Life on board is relaxing and it provides unforgettable experiences since reaching some of Sicily’s most beautiful cities by yacht does not provide the same sensations as when landing in by aeroplane or driving in by car. The best way to begin a sailing tour around Sicily is from the historical centre on the Island of Ortigia, Syracuse. The base port in Syracuse is situated on the eastern coast of Sicily and is one of Sicily’s main attractions due to its archaeological zone and historical testimony and also being a centre of industry and commerce.

Moreover, the broad waterfront of the Island of Ortigia, is an ideal place from which to appreciate the unique panoramic view of Porto Grande that witnessed great battles and it is ideal for a point of departure for a sailing Sicily tour. Syracuse has two ports to yachting, the main one being Porto Grande and the other one being Porto Piccolo (otherwise known as Porto Marmoreo). The most profitable thing was that the Sleep in Sicily travel agency offered us a 50% discount the night before embarkation and the night of disembarkation for the chosen bed and breakfast in its franchising.

Syracuse and its Province attract tourists for the high quality tourist services, beautiful coasts and historical remains; moreover the area’s scenery and architecture provide a spectacular backdrop. Amongst the most famous marine localities are Noto, Avola, Capo Passero, Fontane Bianche, Arenella, Marzamemi, Brucolii e Angone Bagni.

On the sailing yacht heading south from Syracuse and surpassing Cape Murro di Porco, one will arrive to the outstanding protected marine nature reserve of Plemmirio (Maddalena Peninsula). Plemmirio faces Ortigia and apart from nesting Greek remains, it boasts enchanting caves and a seabed rich in fauna typical of the Mediterranean hence making it ideal for divers. Moreover its landscape is marked by typical Mediterranean vegetation, especially by the dwarf palm tree. Proceeding coastwise, one reaches the beautiful sandy beach of Arenella, then Fonatne Bianche bay, to then proceed to Avola coast, which is the extension of the town Avola where typical prehistoric Sicilian tombs are found. The itinerary continued to Marina di Noto, which is the seaside extension of Noto, otherwise known as the Baroque City and is also listed in UNESCO world heritage. Along the coast south of Siracusa is the superb Vendicari nature reserve, which is southernmost of all Italian reserves made up of marshy areas and various sea outlets; hence it is an area rich in flora and fauna.

Proceeding along the coast, one reaches the charming and quiet seafaring village of Marzamemi (from Arab meaning harbour of doves) equipped with berthing facilities, to then proceed to visit the nearby Pachino with the Cave of Calafarina amongst its natural attractions and to taste the Mediterranean cuisine decorated with the famous Pachino tomatoes. From Pachino one can proceed to the Southeastern end of Sicily, Capo Passero that is a paradise for divers, ideal for a relaxing holiday and excellent for historical sightseeing. In front of Portopalo there is the little Island of Capo Passero and right between the isle and Sicily is the strategic point for tunny fishing and an attraction for bird watching. Furthermore, for those who wish to sail farther, at a distance of 90 km there is the beautiful Island of Malta with its archipelago to wonder about the Islands’ prehistory remains, go back over the footsteps of St Paul and find out where the Knights of St John defended Christendom.

This is only a page of our onboard diary and cannot wait to embark again!

For more details on SICILY CHARTER, SAILING AROUND SICILY, SAILING YACHTS here: http://www.sicilycharter.blogspot.com/

For more details on SICILY TOUR, SICILY HOTELS, SICILY TRAVEL here: http://www.sleepinsicily.com/

Day 1

I recently responded to an opportunity to travel from Victoria to Gold River (some 365 or so kilometers) by water. This rugged stretch of open ocean has a history for devouring ocean-going vessels.

Uchuck III leaving the Inner Harbour - Raising the Draw Bridge- Victoria BC
(Photo courtesy of the Ron Kirstein)

We were invited to participate in the return of the M.V. Uchuck III to its home base, Gold River. The M.V. Uchuck III is a working coastal freight vessel that is 136 feet long that works providing service to Nootka, Esperanza and Kyuquot Sounds.

