What a beautiful day on the America. This 139’ sailboat is beautiful and I love the story of this yacht being an exact replica of the original America’s Cup winning sailboat and the story of how The America’s Cup got its name. The weather was beautiful which was a bonus.
We only saw one whale - a playful juvenile - but seeing hundreds of dolphins speeding by was thrilling. Just being out for a sail on a glorious day was enough - seeing any whales or dolphins was just a bonus!!
Capacity of this boat is 77 and I’m guessing we were a bit under that yesterday (10-20-22) by a few. It was spacious and the fellow guests were cooperative when asked to sit on the floor so those behind us could see the whale/dolphins. (Great visibility when sitting and looking thru the wire rails). The guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the America, the area and the sea-life. Hearing about the Navy, military, submarines etc. was a nice bonus. At first I was afraid it would be 4 hours of listening to the guide, but once we were out beyond the marina and lighthouse it was more just about what other boats were reporting regarding whale and dolphin sightings.
I’d highly recommend this activity vs. a motor boat I’d you’d like a relaxing, quiet, peaceful experience. (If you go and get there early, breakfast at the Best Western across from the meeting point was very good.)
The crew works hard - even offering soft drinks, water, chips, granola bars, etc. as well as selling tee shirts and hats - so I’m sure gratuities are welcome. As we exited the America, one of the crew members had a mason jar for tips. It was good to see the jar filling up with $5, $10, $20s, but disappointing to see some folks walking by without recognizing the hard working crew.
Just a personal thought for Next Level Sailing - sweatshirts I think would be a big seller!!
Thank you for this experience. I cannot wait to do it again!!!
Réponse de l'hôte
Nov 2022
Thanks so much for your thoughtful review, we really appreciate it! I am glad to hear you enjoyed the balance of information and quiet relaxation. Thank you for sharing your experience, it is very helpful. On behalf of the crew, we really appreciate your recognition. We do work very hard every trip to make sure everyone has a fantastic experience. I will certainly mention sweatshirts to my boss. Thanks again. We can't wait to have you aboard next time!