Safe Harbor Water Magazine 2023-2024

M O N TAU K M AG I C

A LO N G T H E WAY

Barefoot luxury meets salty heritage in a place at the end of the world.

Join renowned photographer Onne van der Wal on an epic adventure down the coast.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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A LETTER FROM THE HELM Stories to inspire by Chief Executive Officer Baxter Underwood.

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THE CRAB WHISPERER Tia Clark is an artist of life, and her positive energy is as infectious as her smile.

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MONTAUK MAGIC Barefoot luxury meets salty heritage in a place at the end of the world.

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ALONG THE WAY Join renowned photographer Onne van der Wal on an epic adventure down the coast.

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THE SAILING SPIRIT Supporting sailing communities from coast to coast is core to Safe Harbor’s pursuit.

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BUILDING ON EXCELLENCE Safe Harbor’s creative thinking is poised to raise the bar at Charleston’s famed MEGADOCK.

Photography on pages 4-5, 8-9 by Onne van der Wal

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LEGACY ON THE CRYSTAL COAST From humble beginnings to famed boatbuilder, Jarrett Bay’s rich tradition spans more than 35 years.

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THE NETWORK EFFECT Changing the game for owners, captains and crew of the most distinguished superyachts.

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MAKING MEMORIES Members enjoy sought-after destinations and unforgettable adventures across the network.

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A TALE OF TWO COASTLINES Nestled between state lines is an East Coast cruising destination like no other.

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A RISING PHOENIX When Hurricane Ian devastated the Florida coast, Safe Harbor’s people rose to the challenge.

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MAP & DIRECTORY Explore Safe Harbor’s network of more than 130 premier waterfront locations.

Safe Harbor Water Magazine Volume 4 was produced in partnership with the AIM Marine Group.

For more information, email JCRAIG@AIMMEDIA.COM SAFE HARBOR MARINAS

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A LETTER FROM THE HELM

A LETTER FROM THE HELM

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his time of the year fills me with delight. Near my home, an endless carpet of blue and orange wildflowers rises above the pastures in response to warm spring rains. In the mountains, snow drips into icy waterfalls and splashes loudly on the forest floor. All along the endless, glimmering New England shoreline, a thousand sails unfurl to meet the season’s first southwestern breeze.

In this fourth edition of Water magazine, you’ll find stories from around Safe Harbor. You’ll read about the magic of summer in Montauk, the crab-whispering ways of a Lowcountry artist of life, and—through the practiced eye of Onne van der Wal—the timeless beauty of the world around us all.

It is our desire that this collection of stories will inspire you to cast off the lines and sail out toward the horizon.

We know you will meet magnificent people and create wonderful memories along the way.

We wish you fair winds and following seas,

Baxter Underwood, CEO

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MONTAUK MAGIC

Safe Harbor continues to build on Montauk Yacht Club’s existing reputation as a worldwide cruising destination.

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ocated at the tip of the South Fork of Long Island, New York, Montauk has long been recognized by its nickname: “The End.” That moniker can be found on bumper stickers, sweatshirts, ball caps and other sundry souvenirs from the summer hot spot.

From the 1930s through the 1970s, Montauk was, first and foremost, a fishing town. There was even a train that ran from Penn Station in Manhattan direct to Montauk that was known as the “Fisherman’s Special.” On Friday evenings, that train would be filled with blue-collar workers, with fishing poles and tackle boxes in hand, looking to escape the stress of the city by casting lines to passing stripers and bluefish. Today, Montauk is still a hotbed for anglers chasing an ever-growing menu of species from bass and blackfish to marlin and makos. Should you want an expert to help put you on some fish, charter options abound.

In recent years, Montauk has changed a lot. Today, hard-core anglers rub shoulders with surfers, influencers, celebrities and upscale tourists who’ve spilled over from the Hamptons to enjoy the town’s increased—and improved—drinking and dining options. Few locations in Montauk epitomize “The End’s” blend of salty heritage and luxury escape like the Montauk Yacht Club.

The marina/resort was originally built in 1928 by Carl Fisher, an entrepreneur who is often credited with building another destination you may have heard of: Miami. Seeing the potential to replicate a similar elite destination, he ordered the digging of a deepwater channel between Gardiner’s Bar and Lake Montauk, thus creating the pristine harbor that attracts so many to Montauk Yacht Club today.

Few locations in Montauk epitomize “The End’s” blend of salty heritage and luxury escape like Safe Harbor Montauk Yacht Club.

Safe Harbor Montauk Yacht Club

Fresh seafood and foodie-approved fare at Showfish

The resort and marina joined the Safe Harbor family in 2022, and now Fisher’s vision for the location has never been closer to a reality. Today, Safe Harbor Montauk Yacht Club offers more than 200 slips accommodating boats from 12 to 300 feet (with a 12-foot draft).

The resort’s dining options are diverse and pair perfectly with a day on the water. The Pool Club is located poolside and boasts waterfront views, frozen cocktails and the culinary team’s famous spicy lobster rolls, along with other lighter fare.

If pizza is calling your name after washing down your boat, Il Forno has you covered with an array of award-winning pies and other tasty grab-and-go options. If you’re looking for something a bit more formal and dressed up, Showfish can’t be missed.

Featuring locally sourced ingredients—including the freshest seafood around—and a top-shelf wine list, this spot is a peak dining experience.

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“

We are making some enhancements... there’s also a lot of ongoing aesthetic change and added amenities that will only add to the overall experience.”

ISABELLA RIDALL | VICE PRESIDENT OF HOSPITALITY & BRAND MERCHANDISING

With so much going for it, Safe Harbor could easily leave great enough alone, but that’s not going to be the case. “We are making some enhancements to the dining area, adding new pickleball courts, and working on further improving our rooms and shared areas within the resort,” says Vice President of Hospitality & Brand Merchandising Isabella Ridall. “There’s also a lot of ongoing aesthetic changes and added amenities that will only add to the overall experience.”

Enhancements, Ridall says, will include the addition of an electric-powered X Shore boat that will be available to take guests on excursions—think harbor cruise at sunset. Safe Harbor will also be introducing the Safe Harbor Water Suites: private floating villas that aim to offer Safe Harbor Members the ultimate luxury overnight experience.

For transient guests who want to get off the boat for a night or two, Montauk Yacht Club is a world-class hotel and resort complete with three pools (two outdoor and one indoor) and barefoot luxury galore. Guests who want to stay up on their workout regimen have access to the resort’s fitness center along with a small fleet of Beau Lake stand-up paddleboards.

Guests and Members will also have access to a pair of electric-powered Moke vehicles, which might just be the most fashionable way to get from the marina to the Montauk Downs golf course or the truly historic Montauk Point Lighthouse. The plethora of electric-powered activities is no coincidence; this speaks to Safe Harbor’s focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Montauk has so much to offer, it’s a wonder anyone would ever want to leave, but eventually other waypoints come calling. The good news for visitors to Montauk is that it’s the perfect jumping-off point for other popular boating destinations in the region, including Greenport, New York, Newport, Rhode Island, and Essex, Connecticut, all of which are home to Safe Harbor locations. With the changes and enhancements being made at the Montauk Yacht Club and the rise in popularity that Montauk is enjoying, perhaps a new nickname is in order. For boaters and Safe Harbor Members, Montauk is hardly The End, it’s a beginning. ▪

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THE SAILING SPIRIT

Safe Harbor’s passion for supporting sailing communities comes to life at regattas across the network.

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his August, Safe Harbor will be back in America’s sailing heartland to celebrate the third annual Safe Harbor Race Weekend. Since the historic Newport Shipyard joined the Safe Harbor family in 2019, Safe Harbor has made a commitment to investing in the city’s heritage of classic sailing, and this year’s regatta carries that legacy forward. “We’ve seen great success with Race Weekend, and we just want to keep building on that. It’s become a signature event for us,” says Rebecca LeBlanc, Vice President of Partnerships and Experiences at Safe Harbor Marinas.

Despite only being in its second year, Safe Harbor Race Weekend drew hundreds to Newport in 2022 for great sailing—and perhaps even better after-parties. Sixty-two boats across 11 classes graced the start line, including 25 owned by Safe Harbor Members. Vince McAteer, who owns the Summit 35 Divided Sky, was among them and considers the competition one of the best-managed races of the season. “What sets it apart from other regattas is great race management. The Safe Harbor team did a phenomenal job. They organized the fleets so each class was competitive. It was hard fought across the fleet.” That’s high praise from McAteer, whose team has been together for 20 years and sails out of the New York Yacht Club. “It’s a perfect location, it’s affordable and it attracts high-quality racing. That’s everything we’re looking for.”

Photo by Onne van der Wal

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As is somehow always the case when you’re counting on having some wind to run races, the first days of the 2022 event were plagued with light air. However, race management—led by Peter Craig—worked hard to ensure sailors still got the best of it, moving starts and courses to accommodate the breeze. The conditions made for some challenging and tactical races. “It all came down to the last race,” said Doug Newhouse, the owner and skipper of the J/70 Yonder and winner of both the IC37 class and overall honors for Division 1. “The competition level was very high, really the best boats around.” Talent draws talent, and in 2023, even more boats are expected on the start line.

Still, Safe Harbor knows that it takes more than great racing to make a great event, and to that end, the company enlisted X Shore and Barton & Gray’s help. As part of a Safe Harbor Experience, these sponsors stepped up to provide nearly 200 Members with a front-row seat to the action on their spectator boats. “We had a goal to get our Members who maybe wouldn’t otherwise participate in a regatta feeling a little more comfortable,” says LeBlanc.

“We want to open a door to the sport.”

Back on shore, Members and crews alike were treated to what is quickly becoming the hallmark of a Safe Harbor regatta: spectacular shoreside events and postrace parties. Live music, beautiful scenery, dinner and awards were all part of the package. “You can’t get a more classic location than hanging out at one of the premier boatyards in New England,”

The J/70 Yonder and others at Safe Harbor Race Weekend Photo by Stephen Cloutier

recalls McAteer. “Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard is incredibly convenient, and the views are superb.”

“For Safe Harbor Race Weekend, Members from across the nation are invited to experience all of the weekend’s festivities,” says LeBlanc. “This year we’re expecting over 800 participants and attendees.” On Friday night, Safe Harbor New England Boatworks will play host to an epic dinner, while Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard will be host to Race Village and Saturday night’s party that’s consistently been the talk of the town.

With all that in the works, you’d think developing one regatta for Members would be more than enough, but Safe Harbor has also been expanding its involvement to other venues, notably the March Madness Regatta in San Diego and the Palm Beach Cup in Florida. The 2023 March Madness regatta was host to 61 boats across 10 classes. For 12 Safe Harbor Members, it was a chance to go racing for the first time. For others, there was a front-row seat to the action from two X Shore boats. Followed up by Safe Harbor’s après-sail parties, the regatta offered a great way for all parts of the community to get involved, while also giving back to the Cortez Racing Association and its mission to promote sailing in the San Diego area.

