Alexander Graham Bell discovered the beauty of the Bras d'Or Lake in 1885 and in 1886 he and his wife Mabel Hubbard Bell built a large summer home called Beinn Bhreagh on a point of land jutting into the lake, just outside of Baddeck, Canada. Here Bell also built a laboratory where he conducted many of his experiments. The estate of Beinn Bhreagh is still privately owned by the family, however a very good museum of the life, work and inventions of


Beinn Bhreagh

Alexander Graham Bell is close by in the city of Baddeck along the shores of the Bras d'Or Lake. The Bell family enjoyed the lake waters as well, sailing on their yacht Elsie, which is in commission today and available for day charter.

The Bras d'Or Lake covers over 360 square miles, sitting right in the middle of Cape Breton, and is still as pristine and lovely as it was when Alexander Graham Bell was drawn to these shores. Sometimes referred to as the Bras d'Or Lake(s), this body of water is divided into a northern and southern basin, connected by the Barra Straight. The waters support a large population of salt water fish and shellfish including lobsters and oysters. The surrounding hills are largely unpopulated and have become the home and nesting grounds for Egrets and Bald Eagles.

There is a small northern entrance to the lake from the Atlantic Ocean. However, the best entrance into the Bras d'Or Lake is on the southern end, through the St. Peters Canal, built in 1868. Once inside, a calm oasis of water is found for comfortable cruising. As the lake is relatively shallow, the water temperature warms quickly under the sun resulting in far less fog within the lake region than outside this region on the Atlantic coast. These warmer lake waters also invite swimming and other water sports, at normally unheard of northern latitudes for salt water swimming.


Bras d'Or Lake Sunset

With the indented shoreline of the lake, it is not hard to find a private pristine anchorage, where oysters can be plucked from the bottom and eaten out of hand, and a refreshing swim in calm waters is just a drop over the side. Cruising the warm and tranquil waters of the Bras d'Or Lakes is a jewel hidden in the middle of Nova Scotia waiting to be explored on your next yacht charter.

Vietri sul Mer

Vietri sul Mare is on the southern side of the Sorrento Peninsula, just at the beginning of this promontory to the west of Salerno. While Vietri sul Mare is on the Mediterranean Sea and a short harbor visit might be possible, the closest real dockage is in Salerno, just next door.

Craftsmen in the town of Vietri have been producing ceramics since the Medieval period and ceramic production is still the main town industry. In fact the production of ceramics is so important to the town of Vietri and the craftsmen located there, that the brand name is now protected and only ceramics actually made in Vietri can carry the Vietri name.

While many different patterns are painted under the auspices of Vietri ceramics, most contain the Mediterranean local colors of blue, green and yellow and often are painted with lemons, or Mediterranean marine life seen locally. I saw a dinner service several times when inspecting large powerboats available for crewed yacht charter, from Vietri, with a pattern of blue waves, various painted fish, octopus, shrimp and other marine life indigenous to the southern coast of Italy. I wandered into a shop and warehouse and stumbled on the family producing this dinnerware, and watched while they hand painted each piece with the distinctive marine pattern. Of course, I walked away with an extensive selection of plates, bowls, and tiles, which I still have and use today, all marked on the bottom "Iovine, Vietri".


Storefront - Vietri sul Mer

It was a fascinating experience to not only see such a wide and lovely variety of hand painted pottery, but to also be able to watch the various craftsmen while they painted. For an additional cost, special orders are accepted hand painted with custom touches, such as a set of dinner ware, hand painted with your family name added. And, as always, when shopping at the source, the prices are well worth stopping for.

If you are a hand painted ceramics aficionado, Vietri Sul Mare should be included during a crewed yacht charter along the Amalfi Coast. And don't worry, they are happy to ship anything purchased.

Camogli Fishing Boats

I really enjoyed the Sagra del Pesce in Camogli, Italy, which takes place the second weekend in May every year. Camogli is a very attractive fishing village, just on the northern end of the Cinqueterre, on the Ligurian Coast of Italy. If thinking about a charter in May along the Liqurian Coast, the Sagra del Pesce is not to be missed.


