It’s fair to say that the team behind Krogen, American Tug, and Summit Motoryachts are just as passionate about being on the water, and exploring, as our owners. It’s simply a lot easier to design, build, service, and sell cruising yachts if we share that common knowledge. And it’s a whole lot more fun! So we asked our team to share the special harbors and destinations that have provided memorable experiences for them over the years in hopes that they provide you with a little inspiration and insider’s knowledge for your next adventure.
Gregg Gandy
Project Manager, Kadey-Krogen Yachts
The first time I went to St. Barths, we had a bit of trouble getting our lightweight anchor to set in Gustavia Harbor. Our 70-foot ultra-light-displacement sailboat was swinging back and forth on the hook, which did not make the situation any better. It seemed like we were going through a lot of trouble to stop at this small Caribbean in the Caribbean. However, once we were convinced it was holding, we launched the tender to go ashore.
After clearing in with customs, we took a short stroll about town to a small restaurant, Le Select, the restaurant that Jimmy Buffet wrote his famous “Cheeseburger in Paradise” song about. Having been away from American fast food for some time, we had to try it.
The next day was when I really fell in love with St. Barths. We spent the entire time driving around, stopping everywhere we could. We visited all the beaches, took in every sight from the hilltops, and even stopped by the airport. (My friend explained that pilots had to be certified to land at St. Barths because of the unusual approach.)
The variety of homes, the beautiful beaches, and undeniably romantic aspect of it being French all contributed to allure and charm of St. Barths.
After this first visit, I was fortunate to cruise to St. Barths a few more times. During one visit, we were unable to anchor in Gustavia due to the crowd, so we anchored in Anse du Colombier on the north end of the island. It was quiet, relaxing, and perfect.
I’m sure everyone that’s been fortunate enough to cruise the Caribbean has a special island, and it’s hard to say definitively which is the best. But for me, St. Barths remains the favorite.
Jeff Calvert
Sales Director, American Tug
Within Desolation Sound in British Columbia lies one of my family’s favorite destinations, Teakerne Arm Provincial Park. A short run from the protected mooring field of Squirrel Cove on the west side of West Redonda Island, BC, Teakerne Arm offers one of Desolations Sound’s most unique experiences.
As you enter the Teakerne Arm, stay on the north side of the bay, you’ll know you have arrived when you see Cassel Falls. The surrounding cliffs have several well-marked stern tie rings for anchoring in the shadow of the falls. Don’t hesitate to jump in and swim to the falls, it’s the best shower you will get in Desolation Sound! Just to the north of the falls, a small tender dock delivers you to the trailhead to Cassel Lake.
A short trail along the stream that feeds the falls presents a few challenging sections, but the reward is the warm, fresh water of Cassel Lake. The trail ends at the top of a large rock with plenty of good spots for a picnic. Following the rock over to the water’s edge, the north side has steep walls with plenty of places from which to jump into the lake, and the south side of the rock offers a sloping ledge that makes for an easy place to get in and out. Plan to spend the better part of a day swimming in the falls and the lake, it’s an unforgettable experience.
Jodi Jamiolkowski
Sales Executive, The Kadey-Krogen Group
Our favorite spot to cruise is … home. My husband and I live in Osterville, Massachusetts, a secret little mainland Cape Cod location that is central to all the storybook New England destinations that most cruisers are familiar with—like Cuttyhunk, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard—along with a few they don’t know about, like Hadley Harbor and Tarpaulin Cove. Osterville is surrounded by protected, shallow bays. It is not touristy by typical ‘summer in New England’ standards, which we like.
Coming by boat, you can enter via Cotuit cut to the west or Osterville cut on the east, the latter of which is easier for larger yachts. The West Bay drawbridge opens upon request (VHF Ch. 9). Dockage is challenging at the local marinas, so we recommend transient moorings (available up to eight days) or simply tossing your anchor out!
We like to spend time on the Northwest side of North Bay in the lee, or the western side of Cotuit Bay. Hop on your tender and cruise to the shallow waters and beaches off the Cotuit cut where you can go swimming, paddleboarding, or sailing—all the local favorites. There is excellent fly-fishing both inside the bays and right outside the cuts, especially in the late summer when albacore are out and the stripers return.
One thing I recommend to visitors is to pick up a temporary shell fishing license and let your toes dig up the best quahogs in the world. You can also walk up to town, an idyllic little main street with adorable shops, for fine dining or casual fare like burgers and pizza. For the dive bar scene, head over to the Chart Room at Crosby‘s to catch the sunset and have one of their famous mudslides. Or head over to The Kettle Ho in Cotuit, within walking distance to the town docks, for their heavy-handed “Cotuit pour” and welcoming smiles.