The Palm Beach Cup went even a step further, combining a superyacht regatta with racing for J/22s to raise funds for the Youth Sailing Foundation of the Palm Beaches. This organization aims to provide water access for local kids and grow the next generation of sailors and marine tradespeople. “Coming alongside and teaming up with local communities is something that

Officials look on from the race committee boat as sailors compete at the 2023 March Madness Regatta in San Diego

BRAD ALESI | CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

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Teaming up with local communities is something that always has been, and always will be, important to us.”

always has been, and always will be, important to us,” says Brad Alesi, Safe Harbor’s Chief Marketing Officer.

Safe Harbor New England Boatworks hosts Safe Harbor Race Weekend’s Friday night dinner for Members and sailors

Despite the different venues and boat classes, common threads run through all Safe Harbor regattas. The priorities always come back to investing in local communities, bringing people together, and creating opportunities to expand horizons. “We want to keep the momentum in building something fun, special and memorable,” says LeBlanc. ▪ SAFE HARBOR MARINAS

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THE CRAB WHISPERER

Crabbing on the Ashley River in Charleston, South Carolina with Tia Clark is more than just plain fun. It’s a great education.

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t’s a blustery day in late winter, and I’m huddled with a group of hopeful anglers dockside at Safe Harbor Bristol in Charleston, South Carolina. Clutching a lively crab by its electric blue pincers, Tia Clark— founder of Casual Crabbing with Tia and a force of nature in her own right—is describing our intended quarry.

During the last few years, with a litany of accolades and media appearances in her wake, Clark has become Charleston’s crab whisperer. She and her crew have shown thousands of visitors the fishing basics in this part of the Carolinas. That includes pulling baskets, working handlines and fishing rods, and throwing a cast net.

“This is the Atlantic Blue Crab,” she says with her signature enthusiasm. “Callinectes sapidus. The scientific name means beautiful savory swimmer, and it makes perfect sense because they’re beautiful and the meat inside is savory.” She points to an odd pair of jointed appendages on the back of the crab’s shell. “And these make it a swimmer.

The crab spins them like helicopter propellers.”

“Crabbing changed my entire life,” she says. “When I discovered salt water, it changed my relationship with my community, my family and the food I eat.”

Clark, whose business can be defined as a fishing concierge, breaks down more of the crab’s anatomy for our group.

We can tell the crab is a mature female by the capitoldome shape of a hinged abdominal plate called the apron.

Were she full of eggs, the plate would be open, and an orange blob would be protruding. “Each time these crabs produce eggs during their 1- to 3-year lifespans, the females release 2 to 3 million eggs. Every single time,” says Clark.

“It’s fascinating.”

Clark grew up downtown—less than a mile from these scenic banks along the Ashley River. Like many Charlestonians, she made her living in the local food and beverage industry. Charleston is internationally renowned for its culinary scene, but, she says, it’s not always the healthiest career choice in a town where partying is considered an art form. “For 20 years, I worked in bars. I smoked cigarettes and drank alcohol,” says Clark.

Even after quitting and trying to live a healthier lifestyle, she was still plagued by debilitating allergies. Eventually, a clinician sent Clark to a holistic medicine specialist. “She put me on an elimination diet—no booze, sugar, eggs, soy,

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Pro tip from the expert: cast your net “like a pancake”

gluten, dairy, corn or processed foods. I chose to eat only a protein, vegetable and fruit. I started feeling better instantly.”

But something was still missing. Despite working in Charleston’s culinary world, she had never connected the dots on her hometown’s maritime food web. Then one day, a cousin insisted she go crabbing with him at the Cosgrove Avenue bridge just up the Ashley River. Clark had driven across the bridge thousands of times, but she’d never been under it.

“We pull up the basket and there’s a blue crab in it, and I’m like, why is that here?” she says. “Then we get the cast net out and start catching live shrimp and my head explodes even more.

We take the live shrimp, put it on a fishing pole, cast it out, go back and pull the crab basket. And while we’re doing that, the rod goes off and there is my mom’s favorite fish—whiting—at the other end. I went home two hours later with blue crabs, shrimp and whiting.”

The process of crabbing—alone—became Clark’s healing time, and of course, it put food on the table. It was a healthy way to live too—she lost 150 pounds. Eventually, she started posting her catches on social media. Then one day, a fishing buddy created a Facebook page titled Casual Crabbing with Tia. “There were 30 messages in that first post,” she recalls. “One said: ‘I have family coming to town. Will you take them crabbing?’” Clark was hesitant. Crabbing was her private

Catch of the day becomes dinner tonight

time. Still, the wheels started to spin. In July 2018, she took her first guests crabbing off a public dock a quarter mile up the river from where we are today. In November, Clark was flown out to San Francisco. Casual Crabbing with Tia had been recognized by Airbnb as one of its top Experiences, in the world.

Back home in Charleston, Clark was making more public appearances and working on coastal ecosystem restoration projects. One of them involved an oyster bed and marsh grass habitat right alongside Safe Harbor Bristol. A cast net throwing demonstration was the thing that put Clark together with Safe Harbor Bristol’s dockmaster, Martin Mouton. “Tia offers a fun and educational experience for all ages,” he says. “She runs a tight ship and her staff is very professional. We enjoy having her and her team at Safe Harbor Bristol.”

“Tia’s story is truly fascinating and empowers others,” says David Rogers, Safe Harbor’s Regional Vice President for the Coastal Carolinas. “She has the ability to drive positive energy by connecting people to the marine environment if they are willing to take time to listen, look, and feel all that surrounds them on the water.”

Having discovered a certain synergy, Safe Harbor Bristol asked Clark if she’d like to conduct her workshops on-site.

“Safe Harbor’s business model relies on positive experiences for its Members,” says Rogers. “To sustain these experiences, we have to do our part to support the marine environment.

It’s imperative that we help educate others about local ecosystems and how we all play a role in sustaining a balanced marine ecosystem for future generations to experience and enjoy.”

In 2021, the company launched the Safe Harbor Sustainability program focusing on the conservation of marine ecosystems. “We believe that Tia—through her program experiences and contributions to local habitats—is a steward of the environment we want to support.”

On this chilly Charleston afternoon, the enthusiasm of Tia and her crew—co-host Art Perry and dockhands Connor Roberson and LeAnne Hudson—is infectious.

Clark has a sixth sense for getting kids out of their shells. In five minutes, she has a pair of reluctant young students excitedly hauling in metal mesh nets baited with chicken. When they come up bearing the blue-tinted, angry crustaceans, the kids shout in amazement.

Tia’s guests catch plenty of crab and many more smiles

Clark shows the kids—and their siblings—how to pin a crab down by its carapace and safely handle even the orneriest of the ornery. After hauling in the first of a few catches, Clark and her crew break out the cast nets. She patiently runs through the technique for throwing out a net “like a pancake,” so it hits the water as wide as possible, netting the most bait or shrimp as the lead weights carry it to the muddy seafloor. Again, her guests are thrilled.

DAVID ROGERS | REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT, COASTAL CAROLINAS

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And so goes the afternoon. Eventually, there’s a wooden basket of seafood for Clark’s guests to take home and cook. Walking off the dock, she pretty much sums up her life: “Being able to facilitate the process for people to catch and prepare their own food—it’s pretty exciting, you know? I mean, it’s changed my life.” ▪

Tia’s story is truly fascinating and empowers others. She has the ability to drive positive energy by connecting people to the marine environment if they are willing to take time to listen, look, and feel all that surrounds them on the water.”

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X FACTOR

With a shared commitment to sustainability, Safe Harbor and X Shore introduce electric boating throughout the network.

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afe Harbor has been mindful of the environment, as it recognizes the importance of fostering a healthy relationship between its business and the natural world in which it operates.

Safe Harbor is excited to deepen its commitment to sustainability through a partnership with X Shore, a Scandinavian electric-boat builder. The companies will work together to add electric boats to marina fleets throughout the network, to offer Members access to these innovative, energy-efficient and enjoyable vessels.

Founded in Stockholm in 2016, X Shore is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of all-electric boats. X Shore’s flagship model, the Eelex 8000, provides an industry-leading range of 100 nautical miles (or 20-plus hours) at slow speeds, with a top-end speed of 30 knots.

X Shore was awarded the highest possible sustainability rating by CICERO Shades of Green, which noted that X Shore’s products and objectives actively contribute to climate mitigation. By 2030, X Shore aims to create a net-zero boat.

What does this partnership mean for Safe Harbor Members? They can experience electric boating for themselves with exclusive access to Eelex 8000 models at locations in San Diego, Charleston, Montauk, Newport, West Palm Beach and pop-up locations throughout the network. Whether exploring local waterways by day or enjoying a tranquil sunset at dusk, Safe Harbor Members will be amazed by the near silence of 100% electric power.

And they’ll feel even better knowing that Safe Harbor and X Shore are doing their part to ensure that future generations will be able to make memories of their own while enjoying the natural beauty of the water. ▪

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safe harbor sustainability report Caring for our people and the natural environment in which we operate is integral to the success of Safe Harbor.

Our 2022 Sustainability Report highlights how, through our services, hospitality and amenities, we facilitate memorable boating experiences that connect people to each other and to our magnificent world.

DISCOVER MORE

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ALONG THE WAY WITH ONNE VAN DER WAL

with O N N E VA N D E R WA L

When an experienced boating couple ran their newly restored trawler down the Intracoastal Waterway for 1,577 miles, they found new places to explore throughout Safe Harbor’s network of marinas.

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enowned nautical photographer Onne van der Wal has spent his entire life around the water, working on a commercial fishing boat as a young man in his native South Africa, winning the 198182 Whitbread Round the World Race aboard the Dutch sloop Flyer II, and photographing boats all over the planet, as well as from his home base in Rhode Island.

But in 2020, when he suggested to his wife, Tenley, that they sell their restored 1972 Pearson sailboat Snoek and replace it with a trawler so they could slowly motor down the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) to the Bahamas, she wasn’t jumping up and down with excitement to get aboard. “I didn’t want to do it,” Tenley says, laughing. “I had been to all the states but Kentucky. I had preconceived notions and I didn’t think that part of the country would be that interesting.”

Photo by Pim Van Hemmen

But she agreed to go, if the trawler could eventually be shipped to Europe for a Dutch or French canal trip. That’s all Onne needed to hear. The couple found a 1986 Grand Banks 32, Snow Goose, and for two seasons used it to cruise New England waters while Onne completely restored her. Then, in October of 2022, they cast off from Jamestown, Rhode Island, and headed south. The trip turned Tenley from a reluctant spouse into both a visual artist in her own right (her maps and drawings from the voyage are featured throughout this story) and an enthusiastic proponent of ICW cruising.