Day one, we boarded at Point Hope Shipyards on the Inner Harbour in Victoria. It was weird to be the cause of ‘raising the blue drawbridge’ instead of the usual getting-stuck-in-the-traffic-jam that occurs when it goes up. Exiting the Inner Harbour, we turned west and headed up Juan de Fuca Strait. In a short time, we passed by the Race Rocks light station, one of the oldest lights on the West Coast of Canada. Most of the year a very large herd of sea lions resides on these rocks, but since they have now begun their spring migration, only a few were left. Next, we passed the shoreline of East Sooke Park where a rugged trail followed along the ocean, then came Sooke Harbour, French Beach, Otter Point and Gordon Beach, all recognizable from the sea. Once we reached the end of Juan de Fuca Strait we could see the lighthouse at Cape Flattery (USA side), where a large cruise ship was just entering Juan de Fuca Strait. After we passed San Juan Inlet and Botanical Beach, we were now on the outside of Vancouver Island. Soon, we started noticing huge caves carved into soft limestone cliffs, facing the open ocean. I made a mental note to come back later and explore this coastline more extensively in a smaller boat we can nudge right up to shore.

Lunchtime arrived and, to our delight, we tried the on-board food. Glenda’s chili was awesome and I heard great reports of her homemade soup as well. Our lunch consisted of hot food and delicious ‘bun-wiches’.

We sampled Glenda’s treats (butter tarts to die for, banana bread, cookies and muffins) for our afternoon teas. The salt air made us hungry and the excellent food really hit the spot.

As we moved further up the coast we came upon a large pod of Killer Whales that entertained us for some time. To our good fortune, they were headed in the same direction we were and Captain Fred slowed to their speed for a while. Orcas always captivate their audience and seemed to approach the Uchuck just to have a good look at us. On a number of occasions, we discovered large colonies of sea lions covering the rocks along the shoreline. If you take this trip, be sure to bring binoculars and a good camera with a telephoto lens.

We passed a number of light stations along our voyage. On the first day, we saw the ones at Race Rocks, Sheringham Point, Carmanah, Pachina and Beale. On day two we passed Amphitrite, Lennard, Estevan and Nootka.

Ron Kirstein is the owner of a Canadian Travel & Tourism Web
site (since 1995). Ron has traveled the length and breadth
of Vancouver Island BC Canada in search of
adventures; see http://tourismmall.victoria.bc.ca/travelmagazine

Boats are a fine part of any man’s retirement. They give us something to do, offer us new places to see and keep us active mind, body and spirit. We in turn need to care for our boats. Repair and maintenance, proper crewing and proper financing including boat insurance are all things that we need to do to keep our boats safe.

Everyone needs something to do. When we retire far too many of us lose our will to keep striving. All of us, need to feel needed, we need to feel like we are doing something worthwhile. For women, this is often simply the continuation of home life and domestic tranquility that made up most of their lives.

Men on the other hand live their lives with a goal. We work for fifty or more years striving to bring home the bacon. Having a goal in front of us is necessary for our psyche. Many men simply die after retiring because they have nothing to do.

Having a boat gives a man something to do. Keeping it in good repair, learning the skills needed to keep it sailing smoothly and keeping track of the finances including things like boat insurance keeps them sharp.

A boat can take you places you have never been before and no two sunrises are the same at sea. You will travel to new places and meet new people, something that will keep anyone young at heart.

Nearly everywhere even inland states have places for someone to enjoy boating. Even if you are on a small lake you will get a different perspective. If you are on the ocean you will find another whole life. The best parts of life still need financial maintenance like mooring fees, licensing and boat insurance.

When we are active we are happier. A man with something to do, a purpose to life is a man who will live longer. Some men can do little things, reading, golfing, fishing from the dock or making a model. These things are all fine activities; I enjoy them myself.

Some need more to do. A boat is a good step down for some. It does not require too much of your time but just enough. Little things like checking on the lanyards or the boat insurance can keep you young and happy in spirit.