Jonathan Cooper
West Coast Sales Manager, The Kadey-Krogen Group
The towering Sierra Giganta Mountain range runs north-to-south down the peninsula of Baja, providing spectacular cover to the eastern seascape of La Paz, Mexico, and northward. This is a sea-to-mountain landscape that is a stark contrast to my Pacific Northwest home, but it is no less beautiful. A few hundred miles south is where the Northwest’s signature evergreens are replaced by saguaro-shaped sentinels, jagged hills, and sheer cliffs that plunge into turquoise waters, brimming with life.
La Paz itself—the cruising and cultural focal point for this region of Baja—is a vibrant city with fishing-village roots, and the bars and restaurants to make a pit-stop more than worth your while. Top off your tanks and head north: you won’t have to go far to find stunning anchorages and assorted geological wonders.
Nearby Isla Espírito Santo and Isla Partida are both worth a circumnavigation, but it is a tiny island called Isla San Francisco that appeals to me most. Once anchored, dinghy or kayak to shore and take a hike up the crescent-shaped ridge. Enjoy 360-degree views and marvel at this small archipelago. Of course, the entirety of the Sea of Cortez is chock-full of amazing adventures, but this one should be near the top on anyone’s ‘exotic cruises’ bucket list.
Larry Polster
Sales Executive, The Kadey-Krogen Group
Most cruisers seem to bypass this national treasure and opt for the town itself, but if you are a fan of miles of unspoiled beaches, enormous live oak trees, endless hiking trails, wild deer, horses, armadillos, and even the occasional bobcat, then Cumberland Island is not to be missed.
Situated just six miles north of Fernandina Beach, FL, and once the winter home of industrial tycoon Thomas Carnegie, Cumberland Island is only accessible by water, which helps limit the number of people you will encounter on shore. On any given day, there are more horses on the island than people.
On the mainland, opposite the island, is Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, the home of the East Coast-based ballistic missile submarines. While a boomer base opposite a national seashore is an interesting juxtaposition, the base necessitates the St. Mary’s River be maintained as an all-weather channel, making it a perfect, extremely well marked channel for a day or night landfall when returning from the Bahamas.
Ford Bauer
Marketing Coordinator, The Kadey-Krogen Group
Extending southwest from the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is a small chain of islands called the Elizabeth Islands. Cuttyhunk, the outermost island in the chain, is a beautiful New England cruising destination with a history of great striped bass fishing. Every summer, my friends and I make a trip out to the island to stay at the famed Cuttyhunk Fishing Club to fish for bass and enjoy the island. The protected harbor, commonly known as “Cuttyhunk Pond,” is a great place to anchor while cruising in the area.
On the docks they sell fresh seafood from the island’s shellfish farms, and you can order a full lobster dinner. Personally, my friends and I aren’t there for the lobster—we visit the island every year for the amazing striped bass fishing that takes place on the reefs and beaches surrounding the island. We spend all night out in the surf with 10-foot surf rods, trying to catch a big one. Wet and exhausted, we return to the fishing club in the morning for the incredible breakfast.
Pursuing these fish on the fly rod has become one of my all-time favorite summer activities and during the day we will wade through the salt ponds and the island’s beaches trying to spot feeding stripers. It is always an adventure out on Cuttyhunk, and we look forward to visiting every year.
If you are cruising in the New England area and are thinking of visiting Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket, don’t overlook little Cuttyhunk! The island has a unique charm, you can walk everywhere, and don’t forget to visit the Cuttyhunk Fishing Club for breakfast while you are there!
Greg Sapp
Sales Executive, The Kadey-Krogen Group
On the way to St. Michaels, Maryland—one of the most popular destinations on Chesapeake Bay—is a hidden gem called Tilghman Point, and adjoining Tilghman Creek. Most people pass right by on their way to the next destination, but on both sides of the point are long, wide beaches, and on the inside is one of my favorite anchorages—and fishing, family, crabbing, and dog-playing spots on the bay—Tilghman Creek.
When I lived aboard my 44-foot trawler and my daughter was young, weekend destinations were chosen based on where we could go play with dogs, catch fish and crabs, and swim and anchor out. The inside of Tilghman Point has a long beach that was bordered by at least 20 acres of knee-deep water and thick, healthy sea grass. Here, we could wait until the sun was high and wade slowly and quietly, with long handled nets, and scoop up crabs. I would wedge a small laundry basket into an inflated tire tube, tie it to my waist, and drag it behind me to keep the crabs. The dogs would run along the beach back and forth, loudly protesting being told to wait, but it didn’t seem to bother the crabs. After a couple of hours, we would have more than enough for dinner.
We would dinghy back out to the boat and swim and fish before heading back to the beach with the old steamer pot and the propane burner to steam crabs, sweet corn, and fry whole perch on the beach at sunset. As the moon came up, we would walk the beach in the dark, chasing fireflies, and head back to the little cove anchorage for the night, and enjoy that deep, peaceful sleep that you can only find at anchor.
Every time I pass Tilghman Point, I swear I can hear kids laughing and puppies barking on the beach.