Big Break Dominican Republic

The Big Break comes to the Dominican Republic!!


{Remember my last mention of The Big Break?}


The new season was shot entirely on location at 

Casa de Campo


{Remember how I feel about Casa de Campo?}

In the 14th season of Golf Channel's popular reality series, teams of past all-stars return for revenge and redemption, set against the beautiful backdrop of the Casa de Campo Resort.

Premiere’s: 

Wednesday, Sept. 29, 9:00 pm EST on the Golf Channel

Following the premiere, the series will air each Tuesday, at 9:00 pm, EST 

October 5 - November 30, 2010. 

I highly suggest watching this show, not only for the thrill of the competition and the good golf game but to get a sneak peak at one of the Dominican Republic's finest resorts. Casa de Campo is serviced by the La Romana Airport on the south coast of the island. Not all major airlines fly in and out of La Romana. We usually have good luck finding cheap flights on American Airlines. 

Enjoy,

Pirates on the Thames!

Am I being followed by Johnny Depp?

In August I go sailing in Cornwall and what do they say but Johnny Depp is in the county filming the next in the series of "The Pirates of the Caribbean".

Then I go across to east London looking for pirate's ending place and tidal stories (to be posted when get time) and what do I discover? He's in Greenwich again for filming and the next instalment of the series is called "On Stranger Tides" - co-incidence?

Then I head home and what do I learn? Johnny Depp is commuting up the river to west London!!

Ok, he's actually going by boat to the Battersea heliport to fly away to his house in the south of France, but still, that's pretty close!!

It's a message! - either that, or the stress of the last four weeks overwork has finally pushed me over the limit and I should now go and lie down in a dark room.

Yes, on reflection its probably the latter..... I better go now.

Poole Tides

Following on from the comments about slack water, here is an example of the confused tides you get in the Solent with the prediction from EasyTide of Pottery Pier, Poole.

You can hopefully see why the tide tables only give low water and not high water as there are two per tide cycle.

Guaranteed to come up in any Day Skipper or Coastal Skipper exam!

River Birds

Busy at work so just time for some recent wildlife pics

Vintage Bermuda

{Postcard from here}

The Elbow Beach Resort is still a popular choice in Bermuda. Now owned & operated by the Mandarin Oriental Group, the hotel is offering some fabulous fall deals. Just ask us! info@caribbeanjourney.com

Slack water?

So I'm on my way to watch the Great River Race when I over hear one young man say to another "Yup, slack water, this is as high as the river gets."

I look over at Putney Pier and see the tide swirling by....hmmm.....!

Do I:

a) Approach the lads and say "You're talking total codswollop!"
b) Shake my head and go on my way wondering about the state of the British education system
c) Take a quick snap (above) thinking there's a blog post there somewhere
d) Something else - suggestions please

The Perfect Jewelry Roll

Stephanie Johnson is a company specializing in customized travel accessories. Don't you just love the idea of designing your own pretty little bags to transport all your pretty little baubles and lotions & potions on vacation with you? 

 The jewelry roll is known as the SUSAN:

Pick your design, then choose from over 15 different fabrics:

Madagascar Pink:

Mumbai Blue:

Then watch the mailbox in eager anticipation.

Enjoy,

Steering technique in the Great River Race

While watching the stream of boats flow by in the Great River Race I amused myself by trying to spot all the different ways in which the boats could be steered.

Take the photo above: here you see the two bits of string classical method, which together with the hat and gold bars suggests a pro. The boat was also nicely mid-stream unlike many who cut a few cm off the track by heading into the shallows thereby loosing several knots of current (felt like yelling out at times but of course didn't)

Anyhow next up there's use of a steering oar (I am being a bit random with terminology: it has been a long day and happy to be corrected) as in this one:

What interested me here was the Cornish lass at the front reading - what could the book be? Was she reading aloud to her crew? Any answers welcome.

Then the oar could be to one side as in this Viking ship:

There were a couple of Viking style boats and couldn't help but notice that these terrors of the seas were way at the back. Maybe it would have been a different story if they had been told they could pillage Richmond if they got there first but luckily that wasn't in the rule book.