Discover important advice and information about boat insurance. What deals should you look for? And what should you avoid. Click http://www.boat-insurance-comprehensive.com/

Selling chocolate is a delicious way to raise funds if you only need to raise a little. Silent auctions are known to bring in bigger bucks, but they are exhausting to plan and prepare for. Black-tie affairs with celebrity performers are always a hit, but require an enormous amount of up-front funding. Cruises, on the other hand, give your organization the ability to bring in large amounts of proceeds without all the work.

Fundraising cruises are becoming more and more popular because they give nonprofits the ability to generate greater interest, increase donor giving and have more fun. In addition, cruise agencies that specialize in fundraising cruises generally offer the services of an account manager or liaison with the cruise line who aids in planning and preparing for the tour. This leaves your staff free to enjoy the cruise as much as the donors who are attending.

Generate Greater Interest

Coming up with fresh ideas on an annual basis quickly becomes tiresome. Yet, those fresh ideas are absolutely vital to attract the interest of new donors and keep the interest of loyal, repeat donors. If interest in your events wanes, so does your funding for the upcoming year.

With fundraising cruises, you have the world to choose from. Most cruise lines accommodate large fundraising parties. This means you can opt for three- or four-night cruises to popular destinations such as the Bahamas or more exotic locales including Greece, Italy or Hawaii. Now that would generate a lot of interest.

Increase Donor Giving

Working with your cruise agency, you can find packages that offer the right levels of discounts in order to ensure your nonprofit receives the highest percentage of donor giving. Many cruise lines match all or part of the proceeds, allowing you to earn even more from the cruise.

Have More Fun

All the options available to regular passengers will be available to your fundraising party and more. Exceptional restaurants, pools and other water activities, casinos, nightlife, Las Vegas-style shows, full-service spa treatments and more are at the disposal of those who sail with you.

Custom excursions exclusively for your cruise party can also be arranged. Private parties aboard ship can be scheduled. Awards dinners, talent shows, golf tournaments and even silent auctions can all be lined up during the course of your cruise.

What’s more, fundraising cruises can be repeated time and again without fear of burnout or boredom on the part of your donors. How? Because you choose which cruise line and what destinations you prefer. The cruise is new and inviting with each year.

When you give donors something to get excited about, they reward you with consistent funding.
Check with your favorite cruise agency for details about what they provide and how they can assist with booking a fundraising cruise for your next event. You’ll surely find that interest, participation and contributions rise dramatically when you do.

Roy Witman is Vice-President of Cruise Vacation Center based in Yonkers, New York. Visit them online today at http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com for detailed information on fundraising cruises that help you generate greater interest, increase donor giving and have more fun!

Caribbean Cruises are among the most demanded cruise vacations in the world; with almost two million plus travelers sailing on different liners every year. Warm tropical climates sprinkled with great beaches, exotic foods and excellent tourist spots in a chain of fine islands is a hot tourist destination in the world. Cruising along Caribbean is very popular as the liner anchors at different ports in different islands giving cruisers a rare opportunity to explore the whole region. Cruises to any country are fun as they offer comfort at one’s finger tips and amenities of top order.

Planning for a future Caribbean Cruise is relatively easy nowadays, as most of the cruise liners have their details listed on their own web portals. Tour operators abound all over the continent and a lightening speed service is almost assured on a click of a mouse button. A well planned tour schedule might well work advantageous as tourists clog the liners during vacation time. Depending on the season, cabins may get completely booked months before the cruise is scheduled to set sail and hotel accommodation becomes too difficult. Caribbean cruise bookings can be made either online or by tour operators. Here comes the most difficult part of the plan; choosing the right liner! Most of the cruise liners vie each other for their share of almost two million prospective travelers. The competition among these cruise line operators is very fierce and getting the major chunk of the lot is the ultimate motto! Never ever get confused as to which liner should be chosen! Well, it depends on your objective.Travelling with full family? Then choose a liner which offers facilities for tiny toddlers to mature adults. Keep in mind the comfort of elders too! Teenagers need special attention on the cruise liners. For instance, if the time allotted for the planned cruise is for the family, it makes a perfect sense to choose a Disney cruise; it might be best since these ships design activities specifically for children and teens. May be a liner which is based on family themes. There are liners for travelers on a tight budget too! Traveling couples should opt for a quiet ship with romance theme; likes of Princess Cruise is a wonder! Fat wallets can find some of the most luxurious liners which offer anything and every thing except moon! Look for liners known for their top notch services such as Crystal, Silversea, or the new Queen Mary II. However, it is best decided with a cool mind after surfing over the information provided by them in their online portals.

