Yacht Charter in the Whitsunday Islands

The Whitsunday Islands lie off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north eastern corner of the mainland continent. It is neighboured by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south west and New South Wales to the south. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean. The area was first colonised by Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islanders, who arrived between 40 000 and 65 000 years ago. Later, Queensland was made a British Crown Colony that was separated from New South Wales in 1859. Queensland is often nicknamed the Sunshine State, since it enjoys warm weather and a sizable portion of the state is in the tropics. Their geographic co-ordinates are 20°18xS, 148°56xE. The Whitsunday Islands are situated between Townsville in the north and Mackayin the south. They are 500 miles north of Brisbane, the capital of Queensland.

The Whitsunday Islands can be divided into four groups; The Whitsunday Group, the Lindeman Group, The Molle's and the Northern Group

The Whitsunday Group includes; Bird Island, Black Island, Border Island, Cid Island, Cowrie Island, Deloraine Island, Dent Island, Dumbell Island, Dungarra Island, Esk Island, Fitzalan Island, Hamilton Island, Harold Island, Haslewood Island, Hayman Island, Henning Island, Hook Island, Ireby Island, Langford Island, Long Island, Lupton Island, Nicolson Island, Perseverance Island, Plum Pudding Island, Teague Island, Titan Island, Whitsunday Island, Wirrainbela Island, Workington Island

The Lindeman Group of islands is located at 20°27'S, 149°04'E. The islands in the Lindeman Group include; Baynham Island, Cornston Island, Gaibirra Island, Triangle Island, Keyser Island, Lindeman Island, Little Lindeman Island, Maher Island, Mansell Island, Pentecost Island, Seaforth Island, Shaw Island, Thomas Island, Volskow Island

The Molle's group include; Daydream Island, Denman Island, Goat Island, Mid Molle Island, North Molle Island, Planton Island, South Molle Island

The Northern Group comprises; Armit Island, Double Cone Island, Eshelby Island, Gloucester Island, Grassy Island, Gumbrell Island, Olden Island, Rattray Island, Saddleback Island

English is spoken throughout the Whitsunday Islands. The currency is the Australian Dollar. Major credit cards are accepted widely.

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. And a divers paradise. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park protects 70% of the region fostering superb coral formations and an abundance of marine life. The tranquil and turquoise waters are home to whales, dolphins, turtles and manta rays. The Great Barrier Reef stretches nearly 1500 miles along the northeast coast of Australia; it is the largest structure on the planet built by living organisms. It can even be seen from outer space. Up close, however it is truly spectacular. New fish species are found in the Great Barrier area every year. There are approximately 4,000 molluscs and 350 hard, or reef-building, corals. One coral chunk the size of a basketball yielded 1,441 worms from 103 species. The Great Barrier Reef is comprised of more than 2,800 coral reefs. The carnival of colourful marine life that call it home provide some of the best diving and snorkelling in the world. Novice divers find it hard to describe the unforgettable encounter of seeing over a 100 fish per minute. Experienced divers will be moved by this ultimate experience.

Sunny tropical weather is almost guaranteed year round in the Whitsunday Islands. Avoid school holidays for off-peak periods. Yacht charters are cheaper and the Whitsunday Islands are not as crowded. At any time of year, there is usually enough wind for a pleasant sail.

Summer runs from December to March and is warm and humid with rain showers. Winter runs from June to September and is warm by day and cool at night. Trade winds usually blow slightly stronger from May to August. There is a risk of cyclones from February to March. Late September to early November are considered by some to be the best cruising weather in the Whitsunday Islands. The average daily temperature of is 27°C. January is the warmest month averaging 30°C and July the coolest month averaging 23°C. The water temperature remains a pleasant 23 - 27°C with the average year round water temperature being an inviting 24°C.

The months from October through to May are "stinger" season. Stingers are jellyfish. Jellyfish are the most common wildlife hazard in the area. There are many species of jellyfish in the area; the toxicity of their stings is just as varied. Jellyfish are a problem during stinger season when swimming is not advised at all. An encounter with one is very painful and can be life threatening. You may want to hire or buy a lycra suit to swim in if you plan to swim in the ocean during those months for safety reasons. A stinger suit is usually a full body lycra suit designed to prevent the effects of jellyfish. In recent years a major element in jellyfish injuries is the Irukandji jellyfish.

