Where to Charter in August September October 2019

[Robby1077]

I sailed in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in September a few years ago and had a great time. I hear the St. Vincent has direct flights now that the new airport is open.

[inspectr]

Consider the Ionian, Sunsail out of Levkas or Fiscardo flotillas or you can do bare boat or skippered charters. Great flotilla hosts and wonderful islands and little ports, Greece is beautiful, the ports and harbours are easy especially when you have mother duck herding her brood into the best spots in the marinas.
Wine is good and cheap, the food is sensational, water crystal clear, weather predictable, afternoon Meltemi sends you scooting across the Ionian sea to your destinations, and best of all you are in what is effectively an inland sea.
Visit Kalamos, Kephalonia, Ithica, Sivota.
Get Rod and Lucinda Heikell's sailing guide to whet your appetite
I have done it twice, once wife and myself on a Jenneau 32 and the second time as the only experienced skipper on a Jeannau 54, 4 cabin, 4 bathroom monster with 7 non sailors. (It was so good that one of the crew then engaged a second skippered sail out of Levkas with her sister)
With limited skippering ans sea time maybe a skippered charter would be best for you to grow your sea time?
My daughter did the same trip with Sailing Holidays UK and it was so good that my now sun in law proposed on the wharf in Fiscardo and she accepted. 10 Years down the track, three grandsons later!
You will need an ICC due to the EU's overarching bureacrazy, but not hard to get.
(I am a former Master Mariner, Foreign Going Masters Certificate, 6 years of documented sea time, owned my present yacht for more than 10 years, sailed hobart races and crossed the Tasman in a 32 footer, but still had to pay a sailing school to check me out (100% pass) and lighter by $800.00AUD
This will just whet your appetite for more Greek and Med sailing, and late August after the Europeans have gone back to work is the best time, water still warm, less crowded.
Spend a couple of days in Athens, one of the great cities to visit.

[gcraney]

While it may be one of the less beachy options: I'll plug for a week long charter out of LA. It'll be relatively inexpensive and Catalina Island is a bit of a hidden gem, IMO. It's huge and relatively unpopulated save two "towns" on either end. There are plenty of coves to anchor and hang out in as you travel a big circle around it. If you really are just cutting your teeth on charters, Catalina in SoCal is chartering on easy mode (no significant tides, rarely storms, no long crossings, etc).

Full disclosure, I do have a personal interest in Catalina being a more significant charter destination... but I'll try to keep my recommendation legit by not telling you who to charter with . I truly believe it's a great place to enjoy the ocean without being quite as expensive or hard to get to as some of the more standard cruising grounds.

[Uricanejack]

I’d give a thumbs up to the PNW anywhere between the San Juan’s, Southern Gulf Islands and up to Desolation Sound. It’s my home turf.

August September are nice. The probability is good pleasant sailing with good weather and light to moderate winds. Mostly sheltered waters.
Navigation is relatively easy, deep waters. Well marked.
Tidal range is not to large even so currents can be strong in passes. Tide tables are easy to use(most locals prefere the Canadian ones simpler format)

It’s not a difficult area to sail. Arguably one of the nicest temperate areas to sail on the planet. Cost of getting here from Texas? Probably less than the med.

I’ve never sailed in New England or the Maritimes. Be a nice time of year there as well.

[lask]

the Ionian in Greece is quiet by air but it has many boats while the Aegean has air (meltemia) and it is really a paradise for sailing to see you here

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by mottseng

Have you ever considered the Azore Islands? We had a very successful charter there last year. Very economical and beautiful sites.

https://www.puresailazores.com/

The sights are amazing, people are great, and food is awesome (much cheaper and better than the Caribbean).

The first time we came across we stayed for two months. This time we're at 6 months and counting... these islands are just so hard to leave.

Matt

[Captain Puget]

Im biased, but the PNW is best that time of year, or any of the Northern latitude destinations. If you are comfortable anchoring, there is always room, and you are always close to several good anchorages (unlike the California coast). There are tides and currents to consider, but its really not very difficult.

[mottseng]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

The sights are amazing, people are great, and food is awesome (much cheaper and better than the Caribbean).

The first time we came across we stayed for two months. This time we're at 6 months and counting... these islands are just so hard to leave.

Matt

Great to have the endorsement from people who have been there and continue to share their adventures.

Many thanks, and if you ever want to cruise the North Channel and the Great Lakes let me know !

[fschaefer4]

Just an update. We decided to take a 10 day ASA 105/106 in the Pacific Northwest in October. Super excited.

I have the Pyzel material and will be ordering Annapolis Book of Seamanship or The International Marine Book of Sailing.

After considering chartering vs. taking the class, I figured the class is a little more than a bareboat charter but you get all the training.

Thanks for everyone's input. Next on my list if the Caribbean and the Azores. So many places to go....