New Hotel Spotlight: The Ku, Anguilla

The best way to describe this new Anguilla hotspot is Minimalist Chic at the Beach! Conveniently located on Shoal Bay East, this glimmering beauty opened on October 15, 2005 and has sent guests home satisfied ever since. The Ku is a great value, compared to others on the island, starting at only $160/night. The all-suite property has a lively beachfront restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. “Ku” means “sacred place” in the native Arawak language… and it truly is a sacred gem in the world of affordable travel.

Airline Approved Beauty Products:

Sephora, one of my favorite body product retailers, has jumped on the “good things come in small packages” bandwagon that arose from the FAA’s new restrictions on carry-on liquids. Their retail shops and their website are both featuring many of their top-sellers in tiny packages – all at or under the 3 OZ limit that is currently still in place. Having traveled over the holiday season, I was pleased to see that both airports I visited were kind enough to have stashes of zip-loc bags on hand for anyone that forgot. If this restriction becomes standard policy then we can only assume more companies will adapt their product sizes too.

Starwood Hotels Has a New Baby!

The hotel chain recently announced that the new Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa will open on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten on December 13. This hotel is a welcomed addition to the tiny Dutch island that’s only other hotel of the same caliber is the Sonesta Maho – a property that is often sold out forcing those wanting to visit the Dutch side of the island to seek accommodations on the French side and commute to the gambling tables. Hopefully, the new Westin will share in the spotlight of success that its sister hotel in St. John has enjoyed for many years.

Good news for NE travelers wanting some fun in the sun this holiday season! Beginning Dec. 2, JetBlue will begin a second nonstop flight every Saturday from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to Aruba. The second Saturday flight will be a permanent addition to the company's schedule and will complement the existing daily nonstop service to the Caribbean island that began September 15. In addition, JetBlue will add a second daily nonstop flight from New York/JFK to Aruba for the holidays to support high customer demand effective from Dec. 21 through Jan. 7, 2007.

The Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Tourism has announced a new yearlong marketing campaign called the Jubilee Year of Festivals. The plan will promote major festivals and events the twin island nation will host in the next 12 months. Highlights of the Jubilee Year of Festivals campaign include: 25 Reasons to Travel to Antigua and Barbuda, 25 Adventures You Ought to Try in Antigua and Barbuda, and 25 Tips When Traveling to Antigua and Barbuda. The new marketing campaign will showcase many of the properties that have recently undergon millions in renovations.

Following the 5 Oceans

Frustrated at being unable to follow the 5 Oceans? Unable to get the official web site to work? Fear not! Here is your cut out and keep (Blog lawyer: you can't say that!) - ok your print out and keep tool-kit to following the fleet to Fremantle.

Firstly head to Mike Golding's web site to get the rankings and positions, like this:
The top four are in South Atlantic and last three close to the equator. The DTL closing is clearly out, but it looks like Mike is falling behind. Checking the tracks it appears Alex Thomson is heading as if towards the wrong Cape - towards the Horn not Hope.

To understand both these, lets check out the weather down there. On Stormsurfing this is the forecast for tomorrow morning.

The leading boat's progress is blocked by a high. Bernard Stamm is close to getting out the other side. Alex Thomson is thinking of heading around the high to the west - which could be a smart move. If you run the animation you can see the high drifting east, following Stamm, breathing down his neck - which can't be a good thing.

To find out how each of the skippers are doing, check out their respective sites:

- Mike Goldings knows he's got problems - Stamm ahead and Alex out-flaking him.

- Alex Thomson's listening to Snow Patrol and Razorlight and plotting his route west

- Bernard Stamm is writing in French. I can't understand it without really concentrating....

- Kojiro Shiraishi is writing in Japanese. I really can't understand it at all!

- Graham Dalton is not writing on his site - any ideas if he is anywhere else?

- Robin Knox-Johnson hasn't written for a bit - but there's a reason for that....

