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Welcome to the
Crew Information page of this website. The information provided on this page is
intended to help you as you prepare to join Tradewinds for your period on board
as crew. "Tradewinds" is my home and I am sure that crew members will
treat it with respect and enjoy the hospitality that I offer, just as if it were their own home.
Before Crewing aboard Tradewinds of Emsworth you must read
and sign the attached "Crew Waiver of Liability". Click here for further
details.
The
Information that we will agree in advance of your joining date:
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Where to
join and what would be the most appropriate airport to use.
See here for flight details from the UK and US.
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Whether
or not I shall be meeting you at the airport.
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If you have not
crewed aboard Tradewinds before and are not known to the Captain, it would be
appreciated if you would enter into some communications to establish who you
are, where you are coming from and what type of person you are! You will be
spending your period of crewing aboard a boat with someone you do not know and
who does not know you - it really would be sensible if some of the ice could be
broken before you join!
General Information for you:
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Tradewinds is a
40ft Beneteau sloop rigged sailing yacht and was built in 2001. I have been the
owner since new and have been cruising Caribbean ever since.
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The accommodation
aboard Tradewinds comprises three cabins, one aft, which is the Captain's, one
midships, which is not normally used for sleeping, and one fwd, which is the
crew accommodation. The crew accommodation is a full double cabin plenty large
enough for two people, although cosy if those two people do not normally sleep
together. There is ample storage space for personal effects. It has a door for
privacy. See below for the boat's layout.
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There are two
bathroom / heads facilities on board.
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We share the cost
of all day to day expenses such as food, drinks, mooring and berthing fees,
fuel, water, cruising taxes, etc. Costs associated with boat maintenance are of course the
Captain's responsibility and are not shared.
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You do not need to
be a qualified RYA or US Certificated sailor to crew aboard Tradewinds. If you want to learn whilst
on board I shall be happy to provide sailing, navigation or any other such help.
If anyone is good at knots, I shall be happy to learn from them! If anyone can
create an eye-splice on the end of a rope, you will be my hero! Click
here to be
taken to an excellent website showing how to tie many of the knots used in
sailing.
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If you want to
know more about your Captain, go to
www.findacrew.com and search using my name
or my profile number, which is: 29622. Also take a look at the
Galleries on this website and at
www.permanentgrin.net and you will see me in the pictures (I'm the
ugly one!). Here are some testimonials from previous crew members (Click to view):
A,
B,
C,
D,
E,
F,
G,
H. Finally, you could
take a look at YouTube where there are some video clips of Tradewinds at sea
(Search for "Tradewinds of Emsworth" -
click here
to go direct to YouTube). Note that there are 5 videos to view, including the
one from ex Crew Member Jane.
These clips are mainly from my boat in the Mediterranean.
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The Immigration
Form that you may have to complete for entry into the country that you are
joining Tradewinds will require an address. In the Grenadines you should enter that you are
joining the Sailing Yacht "Tradewinds of Emsworth" at TMM, Blue
Lagoon, St Vincent. In Grenada you should state that you are joining "Tradewinds
of Emsworth" as crew and that the sailing yacht is anchored at Prickly Bay,
True Blue, Grenada.
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I recommend that
you advise your credit card company and mobile phone supplier that you are
expecting to be in the Caribbean. If you don't, they may put a block on their
services until they have confirmed your whereabouts with you by telephone call.
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If you need a
local hotel in St Vincent before or after your crew period aboard Tradewinds, try the
Beachcombers (www.beachcombershotel.com) or Mariners Inn (www.marinershotel.com).
Both are relatively close to Blue Lagoon and offer discounts for my crew
members (say that you have been referred by TMM)! Their prices are not
particularly low - it may cost up to 100 US$ for a room for one night.
Alternatively, if you wish to stay overnight in Kingstown you could try the
Highfield Guesthouse, at Lowmans Hill (owned by the Woods family). This is a
budget place to stay but nevertheless of a good standard and clean - in 2010 the
rates were a maximum of 80 EC$, but some rooms were less. Call Mr or Mrs Woods
on +1 784 457 7563.
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If you need a low cost hotel in Barbados, try the "Shonlan Airport
Hotel", which is very close to the airport. Call: +1 246 428 0039. The hotel can
be booked through:
www.hotelrentalgroup.com. A single room overnight in March 2009 cost: US$
58.74. Alternatively you may call Trevor on +1 246 265 5675 and he will arrange
for you to have overnight accommodation in the bungalow behind his aunt's house
close to the airport. She charges less than 100 BB$ per night. Trevor is a taxi
driver and will take you to her place. I have used this accommodation and for a
last-minute place to stay it is ideal.
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If you need a
reasonably priced small hotel in Grenada, try the Relax Inn, which is close to
both the airport and Prickly Bay. Their website is:
http://www.relaxinngrenada.com/contact.html.
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I shall probably
meet you at the airport at St Vincent or off the ferry at Port Elizabeth on the island of Bequia. The ferry port
in Kingstown on St Vincent is only a 10 minute taxi drive from the airport and
has regular ferries leaving for Bequia (4 a day during the week, dropping to 3
on Saturdays and 2 on Sundays). They all go to Port Elizabeth. Please
advise me by text message when you are aboard a ferry. For ferry timetables
please click
here.
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Further
information on how to get to Bequia can be obtained by clicking
here. This includes airline information.
Things
to bring:
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Shorts and tee-shirts
(make sure that one or more of the tee-shirts gives you full protection from
the sun).
Deck shoes for walking ashore if you have them - we do not wear shoes on board
at all.
