"Kaikkien aikojen paras loma" purjeveneessä Karibialla Opastusvalossa

The minute we stepped on to the boat we were relaxed and stress free. The only decision we ever had to make was which island to visit. Homemade bread, original drinks, delicious food, games and so much more. It felt like we were leaving family when we had to fly home. This will be an annual trip for all of us. Couldn’t ask for better customer service and rewarding adventures. Thank you so much Guiding Light. You’ve definitely set the bar high for vacationing. See you next year...or maybe sooner.

Chartering a catamaran is an awesome experience. It’s even better when the captain welcomes you into his ‘home’ and takes care of every detail. Shane’s experience of living and exploring these islands makes it easy when trying to decide what to see and do, or not do and just relax in the sun. The possibilities are endless. Our group is very easy going, and open to suggestions which helps when weather and post hurricane conditions dictate plans. Shane’s cooking and drink of the day (should be plural- “drinks” he knows my suggestions!) are great. He even surprised me by baking a birthday cake (tears of joy)! All the little things that make it personal and memorable. We loved spending time with him and Melek, snorkeling and playing games. He’s more than just the captain. He really makes his guests feel like they’re at home. I hope you’ll try a charter with him sometime. Complete relaxation as soon as we stepped onto the boat. Sigh. We can’t wait to explore the Spanish VI’s and islands south of the BVI’s in the future. We’ll see you again soon! Brace yourselves! Happy Sails!

Shane was an excellent guide! His familiarity with the area allowed us to see the best of the US and British Virgin Islands. He had options when the weather turned bad and always provided a Plan A or Plan B. The meals were delicious - fresh and healthy breakfasts - quick lunches so we could keep playing - and yummy home cooked meals. It was nice to balance with eating dinners "on land". Also very much enjoyed the Captains "Drink of the Day". He does a great job of stocking the boat according to your preference sheet. Shane does his best to ensure all had a good time. We had 6 adults - parents and 4 adult children and all found it great fun. The accommodations were comfortable- good sleeping with the breeze and rocking boat. You should understand that this is an "outdoor" vacation so blow dryers...heels...and fancy outfits can stay at home. We have wonderful memories of our trip on the Guiding Light!

Shane is a great host, adventure guide, skipper and cook! This charter was a first-time experience for most of us (3 couples) and it was fantastic. Shane has spent more than six years doing charters out of Red Hook, and he knows a lot of awesome spots that are only accessible by boat. Before we arrived, he emailed a questionnaire to help plan activities, meals, beer & wine, etc., stocked the boat according to that, and we simply reimbursed him. We had breakfast & lunch on the boat, and 3 dinners with a special "drink of the day." The other nights we all ate at restaurants. We spent a full week just sailing, snorkeling, hiking, relaxing; the women did morning yoga on the trampoline. Shane laid out lots of options, let us choose our destinations and joined in the hikes and snorkeling. And he was happy to involve us in the actual sailing, anchoring, etc., although he's used to managing the boat solo. The beaches on the north side of Tortola were closed because of big swells, and even the Drake Channel was a little rough, but Shane knows all the tricks to avoid seasickness. We were glad to be on a catamaran rather than a monohull, and we skipped the longer haul to Anagada (not much there anyway), spending more time at remote spots on St. John instead. The diversity of marine life in the mangroves at Hurricane Hole and around Waterlemon Cay is incredible. Shane knows a lot about the history of the islands too: Indians, sugar plantations, pirates. Norman Island was the model for Stevenson's "Treasure Island", Dead Chest Island the origin of "Dead Man's Chest (Yo-Ho-Ho...)", Sandy Cay was in the opening credits of "Gilligan's Island." We had a great mix of out-of-the-way adventures plus some more standard stuff like Foxy's and the Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke. Guiding LIght might seem a little tight for 7 people, but Shane is such a genial, easy-going guy that everything worked out wonderfully. Why would anybody choose a Moorings charter costing twice as much?