Camogli Basilica and Castello

Celebrating the Feast Day of San Fortunato the Patron Saint of all fishermen, which is the second Sunday in May, this celebration is now a weekend long Festival, culminating in a huge fish fry organized by the fishermen of Camogli on Sunday, the Feast Day, with fresh fried fish passed out to everyone attending.


View of Camogli

The whole town turns out and organizes for the Festival, including decorations, music, and little hand carts selling food and souvenirs. The buildings are strung with some of the oldest strings of colored lights that I have ever seen. On Saturday there is a procession and the day ends with a fireworks display right overhead illuminating the Basilica and Castle. Meanwhile on the beach, large effigies have been created out of Paper Mache around a yearly determined theme, and I mean large, requiring ladders to complete. After the fireworks display, the Paper Mache effigies are all lit on fire to the sound of great cheering, and the huge bonfires light up the beachfront.


Blessing of the Fleet Skillet

On Sunday, the festivities center around a huge skillet set up over the harbor. Almost as famous as the Feast itself, is the frying pan in which the fish are cooked. This frying pan is 5 meters across with a 7 meter handle and is filled with 3000 liters of oil to cook 4000 kilograms of blue fish. First is the blessing of the harbor, fishermen, frying pan and fish for the Feast Day of San Fortunato. Then under the auspices of the Camogli fishermen, the fish is dipped in flour and fried with long tongs and paddles. The local children gather around the frying pan and it is their job to pass the fresh fried fish out to everyone gathered in the piazza.
The Sagra del Pesce must certainly be the largest fish fry in the world, and while the Guinness Book of World Records should be checked, may include the use of the largest frying pan in the world.

Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters supplies a full suggested itinerary for this location, as well as, itineraries for other locations of Italy, and as we are very knowledgeable about the cruising locations, we also like to supply this type of additional location information to add a special highlight to your charter experience.

Negomba Thermal Spring, Ischia

Northrop and Johnson has been a pioneer in arranging crewed yacht charter on a worldwide basis, for over 50 years, and are welcome in every port. We have excellent international local relationships with worldwide Ship Agents for charter support and to add special tidbits of local knowledge to the charter itinerary. Our Ischia Ship's Agent showed us the island in a day jam packed with the real Ischia experience.

Deep underneath Ischia, the volcano is still active, and is sending to the island's surface, hot thermal waters in springs and geysers laden with various minerals. A mineral laden volcanic mud is also found on Ischia, and used in spa treatments. Considerable scientific research has been done in Ischia over the years to isolate the mineral qualities of the various thermal springs and volcanic mud for the possible health benefits.

We had a tour of the historic Regina Isabella Hotel and extensive Thermal Spa. Once the hideaway for famous movie stars like Elizabeth Taylor, La Terme della Regina Isabella continues to offer high level medicinal and relaxation spa services and Thermal Plastic Dermatology Treatments for an afternoon of rejuvenation. And of course, there are pools of thermal waters for bathing, and baths of volcanic mud filled with minerals in which to soak. Your Captain, through our Agent, can provide you a list of spa treatments available in advance and help make spa appointments.


Negomba Spa Pool, Ischia

Unique to Ischia are "Spa Gardens", where thermal pools of various temperatures and mineral content are spread throughout a park like setting. We toured Nogombo Spa Garden, with sculpture gardens interspersed among mini thermal pools and springs, all cascading down a hillside, providing beautiful views of the Mediterranean Sea. At the bottom of the hillside, is the park beach for a refreshing salt water dip in the Mediterranean Sea after experiencing the various thermal pools. Our Ship Agent explained how they can reserve portions of the park for your group only, for an afternoon of private bathing and relaxation in the various thermal pools. We relaxed beside a steaming thermal pool and enjoyed fresh shucked oysters and champagne, while taking in the view of the Mediterranean Sea.