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Obviously bring your own washing gear etc, but I can supply towels and
bedding. Pack everything into a floppy bag of not over 20kg or the airlines
may charge you for the excess baggage.
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Swim wear. We
will definitely swim from Tradewinds whilst at anchor.
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You may decide
to bring your own snorkel and mask - please make sure that they fit and that
you can use them. Several crew have joined and had the opportunity on board to
do some great snorkelling, only to find that the mask they have brought with
them does not fit properly!
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Shoes suitable
for walking. During our island visits we will probably venture beyond the
immediate vicinity of where we land. Walks will sometimes take 2-3 hours and
invariably involve steep hills.
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Sun cream and
sun block. The Caribbean is very warm all year round.
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If you want to
keep in touch with your friends and family, it might be a good idea to bring
your own laptop. There are occasional WiFi opportunities, particularly in
Bequia and Union Island. Otherwise you will be restricted to using Internet
Cafes or the like, which are usually neither comfortable or numerous.
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Foreign currency
- EC$ are used in the Grenadines. There are plenty of ATMs, including one
conveniently located just to the left as you exit from immigration at St
Vincent airport.
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Your iPod if you
have one, with
your music! It makes a refreshing change to hear someone else's tracks!
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Ladies - I have
only limited 110V electrical supplies when at anchor. Sorry, you will normally not be
able to use a hair dryer on board except when connected to shore power in a marina.
Hair washing tends to use lots of water anyway!
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Bring your
camera, camcorder and mobile phones You will be able to use the chargers
(110v or 12v) on board. Please note that the electrical sockets on board are
either the US or UK type. If yo come from another country, please bring an
adaptor.
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Mosquito bite
ointment - I strongly recommend HC45. Other crew members have used Antihisan.
There is a not a great problem with mosquitoes in the Grenadines, but it is
worth being prepared if one happens to find you.
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Travel sickness
tablets if you think you will need them.
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Your RYA or
other sailing Logbook
if you have one. I will sign for the miles you do with me.
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Books to read.
I usually have some on board but they might not be to your taste.
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You may decide
that you want to check your Travel Insurance to see if it covers sailing
offshore in non-coastal / non-territorial waters. I
cannot specifically recommend any company but one of my crew members has used
a broking company called GH Insurance and the policy she got was an "AXA
Yachtsman Travel Insurance". The charge was approximately £20 for a 10 day
period. It maybe a good starting point for your Internet search. Another crew
member arranged her insurance through the company "Bishop Skinner Insurance" -
they provide special rates for RYA Members and presumably cater for the
special needs of coastal and ocean sailors. I understand that their policy
covers sailing, world travel in general, luggage and all medical expenses.
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The Captain is
not a great tea drinker. If you like traditional English tea or some other
special blend, it would be best for you to bring some with you.
Things
not to bring:
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Rigid Suitcases,
as they cannot easily be stowed on board.
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Foul weather
clothing as they are unlikely to be needed in the Caribbean.
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Cigarettes -
Tradewinds is a non-smoking boat.
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Drugs.
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Stiletto heels!
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Too much!!! Space
aboard Tradewinds is limited.
Information I would appreciate from you in advance of joining:
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Please provide
me with your detailed travel itinerary including ETDs, ETAs and flight
numbers. This helps if your flight is delayed and I have to find out where you
are and what time you will be arriving.
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If I am not
meeting you at the airport, please send a text to me when you arrive at the
airport - then I'll know to expect you soon.
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Please send a
text to me just before departing from the final airport before your arrival in
St Vincent. If it looks like you are going to be delayed, also send a text.
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Please provide
me with your mobile telephone number so that we can establish communications
when you arrive.
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Please provide
me with your home address and "Next of Kin" details (for obvious reasons).
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It would help if
you were to provide me with your food and drink likes and dislikes. I try to
do some shopping for essential foodstuffs and drinks before you arrive.
The Captain likes:
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Good company, no
hassle and no crew pressure.
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His mail from
UK. If possible please would you bring it out for him. We can communicate on
how this can be arranged.
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After Eight
mints!
Further Information:
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I prefer to have
female company on board - I spent many years at sea in the navy amongst all
male crews but now I have a choice, so my choice is female! This is the way it
has always been during the years I have been cruising and it has worked out
well. I now have so many friends dotted around the world and frequently travel
to spend time with them after leaving the Mediterranean at the end of October
and before returning to the Grenadines in mid January. I prefer the company of
women and enjoy them being around - almost all my previous
crew members have been seriously interesting people who have come from a wide
variety of backgrounds, professions and countries.
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Whilst on board
either boat we would share in all normal living expenses including food
onboard and ashore, drinks (beer and wine), fuel and water in the tanks,
mooring and marina fees, etc. You would of course not be involved in any costs
associated with boat maintenance or spare parts. Depending on our lifestyle we
can influence the price of cruising –
for example less eating ashore in cafes and restaurants would decrease the
individual share. I tend to anchor each night - it is rare to be charged for
dropping the hook! Marinas in Croatia tend to be expensive, so we would avoid
them for the most part, although I often spend a night alongside when a new
crew joins and leaves. There are hardly any marinas in the Grenadines but we
might get charged from time to time to spend a night on a mooring buoy if
unable to find an anchorage. In my experience the daily share works out at
about US$ 20-25 for crew members on board for 2-3 weeks. For shorter
periods the daily cost tends to be more in the region of US$ 25-30.
Tradewinds of Emsworth - Accommodation layout
(The fwd cabin is the crew accommodation)
Please
do not forget to read and sign the Crew Waiver of Liability. Click here for
details.
Page
updated: 10/07/2010
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