Train Routes

Dublin, Ireland — Phenomenal growth in the global yacht industry has caused many new boat owners to hire professional yacht delivery captains to skipper their boats on long or dangerous voyages. Yacht delivery skipper Graham Caswell of the http://www.delivery-skipper.com website confirms that the boat delivery industry is growing with international trends. “It’s relatively easy to buy a new yacht”, he said, “but sailing long distances through potentially difficult waters or weather conditions requires skills that can take years to learn”.

Recreational boat ownership is currently a $25 billion international industry and sales are growing annually at 5-10%. While sales growth will likely be lower in 2008 due to economic conditions, many motor and sailing yachts are pre-ordered and already under construction. There are waiting lists of up to three years for luxury yachts in the USA and Europe and so the international fleet of recreational boats will continue to grow strongly.

However sail training and sea experience lag far behind the growth in boat numbers. Learning how to handle boats safely, how to navigate and how to operate the often-complex equipment found on a modern boat can take years. The American Sailing Association and the British Royal Yachting Association operate training and certification schemes in the United States and Great Britain. But learning to sail is not as simple as doing a course – developing experience is critical.

“Often new boat owners will join a delivery skipper for the voyage to the boat’s new home”, said Caswell. “This helps them to get to know their new boat and gives them valuable sea experience, while the presence of a professional captain gives them security and confidence”. Caswell offers instruction to new yacht owners in such cases, as do most delivery captains.

But lack of experience is not the only reason that boat owners hire delivery captains to move their boats. Many wealthy boat owners are also very busy people and cannot afford to spend days at sea away from mobile phones and Internet connections. The average yacht will only move about 150 miles a day, so a long trip can take weeks that busy boat owners don’t have. Instead they want to be able to hop on a plane for a sailing holiday and have their boat waiting for them when they land.

Popular routes for yacht deliveries include from the United States to the Caribbean and back and from the boatyards of Northern Europe to the sunny marinas of the Mediterranean. Yachts are also delivered to major events such as yacht races or the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers in which hundreds of yachts sail across the Atlantic Ocean each year. And of course, the boats have to be brought back as well.

“In rough seas or on cold nights the job of a delivery captain can be difficult”, says Caswell. “But it also gives you the opportunity to see things that most people never see. You’re always on the move, meeting new people and travelling to new places.”

As boatyards continue to produce record numbers of motor and sailing yachts for busy boat owners who are often inexperienced with long voyages, it seems that yacht delivery captains like Caswell will be moving for some time to come.

These days, it seems that everyone traveling around Europe is either trying to do way too much in a short amount of time, or is being confined to a small number of cities due to said time constraints.Limiting oneself to one or two places may not be such a bad idea.  Certainly, you can get a much more in depth picture of the landscape then you would running through it at breakneck speed.  The major downside is that you don’t get to see anywhere near the number of sites you might like.  So instead, many people with a limited amount of time, instilled with a desire to see everything they possibly can, try and squeeze everything into a few days.  This creates some very serious travel concerns.  For Europe, the reigning strategy seems to be to get a Eurorail pass and shoot everywhere across Europe.Now, while this does get you to all of those destinations, people fail to realize that it means that 75% of your trip is going to be stuck on a train.  This isn’t some romantic ideal of the steam trains of the American frontier circa the late 1800’s, where a train journey really was the best way to see the countryside.  Modern European trains can reach speeds of 300 km/h, often shooting in and out of tunnels.  You aren’t really going to see much of the European landscape, instead, your entire trip will be a giant, nondescript blur.  It is also very stressful, making sure you don’t miss Train “X” every day, getting off at certain stops but not others for transfers, being impeded by the language barrier, etc.  What was supposed to be a vacation has now become a chore.