You might have noticed that here the height of the oar meant it had to be controlled standing up, and there were many of those than steered upright. Not only were most the dragon boats helmed in that manner but also this rather sporty number:

Bravo! Together with the shorts that looked very cool in a Queen Bess of the seas way - or, to be totally honest, a bit chilly given the wind was from the NE right on the nose around this corner. I can well see why someone might have to sit down even if it wasn't totally ergonomic:

However that wasn't the most unusual position to hold while steering which was this rather obscure back-hander:

This was the near the front (at Putney anyhow) Aggie and it looks like something has gone wrong with the rudder and that the emergency solution was rather manual. I'd guess the shoulder would still be feeling a little sore if that twist was needed all the way from Greenwich to Richmond.

Though I'm guessing that for the workers at the oars there must be quite a lot still aching a bit.

Barbados Food & Wine & Rum Festival

I have failed miserably at my own job. Somehow, I completely overlooking this sure-to-be amazing festival sponsored by Food & Wine Magazine and sadly, I have conflicting travel plans the very same week. My inner foodie is not happy at the missed opportunity to see such  fine culinary talent as Tom Colicchio, Marcus Samuelsson, Ming Tsai, Tim Love, and Fergus Henderson, in action.

For those of you who are looking for a great excuse to visit Barbados and are free to travel the week of November 19th, I highly recommend this event! I've attended other Food & Wine sponsored events and each delectable bite is worth the trip. 

Being Barbados, this is not simply a Food & Wine affair... expect large volumes of rum with a heaping side of arts & culture.

For more on the festival click here. To book your trip to Barbados, click here.

Send me a postcard!

Gladys, the Great River Race Prize Winner

Just read the post over on Rowing for Pleasure that Chris's boat Gladys (above) won not just one but two prizes - Fastest Clayton Skiff and Fastest Supervets.

Congratulations and well rowed!

More Great River Race Pics

Watching the Great River Race - 1

It definitely was fleece weather out on the Putney Embankment watching the Great River Race go by. Early morning sun disappeared behind mostly white clouds while the wind blew vigorously.

But the wait was rewarded by the well rowed first boat, Maggie (above), who was soon followed by Aggie and then 15 seconds (below):

And then there was that phase where the boats came one by one, too many to remember and snap each one, though this one did seem to find the choppy water by the Fulham grounds a bit too exciting and had to start bailing.

Then they began to come in their twos and threes:

Until the water was full of an uncountable number of boats and rowers:

The Great River Race Begins!

The Great River Race has started - and the key question at this point is do I have time to have a sandwich and finish my PowerPoint slides before it gets to Putney?

Answers on its current position can be found at the online map to be found here.

Good luck to Chris and the "Rowing for pain" team!

The Super Sexy ME Cancun goes All-inclusive!

Yes, its true... Cancun's sexiest resort is taking it to another level and going all-inclusive starting November 1, 2010.

The ME Cancun is so extraordinary that they don't want to be referred as an "all-inclusive resort" but rather "A Complete Experience Beyond Mere Accommodation" 

Although the resort will now only be offered as a "Complete Experience" non-resort guests will still be able to access on a pay to play basis.

Complete All-inclusive Rates start at only $125/per person, per night.

Ready to go? Let's start planning! info @ caribbeanjourney.com or 866-236-1924 

Adios,

Defending the Thames

I've just taken a break from my current endless work to watch the first episode in the new series of Spooks. MI5 agents may come and go (alas poor Ros) but Harry and Ruth still hang on grimly, battling to save Britain from the baddies.

And this week, without wanting to give away too much, terrorists were trying to send [deleted] up the Thames to blow up the [deleted]! As of course this had all been found out at the last moment it was too late to raise the Thames Barrier and due to [deleted] London's [deleted] was out of action, leaving Harry with the agonising dilemma about whether to unleash the capital's final resort weapon, namely the secret [deleted] hidden in the [deleted]!

Things were simpler in years gone by.

