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12/06 -
5/07
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The Virgin Islands>
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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.
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6/07 - 8/07
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Southern
Caribbean
~
Grenadines,
Tobago,
Grenada
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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!
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12/07-01/08
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San
Blas
Islands
~Panama
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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.
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5/08-6/08
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Society
Islands
~Tahiti,
Moorea,
Bora
Bora
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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.
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7/08-8/08
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Tonga
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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.
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8/08-9/08
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Fiji
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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.
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11/08-4/09
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Micronesia
~
Kosrae
to
Yap
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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.
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5/09
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Palau
~
Belau
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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.
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6/09-?
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Philippines
~
Palawan,
Camiguin,
Calamanian
Group,
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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.
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