One option that people forget about is the boat option.  This cannot be done everywhere in Europe, to be sure.  But, for example, visiting the Rhineland is a fantastic way to see a good deal of Germany.  Here is an example of a Rhine River cruise where, in 9 days, you can get all the way from Amsterdam to Colmar, France…..seeing lots of famous sites in Germany along the way!  If you can afford it, I would definitely recommend it as a preferred method of travel.  Hop on and off the boat as it peacefully meanders through the sleepy, forgotten European countryside.  Here you will get a snapshot of the old Europe that many travelers feel has gone by the wayside.  This view that old Europe no longer exists is reinforced by the method of travel most tourists are forced into partaking: being crammed into the major cities, smack dab in the chaos and turmoil of modern urban life.  It is difficult, expensive, and time consuming to go off the beaten path, and as such most people don’t.  The boat affords a wonderful opportunity to  explore rural Europe, without the hassle, without the worry, at a relaxed pace.Furthermore, 9 days at a slow pace really isn’t a whole lot of time.  It is the sort of vacation most of us can swing once a year, the 1.5-weeker.  More difficult are the “I have one month to see all of Europe” trips.  Most of us don’t have the luxury of that much time.  But a trip down the Rhine, ending in a wine route tour of Alsace, France, is a surefire way to get the most bang for your buck out of a short Europe trip.

Adventure tours offer a level of excitement and exploration quite different from an ordinary vacation. This type of vacation typically involves a well planned out tour of not just one city or vacation destination, but several. Also, an adventure tour highlights cultural and historical sites and can involve at least some level of physical exertion; everything from coping with off road exploration to rafting and climbing. There are few continents on Earth which are more fascinating and diverse than Europe. For this reason, among others, there are few locations which are better to experience an adventure tour on than in Europe. Considering the amount of history which took place between European nations, there is much to be discovered. Also, the fact that Europe is comprised of incredible landscapes which are as distinct as the peoples who occupy them, a European adventure tour is truly an unforgettable experience.

An adventure tour on the European continent allows you to walk the very lands where so many of the adventures in ancient stories took place. If you are looking for an experience that will provide you with fond memories for years to come, you might want to consider some of the following tour destinations.

Scotland

Many people have a love affair with Scottish culture and history, so Scotland can be a wonderful destination for an adventure tour. When touring Scotland you can walk the highlands and the lowlands like the Scots of old, either camping in the wild or staying at a different Scottish inn each night. For those wishing to get in touch with Scottish culture, a Scottish adventure tour can be a dream come true.

France

If you don’t want to visit Scotland, France might be a better option. You might consider hiking the Haute Route, a mountaineering route that was designed to link Chamonix and Zermatt (which are two of the most well-known and beloved mountaineering areas in all of Europe.) You might also wish to go canoeing on the rivers of southwestern France, moving along rivers bathed in history as you can see castles and other historical sites from your seat in the canoe. There are tours that will take you through the Christmas markets of France, as well as the breathtaking cities of Paris, Lyon and Nice.

Italy and the Netherlands

If canoeing and hiking is not exactly what you’re looking for, consider taking a bike tour of Italy or the Netherlands. Both of these countries have centuries of history and culture for you to take in while enjoying the freedom of biking under your own power. Adventure tours are designed to take you through beautiful and culturally-important regions of the country, and are generally arranged so that you will have luxurious lodging each night to help you relax from the rigors of riding all day. Bike tours allow you to cover more ground each day than hiking tours do, so you will generally get to see more of the country as you continue your tour.

England and Ireland

If you are planning on visiting England, you might consider taking one of the hiking tours along Hadrian’s Wall. This wall stretches across the Pennines and is considered one of the feats of Roman engineering. By taking a tour along the wall you will be able to marvel at the length of it as you consider that it was built by hand… all while enjoying the beauty of the hillsides of northern England. Similar tours can also be taken in Ireland, where you can see the old rock walls that in many places are still maintained by the descendants of those who built them.

Greece

Should you want an adventure tour that doesn’t involve quite as much hiking, head to Greece or other locations in the Mediterranean where cruises are offered to let you experience the historic coastlines that helped to shape so much of Europe’s civilization. Unlike cruise lines which have you cruising on massive luxury ships, many of the Greek and Mediterranean cruises use smaller ships built in a more classic style so that you will know the feel of those ancient ships while learning about the culture that surrounded them. Adventure tours taken in this area can include visits some of the most beautiful islands and ancient locations in the world, such as Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Rhodes, Heraklion and Santorini.

European Adventure Tours by Train

Other popular European tour options involve tours by train. Most of Europe is connected by a railway system, and with a EuroPass you can take a train easily from one country to the next so as to enjoy the cultural and historical significance of each. You can visit the vineyards of France, the castles of Germany, and the markets of Italy with nothing but a train ride in between. Tours which are centered around train transport generally include your EuroPass in the price of the tour package.

