The
Happy Stories Collection
Welcome to our world! For over 20 years we have been helping our guests to discover new and breathtaking destinations, making their vacation dreams a reality. It has always been our goal to provide all of our guests with a sense of connection. Connections to old friends and to new friends; to our crews from around the world; to wonderful memories; to celebrations; to life and to fun; and to these fabulous off-the-beaten-track TradeWinds’ locations which many of us had never heard of before. We’re really excited to share our latest Happy Stories Collection, where you’ll see how our cruises have enriched the lives of our “TradeWinds’ Family”, and sometimes have even changed their lives completely. We hope you will enjoy this unique insight into our TradeWinds’ world. We continue to protect our world and its precious environment; while creating a new “tomorrow”, where our friendship remains secure and where YOU, our guests, will always have a special place to build even more Happy Stories. Edith Carvalho and Magnus Lewin Founders
From Guest to Captain From jumping off the bow of Turquoise Dreams as an excited nine-year-old guest to being Captain in the British Virgin Islands and Second Mate on Wanderlust II in the Maldives and the Seychelles, my TradeWinds experience has brought incredible happiness, gratitude and fulfillment to my life. I am honored to be part of the TradeWinds’ family and I believe this has shaped me into who I am today. It began when my parents became TradeWinds Members in 2004 and we went on our first sailing trip to the British Virgin Islands. TradeWinds became our family holiday and we are very grateful to have cruised in most of the wonderful destinations, including a couple of circumnavigation itineraries! Our family has had so many incredible experiences and we will be forever grateful for the quality time, adventure and exposure to different cultures. TradeWinds holds a very special place in the Stewarts’ hearts, and we look forward to many future sails with our ocean-going family. TradeWinds, thank you for all of the unforgettable experiences and thank you for inspiring my sailing career! Lauren
Celebrating with our Elder Statesman Our legendary, long-standing Member, Alvin Grancell joined us for a very special celebratory cruise in 2019. We were delighted that Alvin chose to celebrate his 100th birthday on TradeWinds’ Sailing Yacht PartnerShip cruising the breathtaking waters of Belize. Since becoming a Member in 2008, aged 88, Alvin took over 30 trips with TradeWinds, and we often referred to him affectionately as our “Elder Statesman”. Sadly, Alvin passed away peacefully on October 30, 2020, close to the ocean that he loved so much. Despite his passing, Alvin’s ‘Happy Story’ is here because we know that he would want us to remember him in his joyful times, sailing, snorkeling and exploring marine life. Alvin’s approach to living his life in the best way he could, and his delight in finding new places and new creatures to discover in his later years, continues to be a source of immense respect and inspiration for us all.
Renewing our vows in Paradise Our favorite re-wedding. As usual, we stopped in Leverick Bay for Michael Bean’s Pirate Show. Sandy and I wrote up some funny “pirate” vows and asked Michael if he could work this into his show, and we told him he could ad lib as he liked (big mistake). Later, Mike called us up front for the reading of the vows and mentioned something about “walking the plank”. Sandy and I looked at each other, then at the dingy dock and said “why not?” Sure enough, we walked over and jumped off the end. The looks on the faces of the other folks was hilarious! “Was this for real?”, “Did they just get married?”, “Did they jump off the dock?” The cool thing is, when we returned to Leverick Bay four years later, Michael still remembered us! Paul and Sandy
Paul and Sandy love our cruises so much, that – since their wedding in March 2014 – they have renewed their vows 17 times on TradeWinds’ cruises in Belize, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Guadeloupe, St Martin, and the British Virgin Islands. Their latest was in French Polynesia in Nov/Dec 2020, when they spent three weeks sailing.
