They do! Couples Marry Aboard Yacht Three Moons And Sail Off to Happiness!

Ahh! Weddings! We simply cannot help ourselves in the excitement can we? Everyone onboard the yacht was so thrilled to be a part of a bare-foot on the beach wedding in Hawksnest Bay, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Like Princess Kate, our bride was a "commoner" and very much in love with her "handsome prince". She wore an ivory silk dress with just a hint of a pink polk-a-dot bikini shining through. The very second after the words "I do" were proclaimed, the bride kissed the groom, tore off her dress and pulled her new husband into the water! Laughter, fun and great memories of that fun day come back to us as we watch the royal wedding. Their orchid adorned cake was three layers, each a different flavor of Cruzan rum and complete with accompaning fruit fillings...a tropical wedding at it's very best!

Cheers today to everyone who has dared to follow their dreams and sail off to happiness!

A Great Collection of Sailing, Cuisine & Sunset Photos from Three Moons Yacht

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Enjoy some of our favorite photos from the Yacht Three Moons! We love showing our guests what makes our world special!

Today's Photo: Dolphins in St. Thomas Harbor

We love seeing dolphins in the Charlotte Amalie harbor in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands! This pair swam right up to us today as we passed by in the dinghy. While dolphins aren't as common in the USVI & BVI, we've have many wonderful experiences swimming with them over the years. Our most exciting days are when a mother dolphin wants to introduce her young to us. It's always a contest to see who can get into the water first!

Happy Good Friday, Earth Day & Easter! What a Combo!

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Past Photos: Easter Guests Aboard Three Moons

Clients are planning ahead!
Outsmart those airfare rate hikes! If you are interested in booking Three Moons next year, we would like to encourage you to do it soon. Not only do we already have four confirmed bookings for the 2012 sailing season; but airfare, provisioning & diesel prices continue to rise...you know what that means!

Holiday Coconut Cake Recipe!
A guest just emailed us for our Coconut Cake Recipe. It's a tradition both on land and on board! Try this easy dessert this holiday weekend!
CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large bundt pan with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, mix 1 C. vegetable oil & 2 C. sugar until light & blended. Add 5 eggs and beat well. Add 2 C. Self-rising flour, 1 C. buttermilk & 1 TBS. coconut extract. Sir in 1 4oz. can flaked coconut. Pour mixture into the pan & bake 50-65 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly & remove from pan.
FROSTING:
Combine 16oz. sour cream, 2 C. confectioners sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir in 1 12oz. pkg. of thawed fresh frozen coconut & frost cake while it's still warm. *Note: Use real sour cream and drain any liquid from the top of the container. This icing must be thick to stay on the warm cake.

Have a Great Weekend!

Capt. Randy & Shelly Tucker

The View From My Port

For the last thirteen years, I've been photographing the views seen through my galley port hole. These quick shots taken while working on meals for our guests have become quite a collection of "Ah Ha" moments experienced aboard Three Moons.

This week's port hole pic was taken at Savannah Bay, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands...what a great moon!

Chef Shelly

Yacht Charter Cuisine- 40 Dining Experiences-This IS Foodie Heaven!

Calling all adventureous traveling “foodies”! What do you think of when you consider dining in the Caribbean? The West Indies is a melting pot of cultures, aromatic spices and cuisines creating a unique fusion of fascinating dining experiences. Three Moons is the only yacht in the Caribbean to have won 11 VICL Culinary Competition Awards. Recently, a charter client asked for a complete eight day 40 dish menu of the cuisine served while they were on board the yacht.

Enjoy the flavors from the creative galley of the yacht Three Moons...

