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Writer's pictureSteven Hopkinson

Back at it

City Dogs are back at it. again. Delivering one of a kind custom sailing charters taking our guests out in some of the most pristine, little seen waters of the largest of the Bay Islands of Honduras, Roatan. We had to take a couple of weeks off, go back home to New York City, see some family, spend some time with our friends and loved ones, and take care of a bunch of stuff.



Like eating our way across the Tri-State area, stuffing our faces and cute little canine mouths with all kinds of high-calorie treats. The only thing we missed was an impossible burger but we'll have to get one next time we're there, unless someone in the islands gets some. Hit us up in the comments if you know where we can get any impossible burger action on Roatan.




It didn't take much of the City to recharge our batteries. We absorbed all of what we needed from our families, our friends, from our places, familiar faces and the very sticks and bricks that make up the boroughs we know so well. We didn't get to see any of the Sail GP action in the Hudson, which for any sailors out there is pretty jaw-dropping, but we did get to awe and marvel at these foils like everyone else who saw pictures and videos of them racing through New York harbor.




But now that we're back down in the islands we're set to rock out the summer season with an action packed menu of options including day sails, overnight excursions to some of the most remote sections of Cayos Cochinos, Guanaja, Utila and Roatan, as well as our always acclaimed sunset cruises. And with optional PADI SCUBA experiences and courses available, there is virtually no limit on what we can help you do to transform your Caribbean dreams into reality.



If you're thinking of booking an experience anytime soon as dates for Q3 and Q4 2019 are filling up fast these days. We're even fielding dates in 2020 so if you're a real planner, know we park our cars in the same garage and let us know what you're thinking about.




Some things to consider.


1) We've got a couple of cute little dogs. They sometimes like to cuddle. If you're not super into dogs we can minimize their presence but they're best understood as part of the crew. They accept tips in the form of treats, so long as they don't have chocolate or anything else known to be deadly to canines.


2) We can't take you around the island in a day. It's just not possible or a boat with an engine the size of ours. Roatan is a long, skinny island. Even doing it in three/four days would be a lot, with some of the sailing verging on the, being generous, let's say less comfortable side. And we can't take you to Cayos Cochinos and back in a day. Or Guanaja, or Utila, for that matter. These islands take a while to get to with a sailboat, even if we're trimming sails to maximize speed, and we can't really sail into them at night because they're surrounded by the MesoAmerican Barrier Reef system, the second largest one in the world, something you need to assiduously avoid on a Beneteau Oceanis 393 with a five plus foot keel like ours.


3) We like to sail. There are loads of other options with bigger engines if you want to get there faster. But for those discerning few who know it's not how fast you get there, but rather how and why you get there, we provide a top-notch service tailored to your individualized needs. You'll have a good time.



Want to just sail -- we can do that. Sailing around Roatan is one of the things we love doing the most! It's why we do it. And USCG Certified Captain Andrea will draw on her more than 20 years experience to get you more acquainted with the art of sailing. Want to snorkel -- we'll show you all the best spots on both sides of Roatan and all the other Bay Islands.


Want to dive -- well we'll craft a unique series of underwater experiences that you'll look back on when you're back home with a sense of charm. Never dove before? Don't worry both Captain Andrea and First Mate Steve are both certified specialty instructors with PADI who can either guide you on a discovery experience where you go diving for the first time or we take you along the path to PADI certification where you will learn to become a certified Open Water diver, able to go diving anywhere in the world within your limits. Want to go lionfish hunting and come back with some invasive species for dinner? We can do that.


Just remember that Roatan (and all of the Bay Islands) are marine protected areas, which means we need to be mindful of doing no harm to the fragile underwater ecosystems that surround the island of Roatan. It's what we all come to the island for. There are suggestions on what kind of fish to avoid, and a set of guidelines on how to act within the marine park preserve that we'll go over before we get in the water, like don't touch the reef. Wear reef-safe sunscreen and don't use the bad pesticides before diving or going in the water. Don't harass marine life or take anything, alive or dead, from underwater (except the invasive lionfish once certified by the Roatan Marine Park).


To paraphrase UDC: Take only memories. Leave only bubbles of air behind.



One thing you can be certain of is that if we're going to have a good time, but don't take our word for it, hit the link a few words back and read what our satisfied guests have had the generosity to say so kindly about us on TripAdvisor.


We don't take guests out when the weather is bad if we can do anything to help it. Sometimes storms do sneak up on us, but we're usually pretty savvy and can spot them well ahead of time so that we can adjust and alter our plans instead.


We' d rather lose the money and ensure that when you come sailing with us, it really is the trip of a lifetime, not just another mediocre trip on a party cat with a hundred of your best friends without ever turning the engine off or putting up a full sail at all. Want something authentic and different? Come sailing with us instead.

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