“I am so glad I did it, every aspect of it,” Tenley says. From bike tours and new friends to delicious meals and bucketlist locations, the van der Wals’ journey down the Eastern Seaboard was abound in discovery. Here is just a glimpse of the many photo opportunities and unforgettable adventures they found along the way.

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n the first morning of their ICW adventure, Onne and Tenley left Jamestown, cruised down picturesque Narragansett Bay and through Block Island Sound. They made their first stop in Connecticut, docking Snow Goose at Safe Harbor Mystic. Mystic is home to an aquarium and the excellent Mystic Seaport Museum, where historic vessels, seaport village and a shipyard can keep visitors busy for days. But because the van der Wals had visited the Seaport before, they instead explored other parts of town on their collapsible bicycles. Even without a visit to Mystic’s two major attractions, the van der Wals consider Mystic, which has lots of great dining options, a great destination. “The marina is nice and close to the town,” Tenley says, “and it’s a charming town.”

Tenley van der Wal explores New Jersey by bicycle

Snow Goose cruises at about 8 knots and can’t cover a ton of ground—doing 60 nautical miles makes for a full day— but between Mystic and New York City the van der Wals had at least a dozen Safe Harbor properties to choose from. They stopped at Safe Harbor Bruce & Johnsons in Branford, Connecticut, for a night, which got them about halfway down Long Island Sound. After a day of motoring, they were content to plug in the boat, take a shower and cook a meal on board.

Safe Harbor Capri made a great jumping-off point to reach New York City. Onne timed their departure so the current would help them cover the distance in a couple of hours. The boat ride down the East River gave the van der Wals a chance to see Manhattan’s skyline from the water as they shot past the United Nations building, under the Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, by South Street Seaport and across New York Harbor to check out the Statue of Liberty.

In Port Washington, New York, they docked at Safe Harbor Capri and used their bicycles to stop at the Manhasset Bay Yacht Club, which had reciprocity with their club in Jamestown. There, they had a drink and rode back to eat dinner at Safe Harbor Capri’s upscale Mediterranean restaurant, Nino’s Beach. “The marina was great with wide waterways and beautiful Ipe docks,” Onne says. “And the food was delicious,” Tenley says.

They tied up at a transient dock in Jersey City right across the river from Lower Manhattan to explore the New Jersey side by bicycle and enjoy incredible views of New York City. They visited the Empty Sky 9/11 memorial in Liberty State Park and used a local water taxi to get into Manhattan for dinner with friends. “Seeing New York City from the East River is a very unique view,” Onne says.

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ecause Tenley had to go back to Newport to take care of some business at Onne’s photo gallery, Onne took Snow Goose down to Annapolis, where Tenley would rejoin him. Under a sunny October sky, he made his way out of New York Harbor, underneath the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and into the Atlantic, which was as calm as a pond.

He’d planned to enter the New Jersey ICW at Manasquan Inlet, where he had the option of staying at two different Safe Harbor locations, but when he got to the inlet at midday, he opted to get a few more miles done and headed for Barnegat Inlet, 25 miles down the coast. The next day he was astounded by the amount of marine wildlife he saw. On the first day off the Jersey Shore, he’d encountered two humpback whales, and on the second day he saw three more humpbacks, a large pod of dolphins and numerous species of birds.

When the weather began to get a little rough south of Atlantic City, Onne popped into the New Jersey ICW at Great Egg Harbor Inlet, where he made his way south through the wetlands, photographing bald eagles and egrets along the way. He holed up in Cape May for two nights to wait out some weather, then took the Cape May Canal into Delaware Bay. A favorable tide got him 20 miles down the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal. He tied off at the town dock in Chesapeake City, Maryland.

Bald eagles spotted at the Great Harbor Inlet in New Jersey

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He loved Chesapeake City, and he enjoyed a great dinner on the glass-enclosed porch of the Bayard House and an ice cream at the waterfront ice cream shop. The next day, when the weather forecast predicted 20-knot winds on Chesapeake Bay, he stayed tied up, got himself a haircut, treated himself to some blue crabs at the Tap Room Crab House, explored the area by bike and ate dinner outside at the Chesapeake Inn. “What a lovely town,” Onne says, “It’s totally worth revisiting.”

The next morning, a moody orange sunrise and wisps of fog on the water created a visual smorgasbord for Onne, who had a field day making photos. He motored down the beautiful, wide Elk River and into the Chesapeake Bay. Just after noon, he passed beneath the impressive 17.5-mile-long Bay Bridge. He docked at Safe Harbor Annapolis located in the funky Eastport neighborhood and found it to be an excellent spot to explore Maryland’s capital city. “Safe Harbor Annapolis is a great location,” Onne says. “Nice people, safe docks and an easy bike ride to town.”

Tenley rejoined him a couple of days later, which gave them a chance to eat out, see the colonial homes and enjoy the history of Annapolis. “It sure was nice to be back in Annapolis again,” Onne says. “I had been there many times before on assignments, but this was my first time on my own boat.”

Moody orange sunrise over the Chesapeake

ANNAPOLIS, MD

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t. Michaels sits on the Eastern Shore about 25 miles from Annapolis, so it only took the van der Wals a few hours to get there. They visited the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and toured the historic Hooper Strait Light. “The museum is incredible,” Onne says. “There are so many beautiful old wooden boats.”

The van der Wals docked at Safe Harbor Oxford and were impressed. “The marina in Oxford is very small, but very nice,” Onne says. “They have a separate lounge in a separate building where you can get coffee. It’s beautifully done and a perfect place to have a barbecue, watch a game and meet other boaters.”

The Colonial-era town sits in an idyllic location along a narrow neck of land on the Miles River. There are lots of waterfront restaurants and shops, and once again, the van der Wals used their collapsible bicycles to explore.

They toured the town, checked out the historic buildings, enjoyed the fall foliage and talked to a local waterman who showed off his blue crab catch.

The next morning, they motored about 35 miles to Oxford, which is known as a yachting town and has more boats than people. Its population is 650 but there are 700 boat slips. Its fortunes were built on tobacco and oystering, but it now bills itself as the “Prettiest Town in the Chesapeake.”

Fall cruising on the Chesapeake is often spectacular and that’s what the van der Wals experienced, but at Safe Harbor Zahnisers in Solomons, Maryland, they had to hole up for a few nights to wait out weather. The van der Wals found Solomons to be a good place to kill time when Mother Nature is not playing along. They visited the

Golden hour at Safe Harbor Oxford

A glimpse of the soft-shell crab capital of the world, Tangier Island

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lighthouse and went to the Boomerang’s Original Ribs & Seafood, the local barbecue joint. “Solomons Island was cute,” Onne says. “The marina was huge, and we felt wellprotected from the weather.”

The next stop, Tangier Island, had been on Onne’s bucket list, and the island and its people did not disappoint. The van der Wals found the locals, who speak a unique version of American English, to be very welcoming. “It’s very lowlying,” Onne says. “You can see how the water is coming up slowly, consuming everything.” But the van der Wals loved being there. They biked all around and had dinner at Lorraine’s Restaurant, where they ate soft shell crab—the island’s specialty. “It was just an eye-opener,” Onne says.

“What an amazing community.” For Tenley, Tangier was the highlight of their time in the Chesapeake. “You’re so close to populated areas, so close to Washington, D.C., and

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then there’s this little island that’s so far removed from normal America,” Tenley says. “To actually experience it and see how they live was wonderful.”

For their next stop, the van der Wals headed to Onancock, Virginia, on the southern end of the Delmarva Peninsula.

With only about 1,000 residents, it supports restaurants, a playhouse, a vintage movie theater, shops and galleries.

The van der Wals were charmed by the town, but they were particularly entranced by the backcountry where they rode their bikes through woods, quiet country lanes and soybean fields. There was one other thing they really liked. “Best glazed donuts in Virginia,” Onne says.

Having enjoyed everything Onancock had to offer, their next destination, Hampton, Virginia, would mark the end of their time on the Chesapeake.

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LEG 4

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he van der Wals spent three days in Hampton at Safe Harbor Bluewater waiting for a weather window to open up. The local restaurant was full of yachters who were gathering for a rally to the Caribbean, and as had happened before and would happen again, they ran into old friends. “It felt like half of New England was there,” Onne says. “Hampton is a charming town, and Safe Harbor Bluewater has a big pool and good facilities.”

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riding their bikes through the wide-open cotton fields.

“Belhaven was a big surprise,” Onne says. “And those kinds of surprises are nice.” Tenley agrees. “It was worth a stop,” she says. “It’s a great town.”

Going south, they opted for the less-popular Dismal Swamp route. “So many people said to avoid it,” Onne says, but he loved running the canal. “You go into a lock and it’s all fresh water and you chug along for three hours or so,” he says. As they were told, they found it to be shallow, but Onne didn’t mind. “It’s so different, he says.

Via Pamlico Sound and the Neuse River, the van der Wals made their way to Oriental, where they anchored.

The next morning, they used Adams Creek to get to Safe Harbor Jarrett Bay just north of Beaufort, North Carolina.

Safe Harbor Jarrett Bay felt like a shipyard to Onne, and with the remnants of Hurricane Nicole coming through, the van der Wals were happy to be tucked safely away. “I felt well-protected in Jarrett Bay,” Tenley says. One of Safe Harbor’s teammates even gave the van der Wals a fish that they were excited to cook up aboard Snow Goose for dinner.

After stopping in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and crossing Albemarle Sound, they dropped the hook in the Alligator River next to the 152,000-acre Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. There, Onne, who is an openwater swimmer, dove in. Tenley, alarmed by the river’s name, asked him to get out. “It’s such an amazing place,” Onne says. “It’s peaceful with a wide stretch of water that’s not crowded.”

The next day, a 10-minute Uber ride got them to downtown Beaufort. The fourth-oldest town in North Carolina, Beaufort has a long, rich, maritime history.

After visiting the impressive branch of the North Carolina Maritime Museum, they went for a drink at Backstreet Pub, an English-style bar where they had a great time hanging out with the locals, then had dinner at a restaurant called Aqua.

From the Alligator River, you can go south via Pamlico Sound, but because things can get a little frisky out there, the van der Wals used the more protected Pungo-Alligator River Canal to get to Belhaven. The town is known as the “Birthplace of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway” because the ICW was completed nearby in 1928. They docked at a little marina and pedaled through the downtown area.

The town is getting fixed up and they ate a great meal at Spoon River, which wowed both foodies. “It’s the kind of restaurant you would imagine in New York or Boston,” Onne says. They also enjoyed

Swansboro was the next port of call. The van der Wals say it was a wonderful place to enjoy the Christmas tree lighting festival—girls in Swan Lake outfits danced inside the town gazebo and the whole town came out to enjoy the event. “It was charming,” Onne says. “Very laid back, with no tourists.”