Tide will be a major factor in planning your sailing day. The tidal flow floods the area to the South, and ebbs to the North flowing around 3 knots. Where the islands are situated close together particularly at the Solway, Fitzallen and Hook Island passages, the tide flows at around 5 knots.

Each island has it's own fringing reef system and you will need to use your eyes carefully when choosing your yacht anchorage. You should aim to anchor before 16.00 while the light is still perfectly OK and you will be able to avoid the coral reefs. Buoy markers and public moorings are located in sensitive areas in several locations around the islands in order to protect the coral. You will find them in on Hook Island, Hayman Island and Daydream Island. You are required to either pick up one of the many mooring balls or anchor outside of the reef markers.

Many yacht charter companies are based in Airlie Beach, the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands. Whitsunday Coast Airport at Proserpine is situated about 10 milers inland from Airlie Beach. Flying times are a 1 hour and 30 minutes and 2 hours 30 minutes from Brisbane and Sydney respectively. As Airlie Beach is located on a peninsula that stretches out to the Whitsunday passage, it is an ideal base. The colourful beach town is focused on serving the needs of the large number of travellers who gather there to embark on a long yacht charter or just a day sail. Airlie Beach provides many of the essential services for sailors. Shopping areas are open seven days a week for provisioning and there are plenty of dining and entertainment options as well.

Whitehaven Beach is one of the most outstanding xsandscapesx in the world. It is recognized as one of the best beaches in the world it will be a highlight of your sailing holiday. Whitehaven Beach is located on the eastern side of the uninhabited Whitsunday Island; the natural silica sand spans 3 miles. The sand is said to be 98% pure Silica, giving new meaning to xsandy white beachx. This is a popular spot and you are likely to encounter other yacht charters. There are no moorings at Whitehaven Beach but plenty of space for anchoring the yacht.

Hamilton Island is one of the Whitsunday Islandsx most well known resorts and offers a vast range of activities and facilities. Hamilton Island has a fifty-acre fauna park featuring kangaroos, koalas, goannas and other local wildlife. The harbour is very impressive and comprehensive: fuel, water, shipwright, electrical and engineering services and a large range of supplies are all available. It is a good idea to contact the harbourmaster a few days in advance to reserve a berth even though there are many berths for both large and smaller boats. The harbour is located on the western side of Hamilton Island and is relatively easy to navigate. With the largest island airport Hamilton Island is very convenient and some large yacht charter companies have their base on the island.

South Molle Island is just 5 miles from the mainland. Take the walking trail, which brings you through lush forests to hilltop lookouts to enjoy stunning views of the surrounding islands. The many trails will provide opportunities to ponder magnificent views. Anchor the yacht on the eastern side of the jetty being sure to leave enough room for the very large water taxis to manoeuvre.

Hook Island is home to a number of quite, sheltered bays that offer some relief from the multitude of yachts sailing the Whitsunday Islands. In the northern bays of Hook Island public moorings are provided and their use is encouraged. These moorings are there to protect the fantastic coral formations fringing the entire northern coast of Hook Island. Hook Island has some of the best sites in the Whitsunday Islands for snorkelling and diving.

Hayman Island is another popular spot for divers. Dolphin Point offers a great diversity of marine life including clown fish, mackerel and trevally with the occasional hammerhead shark. Blue Pearl Bay is very popular with yacht charter boats and again here is much marine life to see.
By: ken jones

Cruising to Kauai, Hawaii

Kauai is a small island west of Oahu, and what it lacks in size it makes up for in beauty. It is known as the Garden Isle, for it is covered with flowers and vegetation, the pleasant byproduct of a more generous supply of rainfall than received by the other islands. In fact, the summit of Mount Waialeale is one of the wettest places on the earth, receiving an average of 444 inches of rainfall annually. If you are lucky enough for your cruise ship to dock here, you will be swept away by the magnificent scenery, including towering cliffs and jagged peaks, lush green valleys and abundant rain forests, beautiful sandy beaches and swaying palm trees. Kauai has such an exotic beauty that several movies have been filmed here, including "Raiders of the Lost Ark", "King Kong", "South Pacific" and the "Jurassic Park" series. Waimea Canyon, nicknamed the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific" by Mark Twain, is located here, too, and it is almost 3000 feet deep with beautiful red earth cliffs.

