The arrival of summer means many are planning for vacations. For those looking to expand their horizons and truly get “away from it all,” they need look no further than Elkin’s own Captain Glen Martin. Martin is a US Coast Guard licensed captain with more than 30 years experience on sailing yachts and well as teaching sailing.
Martin offers small group and even customizable sailing trips in the Caribbean that will be unlike any other vacation experience.
“It was one of the most unique vacation experiences I’ve ever had,” said Amanda Edgerly, who sailed with Martin on an excursion to Barbuda and Antigua in 2022.
In June Martin will run the last trip of the 2024 season in the British Virgin Islands, prior to the start of hurricane season. The season for 2025 will begin in November of this year with additional trips planned for the British Virgin Islands. Other excursions in 2025 will include the south islands of Belize, the Renaissance Islands — Saint Martin, Saint Barts and Anguilla, and the Grenadine Islands.
Martin said he first began these trips back in the late 1990s with his company Island Hoppers, sailing around the Mediterranean. He now prefers the Caribbean and focuses on locations that have easy arrival access for guests.
“Belize is my new favorite spot,” he said. Guests can catch a direct flight from Charlotte to Belize City where they then taxi to the coast and board the sailing yacht. Once on board, it’s a completely immersive experience for guests, up to six people.
“We’re living aboard on the boat for six nights. We’re at a different island each day,” Martin described. “We’ll be at anchor by 2 o’clock in the afternoon and then we go ashore and we explore the islands, have cocktails at the local beach bars and sometimes eat in the local restaurants.”
It’s beach attire all the way, Martin said, with plenty of time to explore the local culture of each island and eat lots of fresh seafood.
“The restaurants are fresh seafood, sand floors, nothing fancy. We cook breakfast and lunch on board every day. We’ll have hors d’oeuvres at cocktail hour and we’ll do at least two, sometimes three, dinners on board and all of that is included.”
There’s a communal feel to the trip that appealed to Jeremy Evans, who has taken a trip with Martin.
“The very best part of my trip with Island Hoppers was the sense of belonging,” Evans said. “Sailing from place to place, you feel like you are an active participant in the places you travel, not just landlocked in some resort like a spectator.”
Martin said the price of these trips is less than what folks might expect.
“I often make the comment that you’ll spend more for a week at Myrtle Beach,” he said.
The cost is based on double occupancy. The vessels are four cabin/four head yachts and can accommodate six guests plus the captain and first mate. Martin said the June trip is priced at around $2,275 per person.
For less than $3,000 per person travelers will get an up close and personal view of the Caribbean, well away from crowds that might be at other vacation destinations.
“We go to out-of-the-way places, you’ll never see a cruise ship where we go,” Martin said. “It’s like your own piece of the Caribbean.”
To learn more about Martin and upcoming trips with Island Hoppers, visit sailislandhoppers.com
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