Overlooking the Barrier Islands, north of Wrightsville Beach

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or the leg down to Charleston, Onne’s friend Bill “Hutch” Hutchinson joined him aboard while Tenley returned to Newport once more. At Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, they met up with Jeoffrey Nathan, who Onne had sailed with in the Galapagos in 1990. Jeoffrey picked them up in his Boston Whaler. They explored the barrier islands north of Wrightsville Beach for a sunset photo expedition and then enjoyed a barbecue at Jeoffrey’s house.

Exploring the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge with Leg 5 first mate Hutch Hutchinson

Heading south, Onne needed a good spot to get out of the rain and to get the dinghy outboard serviced, because it had water in the fuel tank. A stop at Safe Harbor South Harbour Village in Southport, North Carolina, was just what the doctor ordered. It had a nice restaurant, but more importantly, Onne found the Safe Harbor team incredibly helpful. Because they were not able to fix the outboard for him, they did the next best thing. “They took me with the outboard in the back of their truck to a place that could fix it,” he says.

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Snow Goose cruising down the Waccamaw River

Outboard repaired, Onne and Hutch set out to explore the 140-mile-long Waccamaw River. Lined by trees on both sides, they navigated the dark tannin water and anchored in the river for two nights.

The river came highly recommended by friends, and they used the dinghy to explore the area. They found the landscape and the Spanish moss hanging from the trees mesmerizing. “It was very beautiful and peaceful,” Onne says. “It’s a sublime river and a bit of paradise.”

McClellanville, just 38 miles northeast of Charleston, is a small rural town where fishing, shrimping and oystering are a way of life. Onne found the town to be “my kind of place.” Because the five transient spots at the Leland Oil Company docks were already taken, the dockmaster told Onne that he could put Snow Goose on the fuel dock. Hutch and Onne found a greasy spoon called T.W. Graham. “Wow. Wow,” Onne says about the food, which was so good that they went back for dinner. They also stopped at Livingston’s Bulls Bay Seafood, where they learned about oyster culture and spat planting. “What a great little town,” Onne says. “Awesome people, super relaxed and beautiful scenery.”

By the time the friends arrived in Charleston, it was the end of the line for Hutch. But joined again by Tenley, Onne was ready to embark on the next leg of their journey.

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nne has long been fond of Charleston’s southern hospitality and after arriving at Safe Harbor Charleston City, he found that had not changed. The marina’s huge MEGADOCK made the 32-foot Snow Goose feel more like a tender, but the marina left Onne impressed. “It’s going to be really stunning when it’s all done,” he says about the ongoing improvements. Tenley agreed. “It’s a really great marina, and an easy bike ride to downtown and some fabulous restaurants.” They spent five days exploring the city’s beautiful architecture, ate great food and enjoyed the area’s special vibe.

Back on the water, the van der Wals found Bennetts Point, south of Charleston, to be a peaceful anchorage. Despite a strong current, they found good holding ground and discovered a tiny town with friendly people. They bought a bag of shrimp for $9 at B&B Seafood. They cooked aboard and life felt good. “There was nobody else up there,” Onne says. “It’s a nice little exit off the ICW. If you want an outof-the-way place, it is that. Completely, utterly.”

Snow Goose docked on the MEGADOCK at Safe Harbor Charleston City

Tenley prepares local seafood aboard Snow Goose

In Beaufort, South Carolina, the van der Wals stayed at two Safe Harbor locations. Safe Harbor Beaufort was in a great location from which they could walk everywhere.

“If you want to see Beaufort, that’s the place,” Onne says.

Safe Harbor Port Royal was their next stop. “Everything was redone,” Onne says. “Long docks, nice offices with a shop and new showers.”

While docking at Safe Harbor Port Royal, local Member Mike Harris came out to catch the van der Wals’ lines.

He’d been following Snow Goose online, so he and his wife, Pat, invited the van der Wals to dinner at their house.

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A mansion located in Beaufort’s historic Point neighborhood

Safe Harbor Member Pat Harris shows Onne around Beaufort

Safe Harbor Bahia Bleu

The next day, Pat showed Onne and Tenley around Beaufort. They visited the Penn School, a Revolutionary War-era church, the 1858 Hunting Island Lighthouse, and The Point section of Beaufort, which has gorgeous mansions overlooking the marshes—it’s considered one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Lowcountry.

“Beaufort itself is lovely,” Tenley says, but she and Onne agreed that it was the Harrises’ hospitality that made their visit really special.

In Bluffton, a college town of 27,000 residents, Onne and Tenley feasted on oysters at Toomer’s Bluffton Seafood House and chatted with the oyster shuckers, some of whom were Gullahs, descendants of enslaved Africans who have maintained many of their cultural traditions. The next night they dropped the hook at Bull Creek, where they enjoyed the views of the marshes and Onne photographed a bald eagle building a nest.

Savannah was next. The van der Wals docked Snow Goose at Safe Harbor Bahia Bleu in Thunderbolt, Georgia, which is just a 15-minute Uber ride from the city. The van der Wals enjoyed Savannah’s culinary pleasures and walked around the Historic District with its 22 park-like squares. “Savannah is a great college town with fabulous little shops,” Tenley says. “It’s very artsy-craftsy.”

From Savannah, the van der Wals flew home so they could spend the Christmas holidays in Rhode Island and take care of some business. But for Onne especially, after 54 straight days on the boat, leaving was bittersweet.

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n January, Onne flew back to Savannah, where he found Snow Goose in good shape and provisioned her for the rest of the run south. “They took good care of the boat at Safe Harbor Bahia Bleu,” Onne says, “and the people at the marina were great.” For the next leg he was joined by his friend James Wright.

Their first stop was at the Sunbury Crab Co. dock, where they launched the bikes and explored the Fort Morris State Historic Site, which was a critically important location during the American Revolution and the War of 1812 to protect the Port of Savannah. The next morning, they steamed down the Medway River and watched as bottlenose dolphins played in Snow Goose’s wake. After a night on the dock in Darien, Georgia, they took the General’s Cut, a shortcut through the old rice paddies, and exited into the Butler River.

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They anchored on the west side of Georgia’s Cumberland Island National Seashore and dinghied ashore to explore the Dungeness Ruins, the remnants of the Carnegie mansion that was abandoned in 1925. They had a great day roaming the 9,800-acre wilderness area spotting feral horses and the armadillos that are native to the island. Back on the boat, with no wind, clear skies and the anchorage to themselves, it made for a perfect night.

At St. Augustine, James departed for the airport and Onne dinghied the bike ashore to take a ride through the oldest town in the U.S., a Spanish military outpost settled in 1565. The highlight was seeing the Castillo de San Marcos, a fort on the Matanzas River that the Spanish completed in 1695. “There’s lots of great history there,” Onne says about St. Augustine.

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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch over Titusville, FL

With Tenley back aboard, they headed for Titusville, Florida, where they watched the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. “What an awesome sight and sound to experience,” Onne says. The launch and a subsequent visit to Cape Canaveral’s Kennedy Space Center were a huge highlight of the trip for Onne, who as a kid in South Africa watched all the Apollo missions on television.

At Fort Pierce, the van der Wals took a slip at Safe Harbor Harbortown. “What an amazing Safe Harbor location,” Onne says. “An awesome pool and a funky restaurant.” He did laps in the pool and then ate dinner with Tenley at the Skipper’s Cove Seafood Bar & Grill on the waterfront. “A delightful little place to eat,” Onne says.

Exploring the shops around the Abacos and Exumas

Their last stop before crossing the Gulf Stream was Safe Harbor Old Port Cove in North Palm Beach. “What a luxury place to hang out,” Onne says. “This facility was the best. It had a beautiful weightlifting room, laundry, showers, sauna and a barbecue place.” It also had the new Belle’s restaurant, where the van der Wals ran into some fellow Rhode Islanders.

The couple stayed four days at Safe Harbor Old Port Cove.

They provisioned for the Bahamas and waited for the right weather to cross to West End on Grand Bahama. They did so on January 29 and spent five weeks exploring the Abacos and Exumas.

All in all, the van der Wals covered 1,577 miles on the ICW and Onne spent 77 nights aboard. During that time, he and Tenley frequented many of Safe Harbor’s East Coast locations and found them to be great safe havens.

Waterfront views from Belle’s at Safe Harbor Old Port Cove

“It makes so much sense to do a Membership,” Onne says. “In and of itself, it’s nice just to know you can get reliable diesel and pump out.”

As the van der Wals reflected on their journey south, it was clear they had developed an affinity for Safe Harbor and the many places its network gave them to literally and figuratively recharge. “We were quite spoiled going to Safe Harbor locations,” Tenley says. “To know that you were in a safe harbor, that you had a clean shower, and that people were watching your boat was very comforting for me,” she says.

What was the highlight of the trip? “Meeting fabulous people,” Tenley says.

“Seeing how people live is my cup of tea.”

“Georgia and the Carolinas blew me away,” says Onne. “I didn’t expect that. It’s an America you don’t really see because it’s so off the beaten track. It’s one of the best trips I’ve ever done, and having a good mix of anchoring locations and Safe Harbor marinas was key.” ▪ Photography by Onne van der Wal

WAT C H T H E J O U R N E Y Want to see more of the van der Wals’ journey south? Scan to watch.

Snow Goose in the crystal-clear Bahamian waters

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BANK ON IT

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embers of Safe Harbor benefit in many ways both on and off the docks. Most recently, the company partnered with Citizens to offer personalized financial planning for its Members.

Citizens has been part of Safe Harbor’s journey since the company was founded, supporting its mission as the portfolio of marinas has grown. And the partnership is a natural fit. The communitycentric philosophy of this 190-year-old financial institution aligns with Safe Harbor’s core goal to connect a nationwide network of boaters who share a passion for the water.

Citizens has been named the official bank of Safe Harbor Members, and that means the bank’s extensive resources resources are available as a benefit of Membership.

Membership. Those resources include access to advisers who can offer personalized financial guidance at every stage of life, based on a Member’s specific goals. Financial services also include retirement, education and estate planning, as well as trust expertise, insurance guidance and the development of business succession plans. Citizens offers a number of investment services, too, such as professional portfolio management. And because transparency is central to the bank’s business philosophy, its financial products are designed to make access simple, so Members can keep track of their financial goals more easily.

The mission of this expanded partnership is simple: By entrusting Citizens with their financial portfolios, Members can spend less time worrying about money and more time doing what they love most—spending time on the water.

Safe Harbor Marinas expands its partnership with Citizens to underscore the commitment to serving its Members.