Castello Aragonese, Ischia

Towards cocktail time, our Ship Agent took us to a local boutique winery, steadily gaining worldwide recognition for the quality of the wines being produced. The Owner gave us a tour of the ancient winery operation, still in use after many centuries. We sampled the wines with a selection of tidbits, designed to accompany each vintage. With a call in advance from your Captain, dinner reservations can be made to enjoy local fresh foods, and the boutique wines on the winery piazza under the stars.

For dinner we stopped at a hidden treasure, where rabbit, the island delicacy is a mainstay of the restaurant, along with a variety of fresh local seafood, cooked in a myriad of ways that poured out of the kitchen in dish after dish. All was accompanied with local Ischia wines and we were in heaven. After dinner, the genial Owner and staff came out of the kitchen with kitchen utensils as makeshift musical instruments, and we all joined in singing and playing kitchen utensils as loudly as possible before collapsing in laughter. That capped off the day and we left Ischia with a new appreciation for the island, and with our heads filled with ideas for our charter guests when next visiting Ischia on a crewed yacht charter.

Feeding Pig Great Major Cay


Swimming Pig, Great Major Cay

Half way down the Exumas, and only accessible by yacht, is Big Major Cay, deserted except for the pink pigs and the few cats that live there. A favorite stopping place for visiting yachtsmen, the pigs and cats survive from the largess of their visitors, and survive very well. The piggiest of the pigs have learned, for first crack at the offerings, to swim out and greet the visiting ship's tenders. I learned firsthand that lettuce is at the bottom of the food choices, Cheez-Its were far preferred. We watched the older pigs teaching the piglets how to swim, a new example of ecological adaptation. But be careful, as the overzealous pig has been known to try to board for extra snacks.


Staniel Cay

Big Major Cay is in the area of Staniel Cay and Thunderball Cave. You could spend several days there. Staniel Cay offers two restaurants and on Saturday nights a big outdoor barbeque is held where all diners mingle together at big communal picnic tables. Snorkel the nearby grotto Thunderball Cave appropriately named as the James Bond movie Thunderball was filmed there as well as the movie Splash. Shafts of light pierce through the rock formations into the blue pools in the grotto creating a mystical setting in which to snorkel over the coral formations and through the schools of tropical fish.


Thunderball Grotto, The Exumas


All this in only a few days of a crewed yacht charter itinerary to be enjoyed in The Exumas.


The Exumas, miles of pristine beaches

Giant Clam, Great Barrier Reef

Today, much of the Great Barrier Reef is protected as a natural park, and in 1981 was named a World Heritage Site. Crewed yacht charter is allowed with park permits and cruising on a crewed charter yacht is one of the best ways to see and privately explore this exciting and diverse eco area.

Besides supporting an outstanding living coral display, the waters are also teeming with marine life, including 6 different varieties of sea turtles, over 1500 varieties of tropical fish, dolphins, porpoise and even whales. Along the surface of the water are a series of deserted sandy cays, ideal for that private beach picnic in the middle of nowhere! In fact, there are miles of sandy cays, reef formations, and fringing reefs to explore, and often without another yacht in sight, for your own private tropical paradise.

Queensland has several great port towns, including Cairnes, and Port Douglas, within easy cruising distance of the Great Barrier Reef. Both Cairnes and Port Douglas are good location to embark and disembark on your crewed yacht charter and are easily reached by air flights out of Sydney. Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters is very familiar with the yachts that are available for crewed yacht charter in this stunning location. We have visited the marinas and have cruised in the Coral Sea around the Great Barrier Reef.

Fringing reefs and outstanding coral formations can also be seen in the Whitsunday Islands, just south of the Great Barrier Reef. This is another great charter location off of the coast of Queensland Australia, and subject of another blog.

How else can you travel and take your hotel and restaurant with you? In private crewed yacht charter you are on board with your own private crew for 5 star service. Move aboard a crewed yacht and unwind, as your crew take care of all meals, service, recreation, and of course, cruising. Laze on the desks under the sun, and enjoy seeing a new location or revisiting a well loved location.


Snorkeling in Indonesia

Rather than covering a large distance, as cruise ships might do bouncing from large port to large port in the middle of the night, on a crewed yacht charter you will explore your chosen charter area, for an intimate understanding and enjoyment of the area and culture.