Ships dock at Nawiliwili Harbor, which isn't known for much except its fun name. A local law mandates that no building may be constructed taller than the height of a coconut tree, so you won't find glitzy hotels or large shopping centers here. Less than one mile from the pier, you will find some of the best shopping on the island - especially of pearl jewelry - at Anchor Cove Shopping Mall. Just behind the shopping mall is a spectacular beach called Kalapaki Beach, which is supervised by lifeguards and is safe for swimming. Further south you will come to Poipu Beach, which is worth the 15 mile ride for its crystal clear water, pure white sand, and lava rocks. Kauai's most famous beach is at Hanalei, where you can catch surfers riding the waves. There are several shore excursions which bring you closer to the unbelievable beauty of this island, including river tubing, hiking and kayaking. You can even sign up for a zipline adventure, soaring high above the spectacular scenery on a high wire zipline.

If your taste runs more to history than scenery, visit Old Koloa Town, located about an hour's drive from the port. This town has been preserved from the days when waves of immigrants came here to work on the sugar plantations, with its original buildings now converted into shops and restaurants. In the center of town is a small history center, and individual buildings are labeled with plaques detailing their original functions and unique histories.

By: Stephanie Larkin

A cruise to the Galapagos Islands

Lying 600 miles off the coast of mainland Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands are an archipelago of 19 main volcanic islands formed by the periodic eruptions of several volcanoes. Several of these volcanoes are still active and although the oldest islands are thought to be between 5 and 10 million years old, the youngest of the Galapagos Islands (Isabela and Fernandina) are still being formed, with eruptions of their volcanoes as recently as 2007.

Getting to the Galapagos Islands
Generations of backpackers have tried to find cheap ways to get to the Galapagos, but the fact remains that the only reliable and regular way is to fly from mainland Ecuador. Several airlines have daily flights to either Baltra or San Cristobal from Quito and Guayaquil.

Galapagos Tours
Few cruises to the Galapagos Islands take in all 19 of the major islands and access to several of them is prohibited or restricted. Today even on the islands that tourists can visit as part of a cruise, there are strict regulations to control tour numbers in order to preserve the unique and fragile ecosystem. You should make sure when booking any cruise to the Galapagos Islands that you do so with a responsible tour operator so that not only you but future generations can enjoy them!

Galapagos cruises are generally of either 4, 5 or 8 days in length and each yacht has a slightly different itinerary according to the rules set down by the Galapagos National Park and, to some extent, the preferences of the captain. Obviously, the longer the cruise you decide upon, the more incredible wildlife you will be able to see.

Yacht types on your Galapagos Cruise
There are several types and standard of boats operating cruises to the Galapagos Islands. One obvious split is between yachts and catamarans. A yacht is a traditional type of ship, with a single hull while a catamaran has two or more hulls and offers increased yaw stability at the cost of slightly more up-and-down motion. Generally speaking in the Galapagos, catamarans are being preferred at the higher end of the spectrum.

Within both types of ship, there are several classes, from quite basic boats to cruises offering absolute luxury. The grading system can be quite confusing, as every company providing cruises to the Galapagos islands seems to have its own system. At Real Ecuador Holidays, we have opted for a star system like that of hotels, which hopefully keeps things as simple as possible!

Generally speaking, a 3-star yacht will tend to have bunks rather than beds and the cabins may not be air-conditioned. Public areas will be well-equipped but may be a little dated - for example, offering a VCR rather than DVD. A 4-star cruise will give you proper beds, greater comfort levels and often some really nice facililites - jacuzzis, anyone? Finally, 5-star Galapagos cruises give you superb facilities, incredible comfort and boats with real character - a fantastic way to enjoy these fantastic islands.

All yachts have a trained naturalist guide as part of the crew and he/she will act as your tour guide on each Galapagos island. The rule of thumb is that the better the yacht, the better the guide, with 3-star yachts employing Level II guides, 4-star yachts, Level III guides and the 5-star cruises employing the best of all.

