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!

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Alice Newnham

A sailing charter is not all about sailing…

It might seem odd to say – but a sailing charter is not just about sailing. A sailing charter is about fully submerging yourself in culture and being at one with nature! You, as a charterer, are in a unique position where you do not have to stay in the same place for more than one day. Your hotel stays with you wherever you go, meaning you can do more, see more and experience more!

Some of the most incredible countries in the world are surrounded by water. Places like Greece, Croatia, Thailand, Italy, and the Azores just to name a few. These countries are steeped in natural beauty waiting for you to drop anchor and rock up to. Below is a list of activities in some of our favorite destinations to enhance your charter experience.

Location 1 – Sicily, Aeolian Islands.

sicily crewed sailing yachts, rent a boat Sicily, sicily crewed boat rental

Italy, a country famed by its food, culture, hospitality and it’s an outstanding natural beauty. Italy is one of Boatbookings favorite destinations for a couple of reasons, yes, we are all foodies, but its the natural, off the beaten itineraries that the Aeolian Islands offers.

Activity 1 – Walk up and admire the views across to the smoldering Vulcano

For the yachts that got into port on time and the wind wasn’t on the nose (haha) you can walk west 3kms from town to this incredible viewpoint on Lipari Island. This famous viewpoint is named “Quattrocchi” which is Italian for ‘four eyes’. For guests arriving a little later in the afternoon, you can catch a 10-minute bus. Watch the neighboring island ‘Vulcano’ as she smokes – you get a real sense that the earth is alive!

Activity 2 – Beach day at Cala Junco

Image result for Cala Junco — Cala Junco

Sometimes a beach day is necessary on a yacht charter. Pack a picnic and head for Cala Junco, a tiny cove with its own sheltered beach. Located on the southern tip of Panarea island, this oasis provides the perfect place to chill out with the family.

Location 2 – Azores, Atlantic.

Panoramic view over the Sete Cidades lake on Sao Miguel Azores

For the adventurous spirit, the Azores offers something different. A small cluster of islands located 1,400 miles of mainland Portugal boasts some of the most impressive scenery the world has to offer. With volcanos, craters, vineyards and hiking in abundance, you will not be short of activities!

Activity 1 – Calderia Volcano, Faial Island

A must-see if you find yourselves in the Azores! The Calderia Volcano and Capelinhos Volcano, located on the island of Faial. The Calderia and Capelinhos Volcano is a breathtaking monogenetic volcanic field – monogenetic means that it will only erupt once. Incredibly, its irruption lasted over 13 months!

Calderia Volcano and Capelinhos Volcano on map

Activity 2 – Wine tour on Pico island

Pico island has been producing with since the early 1500s and is the island’s main export. The vineyards are not the traditional neat rows over rolling fields, they have been adapted to Pico’s rich volcanic soils. The stone wall areas called ‘Currais’ litter the landscape, covering just over 2,000 acres of land across Pico island. The gardeners use basalt that exposes the vines to the sun but protects them from the Atlantic breeze.

Location 3 – The Bahamas

The Bahamas. One of the most visited placed by sailors from all over the world. A playground made up of sandbanks, island hopping and crystal clear turquoise water. An area so natural, that more than half the islands in the Exumas are not inhabited.

Activity 1 – Anything in the water

The best activities to do in the Bahamas revolves around getting in the water, I mean who wouldn’t want to go swimming in that turquoise water?! Some of our favourite additions to a yacht charter in the Bahamas are: driving with nurse sharks, snorkelling in Thunderball Grotto, swimming with the pigs and visiting the Iguanas!

Activity 2 – Eating at the yacht club, Staniel Cay.

Who said eating isn’t an activity? Boatbookings certainly thinks it is! In a place so sparsely populated sometimes you need a bit of human interaction and what perfect place than the Yacht Club in Staniel Cay. Sit on the balcony and admire the views across the bay and eat some of the island’s most delectable dishes.

Posted on February 11, 2020 by Alice Newnham

Vegan Yacht Chefs

A rise of veganism worldwide has meant that there is more demand than ever for chefs that can cater to a vegan diet. A vegan diet involves cutting out animal products like meat, fish, dairy and eggs and in Great Britain in 2016, there are estimated to be around 540,000 vegans. Therefore, we have found our favourite yachts with chefs that can cater to vegan clients in the Bahamas, the Amalfi Coast, the French Riviera and Greece.