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Day One

~Breakfast~

Tropical Spiced Pina Colada Pancakes with Rum-Coco Syrup and Pineapple Coulis

Organic Nitrate-free Bacon

~Lunch~

Cuban Sliders with Slow Roasted Pulled Pork, Virginia Ham & Provolone and Pickle Sauce accompanied by Carnival Slaw

“Stamp & Go” Crab Cakes with Fiery Curried Orange Mango Chutney

~Appetizers~

“Shrimp-tini” and Jicama Tango in Paprika Rimmed Martini Glasses

~Dinner~

Mango Glazed Mahi on Organic Baby Lettuces with Mild Watermelon Curry

~Dessert~

Bailey’s Decadent Chocolate Fondue Accompanied by Toasted 10 Day Coconut Pound Cake, Pineapple, Assorted Fruits

Day Two

~Breakfast~

Island Burrito with Eggs & Chorizo, Black Bean Pico de Gallo and

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

~Lunch~

French & Italian Picnic with assorted Meats and Cheeses....and of course...lots of wine!

Chocolate Coconut Magic Bars

~Appetizers~

Award-winning Cheesey Chutney

~Dinner~

Caesar Salad with Homemade Ciabatta Croutons and Shaved Parmesan Reggiano

Beef Wellington Stacked with Puff Pastry, Mushroom Pate and Cauliflower Potato Mash

~Dessert~

Triple Sec Key Lime Kiwi & Banana Crepes

Day Three

~Breakfast~

“Best Ever” Blueberry Muffins

Nutella Pecan Cinnamon Swirls

Fresh Cantaloupe & Kashi Topped Greek Yogurt

~Lunch~

Baby Back Ribs with the Captain’s Barbecue Rum Molasses Sauce

Frites

Freshly Baked Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

~Appetizers~

Schzeuwan Wontons Filled with Asian Beef

Latitude 18 Wantons with Island Style Salt Fish Pate

Key Lime and Sesame Dipping Sauce

~Dinner~

Oriental Bok Choy Salad

Homemade Bread Twists

Sesame Seared Tuna over Bamboo Rice with Broccoli, Wasabi, Sriracha, Ginger & Wakami Salad

~Dessert~

Award-winning Chocolate Coma Cake & Ice Cream

Day Four

~Breakfast~

“Mama Mia” Frittata with Crispy Prosciutto, Capacello and Potato

Assorted Fruit Platter

~Lunch~

Cadillac Quesadillas: Chicken /Black Angus Filet /Shrimp

Homemade Guacamole

Freshly Baked Mexican Wedding Cookies

~Appetizers~

Mini Pear & Brie Puffs with Fig Chutney

~Dinner~

Macadamia Nut Crusted Grouper with Grilled Jasmine Rice Triangles & Lemon Asparagus

Day Five

~Breakfast~

Southern Style Sausage Biscuit and Gravy Breakfast with Spiced Apples and Homemade Jams

~Lunch~

“Heaven on Eeath” Cheeseburgers in Paradise

Crispy Frites Dusted with Parmesan & Garlic

Freshly Baked Peanut Butter Cookies

~Appetizers~

Hummus Duo with Naan Bread and Crudités:

Lime & Toasted Mexican Cumin Hummus

Southwestern Sun-dried Tomato Hummus

~Dinner~

Savory Spinach Salad with Low-Fat Homemade Strawberry Vinaigrette

Homemade Cheesy Garlic Bubble Bread

Caribbean Jerk Chicken with Pine Nut Roma Tomato Salsa over Fettucini

~Dessert~

“Moon-a-Misu”

Day Six

~Breakfast~

Orange Essence Waffles with Maple Sausage Links

~Lunch~

Chicken Ya-Ya Sandwiches on Ciabatta with Chipotle Mayo

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Rotini Salad

Freshly Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies

~Appetizers~

Peppered Salsicci & Smoked Cheese Platter

Assorted Crudités

~Dinner~

Mixed Green Salad with Hummingbird Dressing

Rosemary Parmesan Bread Braid Dusted in Pink Sea Salt

Citrus Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Parmesan Risotto & Asparagus

~Dessert~

Assorted Rum Truffles, Raisin Nut Roll & Coconut Cake

Day Seven

~Breakfast~

Three Moons Omelets a la Trois

Simply Wonderful Raisin Scones

~Lunch~

Pizza Amore!

