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A tandem charter is twice the fun.
by Jill Bobrow
photography by Dana Jinkins
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12/01/2006
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Charter in the Caribbean has come a long way in the last 50
years. It is widely recognized that Desmond and Rodney Nicholson initiated the
first-ever charters in the fifties. The two brothers sailed to English Harbour,
Antigua, with their father, Commander VEB Nicholson, in 1947, and put down roots
on this sleepy island.
Early charters were mostly aboard sailboats. These days, there
has been a proliferation of large motor yachts in the charter fleet, and what
was once an ad hoc, rough-and-ready vacation has turned into a highly
sophisticated business. World-class, gold-plated yachts now use Antigua as their
winter hub. (Click images to enlarge)
Antigua and its environs still hold many of the same pleasant
surprises the region did in those early days of yacht charter. In the southeast
corner of the island is Nelson’s Dockyard in English Harbour, one of the most picturesque and historic harbors in the Caribbean. The brick buildings of the
old officers quarters, the copper and lumber store, The Admiral’s Inn and the
lofting pillars have all been restored much as they were in 1776 when Lord
Nelson created a British naval base there. Other glorious anchorages such as
Green Island and Five Islands are favorites as well. Nearby Barbuda has one of
the finest beaches in the Caribbean.
Top: A clear-bottomed kayak works well in turquoise
waters. Bottom: Jet skiing between boats makes for easy back-and-forth
visitation. (Click images to enlarge)
There are many possible approaches to enjoying a charter
out of and around Antigua. Ordinarily, a family or two couples will take
a single boat for a week or two and cruise the island’s beauty spots and
possibly divert to nearby Nevis and St. Kitts.
Last winter, though, I found myself with a larger group of
friends who wanted to experience Antigua by motor yacht, but we were too many to
do it on a single boat.
Time was a factor as well. We wanted to take a mini-break from
the stresses of the workaday world. We wanted to be together and enjoy the
intimacy of a medium- to large-size yacht, not something of the grandeur of a
Christina O or another large vessel that caters to 36 guests.
 Our brokers, Yachting Partners International, thought of
organizing a tandem charter, whereby we could divide our group in two, cruise to
the same places, anchor near each other and mix and match when it came time for
cocktails, meals or fun in the water. We split our group of 18 aboard two
equally endowed vessels, Seven Sins and Mary Jean. (Click image to enlarge)
We commenced our mini-charter in Falmouth Harbour. Our boats
were docked at the lively Antigua Yacht Club Marina. After an evening at the
dock, we departed at morn’s early light, cruising past boats sleepily at anchor.
We left the mouth of the vast harbor and turned right, passing Carlisle Bay and
the landmark Curtain Bluff resort and then bypassing the two-mile-long Cades
Reef en route to Five Islands on Antigua’s northwest side.
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