For the first time ever, a representative from the Caribbean has participated in Ford Models’ Supermodel of the World Contest held this past January.  St. Lucian beauty, Cathy Daniel, was introduced to the international fashion world amidst a throng of 50 aspiring models from all over the world.

 Speaking about beauties—check out the 72′ ketch, Ayacanora.  Named for the beautiful and willful heroine of the Charles Kingsley classic, “Westward Ho,” she is a stunning yacht with unique appointments.  For your comfort, Ayacanora’s three double staterooms each contain an ensuite bathroom.  A spacious area midship consisting of the main salon and dining room is the epitome of well-appointed nautical style and grace.  Captain Mike and Chef Roberta will customize your cruise!  In addition to tailoring your menu to meet your food and beverage preferences, they will be your personal guides, sailing you throughout the islands and taking pleasure in seeking out idyllic anchorages and catering to your every need.  Click the link to learn more about the Caribbean sailing yacht Ayacanora.

There’s a big hullabaloo going on in the British Virgin Islands, specifically in regard to Beef Island. The short synopsis is that a developer wants to put up a resort with 600 villas and a golf course in the Hans Creek area of Beef Island, while the Virgin Islands Environmental Council says the development would damage a protected fisheries area, thus making the proposed new construction illegal. All parties are headed to court on May 14. (Learn more about the case here.)

One of the groups that is staunchly on the side of preserving Beef Island as it exists today is the BWI Charter Yacht Society, as charter yacht owners want to keep the islands as beautiful as possible for guests wishing to cruise there on vacation.

Close to a dozen charter yachts that regularly cruise in the area have donated to the cause, including Promenade, Swish, Serendipity, Viking Dream, Sandcastle, Fantasy Island, Shellete, Free Ingwe, Aldebaran, Jet Stream, Endless Summer, Best Revenge 5, and Caribbean Dream.

These are often significant contributions. The folks on Promenade told me they donated $3,000 off a charter they’re doing this coming weekend because they felt it important to try to preserve the cruising area from which all Virgin Island charter yachts benefit. This is a 65-foot trimaran, not a 150-foot motoryacht. When the weekly rate for the yacht is $18,000, giving away $3,000 of it is no small percentage.

I congratulate the aforementioned yachts for their leadership efforts on this issue, and I encourage any of you readers who have enjoyed cruises in the Virgin Islands–or who intend to visit the islands in the future–to support the cause these yachts are spearheading. Click on over to the website of the BVI Heritage Conservation Group and get involved today.

And of course, if you’re environmentally minded, keep these specific charter yachts in mind when you decide where to book your next cruising vacation. One way to support the cause is by supporting those charter yachts that are taking a leadership role on green issues. Contact any reputable charter broker to book a week onboard.

Well, it’s official: I’m now hearing from reputable charter brokers that American clients are forgoing their usual Mediterranean charter bookings for this summer because of the dollar’s weak standing against the euro.

I can’t say I blame them, what with $1 being worth about 0.64 euros as of this morning. I myself went online yesterday to purchase airfare for the Genoa charter show in May, and the ticket price was more than double what I paid to fly the exact same route last year. When I see a plane ticket price that contains a comma, I pause. No wonder Americans used to paying $50,000 for a Med charter are balking at the realization that they’ll need more than 77,000 euros to get the same quality yacht this time around.

The good news for sticker-shocked American clients (and for European clients who want to get a lot for their uber-powerful euros) is that prices have remained steady on yachts in summer destinations that typically generate less buzz than the Med, including the Bahamas, New England, the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Charter yachts in these locations almost always operate in dollars, and because there is historically less demand for them than for boats in the Med, their prices are usually competitive to begin with.

I’ve done charters in all of these destinations, so if you’re curious about what you’ll find if you skip the Med this year, you can begin your research right here on CharterWave. Check out my features about charters in the Bahamas, in New England, in the Pacific Northwest, and in Alaska for more details.

And don’t fret. I enjoyed every one of these places just as much as I enjoy the Med. Just look at this beach in the Exumas part of the Bahamas:

The fact that you’ll be able to feel like you’re getting a bargain while being on vacation in a place like this is only going to make these destinations even better as charter options.