Meat Lovers Pizza, Margarita Pizza, Hawaiian Pizza

~Appetizers~

Bermuda Triangles

(Pastries filled with ham, cheese & scallions...they disappear fast!)

~Dinner~

The World Famous Three Moons Caribbean Lobster Grande Finale Extravaganza!

~Dessert~

Award-winning Lime ‘n the Coconut Chocolate Cheesecake

 

New Health Conscious Low-Carb Cuisine for 2011!

Grilled Fresh Mahi over Mild West Indian Watermelon Curry & Watercress 

Ancho Chili Rubbed Flank Steak over Chorizo Mash with Chimicurri Sauce 

Seared Pepper Crusted Tuna with Zesty Lime Relish & Jammin' Jicama-Orange Slaw 

Mustard Grilled Chicken Stacks over Spaghetti Squash Trio with Basil, Pine Nut Tomato Tango

 Citrus Marinated Pork Tenderloin over Mushroom-Pozole Blanco Risotto & Green Beans

 

Award Winning Appetizers

Virgin Islands Charter Yacht League Culinary Competition

Savory Smoked Salmon Cheesecake

Aloha Pineapple Delight

Apple Cheese Ball

Cheesy Chutney

 

Dinner By The Light Of The Silvery Moon...

Homegrown Tomato Mozzarella Salad with Fresh Basil and Aged Balsamic Vinaigrette

Classic Greek Salad with Sun Dried Tomato Feta

Chicken Kabobs with Smoky Lime Sweet Potatoes and Cilantro Chimichurri

Black Angus Filet Mignon with a Jack Daniels Reduction Sauce & Twice Baked Petite Pommes de Terre

The Captain’s Chicken Parmesan over Garlic Fettucini and Steamed Broccoli

Tri-Colored Baji Fish (or Chicken) Tacos with Homemade Enchilada Mama Sauce Topped with Black Bean Pico de Gallo & Baja Lime Cream

Cadillac Quesadillas and the Captain's Favorite Layered Black Bean & Guacamole Surprise

Grilled Fresh Mahi Mahi with Tomato and Caper Vegetable Jump-up over Tri-Colored Cous Cous

Jamaican Jerk Chicken over Basil Linguini with Pine Nut Roma Tomato Salsa

Three Moons Roulade~a Noisette of Fresh Halibut & Salmon Stacked atop a round of Low Carb Artichoke Cheese Squares with a Light Lemon-Caper Sauce

Citrus Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Parmesan Herbed Risotto and Carrot Doubloons

Athenian Shrimp & Tortellini Salad Platter with Marinated Artichokes, Olives, Grape Tomatoes and fresh Parmesan

Rum & Pepper Painted Veal over Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Sugar Snap Sauté

Rosemary-Parmesan Rack of Lamb with Sun-Dried Tomato & Squash Confetti

West Indian Style Chicken Roti Accompanied by a Mixed Green Salad and Ginger Coconut Rice

(Roti is a burrito filled with a curry flavored mixture of chicken, potatoes and carrots! YUM!)

Grand Finale Grilled Caribbean Lobster with Coconut Thai Rice & Snow Peas

Award Winning Desserts

Virgin Islands Charter Yacht League Culinary Competition

Mango Surprise Stack

Cherry Chocolate Lunacy

Chocolate Coma Cake

Millennium Magic Bars

Three Moons Tropical Trifle

Lime ‘n the Coconut Chocolate Cheesecake

Questions Clients Ask About Sailing a Private, Crewed Charter Yacht in the Caribbean

General yacht questions typically asked by industry professionals and prospective guests:
In a sentence or two, how  would you best describe your yacht to prospective clients?  What’s your specialty?
     In the years aboard Three Moons, we’ve described ourselves as a fun-loving customer service oriented sailing couple offering a touch of Southern hospitality with a Caribbean flair.