Unlike a cruise ship, a crewed charter yacht can enter the small private anchorages in Alaska, where Bald Eagles may be perched in clusters in the surrounding trees, sit in the middle of a pod of whales bubble net feeding, or under the face of a calving glacier. In Maine, you might come alongside a lobsterman and buy fresh lobsters for lunch, dropped into the pot filled with clean ocean water, which is the best way to cook lobsters. You might anchor in a small harbor of a Greek island that can only be reached by private yacht and make new friend in the village taverna. In Mexico, you might anchor in a secluded anchorage right off of the beach littered with shells, waiting to be gathered. Visit a Black Pearl Farm in Raiatea, or snorkel through the lagoon surrounding Bora Bora, ending with a picnic lunch on a deserted beach. In Turkey , snorkel over ancient sunken harbors, wander traditional bazaars in villages off the beaten track, or hike through pine forests where the earth is ripped open from wild boars sharpening their tusks. Anchor in secluded areas in Indonesia with no other yacht around and visit villages where you must ask the village elder for permission to walk through their town, or cruise in Fiji, where you must sit with the village elder partaking in a cava juice ceremony to ask permission to visit the village.

Crewed yacht charter is to partake in a true slice of life of the area where you are visiting. And all is combined with swimming, snorkeling or using sea kayaks, water skiing, and windsurfing, all depending on the charter location and the toys on board.


Tersane Bay, Turkey

Bowens Wharf

The Revolutionary War brought an end to Newport as a busy commercial port, as the British blockaded this port early during the war and overran Newport, bringing this busy port city to a standstill. Prior to the war, Newport, as the Capital of Rhode Island was in the thick of independence. The Declaration of Independence is said to have been read aloud as a proclamation for the first time from the second floor balcony of the original statehouse, still standing in Newport, and now known as The Colony House. After the Revolutionary War, both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were entertained in this building, which was both a statehouse and a courthouse and sat at the top of a wide boulevard that stretched right down to the docks.

During the Revolutionary War, Providence, Rhode Island blossomed as a commercial port and has stayed in prominence still today. Newport never regained importance as a commercial port and other than a brief flare of life at the turn of the 19th century as a summer location for the very wealthy, Newport continued as a sleepy small port, virtually locked in time, with the colonial built homes and buildings continuing in use still today. Much of the city of Newport surrounding the harbor is now designated as Historic Districts.


Ocean Drive

At the turn of the 19th century, once the wealthy from New York City and further south, including North and South Carolina, discovered Newport as a great summer location due to the constant cooling ocean breezes that blow over the island, Newport came back alive, at least during the summer months. New building started at the top of the hill overlooking the harbor on land plots laid out like large city blocks down a new road called Bellevue Avenue. This area was soon transformed into a summer play land of the wealthy who built large mansions for entertaining.

This same group discovered that late almost every morning in the Atlantic, a thermal wind began to blow up Narragansett Bay and through Newport Harbor. In sailed the massive yachts, all additional playthings of the wealthy summering in Newport. And soon the New York Yacht Club followed holding the America's Cup Races off of the shores of Newport.


America's Cup Race Course

Today, Newport is still a popular yachting location. Those same commercial wharves and docks from colonial times are still in use, but now home to large sailing and power yachts, many available for crewed yacht charter. During the summer months, Newport is the summer port for the largest number of yachts in New England. The deep water harbor and numerous docks are in use again, and full of pleasure and charter yachts for summer fun. And Newport is a perfect starting point for a crewed yacht charter as from Newport it is easy to visit the islands of southern New England such as Block Island, Cuttyhunk, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, which are all a short distance away from the mouth of Newport Harbor.

Start a crewed yacht charter out of Newport, but be sure to leave time to see Newport as well, including the old historic colonial areas and the turn of the century mansions built for the comfort of the wealthy on an island that continues to be cooler in summer than the neighboring mainland and where daily thermal daily breezes, excellent for recreational sailing, continue to blow.

