American and International Info Resources

“Saturna” comes from the Spanish sailing ship Saturnina, which was under the command of Jose Maria Narvaez during his exploration of the Pacific Northwest coastline in 1791. The Island was first settled in the late 1800’s. The first and largest landowners were Warburton Pike and several of the Payne brothers.

Saturna Island’s moderate climate and quality accommodations make it an ideal year-round destination. Saturna borders Georgia Strait on the East side and Haro Strait to the south. It is a rural hideaway with abundant wildlife and great natural beauty. It features scenic trails, spectacular views and easy-access beaches. Rent a kayak and tour the coastline, or shop for local arts and crafts at local galleries. Island amenities include two general stores, a pub overlooking the ocean, a bakery, a café and a fine-dining restaurant. Saturna Vineyard offers tours, a bistro and tasting at the wine shop.

Our adventure began with a one-hour ferry ride from Swartz Bay to Lyall Harbour. We arrived late in the afternoon, had a quick tour of Winter Cover Marine Park (one of the most beautiful spots on Saturna and the site of the July 1st Lamb BBQ) and drove to our accommodation at East Point Resort.

Just steps from East Point Regional Park, we had an ocean view cabin with a spectacular view of the entire East side of Saturna Island. The view was to die for. We checked in and headed off to Saturna Lodge for an evening dinner. The manager, Ingrid Gaines was there to greet us and we thoroughly enjoyed our three-course dinners. The scallops were divine and for the main course we savoured fresh halibut and tenderloin steak. Chef Kevin Davidson presented the dinners superbly. Although we did not need dessert, we thoroughly enjoyed Kevin’s creations.

Thoroughly satiated, we headed back for a great night’s sleep next to the water’s edge at East Point Resort. When we arrived, the owners and managers of the Resort already had a roaring blaze going in the outdoor fireplace. We shared a bit of their wine and great company for a few hours before retiring. Good food, great company and comfy accommodations - Our trip was off to a fine start!

East Point Resort consists of a small number of cabins with kitchens and is situated on oceanfront property on the southeastern tip of Saturna. It is a great place for an extended stay retreat and is family oriented with a sandy beach. Serene, comfortable, and views that go on forever best describe this resort. From East Point you can see many of the San Juan Islands and you can see much of the coast of the mainland from Vancouver south into Washington State. There’s a beach below the Resort that is easily accessed and there’s a Lighthouse next door, as well as a Regional Park. The cabins face Tumbo Island, which is part of the Gulf Islands National Park.

The next morning, we started off with breakfast at the Lyall Harbour Bed and Breakfast, with our tour organizers Len and Donna Digance. They have a beautiful B&B that overlooks Lyall Harbour and the North Vancouver Mountains. It is a spectacular house with well-organized B&B services. Len and Donna are exceptionally hospitable hosts and Len is a professional chef. The breakfast was sensational including West Coast eggs benedict, with warm scones, fresh fruit salad, juice, coffee and tea and more. It was delightful.

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

For yacht charters, Cannes is the place to go when you want to experience the life of the rich and famous. Take in the famous Cannes Film Festival and cruise along the French Riviera. From the moment you step on the yacht, there will be a professional crew to serve you. Although the yacht charter company may suggest an itinerary, you may have different places you want to visit. As long as there are good anchorages, you can choose your own itinerary with yacht charters. Cannes is the ultimate destination, but there are many sights to see along the way. Yacht charters in Cannes are hard to beat.

You don’t have to choose luxury yacht charters. Cannes also has bareboat yacht charters that you can crew on your own as long as you have sailing experience. You also have to be very cognizant of the differences in sailing in this part of the world if you have never done so before. If you want to charter a yacht, Cannes experts will tell you that it is best to make your first trip with an experienced crew and learn what the potential dangers might be. Then you can charter a yacht on your own and set out on a unique adventure.

Technology has made its way into yacht charters. Cannes luxury yachts have Internet connections so you can keep in touch with home or the office while you are enjoying your time at sea. If you book a bareboat charter yacht, Cannes yacht charter companies do not provide Internet access on these boats. The idea is for you to enjoy the thrill of sailing, so you will not have the amenities of the luxury yachts. If you choose a crewed yacht charter, you will still have a chef to cook your meals, so you can enjoy the flavor of Cannes offshore as well as on land.

Choose Cannes as one of your ports of call when you book yacht charters. Cannes has all the flair of living life to the fullest. If you plan your vacation around the Cannes Film Festival, you will one of many that charter yachts to Cannes at this time of the year. This will give you an opportunity to rub shoulders with the stars of the film industry and take in some of the best films of the year. You do have to plan the trip and be very certain about the number of passengers you want to take with you on the yacht. International maritime law states that there can be no more than 12 passengers on yacht charters. If you intend to have more than this number in your party, then you will have to let the yacht charter company know so it can get the special registration required.