On Sunday while wandering the lanes of Wapping I was approached by a member of the Police force and invited to step into their station. Now of course these sort of requests are hard to turn down, but in this case rather welcome, as it was the once a year opening of the Thames Police Museum as part of the London Open House weekend.

And very interesting it was too. The Thames Police went for their first patrol back in July 1798 and they've been watching over these waters ever since. In the museum you could see mementos of years gone by, uniforms, pictures and models of cutter's they sailed in and galleys they rowed.

Above you can see one of the tools of their job, a plumb line used to check for depth - hence the phrase "plumbing the depths." Today of course they have sonar and RIBs that can do 45+ knots, but many jobs have remained unchanged - such as picking bodies out of the river (apparently 23 so far this year).

Now that's a body count even higher than Spooks, which no doubt would make Harry and Ruth look into each other's eyes even more darkly and moodily.

But it wouldn't be the same if they weren't.

Vacation like a Survivor in Nicaragua

During my 6 month tour of Central America, I fell for Nicaragua's raw charm and ended up staying a month. This was 1997 and there wasn't a decent resort to be found. That's all changed in the past 12 years and there are a handful of great eco-friendly resorts. 

Nicaragua hosted the most recent season of Surviver and to commemorate the event, many of the hotels are offering "Surviver Packages". 

AQUA Nicaragua is pleased to offer the following SURVIVOR PACKAGE which includes:

A 3-night stay in an Eco-Luxury TreeTop Suite with:

• Daily breakfasts
• A daily one-hour massage
• A daily Yoga class
• One excursion - kayaking, paddle board, surfing lesson or horse back riding
• Your round-trip transportation to and from the Managua, Nicaragua International Airport (We'll make it easy and comfortable for you to get here and back)

Cost: $675 per person, based on double-occupancy, excluding 15% tax & gratuities.
This special offer is valid from December 1, 2010 to January 7, 2011.

Rooms at Aqua Nicaragua:

We'd be happy to book a Surviver Package for you! info @ caribbeanjourney.com or 866-236-1924

Enjoy?

Windjammer Resort in St. Lucia Renovation Almost Complete!

The Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort in St. Lucia is a top choice for families and group travel, as well as honeymooners and travelers seeking romance. The hotel is fresh from a $700,000 renovation on the Anthurium Lily Suites which included new 4 poster mahogany beds, new soft furnishings with a more neutral palate, flat screen TVs, marble baths, and private sun decks. 

An additional $500,000 is being allotted to renovate the villas with new granite work surfaces in the kitchen, new soft furnishings, and decor elements imported from Bali & Mexico. This latest renovation is set for completion at the end of October 2010. 

To celebration the Windjammer Landing's 21st anniversary and their new look, they are offering a Forever 21 promotion which includes their normal resort credit program and a complimentary rejuvenation program for guests who stay a minimum of 5 nights between November 1, 2010 and November 20, 2011.  

Let us book this amazing property for you and take advantage of this great promotion! info @ caribbeanjourney.com OR 866-236-1924

See you in St. Lucia,

Cornish Flag

Massively busy at the moment so just a quick post to fly the flag for the Cornish, as can be seen from this pic from last month's Fowey Classics.

An Inside View of Dominica

This weekend I had the opportunity to interview Anna McCanse - a Peace Corps Volunteer who served for two years on the island of Dominica. Since returning to the US, she's been writing an in-depth guide book about Dominica and was happy to share a little about her experience with us:

LAURA: When did you first visit Dominica and how long did you stay?

ANNA: I first stepped foot on Dominica as a Peace Corps Volunteer in 2006 and worked as an education volunteer in the village of Grand Bay for two years. Because the island is relatively small and I was there for so long I was able to really spend time and get to know all the different areas of the island, especially the Carib Territory which is one of my all-time favorite places in the world. I went back again in 2010 to do research for the book and it was just as charming the second time around.

 L

  LAURA: The Peace Corp is an amazing organization – were you able to choose Dominica?  Or did you just get lucky that they assigned you to such an amazing island?