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BUILDING ON EXCELLENCE

Safe Harbor’s dedication to smart, long-term development is evident in many projects, including the current Safe Harbor Charleston City MEGADOCK expansion.

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ore to Safe Harbor’s DNA is the ability to reimagine the places boaters love to go, with the primary tenet of enhancing the Member experience.

But there is perhaps no project that says more about Safe Harbor’s construction capabilities than the expansion of the MEGADOCK at Safe Harbor Charleston City in South Carolina.

The current MEGADOCK is a 1,500-foot-long linear dock constructed 20 years ago. It’s been a sought-after stopover for larger yachts and transient boaters alike, so much so that the marina’s previous owner started requesting permits to expand it a decade ago. Safe Harbor continued that process, including working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Congress to move a federal channel that encompassed the

relocation of the channel crossing beneath the adjacent highway bridge.

“The current MEGADOCK will get shifted 150 feet farther out into the river, and then the new MEGADOCK will be connected to that,” says David Isom, General Manager at Safe Harbor Charleston City.

And that new MEGADOCK, when completed in early 2024, will be a sight to behold. The 1,100-foot-long extension will create a 2,254-foot-long, 30-foot-wide concrete dock.

The piles holding each section of the dock in place will be 3 feet wide by 100 feet long. The idea is to be able to dock a pair of 450-foot superyachts at once, and provide them with enhanced power and high-speed fueling they need— all while redesigning the rest of the marina for other types of transient boaters, including catamarans that often have trouble finding wide-beam dockage along the East Coast.

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The current MEGADOCK at Safe Harbor Charleston City

“It is costly to provide sufficient power to ‘plug in’ a modern superyacht, but the benefit will be a key driving force for the demand we will see on the MEGADOCK,” Isom says.

“The overall programming has involved engaging the public utility to make major improvements to the site’s electrical service so we have sufficient source power to energize the massive 800-amp, 3-phase, 480-volt superyacht pedestals, and we will have three of them.

That’s enough power to light up an apartment building.

Anytime a superyacht can turn off their generators and plug into shore power, it’s a very important thing. It gives them a chance to do maintenance on their generators.

Most of the places they go can’t provide that kind of shore power.

“And then, we can also give them 150 gallons of diesel fuel per minute, in-slip, on high-speed pumps so 50,000 gallons will take a half a day instead of two days,” he adds.

It’s hard enough just to envision a project of that magnitude, let alone getting the necessary permits and working out how to build it.

“The difficulty in approaching a job such as this is figuring out how to amass all the materials, the docks, the wiring, the piles, and more. From all parts of the country to the project site and then assembling it, with limited upland lay-down area. All the while, minimizing any negative impacts to the current marina operation,” says Peter Clark, Chief Development Officer at Safe Harbor Marinas.

To this end, creative thinking was employed, and it was decided to utilize Safe Harbor Port Royal as a construction staging and floating-dock-fabrication facility.

“The site at Port Royal was ideal,” says Clark. “The property sits just south of Beaufort, South Carolina, with direct waterfront access, which would allow us to fabricate these massive dock units that are 65 feet long and weigh over 100,000 pounds apiece and deliver them over water to Safe Harbor Charleston City. Ultimately, the Port Royal property is slated for development as a dry stack, wet slip, and boatyard facility, but for the immediate time frame, it is the catalyst for making this project possible.”

David Isom says boaters at Safe Harbor Charleston City are already liking what they’re seeing. Part of the renovation included removing concrete walls that, for several generations, have stood in the way of modernizing the marina.

“We have literally been removing concrete walls that were installed in the 1950s to protect the marina basin,” Isom says. “Now that we’re able to take them out, it changes the game. We were able to redevelop a more substantial portion of the marina, allowing for a more efficient marina space that will benefit our Members. These old walls provided wave protection, but during surge conditions, they would be underwater, rendering them useless. With the new floating system, the marina will be much better protected during a surge and will look amazing.

“We’re going to rebuild the interior docks with long, wide fairways, and 40-, 50- and 60-foot slips,” Isom says, adding that the new catamaran spaces will also be part of this effort. “The emergence of cruising catamarans has exploded over recent years, and the ability for marinas to accommodate them has not kept pace. This new design

will lead the way in our abilities to put Charleston firmly on the map for large cruising cats.”

All of this work is being done in multiple phases, so the marina can stay up and running for Safe Harbor Members throughout the construction. And, Isom says, superyacht crews are already asking about the new dockage.

“The word is getting out that this is happening, and it’ll be the biggest, nicest concrete floating fuel dock in the world,” he says. “It’s special.”

Clark says the project is indicative of the attitude that permeates Safe Harbor Marinas. No matter what a facility needs, anywhere in the 130-plus-property network, the team figures out how to get it done.

“It’s thinking outside of the box and working with a team of design professionals and contractors that have a can-do mentality,” Clark says. “It’s about flexibility and being innovative. This will set a new standard in terms of size and robustness and abilities to berth yachts of this size.” ▪

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The word is getting out that this is happening, and it’ll be the biggest, nicest concrete floating fuel dock in the world. It’s special.”

DAVID ISOM | GENERAL MANAGER, SAFE HARBOR CHARLESTON CITY

Construction of the enhanced MEGADOCK at Safe Harbor Port Royal

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LEGACY ON THE CRYSTAL COAST

Randy Ramsey and fellow boatbuilder Omie Tillet

Ramsey walks the docks at Safe Harbor Jarrett Bay

Safe Harbor Jarrett Bay is a one-stop marina oasis rooted in North Carolina’s rich boatbuilding heritage.

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t the age of 18, Randy Ramsey became a fishing boat captain. The young skipper was running an old, slow-chugging charter boat. After his first few seasons on the water, Ramsey longed for a new vessel. He imagined something like the Sportsman, which was built by one of his heroes, Omie Tillet, a pioneering North Carolina skipper and boatbuilder. In his mind’s eye, Ramsey saw his future boat’s smooth lines, the swooping broken sheer and a wide, flared bow. He knew what he wanted, but the only way he could afford such a boat was to build it himself.

Along with a partner, some relatives and plenty of friends, Ramsey started constructing Sensation. It was 1986 and he was 24. The small crew worked in a drafty shed with a leaky roof and a dirt floor located in Williston, North Carolina. Using plank-on-frame construction, the 52-foot vessel started to come to life, but obtaining materials sometimes proved difficult. At one point, Ramsey needed epoxy but the supplier said it only dealt with incorporated companies, not individuals. Ramsey thought about his nearby waterways and said, “Well, we’re Jarrett Bay Boatworks.” Thus began a boatbuilding and marine service company that spanned more than 35 years. In 2022, Jarrett Bay joined Safe Harbor.

To this day, Ramsey calls himself an “accidental boatbuilder” because he never intended to build boats full-time. “I was a fisherman trying to find a way to have a boat that was a little more efficient and ran better in the ocean,” he says. “Fortunately, that boat came out well. Other people took notice and began asking for builds. Before long, we moved from our original location in Williston to Marshallberg, and 23 years ago we came to Beaufort, North Carolina, where we are today.”

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Safe Harbor Jarrett Bay is located just off the Intracoastal Waterway on Core Creek and about 10 miles from Morehead City, North Carolina. The 175-acre marine industrial park offers boaters everything they need—from engine repairs and replacements to electronics, painting services, soft goods and yacht sales. There’s also a fleet of Travelifts that can pull boats weighing up to 300 tons with a 30-foot beam.

The property has slips for boats ranging from 45 to 65 feet and floating docks that can accommodate yachts up to 150 feet. There are plans to expand the location, too. The marina is now working with an engineering team and permitting to install additional dock space, a larger Travelift and a dry-storage facility.

Safe Harbor Jarrett Bay is a great location for several reasons. First, it’s just about midway between New England and South Florida. “The long-term vision was for a north-to-south boater or even a local boater to be able to come here and get an engine rebuilt or a paint job or new electronics,” Ramsey says. “After we moved here, we saw the repair side of the business grow to equal the size of our boatbuilding business. It has worked wonderfully.”

The marina is situated a short ride from the picturesque coastal town of Beaufort, which Travel + Leisure magazine called “America’s favorite town.” Boaters can spend their days walking the waterfront or learning about the area’s whaling and pirate history at the North Carolina Maritime Museum. The area is rich in pirate lore, too. The infamous buccaneer Edward Teach, better known as “Blackbeard,” had a house in town and his flagship vessel, Queen Anne’s Revenge, sunk in Beaufort Inlet in 1718. The ship was discovered in 1996 and many of the artifacts are on display in town.

“Beaufort is a historic place with lots of ties to boating,” says Tate Lawrence, General Manager of Safe Harbor Jarrett Bay. “Beaufort has some really nice restaurants—Beaufort Grocery Co., Front Street Grill and the Blue Heron, to name a few.”

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Our goal is to continue to build upon the legacy of the custom boats we’ve built in the past and try to improve upon the looks, the ride and performance of each one.”

RANDY RAMSEY | VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS, SAFE HARBOR JARRETT BAY

Weigh station at the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament

After boaters tie up at Safe Harbor Jarrett Bay, it’s an easy jaunt to Cape Lookout, Harkers Island and Fort Macon State Park. Visitors have many options for sightseeing and can even spot wild horses roaming the beaches. The busiest week of the summer, however, is when the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament kicks off in June. “For me, it’s the Super Bowl and Christmas all rolled into one week. There’s not a better, more exciting time to be in Morehead,” says Ramsey, who has sat on the tournament’s board of directors since 1987.

A fleet of more than 260 sportfishing boats showed up to fish the 2022 Big Rock, and the competition went down to the wire. With a record prize purse up for grabs, the team on Mercenaria finished in the top spot to net a whopping $3.48 million payday. In 2023, the Big Rock celebrates its 65th year, and the waterfront will be buzzing more than ever as boats back up to the stanchion to weigh their catches. You can bet there will be a number of Jarrett Bay boats trolling the blue water, hoping to hook a winner.

To build a tournament contender, a boatbuilder must understand the tools these crews need to compete. From sonar to the latest in marine power, Jarrett Bay is always at the forefront. The company’s boatbuilding operations occupy 60 acres and 150,000 square feet of building space.

The location recently started construction on hull No. 68, a 90-footer that was contracted by a repeat customer.

Jarrett Bay also has a 64 and a 68 in the shed, and there are no plans to slow down.

Jaruco, a 2017 Jarrett Bay build

“Our goal is to continue to build upon the legacy of the custom boats we’ve built in the past and try to improve upon the looks, the ride and performance of each one,” says Ramsey, who now serves as Vice President of Operations at Safe Harbor Jarrett Bay. “I love what I do. I love coming to work every day. I love the boatyard. I love the challenge of boatbuilding.”