Regardless of the type of adventure tour that you want to take, make sure that you spend a little time exploring the offerings of different tour coordinators so that you can find exactly the tour package that’s right for you. In addition to getting ideas for additional things that you would like to do while in Europe, you may be able to save money on the adventure tour that you take as well.

With the vast amount of different rivers and canals in France, and having such a varied landscape, you can be sure that you will be able to find just the right type of holiday for you and your family.

So, as you cruise along one of the rivers or canals at a leisurely pace you will get to see things that most people will never experience and each region also offers you the chance to experience their fantastic and sometimes unusual cuisine along with the incredible French wine that is as varied as the different regions.

Only a boating holiday in France will enable you to fully appreciate the idyllic countryside and architecture from Roman to Renaissance periods along with the beautiful chateaux that are dotted along the banks, with the added plus of the glorious weather to match, it is not like travelling along the Norfolk Broads in the United Kingdom most of the year, when you are guaranteed to get some rain or gloomy days!

There is such a wide choice available for your boating holiday and you can pick the area with the climate for you; the further down South you go, the warmer it gets, but don’t forget that whilst cruising along, you need to be on the right hand side of the river or canal, just as the roads are in France!

One point, a licence is required to be able to travel by boat on the French waterways, unless of course you only have something like a canoe! Basically, any boat that has a motor means that you have to have a licence, although temporary permits called La Carte Plaisance are available and are issued by the boat rental company or charter firm that you book with.

A la Carte Plaisance is valid only for a set period of time for any habitable boat, which is under 15 metres in length, but there is also permit available for your children to drive the boat if they are between the ages of 14 and 16, if you feel they have a good sense of direction! but this is a great way to get all the family involved in the fun, but you must ask for a La Carte Junior in order to be allowed to do this.

With many of the river guides today available in English, you can be sure that you will not miss any of the local attractions or delights on offer. You can find these guides along with extra information from the regional tourist offices, but these are also normally issued to you by the charter boat company before you set off on your holiday.

Choosing the part of France you wish to visit is so important to get the best out of your holiday and in the North West of France there is Brittany, which is an area known for cider and crepes, to the East of France were there are rivers and canals throughout the regions of Alsace and Lorraine and you will find this area great for experiencing a diverse landscape from rolling hills to forests, whilst trying some of the local French beer and crisp white wines that this region produces.

How about Burgundy within the centre of France which is a great place to experience local cuisine and fine wines and the quaint historical towns provide lovely afternoon walks taking a step back in time with the history.

Also, lets not forget the South of France, obviously with the more beautiful weather, you can experience travelling along the Canal du Midi, which is the oldest canal in Europe and runs from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, and at the same time you will be able to take in the amazing variety of wildlife such as flamingos whilst on your canal boating holiday.

Yet as with any country, there are always rules and regulations on how you travel the waterways, whether it be the rivers or canals and before you embark on your boat trip you will be given some basic tuition, so that you can be issued with your licence.

And did you realise that there are over 2000 locks in France, which are known as écluse? but don’t worry to much as Some locks are automatic and some are still operated by a lockkeeper, however others will need to be operated by yourselves, so the general ‘training’ is very important, otherwise you could find yourselves in a bit of pickle initially, although most people on the canals are so very helpful and will come to your aid if you get stuck.

Although the rivers and canals are used extensively by pleasure boats these days, they are also still used by commercial vessels as well and it is these merchant vessels that have the priority on the waterways, plus also the traffic going up stream has priority over those travelling down stream.

As with road systems, the waterways have speed limits and although you are not likely to wish to speed along, these do have to be obeyed, but, it is the left-hand side that is used for overtaking just as it is on the French roads, and the slower boat must also slow down more to let the faster vessel pass.

The condition of the French rivers and canals is excellent and you will find that they even have designated areas for swimming and water sports, because, for obvious reasons, swimming is not permitted wherever you feel like going for a quick dip, yet if you are into fishing, then you can even do a spot of this while you are meandering down the river – just don’t forget to get a licence for that as well!

Along your chosen route you will find lots of fantastic areas where you can stop for lunch and stock up on supplies for that ever so important alfresco dining whilst you are cruising leisurely along. You will find additional facilities alone the way which are necessary, things like emptying your waste, which has to be done at specific points, but these are also fantastic and are very easily accessible, as it is illegal to dump waste into the river or canal system.

So even if you have never done this sort of thing before, you will without a doubt have an incredible fun time and when your boating holiday in France is nearing its end, you know that no one will want to leave.