NITSA

NITSA is based in Fort Lauderdale and available to charter in the Bahamas. Chef Katie grew up baking long before she learned to cook. Over the years she’s been able to study a wide variety of cuisines, including time in Florence, Italy and has developed an appreciation for myriad styles and flavour palates. At the same time, she’s seen the effects (good and bad) of how food & nutrition relate to the quality of life—personally, professionally, and medically. It encouraged her to leave New York City after a decade in the book publishing industry to study with renowned vegan chef, Alexx Guevara, at his culinary center at The Ranch at Live Oak in Malibu, California.

From there, she worked with Chef Alexx at Sanctuary Treatment Center, where she co-directed the nutritional and culinary program at this boutique women’s residential rehabilitation, including teaching classes, where the focus was on restoring clients’ dietary and nutritional health alongside their own recovery. Currently, Katie directs the culinary program for GroundSea Fitness, a yoga & wellness retreat held several times each year in the Berkshire Mountains, where she creates and executes this ovo-vegetarian program, including the addition of tonics, house-made teas and elixirs, and locally-sourced bone broths.

SOLO

Based in Genoa in summer and Antigua in winter, SOLO Chef Gionata was born in Italy and has been a Chef for 25 years, working for many VIPs in some of the best restaurants in the world. He received a Michelin star and have been reviewed in the best gourmet guides. As a superyacht Chef, he believes that the cuisine served is not only a showpiece but nutrition as well.

His passion for food varies from creating the perfect roast dinner to a 7-courses degustation menu to show a whole range of different cooking techniques and products. He also specialises in vegan, vegetarian and low-calorie diets. He is also up to date with all the latest cooking techniques, methods & equipment so that he can keep up with the best and latest restaurants. Cooking demonstrations with the guests either at the table or in the kitchen are also a special touch he likes to offer the charter guests.

MINOU

Marco is a native of Sardinia and after graduating from the Italian Chef Academy, he began working on the Costa Smeralda. His passion and curiosity led him to enrol in masterclasses of vegan and vegetarian cooking, bakery and pastry-making and gather a growing following. Marco has also taught classes of Italian and Sardinian cooking. To this day he is often invited to cook private dinners abroad.

Posted on October 18, 2019 by Ben Sutton

Spend Spring Break 2020 in St Barths

Summer in the Mediterranean may be coming to a close but your winter getaway is just around the corner. With just over 100 days until Christmas, it’s time to start planning for your 2020 Caribbean adventure. Our crewed motor yacht destination of choice has to be St Barths!

If you love St Tropez, the Pampelonne Beach Club culture and chic nightlife, St Barths is the Caribbean island for you! Spend your days anchored of Nikki Beach St Barths, shop till you drop in Gustavia and enjoy dinner in Bagatelle or La Guérite. What more could you want for your 2020 Spring Break getaway? The only thing we can think of is a yacht to take you there. Welcome the Benetti 108 Supreme, LULU!

LULU may be a small package but she packs a punch! You will benefit from a superb tri-deck layout, offering lounging, dining and social spaces galore, as well as a jacuzzi! An experienced captain, a top chef, a service orientated crew take your Caribbean yacht charter experience to new heights. We are excited for you!

If you have already experienced St Barths, why not try the Bahamas for Spring Break 2020? Go swimming with the pigs, dive Thunderball Grotto or just kick back and relax in some of the clearest waters on the planet! We look forward to showing you the way in 2020.

Posted on September 28, 2019 by Ben Sutton

Bahamas Strong

Bahamas after Dorian — The beauty of the Bahamas will return!

We were horrified watching Category 5 Hurricane Dorian camp out over the Bahamas for 2 straight days, and then seeing the damage this storm has wrought. Our thoughts are with the Bahamians and all of the people who call these islands home.

We will keep you up to date about the progress of rebuilding these islands, and when it is reasonable to visit again. In the long run, the best thing you can do is to ultimately charter or vacation there, as it brings back the funds they need to rebuild their lives.

Please see our “Bahamas after Dorian” page for current status of chartering and sailing in the Bahamas.

The BVI went through a similar disaster and rebuilding process virtually two years ago this week. They are now almost completely rebuilt, and many were open for business within 6 months. Islanders are incredibly resilient people. We hope the Bahamas can rebuild this quickly as well.

Bahamas Strong.

Posted on September 7, 2019 by admin