Staying on the Galapagos Islands
For those of you who aren't keen on taking a long cruise to the Galapagos Islands, there are other options such as staying on a hotel on either Santa Cruz or San Cristobal (the main islands) and taking day-trips out to some of the other islands to enjoy the wildlife there. This can be quite cost-effective and more comfortable if a cabin on the high seas doesn't sound like its for you. Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruzin particular has some excellent hotel accommodation, as well as all the restaurants, bars and other facilities that you could wish for.

Hopefully all this has been helpful for you if you are planning, or thinking of planning a cruise to the Galapagos Islands - there's obviously a lot to think about but the main thing is to know that whatever type of Galapagos cruise you decide on, you can be sure of seeing one of the most amazing places on earth and coming back with stories (and photos!) that will be the envy of your friends!

What Cruise Passengers Must Know About Duty-Free Shopping Onboard Ship!

Cruise passengers often overlook one aspect to cruising that is fun, easy, convenient, and can save them a lot of money. It's called duty-free shopping. Even if you're not willing to turn your next cruise vacation into a shopping trip, you can still take home some serious bargains from the duty-free stores onboard ship. It's fast, convenient, and--if you do it right--can save you some real money on luxury purchases.

I don't know why they call it duty-free shopping, since the name is a bit misleading. It ought to be called tax-free shopping. When you venture into international waters (50 miles off shore), merchandise can be sold without having to add on city, state, or national taxes. Duty-free stores are shops that sell the merchandise for exactly the price marked, with no taxes tacked on at the cash register.

Many cruise shops feature luxury items, the kinds of things that would surely attract sales tax and possibly other taxes in many countries. If you are interested in buying a watch that you know costs $500 or a bottle of perfume that retails for about $75 at your local department store, you may not be initially impressed at the duty-free store. The price tags for these two items will likely be $500 and $75 or very close to it.

The difference is that the duty-free price is the total price you'll pay. Buy that same watch in a U.S. jewelry store and you can expect to pay sales tax of around $40. The perfume would tack on about $6 in sales tax. This is based on a rough 8% sales tax rule for the U.S. If you live in Canada, sales tax hovers around 12% and it is even higher in Europe.

Europeans may notice the bargains at duty-free shops more quickly than Americans because in Europe, it is customary for the sales tax to be figured into the price tag before you get to the cash register. In the U.S., sales tax is one of those things nobody talks about until you get to the cash register when it just magically appears on your bill.

Many cruise lines will offer certain luxury items at competitive or even discount prices. If you are shopping for jewelry, particularly gemstones, certain gold and silver items, pearls, and watches, you may be able to nab a good deal besides getting the duty-free benefit. If you are looking for something specific (tanzanite earrings, for instance) and you happen to know the going prices and can assess quality yourself, you should feel very comfortable in the cruise shops. You'll be able to know if you're getting a good deal or not.

I've heard a lot of cruise anecdotes about cruise passengers who combed local ports of call seeking bargains only to find out they could have done just as well or better by sticking to the duty-free shop onboard!

When making a duty-free purchase, keep the receipts. You may be asked to show them upon returning home. A U.S. citizen may bring up to $800 of merchandise back into the country without paying duty. If you rack up more than that, you may be asked to pay a certain amount of duty or tax on the purchase. I guess the idea is that you can bring a reasonable amount of personal purchases back home from your vacation duty-free but not so much merchandise you could go into business!

Another advantage of buying duty-free on your cruise ship is convenience. You can shop at leisure, the cruise ship personnel will likely be friendly and speak English, and you need not carry your purchases around. Many cruise ships offer guarantees on their merchandise, meaning that once you're back home you can contact the cruise line if you experience a problem with what you've purchased. This service is not likely to be as handy from foreign shops, if it is even available at all.

Airports may also have duty-free stores but only for people who will literally be traveling from a foreign country back home. The same principles apply: you may not see radical mark-downs (but then again, you often see good prices) but you will not be charged taxes.

Keep in mind that when you return to the U.S., U.S. citizens can only have $800 in total purchases (duty free or not). After that, the customs officials have the prerogative of charging duty, a tax on what you're bringing in. (Note that duty is not necessarily levied against anyone who brings in more than $800 but it may be.)

If you are traveling with your family, you may combine each family member's $800 duty-free allowance. As an example, a married couple with two children would have $3200 duty-free allowance.