February 2024 BVI Charter
As someone who’s usually at the ready with an entire arsenal of words to express my gratitude what can I say that hasn’t been said a thousand times before? Suffice it to say that there amazing experiences in one’s short time here in the earthly realm and then there are peak moments that simply redefine what it’s like to achieve those stellar, pinnacle heights of wonder, joy, balance, exhilaration and complete relaxation all at the same time. Those extraordinary and total bliss moments when mind, body, and spirt combine to create what I like to call a “well being attack!” Nirvana! Every moment on board Wanderlust had us thinking “it can’t get better than this! and then the universe says “Hold my Beer.”
I’ll leave with thousands of wonderous memories etched forever on my heart and the deepest gratitude for all these two lovely lights did to ensure we’d have the best experience in the BVI, Ever. A few highlights-the 5 star cuisine and magic created daily by chef Katie. Somebody needs to award this amazing young woman a Michelin Star. (I did figure out her secret ingredient after hours of close observation… it is love combined with sprinkles of magic.
Shhh
Francois has somehow managed to accumulate quite the impressive list of talents and expertise in his 24 years on earth-Chief among them the ability to observe and deliver exactly what his lucky charter guests require seconds before they’re even aware. Look up the word conscientious in the dictionary and there will be his image. Thanks to his observant, patient, intuitive demeanor I was able to put my aprehensions aside and experience one of the best dives ever after a 30 yr hiatus.
Both Katie and Francois possess skills above and beyond the usual checklist of the standard resume. Skills that can’t be taught in any school, but exist only on an entirely different level. Suffice it to say-those attributes left me feeling nothing but extraordinary gratitude and blessed beyond measure!
January 2024 BVI Charter
I’m writing to share the amazing experience we had (6 total guests) on Wanderlust a few weeks ago. My husband and I have been on crewed charters 6 times now in the VI/BVI’s over the years (including other yachts in the Charter Caribe fleet) and have always had an amazing experience and have been very happy. However, this experience on Wanderlust was so far beyond wonderful that I seriously think we will be forever unable to find any other boat/crew that lives up to this one.
The Yacht: Wanderlust is beautifully appointed for luxury cruising and adventure. Elegance is evident everywhere-from the high end glassware and table settings, to the bedding, the décor, artwork and bar stock. She is equipped with a wide variety of water toys and high quality dive gear enough to keep any guest occupied with choices for ocean fun. Other wonderful extras include an ice maker, filtered water on demand, high end coffee/espresso maker and a custom fly bridge with tabled seating (generally only seen on larger cats). Did I mention the on-board air compressor to refill scuba tanks? The cleaning products and body wash/shampoos on board are environmentally friendly, the boat is meticulously clean and the entire boat has a soft fresh scent that kept everything feeling so fresh for the entire week.
The Crew: The crew on Wanderlust exceled so far beyond any other crew we’ve experienced in our time chartering. In all our other experiences there were areas of excellence that stood out on that particular trip as compared with others. And there were areas that were good, but not as good as other experiences. For example, when comparing the gourmet quality of food or skippering skills or divemaster skills etc., every crew we’ve experienced had significant strengths in some areas but not all areas. In the case of Wanderlust, I can confidently say that this is the only crew that exceeded expectations in every area. I have a hard time expressing everything I loved about Katie and Francois but I will try to briefly summarize here.
Katie: It’s no wonder Katie has won so many awards for her cuisine. The beautiful presentation of each meal and the variety and quality of the ingredients was superb. Edible flowers, fruit and desserts gilded with gold leaf and many other fine touches graced each dish. The meals were as beautiful as they were delicious and rivaled the cuisine of a 5 star restaurant. I don’t think any restaurants in the islands could compete with Chef Katie’s food and presentation. We also appreciated the wine selection and how thoughtful each evening’s wine choice was for the meal served. Katie is a cheerful, wonderful conversationalist and absolutely loves preparing a good theme night, of which we enjoyed two while on board! So much fun!!!!