Jarrett Bay has fostered a reputation for combining classic Carolina styling with the latest materials and processes available. Jaruco, a 90-foot sportfish that splashed in 2017, is the perfect example of this. The boat was an engineering marvel. Jarrett Bay was able to eliminate approximately 40,000 pounds from the build using lightweight carbon fiber and Kevlar, among other things. These high-tech materials helped the company meet ABS specifications to withstand 8-foot seas at 50 knots.

“I give our engineering and boatbuilding teams all the credit,” Ramsey says. “They’re always trying to find some edge to save a little weight without compromising the boat’s safety and security. We continually ask ourselves, ‘How can we improve upon what we’ve done?’”

When asked how his boatbuilding mentors might feel about Jarrett Bay, Ramsey doesn’t hesitate to respond: “I hope they would feel that the sense of legacy and tradition they passed along is alive. I’m very proud to play a small role in that.”

It’s safe to say that the success of this facility and the high performance of the boats that roll out every year is definitely no accident. ▪ SAFE HARBOR MARINAS

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A. Safe Harbor/Helly Hansen Crew Hooded Jacket Women’s & Men’s | Waterproof | Navy & White

B. Safe Harbor/Chappy Wrap Wave Blanket Cotton Blend | Machine Washable | Navy

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D. Safe Harbor/Helly Hansen Crew Insulated Jacket Women’s & Men’s | Wind Resistant & Water Repellant | Navy & White

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F. Safe Harbor/Atlantic Sail & Canvas Company Canvas Tote Outer & Inner Pockets | Leather Trim Handles | Beige

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MAKING MEMORIES

Safe Harbor gives Members an unforgettable way to experience sought-after destinations and captivating adventures beyond their home port.

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t was the third round of The Honda Classic PGA Tour stop, and 65 competitors were in the field, challenged by some of the toughest greens they’d face all year: The Champion course at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. There was water in play for 15 of the 18 holes, including “The Bear Trap,” a trio of formidable holes that’s proved pivotal in the outcome of this tournament. Here, the players were sweating it out along a stretch of two par-3s and a par-4, and the tension made the tournament all the more exciting for spectators, including a group of Safe Harbor Members gathered in a VIP area nearby, with great views of the action.

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“We love to play and watch golf, so attending the Honda Classic was a thrill,” said Dan Maybruck. “But honestly, the event was even more fun because we were experiencing it with other Safe Harbor Members. It was a win-win for us.”

Dan and his fiancée, Randi Healy, were two of 300 people who attended the match—part of an exclusive, complimentary, Members-only weekend that encompassed world-class golf, boating on local waters, cocktail parties, dinners and dancing, and the chance to connect with old and new boating friends. The event was organized by Safe Harbor as one of four Safe Harbor Experiences scheduled for 2023.

The couple—avid boaters who keep a Carver 57 near Fort Lauderdale and a Regal 35 in Massachusetts at Safe Harbor Plymouth—are fans of Safe Harbor Experiences.

They attended two events in 2022; their favorite was centered around a tournament at the National Polo Center in Palm Beach. “We’d like to go to as many as we can,” said Randi. “It’s nice to visit new places to cruise, and

Members Dan Maybruck and Randi Healy enjoying the X Shore excursion

we love meeting people who share our interest in boating.

Plus, the Safe Harbor team treats us like royalty at every event. We really like that.”

The Experiences program was developed to give Members the chance to explore Safe Harbor’s vast and diverse network of waterfront locations.

“These Experiences are also great opportunities for Members to get to know each other—we had people from over 50 Safe Harbor locations at the Safe Harbor Golf Classic. Once the group arrives, we take on the hosting duties to ensure everyone enjoys an incredibly memorable few days,” said Vice President of Partnerships and Experiences Rebecca LeBlanc.

Safe Harbor Experiences, said LeBlanc, are planned around major happenings that align with Member interests—a national golf tournament, a prestigious polo tournament or a sailing regatta, for instance. But Members attend for more than the main event.

Safe Harbor Members watch the action at The 2023 Honda Classic

Ron and Toni Scott attending the Member-only welcome reception at Safe Harbor Rybovich

DAN MAYBRUCK | SAFE HARBOR MEMBER

“

We love to play and watch golf, so attending the Honda Classic was a thrill. But honestly, the event was even more fun because we were experiencing it with other Safe Harbor Members. It was a win-win for us.”

During the Safe Harbor Golf Classic, many people had as much fun on the greens on Saturday as they did the night before, during a welcome reception at Safe Harbor Rybovich in West Palm Beach. There, with a fleet of superyachts turning a sunset into something even more spectacular, Members gathered under the night sky to enjoy local cuisine, sip premium aged Mount Gay Rum and dance to a popular South Florida rock band. And on Sunday, Members met up at Safe Harbor Rybovich once more for a hearty brunch and an afternoon on the water.

Transportation included elegant Hinckley Picnic Boats provided by Barton & Gray Mariners Club, and all-electric Eelex 8000 dayboats from Swedish builder X Shore.

“The whole event was outstanding. We had a hell of a good time,” said Ron Scott, who attended with his wife, Toni.

The couple keep their Cruisers express-style boat at Safe Harbor Grand Isle in Michigan. “For us, a big part of the event is the opportunity to get to know more boaters.

It’s all about the people.” ▪

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STORYTELLERS

Stories are memories told Safe Habor Storytellers is a series of short films in celebration of extraordinary memories and the unforgettable stories they become.

PREMIERING IN 2023

A RISING PHOENIX

When a storm like Hurricane Ian devastates a boating community, the Safe Harbor team springs into action from all across America.

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dversity, they say, reveals character. This has never been truer than when Hurricane Ian smashed into southwest Florida in late September 2022, creating a deadly landscape of widespread devastation.

Boats were on top of boats, which were on top of docks, which were on top of trees, buildings and streets. There was no power. No water. Where buildings once stood, there was suddenly nothing. Emergency responders couldn’t get through the debris-clogged roads or canals.

“We’ve been down this road before. Emergency response improves every time, but the damage here was so widespread, it was more than we’d ever seen before,” says Peter Clark, Chief Development Officer for Safe Harbor Marinas.

The level of devastation that Hurricane Ian created didn’t just reveal the character of individuals; it also revealed the character of organizations. For the team at Safe Harbor, it revealed a nationwide effort to pitch in and help however was humanly possible.

Prior to the storm, Safe Harbor had already been working with Lee County, Florida, on a long-term lease to develop a site located on the Caloosahatchee River, directly across from Fort Myers. The strategy was to develop a marina with a dry stack, wet slips and a waterfront restaurant. But none of that was yet built when Hurricane Ian decimated the Fort Myers area. Instead, there were seven acres of upland space that had previously been used as a boatyard, but that had sat unused for almost 20 years.

Safe Harbor’s team had an immediate idea for that space: Turn it into a boat triage facility. Make it a location where damaged, but salvageable boats could be hauled out, stored and repaired while the area’s boatyards, marinas and everything else came back online. Thus, Safe Harbor Port Phoenix was born.

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“

The fabric of Safe Harbor is the selflessness of our team.

I think that’s a really nice thing about Safe Harbor: There are so many people you can draw on with experience. You just don’t see it in any other marinas.”

ROD SWIFT | SENIOR SERVICE TRAINING & INTEGRATIONS ADVISOR

Ravaged palms line Fort Myers area streets in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian

When Eric Hruska got the call on Florida’s East Coast, he drove out to the site immediately from Safe Harbor Rybovich in West Palm Beach, where he’s the General Manager. The team members on the Atlantic side of the state loaded shipping containers with survival supplies, pallets of water and more, and sent them over to the Gulf side. “Then, I went over to start setting up to receive the supplies,” Hruska says. “There was nothing at Safe Harbor Port Phoenix. It was just vacant land.”

Safe Harbor’s central services team in Dallas had already arranged for the site to be secured, and temporary lighting was brought in from Riviera Beach and West Palm Beach because there were no working streetlights. By day two or three, fuel was coming in and generators were showing up.

More and more people arrived to help create a boat triage facility out of nothing. “Fortunately for us,” says Clark, “the site under prior ownership did a tour of duty as a working boatyard, in that there was a preexisting haul-out well. This really was the impetus of the whole idea to develop this site in a matter of two weeks.”

Clark immediately secured a Travelift from a sales partner in the Northeast and had it shipped down.

Contractors mobilized to the site and had it cleared, loaded with base rock, and compacted 10 days post-storm. Necessary items like stands and blocks that support yard activities were sourced and shipped. Office trailers and portable restroom facilities were relocated to the site. “In just two weeks, we started hauling boats,” Hruska says.

For five or six weeks, he drove back and forth across Florida on a daily basis to help stand up the yard. And that was far from the longest distance that team members traveled to help: Jason Heywood, Regional Construction Manager, drove down from Massachusetts to lend a hand in setting up equipment and laying out the yard. Rod Swift, Senior Service Training and Integrations Advisor for Safe Harbor, moved down from Connecticut and stayed in Florida from early October to Thanksgiving.

Swift had about 25 years of experience as a General Manager for Brewer Yacht Yards before Safe Harbor acquired them, and has since retired but continues to work part-time for Safe Harbor. In his entire career, he says, he’s never seen anything like what the team was able to pull off at Safe Harbor Port Phoenix.

“The fabric of Safe Harbor is the selflessness of our team,” Swift says. “I think that’s a really nice thing about Safe Harbor: There are so many people you can draw on with experience. You just don’t see it in any other marinas. I doubt that anybody has the talent level that Safe Harbor has across all of its boatyards. There was a great bit of knowledge that was pulled together, and we used every bit of it.”

An upturned boat at Safe Harbor Cape Harbour

A lot of the local knowledge came from people like Jane Kirkman, who is Safe Harbor’s Regional Vice President for the Florida West Region. She lives about 15 minutes from Safe Harbor Port Phoenix, and Hurricane Ian flooded her home with 19 inches of water. Still, with her own life in disarray, she showed up to help, not only at Safe Harbor Port Phoenix, but also at the other four Safe Harbor properties where the storm caused damage.

All the while, she says, Safe Harbor Teammates nationwide were asking how they could help people like her—who in some cases had nowhere to sleep, no clothes, nothing left at all.

Contractors clearing the boatyard to become Safe Harbor Port Phoenix

“We had Safe Harbor Teammates and Safe Harbor partners contributing from all over the United States—there was money coming into central services for our families,” Kirkman says. “They came to me and asked, ‘If you had to pick three gift cards, what would you pick?’ And I said, ‘Lowe’s, Home Depot and Publix.’ They showered us with thousands of dollars of gift cards to help the families. We left it up to those four marinas that had it the worst, they got the priority to disburse them out. It was just amazing, the amount of love and compassion that came our way and still continues.”