Robin Knox-Johnson is having problems - there's a series of stories on the Yachting World site, including him:
- having a Chinese gybe
- reporting all the battens in his main broken
- struggling with modern technology

The last is a fascinating insight into how sailing has changed since Robin was in "A world of my own". The old school sailor is having to adjust to the modern technology of grib files downloaded by satellite rather than simply tapping at the barometer and peering at the sky.

But one thing hasn't changed for Knox-Johnston - the wee dram of whisky.

See - all that coverage, and not need to go to the official site.

Butterflies And Hurricanes

There's a great video on Bernard Stamm's web site of Cheminees Poujoula storming along - and the musics not bad too. Turns out Stamm is a Muse fan, and it's that classic track "Butterflies And Hurricanes".

A good choice - one of those to add to the rough weather mix. I took it on the delivery from Lisbon to Gibraltar, but it's not really fine weather chill out music.

The lyrics are pretty appropriate for a round the world sailor:

Change everything you are
And everything you were
Your number has been called

Fights and battles have begun
Revenge will surely come
Your hard times are ahead

Best, you've got to be the best
You've got to change the world
And use this chance to be heard
Your time is now

Change everything you are
And everything you were
Your number has been called
Fights and battles have begun
Revenge will surely come
Your hard times are ahead

Best, you've got to be the best
You've got to change the world
And use this chance to be heard
Your time is now

Don't let yourself down
And don't let yourself go
Your last chance has arrived

Best, you've got to be the best
You've got to change the world
And use this chance to be heard
Your time is now

Zagat Comes to the Caribbean! Zagat, the famed publisher of highly acclaimed restaurants, bars, and attractions, has launched its first Caribbean issue covering Barbados. The 2007 Best of Barbados is the first to cover the Caribbean, extending quite an honor to the island nation. Of course, we’ve all known that Barbados was a fabulous dining destination, and now the world will get to read about 169 of its top tables. Also given many pages in the guide is the island’s offering of fabulous golf courses. Sure, most have heard of Sandy Lane since Tiger Woods chose it as his Destination Wedding location, but Barbados has many other golf courses, some challenging and some just as interesting being stepped in history. Pick up a copy of the guide before your next visit!

Curacao is adding more hotels! Curacao has surprised many of us in the industry as it has experienced a quick rise top spot on many clients dream lists of island vacation destinations. Not only does the island have stunning beaches and the same crystal clear water that has made neighboring Bonaire a dive Mecca for years, but Curacao wraps a history lesson into the vacation experience. The Hotel Kura Hulanda was built by eccentric entrepreneur Jacob Gelt Dekker, and features the Kura Hulanda Museum, an anthropological museum that showcases the predominant cultures of Curacao past and present. Jumping on the tourism boom of this tiny island are the Hyatt Regency slated for completion in Summer 2008 and the Renaissance Curacao Resort & Casino looking to open its doors in December 2007. We can't wait!

St. Vincent Planning its First International Airport! Currently, when flying into St. Vincent, you must change planes and go through customs on one of 6 neighboring islands - Barbados, Grenada, Martinique, St. Lucia, Puerto Rico and Trinidad. From these islands, you can make the connection to Union Island, Canouan, Mustique, Bequia, or St. Vincent. The tiny island nation recently announced plans to build an International Airport with completion set for 2011. While it is a long way off, many loyalists to the region are thrilled at the expected ease in travel.

Planning a Group Trip? A new company, Triporama, has launched a website catered towards group travel leaders. Visit our Group Travel page to see direct links. Triporama.com will allow you to post information about your trip and sent e-vites to others to join in the fun and coordinate flight and hotel plans. Created in a similar fashion to the ever popular wedding website industry, Triporama has attempted to make their services unique. Group leaders using Triporama can poll their friends to find out what travel dates work best for the majority. The format is fabulous because it allows all group members to share in the travel research process and work on their own time. Visit CaribbeanJourney.com's group pages to get started!

