Author Archives: Alice Newnham

Get to know us – interview series

Get to know Alice from our bareboat team!

Q: When did you first start sailing?

A: I started sailing when I was 11 years old on the South East coast of England – it’s cold, the tides are strong but at least we had a gas stove cooker to make some tea!

Q: Do you have any licenses?

A: Yes, Day skipper, VHF and PB2.

Q: Did you ever think you would end up working in yachting?

A: Nope – I wanted to be a dancer! I went to a dance school, and that is what my degree was in. After I finished, I never wanted to step back into a studio again and found that my real passion is for the sea and yachting.

Q: Favourite thing to cook on a boat?

A: When you’re looking out to sea via the port hatch – there is no other feeling that comes close! Whether you’re on the Amalfi Coast, or in the Ionian, there is something very special about cooking on your boat! For me, it has to be a big bowl of pasta and salad with honey and feta. You can’t beat the comfort food X trying to be healthy food!

Q: Monohulls or Cats?

A: If I was a skipper, it would be a monohull. If I had a group of 5+ people definitely a catamaran with a hired skipper!

Q: Favourite place to sail?
gocek turkey

A: I really love sailing in Turkey – the food and the small towns are so authentic. The scenery is out of this world and there’s normally some great wind. I also love the Ionian – probably because I lived there.

Q: Have you ever been rescued by the coastguard?

A: Yes….twice!

Q: Something you are ashamed to admit?

A: I have never done any dinghy sailing… I was fortunate enough to learn on a 32ft wooden boat. I go by the motto ‘if you can’t make a hot drink on it, I’m not that interested’ haha

Q: What do you enjoy most about working in yachting?

A: To share my passion with other people, especially guests who have never done a yacht charter before.

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Pigs in Paradise

*******The pigs were completely untouched by Hurricane Dorian*******

Broker Alice shares her insight and experience of her time spent swimming with the pigs in the Bahamas.

Pig Beach – what and where?

The Bahamas comprises of over 400 islands. The most popular destination in this island chain that has become the mysterious pig beach. Thanks to social media platforms and to holiday experiences this has become an increasingly popular place to visit. The swimming pigs of the Bahamas are now known as one of the best tourist experiences. An Instagram must is to get a selfie with the swimming pigs.

Stunning wildlife

Nestled at the heart of the Exuma islands at Big Major Cay, a large family of swimming pigs awaits your arrival. Remember to bring some food! The island of Big Major Cay is inhabited only by pigs, there are no humans living on this island. 

As an experience, arriving at the beach is just as surreal as it sounds and one not to be missed on your Bahamas yacht charter. Although there is a lot of wildlife in the Exumas, the pigs are the rarest kind of wildlife known to the ocean.

Pig history: how did they get there?

The increase in ‘pig popularity’ has led to the big question surrounding the swimming piggies- just how did they end up on a beach? Tourists, boat captains, zoologists, and historians ask themselves this question every day.

Pig Myths: the good, the bad and the ugly.

  • The pigs were brought to the island to be eaten by hungry sailors in the late 1700’s. The sailors didn’t manage to catch all of the pigs to eat and created the pig family on the beach.
  • 2- The pigs were the only survivors from a shipwreck and managed to find their swimming capabilities once they were put in the ocean for the first time.
  • 3- The pigs are native to the island and love the beach and sea! They are truly the pigs of paradise. 

The mandatory Pig Selfie in the Exumas

Little piglet in a water at beach on Exuma Bahamas

Team the swimming pigs with other adventures in the Exumas and experience a charter like no other! From wild iguanas, Pablo Escobar’s sunken plane, James Bond’s Thunderball Grotto to Staniel Cay Yacht Club for an unforgettable conch lunch – Get the pigs ticked off the bucket list this summer and charter a yacht in the Exumas with Boatbookings! 

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Top 5 off the beaten track destinations!

Azores

Top 5 bareboat itineraries to escape the crowds and get back in touch with nature. Feel the wind in your hair, and breath in that healing sea breeze onboard your bareboat charter!