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Amid the chaos, the triage facility at Safe Harbor Port Phoenix was up and running with temporary offices that had air conditioning, portable bathrooms and portable generators. Hruska, who previously served in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, says the endeavor was on par with military projects he’s seen to develop roads and build schools.

“Moving that much equipment, standing up a facility, hiring people, making sure they were fed and watered with bathrooms—we even helped the neighborhood considerably, because you couldn’t drive a truck down that road when we first got there, from the trash and debris,” he says. “That stretch of road that was cleared on Safe Harbor’s dime was probably four blocks long.” And if a storm like Ian were to happen again, he says, he’d

offer to help in a heartbeat. So would many others in the Safe Harbor organization. “We’ve already discussed the next one,” Hruska says. “It’s going to happen, and it could be anywhere. We’re talking about pre-positioning equipment and getting facilities back to normal.”

Clark says there are now more than 110 boats at Safe Harbor Port Phoenix, which will continue its current function until those needs are satisfied and construction on the original vision for the property can commence.

“We haven’t lost focus,” he says. “Safe Harbor Port Phoenix will ultimately be a state-of-the-art dry stack, wet slip and waterfront restaurant facility. We’re looking to break ground in the next 18 months and come spring of 2024, we’ll be transitioning from operational triage center to construction project.”

Development of Safe Harbor Port Phoenix

PETER CLARK | CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

“

Our collective team pulled together as one in a very short period of time to address a common goal: to develop a yard that would be one small step forward in returning to some form of normalcy.”

A boat damaged by Hurricane Ian being relocated to Safe Harbor Port Phoenix

Clark adds, “Safe Harbor Port Phoenix has certainly been an exercise in practicing a “whatever it takes” mentality. Our collective team pulled together as one in a very short period of time to address a common goal: to develop a yard that would be one small step forward in returning to some form of normalcy for the residents of Lee County.”

With over 53,000 registered boaters, Lee County ranks third in the State of Florida behind Miami-Dade and Pinellas Counties. To put this in perspective, this is more boaters than in Rhode Island. This underscores how embedded boating is to the culture there, and Safe Harbor Port Phoenix is helping to restore the culture with each boat that is hauled, repaired and placed safely back into the water. ▪

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THE NETWORK EFFECT | JASON SPRAGUE

Safe Harbor’s Regional Vice President of International North is helping to change the game in the United States for captains, crews and owners of the most distinguished superyachts.

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ason Sprague’s grandparents opened a small marina in Riviera Beach, Florida, in 1961. His father expanded it to include a boatyard, and by the time Sprague returned from college, he was ready to join the family business. He did his fair share of grimy grunt work, then moved up to running the Travelift and more. In the 1990s, he managed the company until it sold to Viking Yachts, and he went on to join the team at the Rybovich facility in West Palm Beach.

The owner of that yard, Wayne Huizenga Jr., came from a family that owned a superyacht more than 200 feet long. Huizenga’s father had a miserable time finding good service in South Florida. “It was a horrible, horrible experience,” Sprague says, adding that Huizenga set out to change that with services such as firm pricing, which helped yacht captains and owners understand exactly what their bill would be. “Now they know what the budget is going in, and they can control those costs,” Sprague says.

The Rybovich facility also created a resort-type atmosphere for captains and crew who could work on the boats by day, and then have amenities such as a pool, bar, game room, movies and more during their nights off. It was a revolutionary concept at the time.

When Safe Harbor bought the Rybovich facility in 2021, Sprague saw a company with a similar culture. “We could see, their very first dollars beyond the purchase of the property, they look to spend on upgrading the amenities that are being provided,” Sprague says. “They know that investment is going to take time and bring the customers in and keep them in. They had the exact same ideology that we did.”

Today, Sprague serves as Safe Harbor’s Regional Vice President of International North, and continues to oversee operations at Safe Harbor Rybovich. He’s now helping to expand the model of providing top-notch service at predictable prices to superyacht captains and crew in locations that are safe and comfortable—which turns the yachts into local economic engines. Safe Harbor Rybovich alone has about 250 employees and 600 crew, along with as many as 500 contractors, working on its property during its busy season.

“We do believe that we do it better, but now you have the network effect of Safe Harbor,” he says. “You have multiple properties coming together with the same ideology, the same culture and ethics, and we’re giving the captains regional options, location options. Yes, there

are slight price differences between New England in the wintertime and South Florida in the summertime, but as the network under Safe Harbor continues to grow, we’re providing the captains with locations up and down the Eastern Seaboard where they know they’re going to get the same level of service.”

One of these locations is Safe Harbor Savannah Yacht Center, which joined the Safe Harbor family in March 2023.

“The dry dock at Safe Harbor Rybovich is currently the largest lift in our network,” Sprague says. “It can handle up to about a 250-footer. Up in Savannah, we’ll have between six and eight slips on the hard that can handle up to 350 feet, and then the graving dock that can handle up to about 425 feet.”

Overall, he adds, captains and crew who bring superyachts into Safe Harbor facilities can expect to be treated not like workers, but instead like guests who deserve to feel safe, comfortable and happy.

“The crew of these yachts are servants. That’s what the crew is. Whether it’s for the owner of the boat or for charter guests, they’re out for three months straight, and they’re serving constantly,” he says. “When they get off the boat and get here, they still have work, but we wanted to flip that and serve them. They’re now the guests being held up on the pedestal.” ▪

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The Safe Harbor Superyacht Network 20 locations from Maine to the Caribbean serving vessels 150΄to 455΄

SAFE HARBOR MARINAS

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C LO C KW I S E F R O M TO P L E F T :

Safe Harbor Lauderdale Marine Center | Fort Lauderdale, FL Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard | Newport, RI Safe Harbor Savannah Yacht Center | Savannah, GA Safe Harbor Rybovich | West Palm Beach, FL

World-class personalized care for captains, crew & owners of the most distinguished superyachts.

D E D I C AT E D A M E N I T I E S

Lounges, fitness centers, pools and restaurants for the health and wellness of the best crews in the world S E R V I C E & R E PA I R

Expert engineers, technicians and tradesmen for every project from routine maintenance to repair and refit

H AU L I N G C A PA B I L I T Y

Dry dock and lifting capacity unmatched anywhere in the West

D I S C OV E R M O R E

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Building something you’re proud of? Join generations of passion and expertise building the largest network of marine technicians in the world.

D I S COV E R M O R E

A TALE OF TWO COASTLINES

One of the finest corners of New England straddles the states of New Hampshire and Maine, and it’s a cruising destination like no other.

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n summer, the northern reach of the East Coast has much to offer anyone who loves to go cruising.

If you’re looking for an idyllic stretch of water to explore over the course of a week or more, head for the shores that surround the state line separating New Hampshire and Maine. You can take in big views from the helm, visit historic sites and salty towns, tie up and take a hike, or drop the hook in some of the most beautiful anchorages anywhere.

The cruising is incredible, with many iconic destinations across 100 or so miles. Each one is unique, and that’s the magic of it. Safe Harbor Marinas caters to boaters who want to explore here, with well-appointed properties strategically located in key locations.

Start in New Castle, New Hampshire—the gateway to a Gulf of Maine adventure. There, Safe Harbor Wentworth by the Sea’s resort-style marina takes service up a notch with an on-site Wentworth by the Sea Marriott spa, three restaurants and multiple courtesy cars, so guests can head into Portsmouth for provisions, indulge in retail therapy at the outlet stores in Kittery, Maine (a 7-mile drive) or dine at local favorites like Martingale Wharf and Row 34. Other attractions include Strawbery Banke Museum, Fort Stark State Park and 32 acres of seaside park at Great Island Common.

From Safe Harbor Wentworth by the Sea, plot a course to Safe Harbor Kittery Point, just across the state border. En route, take a leisurely run through the Isle of Shoals. It’s an easy sail and you can pick up a mooring at picturesque Gosport Harbor, which divides the cluster of islands. At one side is Star Island in New Hampshire; at the other, Smuttynose in Maine. Star Island was one of the busiest fishing ports on the East Coast in the 1600s, then home to a grand hotel, the Oceanic, 200 years later. Today, cruisers come here to get close to nature from kayaks, trails and rocking chairs that line the wood porch of the island’s restaurant. If a classic Maine sunset is on your bucket list, you can check that box here.

To get to Safe Harbor Kittery Point, you’ll enter Portsmouth Harbor, passing Whaleback Lighthouse and Wood Island Life Saving Station to starboard and Fort Constitution to port. “Immediately you recognize the difference between the New Hampshire and Maine shorelines,” says Tom Allen, General Manager at Safe Harbor Kittery Point. “And here, you get a sense of what the area was like in the past, when former captains, officers and British merchants had large homes on the Maine side. The tightly packed cluster of smaller homes on the New Hampshire side represented the deckhands and working class.”

Safe Harbor Kittery Point is on a body of water called Back Channel. It’s flanked by the Kittery shoreline on one side and Seavey Island on the other. “You instantly recognize you’re in very protected waters,” says Allen. “And you’ll know it’s a special place when you hear “Taps” playing over at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard at night, and reveille in the morning.”

Cruisers sleep well here. The marina is protected on three sides, so conditions are almost always glass calm. There are moorings only for transient boats up to 65 feet long; that’s a feature that defines this Safe Harbor location as more traditional. Courtesy bikes come in handy if you need to take a run into town for provisions at Maine Meat or at the Golden Harvest Produce Market. Or just take the bike out for a meal at the Blue Mermaid Island Grill or The Black Birch; both locations are just over a mile away from the marina.

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This is Maine’s southern coast, and it belies the image that many people have of the Pine Tree State. There are no rocky outcroppings traversed by puffins. Instead, from Kittery to Cape Elizabeth, the shoreline is home to some of Maine’s most popular beaches, including Old Orchard and Scarborough. Hearty surfers can be seen off some of the beaches. They don thick wetsuits to ride the waves because the average water temperature in the summer is 56 degrees.

From Safe Harbor Kittery Point, you can continue your run northeast to the working harbor of Portland, the largest city in the state. Here, streets are lined with galleries and shops, and there’s great dining at dozens of award-winning restaurants. Portland may have been the childhood home of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, but it’s a foodie’s town today. History buffs can check out Fort Gorges, constructed in the 19th century during the Civil and Spanish-American wars.

As you continue your venture, the Harraseeket River welcomes you to a protected harbor at the foot of South Freeport. The town might be best known as home to the L.L. Bean store but there’s another good reason to spend an afternoon here: lobster. Tie on a plastic bib at Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster Company, a mom-and-pop eatery on the dock that serves up a traditional Maine lobster boil and local steamers dug from local tidal flats.