Francois: what an absolute treasure of a captain and skilled skipper and divemaster! Francois is professional and super friendly. It’s clear he enjoys making each experience special and is able to pivot plans on a moment’s notice to optimize guest comfort, preferences and safety. As an example, we had several experienced scuba divers onboard who were interested in multiple dives but also had a large north swell that week. Navigating the need to find a dive site with good visibility for the divers and shelter from the swell for the non-diving guests was no doubt challenging but Francois checked all the boxes for us. I also want to note how skilled and professional he is as a divemaster and how well he assessed our skills as guest divers and lead us on some amazing adventures. I always felt very safe (and I have certainly experienced the opposite on charters) and the onboard dive equipment was meticulously maintained. Beyond this, Francois’ pride in maintaining and operating a top notch sailing yacht is evident in everything he does. He is always attentive to everyone on board, having the toys ready for use right away, drinks poured and to safety. We enjoyed spending many hours with Francois on the flybridge while underway sharing stories, sailing tips, learning more about yachting and the BVIs. Cap this off with his excellent bartending skills, generous local knowledge and his cheerful kindness and helpfulness and, well, what else could you ask for in a captain?
As a team, Katie and Francois are an extremely talented crew and execute the thousands of details that make an experience special with professionalism and grace. They are very special.
I know I haven’t captured everything that made our week on Wanderlust so incredible and I’ll probably think of many things I wanted include here once I hit the “send” button, but suffice it to say, we are completely over the moon about Wanderlust, her crew and the memories we made during our Jan charter week. Please feel free to share with whomever might be interested in chartering and the charter broker community. Thank you so very much!
Sincerely,
Nicole
Thanksgiving 2023 BVI Charter
Katie and Francois
One week on Wanderlust was more than a great vacation. The two of you made it exceptional! We wouldn’ change anything about this trip. The itinerary was great, providing stellar opportunities for snorkeling, hobie cat sailing, and island exploring. In addition to being a great captain, Francois was attentive to our requests and spent so much time making sure our grandchildren experienced the water sports. Every meal and charcuterie board created by Katie was a gourmet delight-beautifully served and beyond delicious. ! She went so far beyond our expectations making sure the different dietary requests were incorporated in every meal. This was truly a vacation of a life time.
None of us will ever forget Katie’s Thanksgiving feast and how welcome and homey she always made us feel. We will be making our best attempt at recreating her amazing food as part of our holiday traditions from now on.
Francois’ wine pairings were perfect and so were his hand-crefted cocktails!
We dreamed of a vacation like this for years, but the two of you made it much better than we imagined!
The Suttons
November 2023 BVI Charter
Katie and Francois,
Where do we even begin? This trip was a lifelong bucket list item for Michael and now our favorite trip for all of us! From the moment we stepped aboard Wanderlust to the moment we left it was perfection. You curated the perfect days-the flow of the trip was ideal. And not having to make a single decision beyond paddle boarding 🙂 made it a true vacation.
Kate, your meals were 5-star!! I mean tuna sushi after Eric reeled a tuna in off the back of Wanderlust-you can’t make this up! We loved being surprised by your gourmet, beautiful creations-truly an artist. Throwing the most beautiful birthday celebration, you made 40(ish) the best birthday yet!!
You two and this experience, all 6 of us together has changed us. We truly hope our paths will cross again and we wish you more joy and adventure.
Endless Gratitude!
We love and miss you
-Michael and Andrea
-Eric and Moe
July 2023 BVI Charter
Dear Katie and Francois,
Thank you both for the vacation of a lifetime. Every moment was unforgettable from the fabulous welcome, the amazing meals, the thoughtful details, the yummy drinks, and beautiful beaches! We enjoyed both of your company so much. You are both so sweet, funny, knowledgable and made every day PERFECT! Thanks for your patience while we learned new things. Thanks for sharing your stories and enriching our lives. It will truly be difficult for any future vacation to match up. Please let us know when your recipe book is available. The Olympics was so fun and added another layer of fun! You truly thought of everything and are a terrific team! Please come visit us down in NOLA.