When you book crewed yacht charters to Cannes, you will have to leave your pets at home. Most yacht charter companies do not allow pets on board and because of the close quarters, smoking is prohibited inside. If you are travelling to France from another country for the express purpose of booking a yacht charter, you will need to present your passport in order to board the yacht. Charters to Cannes are subject to the customs and immigration rules and regulations.

To find out more about Sailing Vacations visit Peter’s Website Your Sailing Vacation and find out about Luxury Yacht Charters and more, including Caribbean Yacht Charters, Crewed Yacht Charters, Bareboat Charters and Florida Charters.

Are you looking for a boating magazine to subscribe to? What kind of magazine are you looking for? If you think your selection will be limited, you are mistaken. There are several options available for almost any type of boating magazine you might be interested in. You can choose from general interest magazines, magazines that cater to specialized boating lifestyles and hobbies, classified ad boating magazine choices, local interest magazines, and online magazines.

If you want a boating magazine that has general information about a lot of different types of boats as well as other articles about things that would interest boaters, such as charter fishing boats and reviews of the newest boat models this is the kind of magazine you might like. You will also find articles on boating safety as well as boat maintenance and even basic repairs that you can do yourself in a general interest boating magazine.

Specialty boat magazines run quite the wide scope. If you are a classic boat owner who wants to know more about restoration and maintenance on older boats to make it last for many more years you can get a magazine that offers that kind of information. Maybe you are a yacht owner (or you would like to be)-you can find a magazine that is specifically for yacht owners and enthusiasts. They may also have information about yacht charters. There is a specialty boating magazine for virtually every type of boat and boat owner.

For those who are trying to buy or sell a boat, your resources are not limited to print publications-you can also choose to list your boat in an online boating magazine to reach even more readers (there are even ones that offer only yachts.) If you decide to go the online route, you can have nice color pictures of your boat and graphics to match. However, if you plan on selling your boat locally, you should probably just go with a local boat trader magazine.

There are many publications which offer articles as well as advertisements online. This is one way to get an idea if a magazine is something that you would like to subscribe to. Take a look online, and not only will you find articles from actual boat magazine publications, but you can also find several free trial issue offers so that you can try a magazine (or a few magazines) before you buy it.

Eriani Doyel writes articles about Travel and Leisure. If you would like more information about boating magazines visit flboating.com

A Mediterranean cruise is without doubt the most
varied type of cruise available. There are more than
120 seaports around the Mediterranean coastline,
offering numerous combinations of cruise vacations
over one-week, two-week or longer trips.

A huge clash of cultures await all who opt for a
Mediterranean cruise. You can visit no less than
17 different countries, including such nations as
Spain, Italy, Greece and Egypt. Each nation has its
own unique attractions, all of which you can sample
as your cruise ship gracefully sails around the calm
blue Mediterranean Sea.

More than 50 companies offer cruises along varied
routes in the Mediterranean. Some companies specialize
in providing Western Mediterranean cruises,
concentrating on ports of call around Portugal,
Spain, France, Italy and Morocco. Other companies
offer Eastern Mediterranean cruises which take in
Croatia, Greece, Turkey and countries in the Middle
East. Popular specialist Mediterranean cruises include
a tour of the North African nations, a Mediterranean
islands cruise that visits the island nations of
Cyprus and Malta, as well as cruises around the Greek
Islands. If you’re after a longer vacation, it is
possible to arrange a cruise itinerary that takes
you around most if not all of the Mediterranean
nations.

History, culture, grand cities, ancient monuments,
romantic islands and breathtaking views are all
within easy reach on a Mediterranean cruise. In the
Western Mediterranean you can discover the traditional
white Andalucian villages of Southern Spain, sample
the world-famous Manzanilla sherry in Cadiz and visit
the cultural hub of Europe in the shape of Barcelona,
before travelling onwards to the French Riviera.

A cruise that takes in the wonderful coastline of
Italy yields such treasures as the dormant volcano of
Mt Vesuvius, ancient Pompeii and the stunning city of
Rome. The islands of Sicily and Sardinia hold many
delights too on a Western Mediterranean cruise.

In the Eastern Mediterranean, cruise passengers can
discover the spectacular Croatian coastline and its
beautiful city - Dubrovnik, before diving
southeastwards to sample classical Greece and its
sultry islands. The island of Crete is always worth
a visit, if only for the historic Palace of Knossos.

A visit to the holy city of Jerusalem is a
worthwhile excursion from both Israeli ports -
Haifa and Ashdod - on a Mediterranean cruise of the
Middle East. Egypt’s Port Said is well worth a visit
too. Port Said provides access to the world famous
Suez Canal, which takes vessels into the Red Sea and
onwards in to the Arabian Sea.

The Mediterranean region has seen many a civilization
rise and fall. It is a crucible of human evolution
and is rich in relics left over by more than 6,000
years of occupation. If you’ve ever wanted to discover
what it felt like to be an Egyptian pharaoh, Roman
warrior or a Greek philosopher, a Mediterranean cruise
can give you just that opportunity…

Looking for Cruise information ?

Go to http://www.azcruises.com to find out all you need
to know about taking your dream Mediterranean Cruise vacation.