ANNA: I didn’t get to choose where I was placed.  All I knew when I got my assignment was that I’d be in the Eastern Caribbean.  We were first sent to St. Lucia where we did a month of training and on one of the last days of training they revealed which island we’d be spending the next two years of our lives.  We had a day to soak it in and were shipped out the following the day.  I feel incredibly lucky to have been placed in Dominica.  When the plane landed I was overwhelmed with relief and excitement, knowing that if all else fails, I was in one of the most beautiful places on earth.  I can’t imagine a better place to spend two years.   And coincidentally, my parents had just spent a couple of weeks in Dominica before I was assigned there.  They knew they wanted to go on a vacation to the Caribbean but didn’t want a “touristy” destination since they prefer to travel places where they can get to know the culture and the people and they fell in love with it.  So they were really excited when I was placed there and came back to visit me twice.

 LAURA: I’ve always considered Dominica a fantastic off-the-beaten path destination for singles, couples, and families – would you agree?

ANNA: Definitely- Dominica’s tourism industry has been growing leaps and bounds in the past few years and they are really marketing themselves as an eco-destination for people who are interested in the outdoors, cultural activities, and sustainable development.  And the range of activities is endless. For families there is horseback riding, whale watching,  hikes to waterfalls, snorkeling, kayaking, beaches, and rivers.  And for those who want a more extreme vacation there are some really outstanding and challenging hikes to places like the boiling lake (yep, it’s actually boiling), secret beaches, hidden waterfalls, and a new canyoning (think rappelling through waterfalls) company just opened up in the interior.   The office of tourism just started doing “community tours” which are day-long outings that highlight local farms, culture and areas of interest in villages throughout the island.  I highly recommend visiting a local farm- it’s fascinating to see where our fruits, spices, and nuts come from-including chocolate, which is seriously delicious as a fruit. 

I had over 30 visitors when I lived there of all ages and ability levels and when they left, they all had the same sentiments: I wish I had stayed longer, I have to come back.

LAURA: What was your favorite local dish on the island?

ANNA: That’s a tough one.  I love chicken paleau- it’s a spiced rice dish with vegetables and chicken.  But second place winners are steamed fish dishes, rotis (an Indian-inspired wrap), any and all ital food (organic vegan food that many Rastafarians ascribe to) and if I’m at a festival or street party I’m a happy gal if I can get my hands on a roasted plantain, a fresh coconut, and some local juice.   There’s also this guy in Roseau (the capital) that makes the most amazing smoothies on the planet.  His name is J.B., also called Juice Man, and he blends up organic local fruits and juice into these incredible concoctions.  It’s making me thirsty just thinking about it…

    

LAURA: What do you consider the Top 3 MUST SEE places on the island?

ANNA: Well that’s a tough one also.  If you’re in good physical shape, the boiling lake hike is a must: you get a taste of everything on that hike: hot pools, a waterfall at Titou Gorge,  a peak ascent with amazing views, parrot sightings in the rainforest, and some really interesting geological features in the Valley of Desolation that you have to pass through.  It’s tough but really fascinating the entire way.  And I would recommend visiting a waterfall: Sari Sari is my favorite, and then I would spend at least part of a day diving or snorkeling in the southwest.  Dominica was rated one of the top dive destinations in the Caribbean because of it’s unspoiled reefs and it’s common to find yourself swimming alongside a sea turtle when diving or snorkeling in the Soufrieré/Scotts Head Marine Reserve. 

LAURA: Thanks so much Anna! I look forward to reading your guidebook as soon as it comes out!

ANNA: Thanks to you as well.  The book should be on shelves in January and part of the proceeds of each book sold will be donated to a charitable organization in Dominica.   Check out the website closer to publication for more info on that: Dominica by Others Places Publishing

There are two more Other Places Publishing books about the Caribbean as well that your readers may be interested in: Antigua, which is already out and the Dominican Republic, which will be out in late 2011.  Both of which are also written by former Peace Corps Volunteers.  Thanks, Laura!

Enjoy,