What are the three biggest assets of your yacht?
     Having four equal air-conditioned cabins is one of our biggest assets. Also important is the fact that the yacht is kept in Bristol condition at all times. It’s a real plus for the guest to know that when they return for their second, third & even fourth charter, the yacht will look well kept, not worn out. Three Moons has won 11 Virgin Islands Charter Yacht League Culinary Competitions making us the only yacht in the area to win this many awards. Thirdly, and most importantly, we are an owner/operator Crew that has performed professionally, consistently and reliably on the same yacht for over a decade!

Do you have a favorite type of charter?  Several couples, one couple or families?
     Over the years, this question has been asked many times. But honestly, we like the variety of both several couples and families. We don’t want to pin ourselves to one category.

About what percentage of the time do you have several couples, one couple, or families?
     60% couples and 40% families. Only twice in eight years have we had one couple onboard.
What percent of your yearly charters are repeats? Approximately 50-60%

Will we be seasick? Not likely! In 14 years of business, we've had 5 or 6 really seasick guests; but within 10 minutes of applying either accupressure bands or a Scopolamine patch, they were fine!

Bottom line:
We get up, show up and do the right thing everyday. Why? Because our longstanding reputation demands it!

Capt. Randy & Shelly Tucker

Sailing the Spanish Virgin Islands...So Close, Yet So Far Back in Time!

Just six nautical miles to the east of Puerto Rico lies another world, the Spanish Virgin Islands, which some consider the most beautiful cruising grounds in the Caribbean. Made up of the islands of Culebra and Vieques and their surrounding islets and cays, this area is bedecked with white sand beaches, sapphire gin-colored water, hills to climb and reefs to explore.

Although the Spanish Virgins lie just 6 miles from Puerto Rico and 15-20 miles from the U.S. Virgin Islands, they are far less crowded. Even though they're part of the United States, they have none of the commercialism of the U.S. Virgin Islands, nor the crowds of charter boats that fight for moorings in the British Virgin Islands. For those who are looking for a boating vacation where gunk-holing is the order of the day and star-gazing de rigueur for the night, the Spanish Virgin Islands are perfect. Old hands describe them as "the BVIs 35 years ago." Why are these islands still so pristine and unspoiled? Blame it on the Marines -- and the U.S. Navy -- they owned the islands for private operations until the mid-1970's. It’s an easy flight to either San Juan Puerto Rico or St. Thomas, USVI, then on to the Spanish Virgin Islands!

If you are happy away from the crowds and beach bars (seriously, there aren't many of either!) you can easily spend a week in one or two anchorages and be perfectly happy. Depending on the weather, you have many excellent anchorages to choose from. Please note that this sailing area is best during our charter months of May and June. The waters and anchorages can be very rough during the winter months. Although there are many variations on this theme, here's a suggested itinerary for one week departing from Fajardo, a town in the southern part of Puerto Rico.