Wishing you both continued success!
With much gratitude and love,
-The Allams
June 2023 BVI Charter
Dear Katie and Francois,
Thank you for an incredible few days aboard Wanderlust. When we first arrived with our gaggle of excited kids who could barely contain their energy, you were both poised and patient, so thoughtful and attentive to all our needs. The kids fell in love with both of you.
Katie your cooking was fantastic. You also have such a delightful and positive lightness of being that was a pleasure to be around. We relished every minute of our time with you. I cannot tell you how appreciative we were of the effort you made to coordinate so smoothly with Windward for our tandem. The details and special effort for the 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration were above and beyond! Thank you again!!
-Valerie
April 2023 BVI Charter
Could not have even imagined how amazing this trip has been … over the top on every scale… Francois and Katie, your involvement in our time made it all the more perfect! Amazing and not able to surpassed.
Love you both
We had the best week with long time friends and making new friends with Katie and Francois! Your hospitality was the best ! We ate wonderful food everyday- too much! We stopped in all the fun spots- The Baths, Bitter End, Saba Rock, Cooper Island, Soggy Dollar, Foxy’s, Anegada, and many more. We have to last a lifetime.
Thanks so much,
We loved every minute
xoxo
Kathy and Ed
Thank you for your gracious and fun vibe while keep us safe and so well fed while we lived on Wanderlust for the week! The rest and relaxation plus activities were balanced perfectly. So grateful to share this gorgeous corner of the world with you and good friends! Two small words don’t seem enough, but Thank You Katie and Francois!
Love, Maria
We had such a fantastic time in the BVI. Thank you for making us feel so comfortable on the boat and for all of the special touches you did to make everything great! The food- OMG-was phenomenal. Katie you are a wonderful cook . Francois, we loved playing games with you and the captains drink was a highlight of everyday. Best of luck on all your new adventures, together. We will miss you and think of you often!
xoxo
Margaret and Mark
April 2023 BVI Charter
Katie and Francois,
Where to begin? I”l start with this-this was our most favorite vacation ever! We expected beautiful waters and warm sun, but we are leaving with new friendships in the two of you and so much more. Your hospitality has been incredible-always so easy going and willing to jump in and play with our 3 girls! Katie aka Julia Child, your cooking and presentation is what would be found at a 5 star restaurant. You made Easter so special for the girls-creating bunny fruit plates and an Easter cake. We will be dreaming of your meals back at home. I don’t know how you do it all every day. Francois, you are one of a kind! Teaching the kids how to tie all different knots during our long sails, always finding the perfect beaches and bays, leading us on the most fascinating dives and hearing about you firsthand experience. Thank you both for these lifelong memories that we will truly never forget. We know that living this life can be hard for the family that misses you, but know that you are touching lives like ours and creating meaningful memories for them. What a gift to share this life together-we are rooting for you two. You are one incredible pair. Please come visit us in Newport Beach, CA.
Love and Gratitude,
the Acosta Family
March 2023 BVI Charter
The Wanderlust adventure will be one we’ll always remember. We enjoyed the food, snorkeling, and new friendships with Katie and Francois.
-Cindy and Mark
This experience was amazing! Exceeded all our expectations. Wanderlust is gorgeous. Our crew was the best! I highly recommend. Our entire trip was amazing and would love to do it all over again. Blessings to all!
-Bryan and Deanna
This was our second charter, and Wanderlust far exceeded our first adventure. The crew were hospitable, helpful, accommodating, and most importantly professional. They always had an eye on us to make sure we were having fun, but safe.
The food was 5 star-every meal! The evening “captains” cocktails were imaginative and was a great way to start a relaxing evening after a day of snorkeling and adventure.
The boat was immaculate and comfortable…beds were better than most hotels!
Special thanks to Katie and Francois.