Fixing the Five Oceans

Some suggestions to fix the crap 5 Oceans web site:

1) Make all content free - the limited video clips are not worth 20 quid and it appears from posts here that it hasn't been tested on Macs

2) Having made all content free, return the money to those that have paid for the so-called "ultimate coverage"

3) Get rid of the current race viewer and check the terms of the contract with the company that developed it: it doesn't appear to be fit for purpose

4) Replace it with something simple like the Google Maps mash-up used by the Mike Golding web site.

5) Put a regular space for the weather forecast and wind charts preferably overlaid with the position of the fleet

6) Give option to download the .kml files that allow race info to be viewed in Google Earth

7) Make sure there's a version of all pictures that can be quickly viewed without a huge (c) on it or having to register

8) Create more content - there are so few stories its hardly worth visiting. Making all the emails and photos sent from the skippers accessible would help - there's no reason not too given the media savvy like Mike Golding have their own sites where its posted for free whatever the 5 Oceans site does

9) If you can't afford more writers then get some bloggers in to create some

10) Create more space on the web site for content and reduce the clutter of adverts

11) Add a forum section for interaction with users - templates for these can be bought are off the shelf for not much money

12) Have a regular link to keep readers informed with status of the revamp

13) Check out the other race web sites - such as the very successful Volvo Ocean Race web site - and borrow shamelessly

14) Do something quickly before the race becomes a write-off

Any others?

Who Knew? The US Coral Reef Task Force. I knew the US Government had many areas that I was not familiar with, but I was extremely surprised today to learn that the government sponsors a Coral Reef Task Force. The organization was established in 1998 in an effort to protect the underwater environment surrounding our shores. They made headlines today in an article documenting the recent and rapid decline of larger types of Coral in Coral. The large coral is being replaced by smaller, less protective coral. The US Virgin Islands could see a vanishing act of large Coral within 50 years and Jamaica has already lost most of its large coral. We can all take steps to help preserve the Caribbean, visit our Go Green Pages to learn more.

Lost and found

This is where my sailing chum Jonathan's Class 40 was lurking. When the rest of the Route du Rhum was blasting its way across the Atlantic his Friends of the Earth was being hoisted at Cowes for repairs.

Hope it is soon back on the water racing - as in this video here.

Changes are coming to St. Thomas! I am glad to see that the recent improvements scheduled for the US Virgin Islands are focused on St. Thomas. Over the past few years, St. John has taken the lead as the most popular US Virgin Island with St. Croix in a close second. But what happened to St. Thomas? It was catering to tourists on a mass-market scale long before its sister islands. I think it was a combination of a shift in the marketplace and lack of attention to the once booming island. Most of my visitors to the USVI want places off the beaten track so St. John and St. Croix fit the bill. The USVI government has decided “if you build it, they will come” – a mega yacht club that is. The Yacht Haven Grande is set to debut in March and will offer accommodations and amenities to mega yachts and their owners. Opening this December is the $28Million Crown Bay Plaza offering all the upscale shopping a gal could wish for! And to show off these changes, the island is increasing its air lift from many cities.

The giant squid, the sinking boat and the whisky bottle

More drama for both the 5 Oceans and the Route du Rhum:
- Mike Golding's boat Ecover (above, in the Bay of Biscay storms) has been attacked by a giant squid
- French skipper Didier Levillain was whisked by helicopter to safety as his monohull sank beneath him
- Multi-hull Orange had the central of three hulls damaged by collision with a container
- Mast climb for Nick Bubb to retrieve a stuck halyard in rough conditions
- Multi-hull Switch.fr capsized when in third position, crew now rescued
- Concern about leaky whisky bottles on Robin Knox-Johnston's boat Saga Insurance (now that's serious)

Given all this drama its amazing how little of it is reported in either the print or tv news. So many sports gets so much coverage why (oh why) is so little time available for sailing? How can the stories above be less interesting than something like Formula 1, where cars just go round and round and round in circles?

Of course it would help if there were better ways of explaining what is happening during an offshore yacht racing - and more importantly why. Tools such as Virtual Spectator should be universal rather than the exception, where animations show boat positions and weather systems so tactics can be clearly explained.

