Brian Courtney
11/01/2006
The amazing thing about navigating here is that you can go from eighty feet to 3,800 feet of depth in a matter of seconds," says Captain Don Edwards as he helms M/Y Janie through turquoise waters near a limestone massif.
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The "here" he’s referring to is the twin island chains that
comprise the country of Turks & Caicos. Located just 575 miles southeast of
Miami, T&C has remained largely obscured by its more-developed northern
neighbor, the Bahamas.
T&C offers many wonders above and
below its sparkling waters. (Click images to enlarge); function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
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"In larger terms, the development here is really only in its
first phase," says Edwards, a Californian who has lived in T&C for 20 years,
"but in terms of yachting, we’re not even that far along. That’s the beauty of
this place. We’ve got thousands of square miles to explore, and when you’re done
for the day, you’re still just a stone’s throw from an island. You can tuck into
the lee, drop the hook and have a safe, calm overnight. The best part is that
there won’t be another boat anywhere around—guaranteed."
True to his word, our evening plays out exactly as the captain said it would. And Edwards’ charge, a 157-foot (47.9-meter) Trinity launched in 2004, is the perfect platform for enjoying this scenario. With a draft of just seven feet, she is able to navigate close to the country’s arid, low-lying islands.
A 28-foot beam and five suites, including a main-deck master, make
Janie
more than just comfortable. She is traditionally styled with dark-stained cherry
joinery throughout and inlaid marble. A curved central staircase leads
to the lower-level guest accommodations. The master stateroom, forward on the
main deck, is entered through the attached office on the starboard side. There
is a baby grand piano and bar in the main salon. The aft deck is fully covered
by the sun deck above and provides alfresco dining in any weather. It is
equipped with a flat-panel TV, as is the sun deck. The laid back life is the rule in T&C, whether Right Top photo: riding on the beach, Right Bottom photo: feasting on the local fare or Left photo: relaxing in a quiet cove. (Click images to enlarge) l(Click images to enlarge)aid-back life is the rule ; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
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Janie’s crew of nine ensures that a charter to these mostly remote islands is anything but "roughing it." While Chef Dee Lynch is whipping up hors d’oeuvres to go with our evening cocktails, the mates are prepping Janie’s 34-foot Intrepid sportfisher to run guests to a secret cove for a bit of beginners cliff diving before sunset."We did a familiarization cruise here with just the crew because no one knew anything about the place except Don," says Chief Stewardess Jane Bond. "Now we love it, and the guests that come here are usually easygoing. They’re looking for a real escape. They want to go bonefishing or dive, then relax, and this is the place for it."
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T&C has long been a secret of traveling scuba divers, who
are attracted by its close proximity to North America and its underwater
bounty. Wall diving along the sheer cliffs of the Caicos Bank between the islands of French Cay and West Caicos is a particular favorite. More than 10,000
feet deep, the trench is where divers sight big pelagics, such as sharks, rays
and whales. (Click image to enlarge)
Scanning the entire horizon from the hot tub on Janie’s sun deck, we
realize that we are the only people here—even the island is uninhabited. We
munch on Chef Dee’s delectable appetizers and chase them with cold cocktails. As
the sun sets, we hope to see the sunset’s green flash, and not another yacht
anchored nearby. Of the first we can’t be sure; of the second, we are quite
positive—and quite happy.
The Sacks Group
954-764-7742
marketing@sacksyachts.com
www.sacksyachts.com
| Yacht Name: | M/Y Janie |
| Yacht Year: | 2004 |
| Yacht Type: | Motor Yacht |
| Draft: | 7' (2.13m) |
| LOA (Actual length): | 157' (47.85m) |
| Power: | 2x 2,250-hp Caterpillar |
| Max Speed: | 22 kts |
| Cruise Speed: | 18 kts |
| Range: | 3,500 nm @ 12 kts |
| Beam: | 28' (8.53m) |