Dario and Zelijka do The Grenadines

Aug 9, 2017

Zeljka and Dario 

Chartering in the Caribbean conjures up images of turquoise sea, palm fringed beaches and great sailing. But with so much choice how do you decide on your sailing destination and the charter company? What a nice decision to deal with!

For Dario and ZelijkaGabrovec of Toronto, The Grenadines chose them. They fell in love with the area after their first charter and are preparing to visit for the third time. Owners of City Plastics Inc. they are avid sailors and member of the Westwood Sailing Club. They spend their summers sailing an Ovington class 16ft sailboat and are eagerly waiting for the delivery of their own Ovington from the UK.

Capt St Vincent charter base

Back in 2014, they toyed with the idea of buying a larger cruising yacht. With this in mind they took their ASA 101-104 in St Vincent and The Grenadines. They were hooked! As Dario says, “Once you visit a paradise like The Grenadines and experience the excellent sailing conditions, you crave for the next visit and charter.”

The Chartered Bavaria 45

The decision to charter rather than to purchase a larger cruising yacht gave Dario and Zelijka flexibility. Chartering provided the opportunity to “sail different models and sizes of sailboats, without having all the owner’s obligations.” In 2016, they returned to The Grenadines, this time for their first bareboat charter, choosing a Bavaria 45 from Horizon Yacht Charters, St Vincent, from their base at Blue Lagoon.

James and Jacqui Pascall, who also own Horizon Yacht Charters Grenada, own Horizon St Vincent. The Grenada base opened in 2000 and is part of the wider Horizon Yacht Charters group. On the back of their success, Jacqui and James opened their base in St Vincent in 2014 and it has proven very popular.

Bequia

With 2 bases, one north of the Grenadines and one south they can offer their clients choice and flexibility. One-way charters are very popular; start in St Vincent and wind your way down the island chain down to Grenada! If you elect to start in St Vincent but the boat you want is in the Grenada fleet that can be accommodated. For an additional fee the yacht will be delivered for you.

The base at St Vincent is ideally situated for a short “shake down” sail to the next island of Bequia. Admiralty Bay in Bequia is a great first stop and a favorite of the Gabrovecs. There’s plenty of room to anchor, long sandy beaches, great snorkeling, a good choice of bars and restaurants and the colorful town of Port Elizabeth is at the head of the bay. For Dario and Zelijka, the most attractive aspects of sailing in The Grenadines are, “the most spectacular anchorages, the tranquility of the surf and beaches, the very romantic and memorable sunsets!” After travelling and the excitement of the first day on vacation, there is nothing better than sitting in the cockpit of your yacht, watching the sun going down, with the all-important cocktail in hand.

– Lesley Hayes
To be continued