BOATING JOURNAL ENTRY: GALATI RENDEZVOUS TO THE BAHAMAS
Galati Rendezvous to the Bahamas
Three weeks, nine boats, and more smiles than we could count. This is a great way to sum up Galati Yacht Sales’ annual Bahamas Rendezvous. Galati Rendezvous are exclusive events for our customers planned and coordinated by our team and captains. We traveled for 3 weeks exactly from start to finish. Although lengthy in time, it was the right amount of time for everyone to see and experience each destination. By taking the approach of a Galati “excursion” rather than a single destination “party”, customers gained confidence in their boats, their handling ability, and their navigation skills.
We traveled through Naples, stopping in and seeing the 92 Viking on display which was an incredible opportunity. From there, we traveled through Marathon, picking up boaters along the way. A quick stop in Ft. Lauderdale to do some final provisioning and we were off to the Bahamas.
Chub Cay provides a beautiful setting and access to great fishing. Although, the rain kept everyone inside one of our days there. With the others, nice and sunny for a dinghy excursion and a docktail party. This was the first opportunity for the group to really get together which turned out to be a hit.
From Chub, we traveled to Harbor Island, through the Devils Backbone which was an incredible experience. For most customers, they had not been to Harbor Island. There was a level of intimidation to navigate the entry. With the help of a guide, we successfully navigated all 9 boats in. Here, we hosted a fantastic day of water sports and snorkeling on board. Team Galati and had the 80 Viking rafted up. We deployed Hookah Rigs for people to experience breathing underwater. A huge hit for the first-timers.
From Harbor Island to Albany Resort on New Providence Island… where everything they do is first class. The marina was very well equipped, restaurants were 5-star and the customers that played golf said the course was impeccable. With a quick Father’s Day breakfast on board Team Galati Sunday, most of our guests enjoyed this spot on their own. It was a favorite for some.
From Albany, we ran to Highborne Cay, where we have stopped a few times in the past. Again, we had a great cookout as a group on the beach put on by Team Galati where we had grilled chicken and some local side dishes. A member of our group had his guitar and provided us great live music, great stop and great weather for some excursions. One of the boats went out fishing for the first time and came back with enough Mahi to feed to the entire group!
From Highborne we ran south to Staniel Cay, where we swam with the pigs, jumped through the Thunderbolt grotto, swam with sharks and took a day trip on some local tenders to Compass Cay, where most customers said was their favorite spot.
After Staniel Cay, we ran back to Atlantis resort, where most people were able to check back into Wi-Fi, laundry, restaurants and water parks. It was a nice change from the out islands, and where we had one last big dock tail party on board Team Galati. Unfortunately, Bimini gave us some rain which stopped us from snorkeling the Sapone Wreck, but still had a nice group outing at the Big Game club for dinner.
From Bimini, we ran to Marathon and then home to Sarasota. This experience was a trip of a lifetime for our entire group. We were able to visit remote places that we would usually never visit. Getting the opportunity to be a part of a yachting community that values family time, new experiences, learning and exploring, we all would all go back in a heartbeat to experience it all again.
To get on the list for next year’s Bahamas Rendezvous, contact your Galati Sales Specialist.
