Best Yachting Hubs For Crew

The season is starting and we wanted to share some of the best places to socialize in, relax, meet new people and keep yourself busy while looking for a job… Or, maybe you are back from a long charter and you want to go a bit wild and spend those tips on some cocktails and dancing! Have a read at these great places and activities around the world perfect for yacht crew.

24 March 2015

Fitness in Antibes

First off is the lovely Antibes, the largest yacht hub in the Mediterranean with a rustic old town and busy summer tourist vibe. The town is filled with potential yacht crew trying to find their first job, crew re-visiting or crew coming back from their Caribbean season to relax or party and then start all over again in the Med.

A great way to keep yourself busy while looking for work or if you are just looking for a new hobby is yoga!
Antibes is filled with studios and private instructors that teach yoga. It is especially good in summer when you can venture outside and stretch out near the docks or on the beach.

Sometimes crew find it too complicated to have a monthly gym subscription so companies like Hatha Yoga School Antibes and Groove Yoga are perfect as they do drop-in classes starting from 20euros per class!
Paddy Warwick's Bootcamp © https://www.facebook.com/paddywarwickpersonaltraining
Sometimes, when you aren’t working or when you are in limbo between jobs, you get a bit lazy and lose motivation… Another way to keep yourself fit, energized, and focused is Paddy Warwick’s Personal Trainer Bootcamp! (PWPT)

Paddy Warwick is a personal trainer who lives near Antibes and since founding PWPT has collated over 10,000 hours of Personal Training contact time with clients of all sorts; the general public of Antibes and surrounding areas, mothers, high end clients, international rugby and rowing teams and many more. Paddy trains in Parc des Bouillides – a park in Valbonne & often on the IYCA in Antibes, to find out more information visit the website – if you think you can handle it!

Water sports in Palma

© hochzwei
Ever tried scuba diving? Now is the time. Palma de Mallorca has some of the most beautiful waters, and we know the perfect team to teach you! ONDINE diving are a world-class diving operation based out of Palma de Mallorca. The team has the highest-class of instructors, made up of marine biologists, with top of the range equipment. Contact our office and we can put you in touch!

Another cool activity that you could try is stand up paddle-boarding SUPing! For anyone who doesn't know what it is, it is basically a surfboard shaped contraption that you stand on and instead of lying down and standing up to catch waves, you kneel or stand and use your paddle to gain speed and steer on flat water! It is so much fun and definitely something you need to try if you haven’t already. Most stand up paddle-boarding activity takes place in Can Pastilla in Playa de Palma, where you will find the two best SUP centres. El Niño Surf Center was the first centre in Palma who started specializing in SUPing…

Palma also has a club called ‘Club de SUP Mallorca’. You can ‘like’ their facebook page and keep up with paddling events, races and groups going at the same time.

St Maarten Beaching

© Krisspao
Whether you are heading over to the Carribean for a job, to find work or doing a crossing on a yacht, there are hidden treasures, unique places and some absolutely breath taking sights over there.

The first thing you cannot miss out on, is Sunset Beach. It is located in front of St Maarten airports’ runway. You can literally lie on the sand while being underneath a plane coming into land on the runway! Unreal!

You can also get a 30 minute ferry across to one of St Maarten’s sister islands, Anguila. It is the ‘paradise beach’, crystal clear water, white sand, sea turtles - a heavenly deserted beach, with one or two bars and nothing much else… peace, quiet and a little piece of heaven.

Ft Lauderdale Pampering

Ritz-Carlton
We all need a little pampering now and again. When you go over to the States for the first time, you want to look your best! Harbor Nails on SE 17th Street, in Fort Lauderdale is the best one that we have found, and we always hear great reviews! They do all sorts from nail and beauty treatments to eye lash extensions… treat yourself ;)

If you and a friend want to feel famous for a day, try out the Ritz-Carlton hotel… breathtaking views from your very own balcony! There is a luscious spa to fulfill your every need… and favoured by celebrities, the whole hotel just looks like something from a movie. Go celebrity watching, for a swim or try a spot of golf on their private course!

Breathe and Relax…

Eating in Viareggio

We all know the Italians love their food, and we have come across a real gem. Ristorante Amaro is an Italian bistro and the perfect place for a romantic meal, business dinner or special occasion. Naturally it is Italian cuisine, with a careful selection of fine meats, pasta, homemade desserts and an extensive fish menu. Is your mouth watering yet? Without a doubt, do not miss this restaurant when visiting Viareggio… The Chianti is too good to be true!

As time goes on, more and more people are choosing to lead the Vegan lifestyle, so we found a little place that would be suitable for this option. Taverna l'Assassino is a little vegan restaurant near to the shipyards of Viareggio, with boasting comments from members of our bluewater team, the restaurant proves delightful from start to finish (finish being - their undoubtedly delicious homemade desserts!)

Get your dancing shoes on in Barcelona

La Terrazza
How many weeks have you been counting down to finally reach Barcelona and finally take some time to yourself. Well you’ve arrived and you want to get your dancing shoes on. Go out shopping, break out your new outfit, get your heels on and let’s get some shots!

La Terrrazza is now in its 16th year of throwing summer parties... It hosts a variety of international and local DJs, and also has some particularly good local residents to have a boogie with, but expect a more commercial side of house music. It’s a little hard to find, so keep taxi numbers on hand, but worth it.

Something a little different… Barcelona’s I AM GLOBAL festival, which takes place in June, at Illa Fantasia. It is the ultimate Water Park experience, yes I said Water Park with over 30 DJ’s we guarantee that you will be dancing all night long! The festival is over a few days and hosts over 12,000 people daily, with bars, food outlets and selected pools open all night! Fingers crossed the boss isn’t onboard that weekend!

Adventure in Antigua

Antigua Safari
If you are lucky enough to have a few days off to go out adventuring in Antigua, make sure that you visit the Island’s safari. Trek through the muddy trails and rugged back roads of Antigua! You can get an up close look at exotic plants and animals, and get stuck into the outback of Antigua!

One last thing that you cannot miss is the Bird Island snorkel! Enjoy a day out in the sun on the Bird Island Snorkel tour. This tour is designed for beginners and is a great way to spend a day out in the water and relax!
We hope that this list of exciting things to do around the world has helped, and you can look back on it when you next dock up somewhere new! If you have some better places for us to feature in the future, send us a quick email on club@bluewateryachting.com