Antigua We were very fortunate to have a cabin on the second cruise post-lockdown in Antigua. We were a little concerned as to what COVID-19 procedures would be in place, but we were very impressed by the standards laid down by TradeWinds. It was obvious that TradeWinds Antigua had worked really hard to get the local government's approval to commence cruising, as there were very few other sailing vessels around the island. We think Base Manager Amir had been very busy! We saw other catamarans in St. John's Harbour undergoing their 14 days quarantine, but these were well behind TradeWinds' progress. We sailed on Flagship New Beginning, with Brad and Angelina for the second time and Jaheim on his first week as a TradeWind's Deckhand. What a great team they were: with Brad's impressive sailing, diving and fishing skills, Angelina's five-star cuisine and Jaheim's attentiveness quietly in the background. Amanda and Mark
Antigua Honeymoon We spent our honeymoon sailing around Antigua aboard catamaran Dream Maker. From the lush greenery, to the secluded beaches and turquoise water, to the historic sites, Antigua has something for everyone. After spending the day snorkeling, kayaking, and hiking a new area of the island, we enjoyed watching the sun set over another beautiful day in Antigua with a Captain’s Cocktail in hand. Our boat-mates quickly became good friends, and the mix of personalities of each of the guests truly made for a fun and exciting week. Our TradeWinds experience was nothing short of amazing, and we can’t say enough about our Captain and First Mate (Kemble and Lindi), the quality of service, the food, the drinks, and the memories made. As new Members, we are looking forward to a lifetime of adventures! Alyssa and Ryan
My Happy Place I spent a week in my happy place, on a TradeWinds’ sailing yacht, and it was food for the soul in this pandemic world! We were lucky enough to spend our week on beautiful Ella Lee, TradeWinds’ premier flagship. Since the start of this pandemic we have closely followed all safety recommendations and have been consciously ensuring that our actions don’t place anyone else in jeopardy. The decision to travel was not taken lightly, but we felt incredibly safe and TradeWinds did a fantastic job accommodating safety measures yet making sure that we enjoyed the full TradeWinds’ experience. The crew went above and beyond to make certain that we were well taken care of. We were the first trip required to provide a COVID-19 test to return to the US, and TradeWinds had it all sorted. On Wednesday a doctor came aboard at the end of the day and administered our tests, and our results were waiting for us upon our return to the marina. It was so great to get back on the water and enjoy what makes life worthwhile! Sam
Antigua Wedding Anniversary As soon as the cabins for 2021 were released in January 2019, April helped us book three cabins in Fiji to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. By early 2021, COVID-19 restrictions meant that Fiji and many destinations were still closed. April moved us firstly to Belize; then to the Grenadines and finally to Antigua. Antigua is not Fiji, but the trip was AMAZING and exceeded our expectations. We had the most amazing time sailing with Ryan and Didi around an island that was sleepy and over-the-top beautiful! We celebrated our anniversary in style, in our white gear, dancing on the back of yacht Faith to one of our favorite songs before plunging into the water holding hands! We feel fortunate to be Tradewinds Members and to be able to visit the island now, because it will look much different when it’s again packed with tourists. Thank you TradeWinds for making our special celebration one to remember. Special thanks to April for going above and beyond to help make our celebration happen. We look forward to our next sail, knowing that one day we will get to Fiji! Jenn and Doug
British Virgin Islands Go to the BVI and experience great island hopping! The crystal waters are perfect for swimming and snorkeling! The waters were not chilly. The food was amazing. This is a really fun TradeWinds’ getaway! Kathleen
British Virgin Islands We sailed the BVI aboard Gaia, a 60’ Catamaran with a very comfortable master cabin after having quarantined in TradeWinds’ recommended accommodation in Tortola prior to sailing. Because we chartered the whole catamaran we were able to customize our itinerary to include unique Anegada, as well as visiting many other islands. Dynamic brothers Captain Heinrich and First Mate Brandon did everything they possibly could to make our voyage spectacular. Heinrich and Brandon are exceptional human beings, our new friends for life! The only thing we would have done differently was to have booked back-to-back weeks. Beth and Peter
Bahamas Dorothy on her trip to Oz had half the astounding experiences we had. Lions and tigers and bears? Not so great! WE had swimming pigs, angel fish, lemon sharks and porpoises, oh my! Add stunning views, spectacular sunrises/sunsets and hidden caves. The Exumas’ experience is one I would recommend for all. Brian
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Crystal clear waters, noise free sailing, glorious sunsets, nurse sharks, dolphins, an underwater mermaid, iguanas and pigs – oh my! These are just a few of the memories we have of our latest trip to the Exumas. Of course there was also a fantastic crew (Paul and Dani), great food as always and interesting fellow travelers to share the good times with. We chalk up another TradeWinds experience. The COVID-19 requirements seemed a bit daunting at first glance but proved quite reasonable and simple. It is comforting to know that everyone on your plane and then on your boat have tested negative. We would return in a heartbeat. Glenda and Richard