-Randy and Cindy
March 2023 BVI Charter
This was our first charter experience, and we couldn’t have been any luckier! A beautiful brand new boat, decorated perfectly. Francois and Katie made us feel comfortable. It was so easy to transition to “island time.” Our only request was that we didn’t have a busy itinerary, and Francois and Katie delivered! We got to see new places (and some old). We love the BVI!! Every spot is unique in its own way and has different things to offer.
I can’t believe I made it this far and haven’t mentioned the food! WOW!! So much, beautiful, great tasting food. Katie is hands down the best chef! Stuffed from dinner, someone would always mention how they couldn’t wait til breakfast the next morning. Literally everything we ate was the best! Fresh lobster from a passing fisherman was a special treat!
Wanderlust is always spotlessly clean and smells amazing. It’s funny how it seems to have been made for this crew. I’m not sure what more we could have asked for. This trip is our favorite, EVER.
We can’t thank you enough, Francois and Katie!!
The Websters
February 2023 BVI Charter
We love Katie and Francois!
You two are the best. Katie is the best cook/baker, best tea maker, one of the sweetest people you have ever met, always in a cheerful mood. Katie makes every dish unique and very flavorful, and she is very attentive to everyones needs. Francois is the BEST Captain ever! Katie and Francois made our experience on Wanderlust AMAZING!!! Our beds were made and cleaned everyday right when we woke up and turned down perfectly every night before we went to bed. The interior and exterior of the boat was always clean and tidy. Everything at all times smells so fresh and clean on Wanderlust! Overall, what a beautiful boat and wonderful couple. We loved going to Soggy Dollar, Saba Rock, Bitter End and Cooper Island. We had so much fun but our fun and experience was easily heightened by Katie and Francois.
February 2023 BVI Charter
Wow!! How to start to describe our week with you is tough… We loved every moment on board Wanderlust with the two of you. Francois and Katie you made our week together absolutely amazing. We loved the scuba diving (especially wreak of the Rhone and seeing the planes and 2 sharks), exploring new places (Anegada-the scooters and scavenger hunt were great fun!), fishing (though we never did catch the big one… next time!), the food…wow, we ate so much… it was all so delicious and beautiful! The Wanderlust itself is beautiful, spacious, comfortable, (esp. loved the time sailing with you two), the daily special drinks and the table set ups, and helping us do everything… it was all perfect…and all done with a smile. We can tell you love it here and that love is infectious!
And I can’t forget- “We saw a whale!!!!” Will never forget that. Thank you for a very special week! We hope to be able to sail with you again.
Please reach out to us if you ever come North to Virginia or our Delaware Beach-we’d love to have you!
Until next time!
Claire, Mark, and Gang
Jan 2023 BVI Charter
Dear Capt and Kate,
We can’t thank you enough for creating a spectacular week for all of us. You both were perfect hosts and went above and beyond.
Glenn and I loved our time on the Hobe cat and I cant thank you enough for not flipping it while I was on.
The meals you created were beyond and one was better than the next.
We loved exploring Anegada with you, so glad we were able to make it there. We are so lucky to have been your maiden voyage. You both will be very successful and we wish you all the best in the future!
Love
Lisa and Glenn
PS I will keep working on my napkin folding. thank you for the lessons.
Dear Kate and Captain,
Thank you Thank you for a fabulous voyage! Truly everything was fantastic. The food was beyond what we expected and delicious!
The boat was kept so clean and neat. The excursions were all so well planned and enjoyable. Hard to focus on one highlight when everything was a new, fun, and yummy experience. You guys are a great team!
Thank you for everything and smooth sailing!
xxox
Kathy and Henry
2023 arrived with a gift-Wanderlust arrived in time for our group to be their first charter!
Captain Francois and Chef and amazing first mate Kate are experts at what they do, but besides being a wonderful crew-they made us feel cared for and shared their knowledge and love of sailing, boating, and the BVI.
Thank you for an amazing week!
-Martia and Bob