Of the numerous cruise liners bound to Caribbean Islands, each offers a variety of price, schedule, and island stop options. Pick your dream ship liner-be it an extravagant vacation aboard a floating luxury hotel, a romantic getaway with your loved one on a love liner, or an activity-filled voyage on a family cruiser. Almost, 20 different classes of cruise liners travel over to different parts of Caribbean! Four classes of cruises are right now available and pick any one of them depending on your objective, budget, time, places to visit and the facilities offered. Contemporary/Value class caters mostly to tight budget travels while premium, luxury and specialty classes cater to those special classes traveling on extravagance, comfort and status.

Carnival and Royal Caribbean are two of the most popular contemporary/value cruise lines and together make up almost 90% of the entire cruise industry. These are designed for people with tight budget and on popular holidays. Premium cruises are more expensive and the ships aren’t too large, but the service is considered superior to that of a contemporary/value cruise. Ocean liners like Celebrity, Princess, and Holland America boast a larger online staff for fewer passengers. . Ocean cruise liners like Seabourn, Windstar and Cunard belong to this highest class and offer top-notch service and amenities and are designed for those who are high society and premium grade. Specialty cruises like American Hawaii cruises sail to a secluded and unique destination and are exclusively designed for special passengers like elders, singles and some times gays and lesbians too.

Stein O Stien is the webmaster of http://www.travel-and-vacation.com.
If you want to read more, you can find it at Carribean Cruise:

A cruise to Europe has to be one of the best ideas. Europe is so big and spacious and it contains everything that you would ever want to see. Maybe you’d like to sail to Great Britain, but don’t forget to pop over to Ireland for a good time. Maybe you’d like to go deeper into culture. For those who want some more excitement from the unknown, a tour of Northern Europe is in order.

Northern Europe consists of Russia, Poland, and all of the other related cultures. You can feel right at home in these countries and you will love the atmosphere. Here in Northern Europe everyone is gracious and everything is so beautiful. In some parts of Northern Europe it will feel like you’ve stepped back in time because they seem so traditional. Time has not worn the area out. Not everything is new and it is a good place to learn about the struggles of the countries.

For those who are looking for a little more romance you may want to look into a cruise to Greece or Italy. The cultures that are found in these regions are still very strong and it is a great place because of the atmosphere. Everyone is happy; everyone will greet you as if you were family. They are very traditional and language is the language of romance. Greece has a lot of history, but Italy still builds history. There is something new and exciting about both areas and it would be lovely for a honeymoon.

Rather you want to see the culture and history of Greece or see snow in Russia or see some Brits, Europe has a lot to offer a couple or even singles. A cruise to Europe would be even nicer because you have plenty of time to get to know someone on the cruise. When you are on the cruise, you will want to find some friends to go around the cities or maybe a companion to share a hug with.

When you book a cruise, if you are single, you may want to think about taking a cruise specially for meeting someone. It couldn’t hurt because you still get to enjoy the many cites of Europe and you will get to experience a tour that contains history and romance. You just may find you’re happy ever after with someone on the tour or someone who you meet in the villages or cities.

When you are thinking about taking a cruise you should notify your travel agent and look online. Online you can find cruises and flights for discount rates so that you can afford to take a cruise anywhere your heart desires. You can also go online and research the regions that you are thinking about sailing to so that you can understand the culture more.