St. Martin, Anguilla, St. Barths It was our first TradeWinds experience. Everything was excellent. AJ, Rachael and Carlo did an outstanding job. We are looking forward to more TradeWinds trips in the future! Peter
Graduation Anniversary We are ALL West Point, United States Military Academy Graduates of the Class of 1981, and all were US Army Helicopter Pilots who met our wives during our very early years as Aviators. We were celebrating our 40-year Graduation Anniversary from West Point, and we all decided to take this cruise together after Val and I (members for 10 years) told everyone about the wonderful experiences with TradeWinds. Originally scheduled on a Flagship with six cabins in Antigua for August 2020, we had to cancel due to COVID-19 but were able to
secure another Whole Boat in St Maarten over Thanksgiving 2021. We grabbed it although there were only five cabins, but one guest was unable to attend so we continued with five couples! WOW did everyone say that they had a TRIP OF A LIFETIME! We had all known each other for nearly 40 years, but we rekindled past relationships, and had such a wonderful time that we are planning another Whole Boat in October 2023. Brian and Val
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Food was amazing. The crew was great fun, always willing to teach us more about sailing. It was all a great time. We loved the variety every day. Sailing, snorkeling, hiking the islands, fishing, diving... and getting a sense of the uniqueness of each island, both culturally and geographically. Why belly up to a buffet on a cruise ship when you can experience a bit of adventure, a modicum of learning, and some physical and spiritual engagement on a sailboat... What is not to love? Donald
St. Vincent and the Grenadines The invitation of a lifetime! My first TradeWinds experience was as a guest on a private charter in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Invited together by a good friend, the week was a voyage of survivors who had battled cancer, overcome illnesses and broken away from trauma demons. The amazing food, incredible views, wondrous destinations were absolutely awe-inspiring. And then all the turtles and starfish were just added to the week of WOW. A healing week at sea to unplug from our pasts, reflect and experience a new reality filled with laughter, love, happiness and new friendships. Memories for a lifetime! A few years later, I answered the call of the ocean and returned to the Caribbean, sailing through the BVIs with my husband for our honeymoon. Your first TradeWinds experience will always be an incredibly special one… but when you return with family and friends to share in their firsts, that is when the magic really happens! Nikki
AQUA•TERRA Mayreau We had an amazing experience; the food and drinks were incredible, and the destinations were so beautiful. Dylan and Garin put so much pride and passion into what they do and that really shined through this past week as they showed us around the Grenadines. We’ll definitely be back and hope to sail with them again. Lindsay and Rob
AQUA•TERRA Mayreau I spent two consecutive weeks at AQUA·TERRA Mayreau, and it was perfect! I had the opportunity to stay in two different villas, with two different crews and two different sailing itineraries. The island of Mayreau is beautiful, and the villas are beyond belief – gorgeous rooms, beautiful common areas, and a great pool next to the beach. Plus, a Private Chef that creates amazing multi-course meals every day, pure luxury! Your yacht crew stays with you on land as your island guides and social directors. When you are sailing, you can explore the entire lower Grenadines, and the highlight, of course, is the Tobago Cays, where you can swim with turtles and snorkel or dive an amazing reef. Since it was lobster season, our dinner ashore during the yacht half of the week involved participating in a lobster beach party in the Tobago Cays, eating and drinking with our toes in the sand, and dancing the night away. Joan
French Polynesia I’ve travelled to quite a few TradeWinds destinations but have come to love French Polynesia the most. Not sure if it’s the easy journey, the hospitality of the Tahitian people, or the pure beauty of the islands, but I’m hooked. My happy place is the area known as the “swimming pool” on Bora Bora. The water is a perfect turquoise, and a quick swim over to the sand bar and I’m strolling in the shallow water with the occasional ray swimming by. When I’m stuck in a meeting or traffic, or when my mind wanders, I’m able to remember everything about my times in the swimming pool and get happy. Carolyn
The Perfect Babymoon My husband and I took our Babymoon trip sailing with TradeWinds in French Polynesia in 2015. At six and a half months pregnant with our daughter, Rosalynn, I was right before the cut off time for flying while pregnant; we couldn’t ask for more adventurous yet luxurious and magical time celebrating our growing family, and the crew took such great care of us in every way. We can’t wait to get back on a TradeWinds yacht again, this time with our little daughter! Amy
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On nes be Syl pla fou thr des mo ring the dro and the
Our Fabulous Polynesian Wedding
a TradeWinds Member, I was dehted to take my partner Angie, and r two-year-old daughter Raya on a e break to French Polynesia. Our st trip was amazing, and Raya took the yacht like a life-long sailor.
