Florida and Bahamas Yacht Charter – Renting a Boat in Northern Caribbean

29 November 2016

For your next sailing trip while renting a boat in northern Caribbean, you may want to select Florida and Bahamas yacht charter, which has been acknowledged by the famous and prosperous as the best place for enjoyment, where luxury, comfort, natural beauty and great relaxation are combined within a conveniently reachable distance from Europe and America.

Allied Yachting strongly recommends this part of the world for sailing all year round, more especially in the months of late December through March, since you will find more adapted weather conditions due to winds. In this relatively compact area of sea fun, one can find a variety of adventures matching the most exquisite taste. Among the major “must see” locations, it is essential to point out Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Everglades, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Naples, Palm Beach and the Florida Keys; as well as Bimini, Andros Island, Cat Island, San Salvador, Nassau, Abaco Island and Grand Bahama Island on the Bahamas Archipelago.

RENTING A BOAT IN NORTHERN CARIBBEAN

The best way to start your voyage in this spectacular part of the world, especially if you travelling in winter or spring on your Florida/Bahamas charter is to embark from Fort Lauderdale southbound – along the East Coast of Florida down to the splendid Miami. On the way, don’t miss a chance to enjoy the variety of magnificent and perfectly equipped with water entertainment and picnic areas Florida beaches, including Cocoa Beach with its wonderful surfing opportunities and famous beach bars surrounded by the dunes, Vero Beach with its still hidden 17th century treasures of a drowned Spanish galleon and aged gorgeous trees, and a breathing with legendary luxury, Palm Beach. If you happen to be in this area in fall, Fort Lauderdale becomes the “Yachting Capital of North-America”, during the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) in early November and in late March you will be able to visit or even attend the Palm Beach International Boat Show.

After some pleasant relaxation among sandy beaches and wild nature, plunge into a fantastic atmosphere of the beloved city of the celebrities from all over the world: Miami. This Art Deco style city is a treasure chest of various entertainments for any likes and ages. Explore the history of the city in the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, take a picture in front of the oldest Miami church Gesu Catholic, admire the Mediterranean Revival style of the Freedom Tower, take a look at the art masterpieces in the Perez Art Museum and at the urban wall paintings in the Wynwood District.

Your kids would appreciate the interactive Miami Children’s Museum, various animal shows at the Jungle Island Park, beautiful beaches, kayaking, snorkeling and other activities. In the evening, enjoy the saturated nightlife in South Beach with its variety of hipster bars, Latin American fusion restaurants and dancing places, all of which can be visited within the special tours to show the visitors the best Miami can offer. Miami also hold yearly, closing the boat-show season in mid-February, the Miami International Boat Show.

Once you wish to take a little rest from the urban activities, move on to Everglades, to enjoy natural richness of this area. The Everglades National Park is the largest one in the US, reflecting subtropical wildlife. Among many species represented here, don’t miss the American crocodiles, Florida panthers and manatees. The variety of birds including rare ones and unique plants is also really impressive.

FLORIDA KEYS

The Florida Keys are a string of tropical islands stretching westbound about 120 miles off the southern tip of Florida, into the Gulf of Mexico. They’re known as a privileged destination for fishing, boating, snorkeling and spectacular scuba diving. The southernmost city of Key West is famous for Duval Street’s many bars, Mallory Square’s nightly Sunset Celebration and the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. The Florida Keys start with Key Largo, onto other famous keys like Big Pine Key, Key Biscayne, Islamorada and down to Dry Tortugas.
The ‘Overseas Highway’, runs over most of the inhabited islands of the Florida Keys, along with the “Overseas Railway” and the spectacular “Seven Mile Bridge” connecting Knight’s Key (part of the city of Marathon in the Middle Keys) to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys.

