Chocolat and Captain Rollins
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The Internet forums have contained some glowing reviews of the catamaran Chocolat recently. Click on the picture to the right for a full-size image. First, a report from Kenny Schik:

"We spent a very pleasant day with Capt. Rollins on his catamaran, "Chocolat".\egc cost is $80 dollars per person, but includes lunch and all the beverages you would like to consume! We went snorkeling on Prickly Pear Island, had lunch on Sandy Island, and snorkeled at Little Bay. The sailing was fantastic, and Rollins is a great host. We were on the water for 7 hours. I recommend this for anyone. It was the highlight of our trip to Anguilla!" [email protected]

Then from Kathy Smith:"

"The best part of our trip was going out on Chocolat a 35' catamaran with Captain Rollins Ruan. He was delightful and very knowledgeable ... Chocolat takes a maximum of 12 people out at a time... He also does sunset cruises for 2-8 people at $50 per including hors d'oeuvres and drinks. Private charter are available for $360 for 1-4 people and $50 per person additional. Drinks included. If you want him to cater lunch, let him know. They will do that on request..." [email protected]

Your intrepid correspondent volunteered to go out with Captain Rollins Ruan for research purposes. Spending the day from 9:45 AM to 4:45PM on Chocolat was a great experience. Here are some pictures I took:

• Our captain in his blue shorts. Captain Rollins Ruan did a good job of transporting, feeding, entertaining and educating us, plus he took care to keep us out of trouble ("no climbing the rope at Little Bay").
• Prickly Pear is an offshore cay about 6 miles from Road Bay. Beyond it a few more miles is Dog Island, even bigger and with 5 good beaches. We dropped anchor at Prickly Pear to snorkel the reef, explore the beach along the lagoon, and eat our lunch of barbecued chicken and pasta salad. Rum punches started flowing freely. There are two beach bars on Prickly Pear, but both were closed. Although Prickly Pear is sometimes very busy with yachts and day cruises from St Martin, it was empty for our visit. The interior of Prickly Pear has a mangrove pond, but does not invite exploration without good shoes and protective pants.
• Another picture of opening the anchor hatch as we approach Prickly Pear.
• Sandy Island. We sailed back toward Road Bay and stopped in the lagoon at Sandy Island. Again we were alone. We swam, snorkelled and our Captain bought us a round of drinks at the small beach bar on the islet. Sandy Island used to be the most photographed spot in Anguilla, since it was a beautiful narrow island about 25 by 150 yards with a calm shallow, reef protected lagoon on the leeward side, covered in swaying palm trees. Since Hurricane Luis it has come back, except that it doesn't look the same without the tall coconut palms. New ones have been planted but they are only about 7 feet tall. Next season they should be fine. The beach bar has been rebuilt and is very nice--we all played with the waitress' young daughter. The snorkelling on the reef was good -- many species of tropical fish to see.
• Little Bay. We continued on to Little Bay where we had a close encounter with a turtle that Junior Fleming spotted. For your information, the turtle was discovered while exploring just to the west of Little Bay.

For more visitor pictures of sailing on Chocolat, click here and also try here.

To book a trip, phone 264-497-3394 or email ruan@anguillanet.com

 Revised: 2001/6/13

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