HostelFellow-Traveler under sail in the Virgin Islands
Home      Charters      Boat and Captain     Accommodations and Meals     Schedule   
    Schedule email:lobodoug@yahoo.com    
      12/06 - 5/07 The Virgin Islands>
   
The Battery, St. John, USVI Fellow Traveler is currently based in the US Virgin Islands with ready access to the US and British Virgin Islands as well as  the "Spanish Virgin Islands" of Culebra, Vieques, and Culebrita. The "BVI’s" are beautiful with typically superb sailing, but also are home to more charter boats than anywhere else on earth. In comparison, the "Spanish Virgins" located between Puerto Rico and the US Virgins offer a much less crowded experience.  The US Virgins offer a good compromise, with excellent unspoiled harbors in the Virgin Island National Park. Thus, your charter experience can be tailored to fit your wishes. All offer superb snorkeling and diving, excellent beaches, and good transportation to and from the islands.  


 

   
      6/07 - 8/07 Southern Caribbean ~ Grenadines, Tobago, Grenada    

Uninhabited Island in the Grenadines  Summer of 2007 will find Fellow Traveler in the Grenadines and Southeastern Caribbean. While most people think of winter as the best time to visit the Caribbean, I prefer sailing the southern Caribbean in summer as the crowds of charter boats are gone, the anchorages are relatively empty and the people you meet friendlier. The Grenadines are a chain of small islands with numerous beautiful beaches, several quaint villages, and excellent snorkeling, all separated by short, typically brisk sails.   Tobago spectacularly scenic anchorages, beautiful hikes in the rainforest, numerous waterfalls for swimming, and  the friendliest people in the Eastern Caribbean!
   
      12/07-01/08 San Blas Islands ~Panama  
   
San Blas Village      The San Blas Islands are home to the Kuna Indians, a tribe that still lives a traditional lifestyle, trading hand-embroidered "Mola" blouses and other crafts to the passing sailors. They live in a semi-autonomous state of Panama, and have strongly resisted outside attempts to develop the area for tourism. Yet, they have been very welcoming to yachtsmen who visit their world. They farm on the mainland, and live and fish on the small islands surrounded by reef along the coast. This is a great opportunity to experience a unique culture while sailing among tropical splendor.
   
      5/08-6/08 Society Islands ~Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora
   
Remote Tropical Beach      May and June of 2008 I will be in Tahiti/Moorea/Bora Bora area, know as the Society Islands of Polynesia. This region has been synonymous with tropical paradise ever since Mr. Christian unceremoniously dumped Captain Bligh in a longboat and returned there. Both Moorea and Bora Bora are regularly mentioned for "most beautiful island in the world" status. While not as busy as the British Virgin Islands or Grenadines for chartering, the numbers of boats and resorts has been steadily increasing. Here is a chance to visit before it becomes over-saturated! We will, of course, be seeking the more remote corners of this region. 
   
      7/08-8/08 Tonga
   
The view down under      Tonga is perhaps the most traditional Polynesian culture in the South Pacific. It is still a traditional kingdom, and the villages are still controlled by the village chiefs. Upon arrival in each village, it is still tradition to share a cup of kava, a mildly narcotic beverage, with the chiefs and request permission to visit. Once permission is granted, we are free to visit a society relatively untouched by extremes of commercialism and tourism. In addition to quaint villages, we should find great beaches, uninhabited islands, and the possibility of seeing whales. 



   
      8/08-9/08 Fiji
   


At anchor in paradise      Consisting of over 300 islands, Fiji is a huge archipelago, offering something for everyone, from the remote Lau and Yasawa islands to somewhat cosmopolitan Suva on Viti Levu. The latter provides our meeting point while the former are our intended destinations to explore. One could honestly spend a lifetime here and not grow weary of what these islands offer, so there is plenty to keep us busy for a week or two on charter. Endless beaches, remote islands, and plenty of snorkeling await. 









   
      11/08-4/09 Micronesia ~ Kosrae to Yap
   
Pacific Atoll      Micronesia is perhaps the greatest undiscovered region of the tropical Pacific, with numerous islands all but unheard of to the average person: Nukuoro, Lekinioch, Pulawat Lamotrek, Eauripik, Ulithi. These atolls have superb snorkeling, great beaches, and no tourist in sight. This is not a charter for everyone, as transportation to and from will be tough, provisioning might be limited, and at least 2 weeks will be needed in parts of this huge area of ocean.  But if you truly want to see islands that  are untouched by tourism, then this area is worth the trouble.  



   
      5/09 Palau ~ Belau
   
Fellow Traveler at Anchor      Belau (previously know as Palau) is an independent country at the far Western end of Micronesia famous for its superb diving, snorkeling, and scenery. And surely this is a place far better seen from the deck of a sailboat than from accommodations ashore. If you are a diver, what better than to anchor as close as possible to the dives? If you are a snorkeler, or beach lover, aboard Fellow Traveler you can find the remote, secluded places you dream about. Many consider this the most beautiful place in the world, but only on a boat can you place yourself right in the midst of the beauty.


   
      6/09-? Philippines ~ Palawan, Camiguin, Calamanian Group, 
   
Philippines Beach      The Philippines is the second largest Archipelago in the world with over 7000 islands, 5000 of which are uninhabited. The Filipino people are know for their friendliness and hospitality, most of whom speak English. Add to this superb diving and snorkeling, huge islands with endless possibilities to hike, centuries of culture and history, and only a modest tourist industry concentrated in just a few places, and you get a chartering paradise.  With the Southern end of the island chain outside the primary typhoon belt, and so much to explore, I am hoping to slow my wandering for while and explore this country extensively. Of course, the only larger archipelago, Indonesia, is right next door should I choose to visit, and S.E. Asia has plenty of other options, both on and off the cruisers and tourist highways.