After many many exciting adventures, (read more below), they have returned to the charter industry. “Cool Runnings” a 45 foot Robertson and Caine catamaran stole their hearts and before they knew it they were the proud new owners. This couple have had extensive experience, more than 14 years of sailing the oceans of the world covering in excess of 70 000 miles, in both mono hull and catamaran. Fro
m November 2003 to November 2008 they chartered their catamaran ” Alexis “, hosting 70, one week charters, they got to know guests from all corners of the world, introducing them to the beauty and tranquility of this outstanding sailing ground. read more… In 1998 Geoff and Bambi first crossed the Atlantic in “Alexis” their 33 foot Dudley Dix steel sloop. Helena, Brazil and her many exotic ports including the Amazon. After a quick stop in French Guyana they sailed the magic pathway of the Caribbean island chain, up through the pristine British and American Virgin islands, then on to the beautiful Bahamas and finally a turbulent trip across the Gulf Stream to land on the East coast of America. While cruising this incredible route, they encountered many many other vessels, many shapes and many sizes, one particular design seduced them completely, THE CATAMARAN, these specimens sailed flat! The “Cat” attacked their imagination and they were entranced by the swift seemingly effortless gliding, spacious, upright sailing vessels. This seduction led to envy, watching the occupants draped in various attitudes of relaxation all over the decks in 15 knots of wind with glittering glasses of gin and tonic resting resplendent on the cockpit table, while they themselves were braced to windward, hanging on for dear life, dying of thirst and exhaustion! Before they knew it, the madness took hold and they had sold “Alexis 1” (for the record, there were many tears at parting) flown back to Cape Town, South Africa and taken delivery of the “hull, deck and bulkheads” of an Admiral 38 foot Catamaran which was to be “Alexis 11? Ten months of slogging, with Geoff, the help of an electrician and a carpenter saw the boat finished and exquisite. The exhausted pair found their new ” Cat” a thirsty beast that had lapped up what remained of their cruising kitty! (Forgive the pun) In no time at all their dream of a slow circumnavigation was receding as fast as the bank balance! The thought of drifting through the crystal waters of the Virgin Islands kept haunting them, along with this visitation came the answer to their problems. They would cross the Atlantic once again and go chartering! This time they chose to stop in Jamaica, Cuba and revisit the friends they made in America, sailing right up the east coast to Chesapeake Bay for a whole summer of fun before making passage for the British Virgin Islands and the challenge of chartering guests began. In their previous lives Geoff owned a Building company, and Bambi a partnership in a Catering company, food had always played an enormous roll in the well being of charter guests and her expertise in this field did not fail them. This sojourn lasted five years, made up of 70, seven day charters, this was a period of growth, learning, making new friends and fun, until finally the cruising kitty was once again strong enough to take on the Pacific. They headed down the Caribbean Sea to Trinidad where they could ready the boat for the major ocean passage. A wonderful stop in Cartagena, Columbia for Christmas and then down to the awesome Panama Canal, unforgettable memories were made never to be forgotten. The Pacific proved to be enormous, the distances between the islands long and sometimes arduous, the weather patterns isolated and difficult to predict, storms and rain squalls would pop up out of nowhere to shake them out of lethargy, the longest leg being 20 days between the Galapagos Islands and the French Marquises. This is where the criticism ends, the rest was a dream, the islands exotic, stunning in their almost untouched beauty, above and below the ocean was all as god made it, beautiful! With all their dreams fulfilled, the plan was to sail on to Australia and to sell “Alexis 11? and then to fly to New Zealand for a bit of a “walk about” and finally back to Cape Town to “settle down”, after all, they had been sailing for 12 years, surely that was enough? All the above happened as predicted, and “Alexis 11? was sold to great Australians, what a wonderful brave little boat she was, with so many happy nautical miles under her hull. Geoff and Bambi replete with memories and travels returned home to take up Grandparent status and “settle.” (Mmmmmmmmm…….) One year later………. they are once again excitedly relating news of their purchase of a 45 foot Robertson and Caine called “Cool Runnings!” It’s back to the water, back to life aboard, and back to chartering in the British Virgin Islands!!