n our second cruise to French Polysia, I knew I wanted to ask Angie to my wife, and I asked TradeWinds’ lvain Arnoul to help me organise a ace to propose. At sunset on the urth day, Sylvain dropped the ree of us off at a beach on a small serted island. As we enjoyed the ost amazing sunset, I dropped the g in the sand, and Raya picked up e ring and handed it to Angie. I opped to my knee and asked Angie d Raya to marry me. Thankfully, ey said yes!
As French Polynesia had such a special place in our hearts, we decided to get married on our next cruise. On the last day of our vacation, Sylvain arranged for the local religious leader of Taha’a to perform a traditional Polynesian marriage ceremony on the upper deck of the yacht. After the wedding, the religious leader announced that Angie and I were now official citizens of Uporu, the ancient name of the island of Taha’a, and our names are Uporu Kane and Uporu Wahine. They sang traditional Polynesian wedding songs, and we danced after. It was amazing and deeply spiritual, and we celebrated the night away with the crew and other Members. Craig
French Polynesia
A Mandala Honeymoon
AQUA•TERRA Mandala, Tonga This was our first AQUA·TERRA experience, and we really loved it. While staying on Mandala, we sailed to a nearby island and hiked to the other side, where the views were truly spectacular! We enjoyed exploring the island on the eco-friendly electric ATVs, which was much more fun than piling into a van and touring the island. We also participated in a Kava ceremony, and the local villagers entertained us with their traditional food, songs, and dances. We loved our treehouse at Mandala, and the areas where we ate, read, and relaxed also have an impressive design. If you want to remain active, you can easily swim, snorkel or kayak around the island. On the yacht we had several great dives, plus we also swam with Humpback whales, which was a spine-tingling adventure. Our only regret is that we wish we would have had more time on Mandala and on the yacht – guess we’ll have to go back! Margie and Jamie
AQUA•TERRA Mandala, Tonga AQUA·TERRA Mandala is a fantasy island retreat, and from the moment we arrived, we were hooked! Our treehouse had the most incredible views of the surrounding islands and mesmerizing waters. It was one of the most memorable trips we’ve had in our ten years sailing with Tradewinds. Dennis
AQUA•TERRA Mandala, Tonga Arriving at Vava’u in Tonga, you are transported back to an era and area where few people live, and few yachts were in the bay. Mandala is a beautiful little island with interesting architecture. Our luxury fale or bungalow was beautiful, and the balcony over-looked the crystal-clear water. We enjoyed daily excursions which included visits to a plantation, and the island across from us named Ofu. The local children danced for us, and we had a delicious meal and took part in a traditional kava ceremony. During the time we were sailing, we only saw two other yachts, and were alone in the bays we anchored in. We can’t wait to return to Tonga again in 2021! Barbara
Greece Sean and Alex were tremendous and were just the perfect crew – friendly, fun, and professional at all times. We were sailing with kids, and they were great with them, accommodating special food requests, providing fun things to do, and endless patience with delays in getting ready! We sailed around Ithaca, so Odysseus and the Odyssey are a focus, so we really enjoyed wandering the villages and learning about Greek mythology and history. We appreciated the effort to serve Greek cuisine on the yacht, and it was excellent. The shrimp pitas for lunch were a highlight, along with the baklava, Greek yogurt, salads, well, all of it really! And the balance between water sports, sailing and visiting the villages was perfect for us. We went off-season in October and were very glad to miss the crowds. Anne
Belize
Newbies in Belize Our first sailing trip included our daughters, aged 10 and 6 years, my husband and myself. We are NOT a sailing family and were a little nervous to commit to a 7-day trip, but by the end of the trip both kids didn't want to get off the yacht! Our girls learned so much about sailing, tying knots, and even steering and navigating with Captain Sean. Isabella was too afraid to snorkel initially, but soon overcame this. By day 3, she was in the water and snorkeling off the yacht and by day 4 she was free-diving down about 7 – 8 feet! Elsa proved to be part fish, snorkeling at every chance she got, even in some rougher waves! Thanksgiving Day was spent mostly on Moho Caye where we snorkeled while Chef Bianca prepared a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner. We spent such quality family time without internet or devices that the kids didn't even mention anything missing! We are so grateful to have had this opportunity, and to sail with our wonderful crew Sean and Bianca. Future guests will be lucky to sail with these two beautiful souls. Thank you again for a great experience, TradeWinds. Dianna, Alberto, Isabella and Elsa