Greece – Ionian

One house bay – Ionian

You want to sail in Greece, but you down want the crowds – where should you go? Simple answer – the Ionian! Secluded anchorages, fair winds, and fantastic tavernas makes the Ionian one of the best places to sail in Greece!

Caribbean – BVI’s

BVI’s

Thinking about celebrating Christmas a little bit differently this year? Have your summer holiday plans been canceled and you’re looking for the next celebration? Then a BVI bareboat charter should be for you! With Scuba itineraries, and island hopping adventures – could this be the next tick on your to-do list?

French Polynesia – New Caledonia

New Caledonia

Thinking about a sailing trip in the southern hemisphere far away from any local continent? How about New Caledonia?! A few hundred miles of the coast of mainland Australia lays the New Caledonian archipelago! Enjoy the peace and quiet of what these islands have to offer. An incredible mix of French and Polynesian cultures!

Portuguese Atlantic – The Azores

The Azores

Do you have an Atlantic crossing on your bucket list? Do you need an area to test your sailing skills? Do you need a mile builder itinerary? Then the Azores is for you! An incredible mix of Atlantic and Portuguese culture with the backdrop like something from Jurassic Park. Explore the Volcanos and lava fields on your bareboat charter.

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Can you believe it’s Belize?

Longing for that summer holiday? Fed up of being cooped up indoors and just want to focus on something fun for the future? Have your plans been put on hold for your dream summer sailing holiday this year? Looking to splash out for Christmas? Well, its always summer somewhere – but where? Belize!

Enjoy white sand beaches, turquoise water and exceptional sailing conditions in one of the most underrated chartering areas in the world.

A Belize yacht charter offers endless opportunities to enjoy amazing snorkelling and diving off the world’s second-largest barrier reef. Belize is an archipelago with over 200 untouched rainforest islands and atolls, charming towns, friendly locals and an Aztec influence.

See our BELIZE BAREBOATS HERE!

Embark in Belize City and benefit from two fantastic Belize yacht charter itineraries. Sail to the popular northern island hotspots of San Pedro Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, as well as the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Alternatively, head to the less frequented southern island hotspots of Man-o-War Caye, Tobacco Caye and Placencia.

Want to find out more? Speak to one of our brokers today who will walk you through what’s possible on your Christmas sailing charter!

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5 reasons why you should book your bareboat CHARTER NOW!

Boatbookings outlines 5 main reasons to book your yacht charter now! With Charter protection policies, booking your bareboat charter has never been so easy!

Availability

Just like the supermarkets – the availability of the yachts is becoming less and less. Whether you are chartering a bareboat monohull in the BVI’s or a bareboat catamaran in Greece, most yacht charters scheduled for 2020 are now moving to 2021. This means if you want to charter in 2021 you have to book now! There will be a serious lack of availability during the early part of 2021 than compared to other years. Trust us, we can see all the yachts calendars!

Your first choice when it comes to yacht and destination

There are favorable weeks during the year which sees an increase in sailing charters such as the first two weeks of August in the Mediterranean, and the Christmas week in the BVI’s. These weeks are busy regardless, and as such 2021 will not only have the guests that want to charter during the year of 2021, you will also now see that all the guests that were previously booked in 2020 have moved their charter to 2021. This means that it will be increasingly hard to secure those best weeks of sailing in your desired location.

Discounts!

We all love a discount, by securing your yacht charter early you can benefit from various forms of early booking discounts. Most charter companies have specific covid19 policies meaning lower deposits and flexible rescheduling if your travel plans are affected by covid19.

Supporting the industry that you know and love

It is no shock that the travel industry has been severally affected, and was probably one of the first industries to really feel the hit of COVID19. By booking your yacht charter for 2021 or 2022, you are actively supporting an industry that relies on sailors and charterers from all over the globe. Without you, there is no industry.

Something to look forward to when the world returns back to normal

Sailors, charterers, and everyone at Boatbookings have one thing in common – a sense of adventure. The freedom to sail the seas and travel to some world-class destinations is our way of life. Staying home, and having our freedom taken away has his us all hard in different ways. By booking a risk-free charter it gives you something to look forward to, break up the day with some passage planning or speak to one of us today and bounce some ideas around!

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