WESTERN FLORIDA

Turning around Florida Keys archipelago to the north, you can enjoy the magnificent views of the Gulf of Mexico and the Western Florida coastline with its emerald waters and diamond shining sandy beaches. To name a few for your yacht charter at Florida and Bahamas  there are: Siesta Key Beach with its silky sand and amazing amount of water activities; Clearwater Beach with its pure sand and calm waters, fishing and diving, romantic little hotels at the seashore, perfect sunbathing and beach volleyball, dolphin watching cruises and aquarium visiting; Sanibel Beach – a unique point between east and west, famous for being richly covered with great variety of shells and its historic lighthouse; Captiva Island beaches also offering a wide choice for shell hunters and fantastic sunsets; and the 360 degrees around spectacular Naples beach with its gorgeous waves and luxury villas, perfect beach infrastructure including equipment renting and picnic facilities.

Places of interest for you to drop anchor and have some sightseeing are some cities which are worth visiting like Naples with its luxury and sophistication, walk along the historical Naples Pier ideal for fishing and dolphins watching, enjoy the magnificent pine trees and watch the alligators from a safe boardwalk at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, get to know a rare barking deer and other gorgeous animals at the Naples Zoo, see the cars build within the last 100 years at The Revs Institute, admire all bright colors of the tropical birds at the Bird Gardens of Naples, take a look at the masterpieces of modern and contemporary art at the Baker Museum and at the artistic experiences from various masters at The von Liebig Art Centre, explore a couple of national parks reflecting the magic of the local nature, do some shopping at the Village on Venetian Bay and Tin City and taste some great beer at the Naples Beach Brewery.

Further North is the city of Saint Petersburg, where one can find attractions to any taste: Dali Museum and The Museum of Fine Arts for the admirers of paintings; Morean Art Center for those, who are interested in glass art; Central Arts District in the downtown for the lovers of urban wall paintings; various musical performances at numerous clubs will delight the melomaniacs and the dancing lovers; the craft breweries and excellent restaurants will please the expectations of the gourmands.

Not far away is the city of Tampa, in the bay of the same name, with its breath-taking rollercoasters at Busch Gardens, famous Gasparilla pirates parade, giraffes’ petting at the same name Ranch, interactive tours at the Florida Aquarium, exciting Captain Memo’s Original Pirate Cruises, Wildlife enjoyment at the Safari Wilderness Ranch, fishing charters, speed boat adventures, let alone the art museums, shopping centres and magnificent local cuisine.

While sailing along Western Florida, beware of the hurricanes season from June to the end of November, otherwise it is a perfect area for those who seeking diverse types of entertainment while cruising on a yacht.

BAHAMAS

Florida is a perfect start point for sailing to the Bahamas – a paradise archipelago in the North Western part of the Caribbean Sea, consisting of more than 700 islands and over 2400 keys with a great barrier reef, providing shallow and calm waters to this area. The first islands on your way, just within 45 nm from Miami, are Bimini, which welcome you during your Florida and Bahamas yacht charter with historical landmarks and splendid nature. Bimini is acknowledged to be one of the best spots in the world for diving, sport fishing and discoveries. The Northern Bimini keep many mysterious stories and evidences, such as a supposedly several thousand years old undersea wall or road, the wrecks of the ship Sapona, destroyed by the hurricane in 1926, and several Spanish galleons, which attract attention of divers from all over the world.

The South Bimini Island also keeps its secret, which is the Fountain of Youth, which has been looked for since 16th century. For the water nature lovers, Bimini offer a variety of entertainments including swimming with dolphins, snorkelling safaris and scuba diving excursions. If you are looking for some relaxation, come to the Healing Hole for meditation or just sun bathe on one of Bimini’s magnificent beaches. For those, who are interested in history, it is useful to know that Hemingway lived here for 2 years and Dr. Martin Luther King came up here to work on some speeches. Don’t miss a chance to visit 150 years old Alice Town and see a unique architecture and shell and glass design of the Dolphin House.

Further to the North East is Grand Bahama Island, where one can admire the shiny white sandy beaches, turquoise waters and endless amount of water activities of snorkelling, parasailing, diving, paddleboarding and many others. In the evening, enjoy the picturesque sunset at one of the beach bars, clubs or restaurants and if you require a rest on the land, come to shop some local handmade crafts to the Port Lucaya Marketplace or visit the Garden of the Groves in Freeport with its abundance of tropical plants, or take some eco-friendly tour, offered by local operators.

