Category Archives: Trivia and Humor

Interesting items related to boats and yachting

REEF Experts Reveal Luxury Yacht Destination Palm Beach Boasts Awesome Snorkeling and Diving

Palm Beach has a plethora of activities to offer yacht charter clients. Designer shops and gourmet restaurants line Worth Avenue, excellent museums, upscale marinas and the Blue Heron Bridge, which according to Mike Phelan, REEF (Reef Environmental Education Foundation) Expert surveyor, is a little known biological hotspot.

This is a top dive destination for sighting unusual species that can be added to your lifelist. Mike Phelan and two other REEF members often dive this site. The day before Thanksgiving, they were treated to quite a sight – a large school of Cownose Rays! This is a rare sighting in Florida, but it’s just another day at the Blue Heron Bridge. Some of the more unusual and recent sightings include the Blackwing Searobin, Roughtail Ray, Northern Stargazer, Orange spotted Blenny, Polkadot Batfish, and the Chain Pipefish. In fact, the Blue Heron Bridge has over 282 species recorded in the REEF database and this number is on the rise.

The dive site is located in Phil Foster County Park. Dives must be shore based and dive at high tides when depths range from 8 to 17 feet. Mark Phelan suggests that divers may combine their bridge dive with offshore diving in Jupiter to witness the winter Lemon shark aggregation, or in early summer for the active Loggerhead, Green and Leatherback turtle-nesting season.

REEF is an active organization of divers and marine enthusiasts committed to ocean conservation. Their many projects include a lionfish research program. Lionfish are exquisitely beautiful but unfortunately an invasive species of voracious predators that pose a serious threat to the marine environment. In an effort to stop the rapidly expanding population, REEF has just published The Lionfish Cookbook, with the aim to make the fish a catch in high demand. The book makes a novel holiday gift for Atlantic and Caribbean divers, with proceeds that support marine conservation and lionfish research.

Photos by Mike Phelan, courtesy of REEF.org

Boatbookings.com has an extensive selection of yachts available for charter equipped with dive gear and dive masters onboard. Here are a couple of links to begin exploring the possibilities:  Florida and Bahamas Yacht Charter,  Caribbean Yacht Charter,  BVI Yacht Charter

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

A Gift for the Yachtsman Who Has Everything: Adopt a Sea Turtle and Track Its Movements via the Web

Here’s a novel idea for gifting the precocious child or the yachtsman who has everything.

SEATURTLE.ORG has tax-deductible donation packages that let you adopt a satellite-tagged sea turtle, or other animal, whose movements you can track through their website.

Seaturtle.org and partner organizations have fitted sea turtles, whale sharks, sea lions, even a peregrine falcon with high-tech data transmitters that relay information about their location via satellite. The information helps researchers better understand animal behavior and improve laws and regulations that protect endangered species.

Visit the SEATURTLE.ORG adoption page to view the names, nationalities and descriptions of many adorable animals like Jah, an Argentinean loggerhead or Lucy Jack, a flatback from northern Australia, or Navajo, a green turtle from New England. Seaturtle.org also has a shop with an assortment of items including apparel embroidered with the seaturtle.org logo, cute stuffed animals, even sea turtle tattoos. If you wish to adopt an animal as a holiday gift international orders must be placed by December 11 and US orders by December 17 for a timely delivery.

Visit Boatbookings.com for information on eco-friendly chartering at Green Chartering!

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

Yachting Destination Bimini Bay Resort Joins Shark-Free Intitiative

The island of Bimini in the Bahamas has long been a paradise for yachtsmen, sport fishermen and water sports enthusiasts. Reputedly discovered by Ponce de Leon in his quest for the Fountain of Youth, Bimini remains an unspoiled place of beauty and serenity.

Bimini Bay Resort and Marina, an elegant complex that welcomes charter guests, is the third resort in Bimini to join the Shark-Free Marinas initiative. A popular destination and leading employer on the island, they hope to educate both tourists and locals with a goal to raise awareness of the need to protect Bimini shark populations.

Shark-Free Marinas participate in a voluntary program that prohibits fisherman from bringing sharks they have caught into their facilities. Participating members support tagging programs and promote catch-and-release techniques. The aim is to reduce the mortal take of sharks and encourage responsible use of the ocean.

The world-renowned Bimini Biological Field Station is a place of interest for those concerned with the health of the oceans. Known as Sharklab, the research facility located on South Bimini studies the many species of shark in the unique habitat of the surrounding waters.

Bimini Bay Resort and Marina welcomes luxury charter yachts to dock and take advantage of their four-star facilities and amenities. For additional destination and yacht charter information Boatbookings.com is an excellent resource. Here is a helpful link: Bahamas Yacht Charter

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

YCO Yacht Company Sponsors Charity Expedition to the South Pole

Apparently nobody to date has attempted to travel the 1400 miles roundtrip from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole and back without support or assistance of any kind. Go figure. However, this week Chris Foot will attempt to complete this mission of charity to raise funds and awareness for Combat Stress, an organization dedicated to the mental health of former military personnel.

Chris, who joined the Royal Marines in 1996, has always pushed himself beyond the limit. At the age of 21 he joined the elite Special Air Service as the youngest serving member to gain acceptance. In this capacity and throughout his military career he conquered cold weather and attained mountaineering skills that prepared him for the demanding challenges of polar exploration.

Combat Stress dates back to 1919 and the welfare needs of British servicemen following World War I. Today the organization plays a major role in assisting ex-service people with mental disorders such as Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. While the expedition costs are covered by corporate sponsorships including YCO, donations in support of Chris’ endeavors are being solicited that will go directly to Combat Stress.

Antarctica is a breathtaking region of pristine natural beauty and extraordinary wildlife. Boatbookings.com features information on luxury yacht charters in this spectacular region.

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

Pumpkin Soup Recipe from Mrs. Bain and BEYC

In the British Virgin Islands the locals and lucky yachtsmen savor autumn flavors with a unique Caribbean flair. At the Bitter End Yacht Club seasonal fare includes Mrs. Bain’s scrumptious pumpkin soup, and the chef is kindly providing us with her special recipe.

Mrs. Bain's Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

1 chopped onion

5 celery stalks, sliced

2 carrots, sliced

5 pounds fresh pumpkin

1-teaspoon beef base

1-teaspoon chicken base

2 cloves of garlic

1-teaspoon cinnamon

1-teaspoon black pepper

1-gallon water

Preparation:

Peel the pumpkin, cut into pieces and steam until tender.

In a large pot, place the pumpkin, and remaining ingredients in the water and boil until very soft. Remove from heat and let cool. Once the soup has cooled enough to handle, place in a blender and puree. You might need to do this in batches.

After pureeing, pour though a sieve to take out any lumps. Adjust seasoning to taste; add a dollop of sour cream, if desired. Enjoy!

Posted on by