It isn't helped by crap web sites like the 5 Oceans one, which has recently issued this belated apology (anyone interested in following that race can find a race viewer that actually works on Mike Golding's site here).

But that should be a story in its own right, a bone of contention that few can argue against. Unlike last year's fake controversy created by some sailing magazines (Yachting World you know who we mean) that criticized the new Volvo 70 class - false because those most involved (the sailors) were fully behind it, and it will continue to be the basis for the next race.

In the mean time the RdR fleet continues to power its way to the Caribbean, nice trades aligned with the direct great circle path. Must be fun out there.


Images from www.mikegolding.com, www.stormsurfing.com and www.routedurhum.org

Couples Resorts & the Jamaican Tourist Board are offering a passport promotion. As most of you know, come January 8, 2007, all visitors to the Caribbean & Bahamas must have a passport. The increasing cost of passports is seemingly a deterrent for those wanting to visit the Caribbean. One of my favorite all-inclusive chains, Couples Resorts, has teamed up with The Jamaican Tourist Board and is offering a $200 spa credit per room for travelers who make Jamaica their first stop with their new passport. The passport promotion is valid for travel Jan. 1-April 1, 2007 and travelers need to show their passport at check-in to prove Jamaica is their first international stop. A five-night minimum stay is required and the offer is valid at all four Couples Resorts in Jamaica.

Westin St. John launches a pre-holiday sale. The Westin St. John is often ranked as one of the best family resorts in the Caribbean. The resort offers full kiddie amenities, a splendid sugar sand beach, and proximity to all of the eco-adventures St. John has to offer. The Westin St. John Resort & Villas is offering a pre-holiday special starting at $439 per night, available for stays November 25 through December 22-a savings of more than 60% off regular rates for this time period.

Routing the Route du Rhum

While the Route du Rhum web site is obviously better than that of the 5 Oceans it still falls short of the arm-chair navigators favorite, the Volvo Virtual Spectator software. So routing and tactics must rely on overlaying two sites, the forecast and the RdR's charts, as done below.

Chart as of 19:45 on 1st November:

Wind forecast for 6Z on 2-11-2006:
So it looks like increasing easterlies for the fleet up to 30 - 35 knots. The multi-hulls way ahead of the main pack can be seen to be heading south to get those winds just to the north of that mini-low.

More on this later - till then, anyone know a better approach? I see there is a RdR Google Earth link, but it seems to be less up to date than the web site charting tool.

Also does anyone know of any GRIB files in Google Earth format?

Cheers



Graphics from www.stormsurfing.com and www.routedurhum.org

Route du Rhum's Missing Yacht

After the disappointment of the Velux 5 Oceans it's good to see a proper offshore yacht race and web site. The Route du Rhum race shows how it should be done, with a huge fleet (for offshore races) of 86 registered multis and mono-hulls, and a web site with easy to find and free news, pictures, and videos. The charting tool may be basic but at least it works. If its rum cocktails all round make mine a mojito.

In particular I was really excited to see that my old sailing chum Jonathan Crinion was one of those registered. He was on my watch when doing the Fastnet last year and I found it slightly embarrassing to be watch leader to a single handed sailor. But it was hopefully a two way exchange and I for one certainly found his stories full of interest.

But alas since then Jonathan and his boat, Friends of the Earth (pictured above) have gone missing. I know from his web site that he reached Falmouth on the 20th October after an interesting leg up from South Africa where he experienced rough weather and a knock down. But since then nothing - fingers crossed he will be ready for the next race.

Will let you know when I get news.

Philadelphia plans first Caribbean Festival. Ok all you Philadelphians! If you don’t have any plans this weekend, then head down to The Philly Travel Show for a “Caribbean Village” and learn all about the changes and seasonal offerings the Caribbean is featuring. Prior to that you can visit Macy’s in the King of Prussia Mall for some lively and entertaining Caribbean cooking demonstrations.