On to the South East, entering calm waters of the Abaco Sea, enjoy some relaxed cruising before your reach the Grand Abaco Island. This place is known for its peaceful environment with slight breezes and calm waters, panoramic views of the diamond beaches embraced by the emerald waters, golf courses, cute colonial towns and pleasant gastronomic surprises of Bahamian delicatessen at the local bars and restaurants. It is worth mentioning the local national parks: coral reefs protecting Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park, perfect for snorkeling; Tilloo Cay National Reserve of the unique tropical birds; Abaco National Park protecting wildlife and The Black Sound Cay National Reserve dedicated to protection of the local flora and perfect for forest hiking.

Down South to New Providence with the capital of Bahamas – Nassau – international centre of entertainment, events and things to see and to do. If you come here for your Christmas and New Year Holidays you will be captured by the whirl of picturesque parades within the famous Jankanoo Festival. This historical event happens yearly during the last week of December, when everyone can participate in the street dancing with the natives dressed in the crafted costumes under the rhythms of the Maranga drums.

There are some festivals which reflect the spirit of the Jankanoo: the Bahamas Jankanoo Carnival, happening in May and Goombay Summer Festival, taking place every Friday in August. Besides the events, there are numerous attractions in Nassau, which require your attention: the interactive Pirates of Nassau Museum; National Art Gallery of Nassau representing contemporary works of the local artists; the 1920s style Graycliff Cigar Co. factory; Arawak Cay where one can taste some freshly fried fish, admire the colours of the district and try some “sky juice” in one of the bars; and of course the 18th century citadels Fort Charlotte and Fort Fincastle.

Once in New Providence visit the little islands and beaches, such as the private Nassau Blue Lagoon Island with its scenic views, swimming with dolphins and sea lions and sea kayaking; golden sand Cable Beach perfect for sunbathing and rich in hotels, restaurants and welcoming in Crystal Palace Casino; peaceful Rose Island with a coral reef ideal for snorkelling and buffet lunch and cocktails of your choice; a breath of entertainment Paradise island with bars, restaurants, casinos and of course the Atlantis Resort with the Water Park and Aquarium.

If you are interested to visit the first island, touched by Christopher Columbus’ foot on his way to the New World, sail east to San Salvador Island, where you can also climb up a volcano in the Parque Nacional el Boqueron, admire works of local masters at El Museo de Arte de El Salvador, taste some freshly caught fish at the port city La Libertad, wander along the old colonial style streets and of course see perfectly preserved Mayan ruins at Tazumal.

On your way back to the west, make a stop at Cat Island, ideal for diving thanks to the numerous caves and coral reefs. The island is perfect for Florida and Bahamas yacht charter for those who prefer an independent vacation and like to explore the natural and historical sites by themselves. The Island offers magnificent beaches and aged churches and houses, picturesque creeks and graceful cliffs, crystal clear lakes and emerald green mountains.

South from Cat Island is the famous Exuma Island, where swimming pigs tournaments take place. It is an amazing and unusual show, which makes some celebrities let their pets participate in it. The island is also a paradise for the kite surfers and is a wonderful getaway due to its wonderful beaches, where one can see the unique Bahamian rock iguanas.

Further to the north-west and you will reach the biggest island in the Bahamas: Andros Island, proud of its Westside National Park, where one can see rare Andros Rock Iguana, West Indian Flamingo and do some unique fishing. Andros Island is also perfect for snorkelling and scuba diving, thanks to the 3rd biggest barrier reef in the world and famous for its native crafts.

Florida and Bahamas yacht charter is a fantastic and prestigious part of the world, where every sailing enthusiast must come at least once in life, to enjoy the variety of scenic views, local specialties, sophisticated atmosphere, historical landmarks, exciting events and of course water activities, thanks to the richness of the local underwater world and coral reefs. The diamond sandy beaches and turquoise waters will provide you with lots of pleasure and will always be kept in your memories. Allied Yachting is your best guide for the perfect voyage to this part of the world in order to elaborate the best itinerary, and assist in choosing the more adapted yacht for renting a boat in northern Caribbean.