FIRST DAY: Fly to San Juan, Puerto Rico early in the morning and take a 45 minute taxi ride to Fajardo, where you'll board Three Moons. We'll take off across Vieques Sound for Isla Palominos. If you are fishing enthusiast, bring your favorite rod and have your lines out; Vieques Sound is full of bonito, tuna and dolphin. Once we drop the hook, we’ll barbecue the fish you caught (or the steaks you didn't), and enjoy a snorkel around the northern reef of the area. Later in the evening, see how many constellations you can identify in the night sky.
DAY 1: Our sail today is toward the island of Vieques. Hidden on the coast is one of the most spectacular Bioluminescent Bays in the world. The mysterious blue-green light is created by micro-organisms which thrive in an environment uniquely suited to their needs. A trip into the bay on a balmy night is a magical experience. Fish flash by in dark water, and a swim is like floating through fairy stardust! Quiet honestly, it was one of our favorite experiences we’ve ever had in the islands!
DAY 2: Sail east to Cayo Luis Pena, just off the island of Culebra, and anchor in the bay on its northwest side. Pretend you're on "Survivor" and dive for lobsters under the coral overhangs -- Puerto Rico's lobster hunting season is year-round. If you're not yet ready to stop for the night, we'll take Three Moons a bit further east into Encenada Honda, Culebra, and anchor just off the town dock.
DAY 3: Explore Culebra, which isn't very difficult to do. Because the U.S. government has one of its most diverse National Wildlife Refuges on Culebra, land developers haven't made much of a toehold there, either. There are three roads, each of them leading to a beach, and 2,000 people on the 11-square-mile island. Most people live in Dewey, the town all the locals call "Culebra," and everyone is friendly, laid-back and unaffected. Stop in for an introductory beer at the Dinghy Dock and meet the local expats. Take an early morning hike across the island to Playa Flamenco, one of the most spectacular beaches anywhere in the Caribbean, and see how many of the 85 kinds of birds that nest on Culebra you can identify. At night, treat yourself to dinner at Mamacitas (it's an ABSOLUTE "must do"!) on the narrow canal between Dewey and Ensenada Honda. The food is inexpensive, fresh and great!
DAY 4: We can anchor in either Dakity Harbor or Bahia de Almadovar just to the east and spend the rest of the day snorkeling and swimming. You're very likely to spot some turtles paddling about. By this time you should be well into "island time." Revel in it. Watch the sunset and the lights of St. Thomas as they come on 15 miles to the east, and congratulate yourself for being a whole world away from civilization.
DAY 5: If there isn't a northern swell running, we can sail up to tiny Culebrita and anchor off its northern shore, a 400-foot crescent of that ubiquitous white sand that's everywhere in the Spanish Virgins.
DAY 6 & 7: The last two full days will vary depending on where your pick-up and drop-off points are located. Either way, you know us and you know for a fact that we'll have a great time!

A Great Story for Twitter's Travel Tuesday!

Our guests always ask us for our best charter stories. We have tons of them! In honor of #TT #TravelTuesday, here's a funny story told to us by one of our guests on board the yacht Three Moons:

Dr. Nicole and her staff were boarding a small plane when the Dr. discovered they wouldn't allow her carry-on as it was too large for the size of the overhead compartments. So, the stewardess gave her a little red ticket in exchange for her bag. Dr. Nicole took her seat, which happened to be a window seat right over the luggage compartment door. Both she and her entire staff witnessed what happened next: Dr. Nicole's carry-on bag was chucked with brute force to the luggage handler in the belly of the plane. To keep from being decapitated by the flying carry-on, the poor guy ducks. The flying bag sailed over his surprised head and flew out the opposite cargo door of the plane like a launched missile! Then, it landed on the tarmac on its wheels and rolled OUT onto the main runway where an arriving 727 airplane rolled OVER it at full speed and squashed the it FLAT!

What can you do at this point? No one has ever experienced this!

By this time the doctor's staff were trying to decide whether they should actually laugh out loud or restrain Dr. Nicole to prevent her from killing someone! The good doctor then proceeded to ask the flight attendant who is standing completely aghast and says to her, "What should I do"? To which the wide-eyed flight attendant replies, "I don't know!" The flight attendant says, I guess we should file an incident report. So they filed the report. Even the airlines didn't know what to do as they had never had this happen! Their question was, "Can you still use your clothes"? Dr. Nicole replies, "NO, my carry-on (which held a very expensive suit) has been flattened by a 727"! As usual, the airline told her that someone would be in touch with her soon.

Many phone calls and six weeks later, a very tall man dressed in army fatigues showed up at her front door with what appeared to be a plastic box containing the remains of her carry-on and belongings and asks, "Is this yours"? She said that it did look like her things; but the contents of her carry-on didn't originally have tire marks or was covered in tooth paste! Not having Dr. Nicole's great sense of humor, he threw the box on the floor, turned to make a quick exit and said, "Thank you for flying U.S. Air"!

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Beautiful sail up the Sir Francis Drake Channel in the #British Virgin Islands! Not a bad way to commute on a Monday morning! 

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