Belize Sean is an exceptional Captain and Bianca is the sweetest First Mate. They are both very knowledgeable with their respective duties and assignments, working above and beyond to make sure that we are all well-taken care of. It is also fun watching them work as a team – helping each other to ensure we are all happy. Thank you, Tradewinds, Sean and Bianca for making our vacation memorable and fun-filled! Tina and Mike
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Honeymoon Night Snorkeling in Belize
e recently returned from our honmoon in Belize and were amazed th our experiences there. I can’t agine us having a more perfect neymoon anywhere on the planet. hen we first met our wonderful ew and shipmates, we knew we ere in for a treat. From having lots fun and delicious, fantastic food to aking new great friends, Captain vid and First Mate Angie were the st at making things work and tting everyone at ease.
th only ten scuba dives under my lt, I needed a bit more help to get ady, but Angie and David made me el comfortable. We loved being der the ocean again and enjoyed of the beautiful marine life – coral, onges, sharks, turtles, and more, all the same dive!
ne event we all enjoyed, and I will alays remember, was our night snor-
keling. David had underwater flashlights on board and took us snorkeling in the dark, pointing out things that we otherwise might not have seen. We also experienced the thrill of a lifetime – swimming with dolphins, and to have these wonders unfold before our eyes as nature would have them was spectacular. The people we had the joy of sailing with on this trip were amazing, and all of us have remained friends. Sharing our experiences with the people we met made them all the more special. We found that Belize was one of the friendliest, most welcoming places we had ever visited, and we have been all over the Caribbean. Thank you, Belize and TradeWinds, for a fabulous, fantastic honeymoon. Laura
Belize We had a lovely time, and the crew was so welcoming. The food was outstanding, and what was most impressive was our Chef’s ability to deal with all of our dietary issues graciously and artistically. Belize is an undiscovered cruising area, and at most anchorages, it was only us! I loved the snorkeling and was pleasantly surprised at the health of the coral, plus we all got to see a seahorse. I loved the region and would love to sail again with Tradewinds in Belize. Mikel
CircumNavigation in Seychelles This was the very best crew yet… they created a magical experience for us. In Seychelles, I enjoyed Coco de Mer National Park, the sea and land turtles, renting an E-bike on La Digue, and the snorkeling. I hope to follow my stellar crew to Madagascar! Thank you, TradeWinds! Shelley
France The Château and grounds are beautiful, the food excellent, and Michael and Helen the perfect hosts. We really enjoyed each of the daily excursions; they gave us a much broader appreciation for the area. I highly recommend a week at the Château! Frederick
First Engagement at Château Alizés Leo and I were at Château Alizés for the second official week of guests when it opened in 2017, and we were the first official guests to stay in Suite d’Etienne. Ashley and Emma were wonderful hosts. I'd been a TradeWinds’ Member for many years already and have always enjoyed my sailing vacations, but this was Leo's first experience with TradeWinds. Our week at the Château was absolutely wonderful! Leo conspired with the staff and set up a very romantic proposal on the property. We had the most memorable engagement with an intimate picturesque setting, champagne and a celebration dinner that night with the other guests. We've been married almost three years now and I still like to brag that I got engaged at a Château in France. That's just not a common occurrence for most Americans! Kristen
We wish to thank everyone for sharing their Happy Story here, and we hope that these will inspire even more of you to live out your own Happy Stories and share them with all of us in our next “Happy Stories Collection”. If you would like to share your happy moments spent with your TradeWinds' family please send your Happy Story and some photos to happy.stories@trade-winds.com.
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