This is one of our favourite fleet cruises. This is suitable for keel boats and dinghies alike. Leave the Cruising club heading out to sea on a broad reach until you are clear of the moorings. Harden up a little and aim just off the deep water harbour to the North (Heading 345). Keep an eye out for boats coming in or out of the harbour. It is a good idea to keep the radio on channel 16 as you pass the deep water harbour. There is usually a wind shadow from the larger cruise liners and aim to cross the channel to the deep water harbour so don't hug the harbour wall. Pass just inside or just outside of the green and red marker buoys. There are a few shallows in the bay off Brighton beach immediately after you pass the coast guard station so it is a good idea to stay out as far as the yellow buoys used by the Atlantis submarine. Be prepared for the St George Valley Blast. This is where the valley running up the middle of the island lets the full force of the trade winds hit you. After you pass the Malibu factory and the four seasons things calm down a bit. You will see a band stand at Fitts village and some big houses. Head into the coast opposite the Sands apartment after you pass the fishing boats. The sea shelves quite sharply and you can anchor less than 30 yards off shore in 20-30 feet of water with a sandy bottom. Drop anchor, have a picnic and a swim with the turtles before heading back on a broad reach, hardening up after the deep water harbour to be back at the club in time for a sundowner.

This award winning restaurant is run by Andrew Warden who is himself a keen sailor. It is a bit further than Paynes bay so you have to leave a little earlier and go easy on the after lunch coffee and liqueurs if you want to get back to the club before sunset. If you want to have plenty of time for lunch you should leave the club not much later than 9am (or you may have to motor to get there in time). Same as the Paynes Bay route but just keep on going. After Paynes bay you will see the Sandy Lane hotel with its pink umbrellas on the beach. Next you will pass Holetown and the Beach House (where Howard has reminded us to tell you that Cruising Club members get a 10% discount). It is easy to recognise with its tented awning alongside the West Coast Boardwalk. You will pass the Colony club where Bert's boat Gypsy is still marooned on the beach. Carry on past Mullins and Gibbs and some seriously expensive real estate before you get to Speitstown and Port St Charles. After the group of fishing boats North of Port St Charles you will see a coral stone building with light green shutters. If you pass the cement works you have gone too far. They do have a mooring but it is very shallow. Anchor in 20 feet of water in the sand about 100 yards off the restaurant. You will need to take a dinghy or a kayak with you. If you swim to shore with your dry bag, they have been know to offer you a towel. You can have lunch right by the sea and keep an eye on just how well you anchor is holding.

This is a fun cruise if you only have an hour or two before you have to get back to the office of the club for sunset. It can be sailed by keelboats or dinghies, but the dinghies can go a lot closer to shore. Head out to see off the cruising club until you are clear of the moorings and give yourself a good 40 yards clear of the Hilton pier. Look for the white buoy which marks the edge of the reef at Needhams Point. If you can's see it, err on the side of caution and head out to sea a bit as the reef is very shallow. You will need to harden up as you turn South to hug the coast. Depending on the wind strength and direction (it is usually between south and South East) you amy be able to stay close to shore or head out a bit. In any even you will be tacking up the South Coast. After you pass the Hilton there is an extensive sandy beach before you see the now closed Caribee hotel a much loved coastal eyesore. Soon you will see Accra beach with its pink hotel at the Western end and two tall poles marking a reef just off the beach. Don't go too close in shore unless you are in a dinghy. Pass Champers atop the rocks and keep going to find St Lawrence gap. If you turn around (you will most likely be a way off shore by now) you can gibe round and have an easy run back to the Cruising club. As you pass the Hilton and the white reef marker buoy harden up to head to starboard you can surf into Carlisle Bay.

If you have more time keep on tacking past St Lawrence Gap, Maxwell and you will find Oistins Bay with all the fishing boats. At the far end of the bay is Enterprise beach. If you go a shore here, try a Roti from the Mr Delicious van. Mr Delicious' van parked on the beach in 1973 and hasn't moved since. He says he is saving up fro a new one. This is a day trip for a dinghy or a full afternoon for a yacht. If you are sailing a dinghy you can come in close to St Lawrence gap. You may well see people wading in the water past you the other way. It really does get very shallow.