Port of Ponza

The Pontine Islands are comprised of Ponza, Ventotene, San Stephano, Palmarola, Zannone and Gavi. Only Ventotene and Ponza are inhabited. Located in the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Pontine Islands are known for crystal clear waters in varying shades of blue, and Ventotene is especially well known as an excellent scuba diving and snorkeling location. Underwater rock walls and ledges drop off just a short distance from the shores of this island and house a large amount of underwater life. As there are only about 600 people that live on Ventotene year around, the waters stay very unspoiled.


Ventotene

While relatively unknown now, Ventotene was very well known during Roman times. Dug into the rock of Ventotene is an ancient Roman harbor, still in use today. Also dug into the island along the head of the ancient harbor were caves used by the merchants as vendor stalls. These caves are still used today for modern day merchants to hawk their wares. At the head of the Roman harbor are a series of zigzagging steps up from the port to a large piazza above which is the heart of modern Ventotene.


Ventotene Caves

Another modern harbor has now been built to the side of the Roman harbor, with a manmade breakwater. However, just like Ponza, it was the Romans that left the largest historical legacy on this island. In the Roman harbor area you can see the remains of an ancient Roman fish farm which are a series of 3 pools carved out of the rock, used to grow fish and eels. Also in this area are basins carved out of the rock in which clean salt water was collected and allowed to evaporate to gather salt for the populace. Alongside the new harbor are the remains of a large Roman palace. And inland on the island are a series of Roman cisterns built to provide fresh water.


Ventotene Roman Port

The number of few year around inhabitants increases to just a few thousand during the height of the summer season, which gives this island an undiscovered feeling. The whole island can be explored at your leisure by foot, and the several island restaurants always have a selection of fresh seafood right from the surrounding waters.


San Stefano Prizon

Ventotene is a must to include in a crewed yacht charter itinerary in this area off of the western coast of Italy.

Ponza, rumored to have been named after Pontius Pilate, is the main island of the Pontine Island group, and is one of only two inhabited islands in the archipelago. Located in the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Pontine Islands are known for crystal clear waters in varying shades of blue, which surround these land masses created by ancient volcanic activity. Ponza is the main island and in the middle of the Pontine Islands, and is believed to be the remains of the edge of a volcanic crater.


Ponza

During the reign of Rome's Caesar Augustus, Romans were encouraged to settle Ponza and Ventotene. In ancient times it is believed that Ponza was connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus of land that eventually sunk into the sea. Modern marine archaeology is now confirming that fact. During the Middle Ages Ponza was abandoned due to constant pirate attacks until re-colonized by the Kingdom of Naples in the 1700's. However is the the Roman civilization that has left the strongest historic mark on this island.


Ventotene

There are many Roman ruins remaining on Ponza, including the ruins of the palace of Julia Lavilla, a sister to Caligula, who was exiled to Ponza. And a feat of Roman technology still exists; a 180 meter tunnel dug through the rock of the island from the fishing village of Ponza to Half Moon Bay, on the other side of the island, a spectacular beach ringed by white cliffs. Unfortunately, after centuries of use, recently workers damaged this tunnel which is now temporarily closed. I was lucky enough to be there before the damage and had the thrill of walking through this ancient Roman tunnel from the town side of the island to Half Moon Bay, and into a bright greeting of sun rays reflecting off of the water and white cliffs when emerging on the Half Moon Bay side of the tunnel. Many of the local inhabitants dig up Roman and Etruscan artifacts just while gardening.


Luna Bay and Roman Tunnel Ponza


Further along the side of the island where Half Moon Bay is located, are a series of caves washed into the cliff sides including what was thought to be the "Grotto della Maga Circe", the home of the sorceress Circe featured in Homer's tale, "The Odyssey". The Sirens were thought to have lived on the nearby islands of the Pontine Archipelago. This side of the island is best visited by yacht. Once anchored, take the ship's tender along the cliff sides to explore the sea caves and grottos along this coast.


Caves on Ponza

Include the island of Ponza in your next crewed yacht charter itinerary along the western coast of Italy, and you will not be disappointed.