As you continue north, the scenery changes with more robust, rocky coastline. You begin to feel as if you’re really in Maine. Safe Harbor Great Island is located in this beautifully rugged part of the state. It’s in Harpswell, in protected Orrs Cove, and it has transient slips, moorings, a fuel dock, new heads and showers, and an on-site restaurant. Iris Eats Café overlooks the marina and specializes in “comfy gourmet,” which means elevated comfort food that ranges from an inventive take on grilled cheese to grown-up Fluffernutter sandwiches.

Traditional lobster boil found in South Freeport, Maine

From Kittery to Cape Elizabeth, the shoreline is home to some of Maine’s most popular beaches, including Old Orchard and Scarborough.

Safe Harbor Kittery Point

For a day trip, run just 6 miles from the marina to Snow Island at the head of Quahog Bay. It’s a good spot for those who want to throttle back in a place that’s not overrun with tourists. Look for seals, watch for birds and maybe take a quick dip in the warmer water here. There’s also an oyster farm—slurp Snow Island oysters and you’ll fund local environmental programs.

For entertainment, Safe Harbor Great Island hosts a music series throughout the summer, and there’s an annual music festival. For more arts and culture, head inland from Harpswell to the town of Brunswick. It’s home to Bowdoin College and its theater and concert halls. Score tickets to a show and reserve a table at Italian favorite Enoteca Athena a few hours before curtain.

From Harpswell, there are several great destinations for cruisers—think Boothbay, Damariscotta, Waldoboro and Rockland. This area is the heart of MidCoast Maine and stretches north to the Downeast region that begins at Ellsworth and Bar Harbor.

When you arrive in MidCoast, tie up at Safe Harbor Rockland. This full-service marina on Penobscot Bay can accommodate yachts up to 200 feet long with a maximum draft of 13 feet and unrestricted height. There are courtesy cars if you want to get off the boat and stretch your legs during a round of golf at the Rockland Golf Club.

Reddish Egret with catch spotted near Safe Harbor Great Island Photo by Rob Smith Nature Photography

Safe Harbor Rockland

Safe Harbor Rockland is a large port that’s easy to enter, and there’s plenty of space for anchoring, although if you’re here in May or June prepare for fog. The town is abuzz with shops, a theater and two art museums, including the Farnsworth, which celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2023. To get to town, walk the Rockland Harbor Trail, a waterfront route that hugs the city’s shoreline. You’ll work up an appetite along the way, so stop for a bite at Archer’s on the Pier, a local favorite that claims to offer the “freshest seafood straight from the water you’re looking at.”

Rockland is the end point for this cruising itinerary, but if you have more time and curiosity, it could be the starting point for an extended adventure into Penobscot Bay and some of the most pristine cruising grounds on the Atlantic Coast. Experienced cruisers say you can spend a week on Penobscot Bay and barely scratch its surface. But that’s another story. The point is, for new and experienced cruisers alike, this corner of the country is full of adventures you won’t soon forget. ▪ SAFE HARBOR MARINAS

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Locally sourced menus served in unbeatable waterfront settings.

D I S COV E R O U R LO C AT I O N S

SAFE HARBOR LOCATIONS | As of May 1, 2023

SAFE HARBOR MARINAS

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DIRECTORY | As of May 1, 2023

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S TAT E S + P U E R T O R I C O

130+ L O C AT I O N S

D I S COV E R O U R LO C AT I O N S

ALABAMA

FLORIDA

Safe Harbor Sportsman Orange Beach, AL

Safe Harbor Angler House Islamorada, FL

ARKANSAS

Safe Harbor Burnt Store Punta Gorda, FL

Safe Harbor Brady Mountain Royal, AR

Safe Harbor Calusa Island Goodland, FL

CALIFORNIA

Safe Harbor Cape Harbour Cape Coral, FL

Safe Harbor Anacapa Isle Oxnard, CA

Safe Harbor Emerald Coast Niceville, FL

Safe Harbor Ballena Isle Alameda, CA

Safe Harbor Harborage Yacht Club Stuart, FL

Safe Harbor Bayfront Chula Vista, CA

Safe Harbor Harbortown Fort Pierce, FL

Safe Harbor Cabrillo Isle San Diego, CA

Safe Harbor Islamorada Islamorada, FL

Safe Harbor Emeryville Emeryville, CA

Safe Harbor Lauderdale Marine Center Fort Lauderdale, FL

Safe Harbor Loch Lomond San Rafael, CA

Safe Harbor Marathon Marathon, FL

Safe Harbor Marina Bay Yacht Harbor Richmond, CA

Safe Harbor New Port Cove Riviera Beach, FL

Safe Harbor Shelter Island San Diego, CA

Safe Harbor North Palm Beach North Palm Beach, FL

Safe Harbor South Bay Chula Vista, CA

Safe Harbor Old Port Cove North Palm Beach, FL

Safe Harbor Sunroad San Diego, CA

Safe Harbor Pier 77 Bradenton, FL

Safe Harbor Ventura Isle Ventura, CA

Safe Harbor Pineland Bokeelia, FL

CONNECTICUT

Safe Harbor Port Phoenix North Fort Myers, FL

Safe Harbor Bruce & Johnsons Branford, CT

Safe Harbor Regatta Pointe Palmetto, FL

Safe Harbor Dauntless Essex, CT

Safe Harbor Rybovich West Palm Beach, FL

Safe Harbor Dauntless Shipyard Essex, CT

Safe Harbor Siesta Key Sarasota, FL

Safe Harbor Deep River Deep River, CT

GEORGIA

Safe Harbor Essex Island Essex, CT

Safe Harbor Aqualand Flowery Branch, GA

Safe Harbor Ferry Point Old Saybrook, CT

Safe Harbor Bahia Bleu Thunderbolt, GA

Safe Harbor Pilots Point Westbrook, CT

Safe Harbor Hideaway Bay Flowery Branch, GA

Safe Harbor Stratford Stratford, CT

Safe Harbor Savannah Yacht Center Savannah, GA

Safe Harbor Yacht Haven Stamford, CT

Safe Harbor Trade Winds Appling, GA

Safe Harbor Mystic Mystic, CT

KENTUCKY Safe Harbor Beaver Creek Monticello, KY Safe Harbor Burnside Burnside, KY Safe Harbor Grider Hill Albany, KY Safe Harbor Jamestown Jamestown, KY Safe Harbor Wisdom Dock Albany, KY

MAINE Safe Harbor Great Island Harpswell, ME Safe Harbor Kittery Point Kittery, ME Safe Harbor Rockland Rockland, ME

MARYLAND Safe Harbor Annapolis Annapolis, MD Safe Harbor Bohemia Vista Chesapeake City, MD Safe Harbor Caroll Island Baltimore, MD Safe Harbor Great Oak Landing Chestertown, MD Safe Harbor Hack’s Point Earleville, MD Safe Harbor Narrow’s Point Grasonville, MD Safe Harbor Oxford Oxford, MD Safe Harbor Podickory Point Annapolis, MD Safe Harbor Zahnisers Solomons Island, MD

MASSACHUSETTS Safe Harbor Edgartown Edgartown, MA Safe Harbor Fiddler’s Cove North Falmouth, MA Safe Harbor Green Harbor Marshfield, MA Safe Harbor Hawthorne Cove Salem, MA Safe Harbor Marina Bay Quincy, MA

Safe Harbor Onset Bay Buzzards Bay, MA

Safe Harbor Post Road Mamaroneck, NY

Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard Newport, RI

Safe Harbor Plymouth Plymouth, MA

Safe Harbor Stirling Greenport, NY

Safe Harbor Sakonnet Portsmouth, RI

Safe Harbor Sunset Bay Hull, MA

Safe Harbor Willsboro Bay Willsboro, NY

Safe Harbor Silver Spring Wakefield, RI

Safe Harbor Vineyard Haven Vineyard Haven, MA

NORTH CAROLINA

Safe Harbor Wickford Cove Wickford, RI

MICHIGAN

Safe Harbor Jarrett Bay Beaufort, NC

SOUTH CAROLINA

Safe Harbor Belle Maer Harrison Township, MI

Safe Harbor Kings Point Cornelius, NC

Safe Harbor Beaufort Beaufort, SC

Safe Harbor Detroit River Detroit, MI

Safe Harbor Outer Banks Wanchese, NC

Safe Harbor Bristol Charleston, SC

Safe Harbor Grand Isle Grand Haven, MI

Safe Harbor Peninsula Yacht Club Cornelius, NC

Safe Harbor Charleston City Charleston, SC

Safe Harbor Great Lakes Muskegon, MI

Safe Harbor Skippers Landing Troutman, NC

Safe Harbor City Boatyard Charleston, SC

Safe Harbor Jefferson Beach St. Clair Shores, MI

Safe Harbor South Harbour Village Southport, NC

Safe Harbor Port Royal Port Royal, SC

Safe Harbor Toledo Beach La Salle, MI

Safe Harbor Westport Denver, NC

Safe Harbor Port Royal Landing Port Royal, SC

Safe Harbor Tower Marine Douglas, MI

OHIO

Safe Harbor Reserve Harbor Pawleys Island, SC

MISSISSIPPI

Safe Harbor Lakefront Port Clinton, OH

Safe Harbor Skull Creek Hilton Head, SC

Safe Harbor Aqua Yacht Iuka, MS

Safe Harbor Sandusky Sandusky, OH

TENNESSEE

NEW HAMPSHIRE

OKLAHOMA

Safe Harbor Eagle Cove Byrdstown, TN

Safe Harbor Wentworth by the Sea New Castle, NH

Safe Harbor Harbors View Afton, OK

Safe Harbor Holly Creek Celina, TN

NEW JERSEY

PUERTO RICO

TEXAS

Safe Harbor Crystal Point Point Pleasant, NJ

Safe Harbor Puerto Del Rey Fajardo, PR

Safe Harbor Emerald Point Austin, TX

Safe Harbor Manasquan River Brick, NJ

RHODE ISLAND

Safe Harbor Pier 121 Lewisville, TX

NEW YORK

Safe Harbor Allen Harbor North Kingstown, RI

Safe Harbor Walden Montgomery, TX

Safe Harbor Capri Port Washington, NY

Safe Harbor Cove Haven Barrington, RI

VERMONT

Safe Harbor Gaines Rouses Point, NY

Safe Harbor Cowesett Warwick, RI

Safe Harbor Shelburne Shipyard Shelburne, VT

Safe Harbor Glen Cove Glen Cove, NY

Safe Harbor Greenwich Warwick, RI

VIRGINIA

Safe Harbor Greenport Greenport, NY

Safe Harbor Island Park Portsmouth, RI

Safe Harbor Bluewater Hampton, VA

Safe Harbor Haverstraw West Haverstraw, NY

Safe Harbor Jamestown Boatyard Jamestown, RI

Safe Harbor Stingray Point Deltaville, VA

Safe Harbor Montauk Yacht Club Montuak, NY

Safe Harbor New England Boatworks Portsmouth, RI

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