Does the winter cold have you dreaming of somewhere warmer? Many families begin planning now for winter getaways or tropical vacations at any time of the year. And one Boerne family has the perfect way to escape the cold.
What started as a romantic 10-year anniversary trip for Woody and Annette Sandlin turned into a lifelong passion and family business. The Sandy Cinco is a 58-foot catamaran based in the British Virgin Islands, owned and operated by the local family. Recently refitted from private ownership, their Fountaine Pajot Ipanema 58 is brand new to chartering and just embarked on its first season in November. Their daughter named it after the family (“Sandy”) of five (“Cinco”), and the boat has space for eight guests with luxury cabins, a spacious saloon, sun loungers, and plenty of water toys for excursions and adventuring.
On a typical cruise liner, passengers may be limited in excursions, inundated with crowds, and suffering through buffet-style meals. But theirs is a highly personalized travel experience, with each party creating a personalized itinerary that perfectly suits their needs. Before boarding the Sandy Cinco, guests are given a preference sheet so the crew is able to customize activities, destinations (even including specific bays and islands), food and drink, and other excursions. Prefer solitude? There are beaches for that. Prefer nightlife? Yep, that too. The Sandy Cinco comes equipped with two double kayaks, two stand-up paddle boards, snorkeling gear, wakeboards, water skis, and inner tubes to ride behind the powerful dinghy. Snorkeling and tubing are the favorites of many families with children. Captains Mike and Lizzy bring more than a decade of experience in the BVI and know every nook and cranny that the islands have to offer.
Excursions include a wide range of activities, so there’s something to suit any style of traveler. Families can enjoy an entire beach to themselves relaxing while kids snorkel or go for a ride on an inner tube in pristine, calm waters. Alternatively, Jost Van Dyke is a year-round favorite known for its vibrant nightlife, while Norman Island is known for its caves, snorkeling, and local hotspot, Willy T’s — a restaurant and bar built into a replica of an old schooner.
Snorkeling aficionados can see squid, sting rays, octopus, turtles, and even shipwrecks. The RMS Rhome was a UK Royal Mail ship that sunk during a hurricane in 1867, but it’s a popular dive site today because it lies in clear waters and its shallowest portion is only 23 feet down. Another landmark feature of the BVI is the “Baths,” a granite rock formation that straddles the land and sea. Visitors commonly hike and snorkel through these unique rock formations on Virgin Gorda. Traveling the BVI by catamaran allows individuals to have unique experiences; jeep rentals are available on some islands while deep-sea fishing charters can pick up guests directly from the chartered boat.
The Sandlin family prefers to experience a variety of the islands that make the BVI unique. They split time between some of the quieter and secluded bays to enjoy time on the beach with just family, then sail to one of the islands with exciting nightlife to enjoy good food and music. Woody and Annette once booked a lobster fishing excursion with a local fisherman. Unlike in New England, the local guide here free dives to the bottom and retrieves a lobster with a spear before bringing it back to the surface. After catching a lobster, it is brought back to the boat where Lizzy — herself a gourmet chef — includes it in a fresh seafood dinner.
Lizzy has cooked in the BVI for years. During a stay on the Sandy Cinco, guests can expect every dish to be a highlight of their trip. Although Woody’s favorite is lobster eggs Benedict, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all cooked to individual tastes with the freshest ingredients and restaurant-quality presentation.
So when you and your family or friends are ready for a tropical getaway, the Sandy Cinco is an adventure you won’t ever forget.
sandycinco.com | @sandycincobvi | 284-343-7295 | crew@sandycinco.com
