CONTESSA   GUESTS COMMENTS December 2007 Richard, Thank you for the wonderful charter we took with you aboard Contessa last week. We really appreciated all the hard work you and Denise put in to the trip. You adapted very well to the challenging weather we faced, and helped us make good decisions throughout the trip. We look forward to future trips with you! Regards, Paul & Autumn Manelis West Bloomfield, MI From Nichole Joseph Was the Crew friendly and Accommodating? Wonderful! I can't say enough how at home we felt-They are Stellar! Was the yacht comfortable and clean? Yes-the crew takes care of Contessa themselves, they love her. Was the yacht well ventalated? Yes Was the food good and well presented? Denise is an excellent chef. Did you like the area you sailed? Yes, beautiful Could we at Virgin Island Sailing have helped you further in anyway? NO March 2008 Richard and Denise, We all had a wonderful five days with you. Our family had long talked about a week of sailing in the Caribbean, and our cruise with Richard and Denise aboard Contessa was everything we hoped it would be. Contessa is a great cruising boat, beamy, high off the water and stable in very rough seas (which we certainly experienced!). It has a surprising amount of room, and six of us (all the men were over 6 feet tall) never felt crowded. And it is in excellent condition with all sorts of great toys--water skis, snorkle gear, a kayak and of course a dinghy. Denise's cooking was superlative, with lots of interesting Caribbean dishes, and she happily accommodated two vegetarian palates. Richard is an experienced sailor, an interesting guy to talk to, and very flexible in adjusting our destinations in response to changing weather conditions. We particularly enjoyed sailing to Anegada, which is not to be missed. We couldn't have asked for a better boat and crew, and look forward to doing it all over again. The Baker, Kelley and Stites Crew. A WONDERFUL BIRTHDAY! Dear Richard and Denise, We had a wonderful time on Contessa. The boat was extremely comfortable, very well maintained and your hosting was excellent. We felt like Kings for a week! Thank you for making my 50th birthday a truly memorable one which I will remember forever. Mario and Diego Wonderful Week We just got back from a wonderful week of sailing. The boat was excellent and Richard and Denise were delightful. We had an excellent time. You can recommend CONTESSA without any reservations. Thanks for the connection and hope to do it again()before 60!). Warm regards from NYC, Mario Egozi We Miss You! April 28-08 Hi Richard and Denise, We miss you already!! Thanks for taking such good care of us. Lots of love, Julie, Hadley, Noah and Bob May,26,08. Dear Mr. Majors, I was recently part of a five person charter on your boat, Contessa. I wanted to personally express how much we enjoyed our time on the ship and with your crew. We all agreed it was the most fun, relaxing trip we have had in a long time. Your crew, Richard and Denise, were fantastic. They were fun, accommodating, and warm. Plus, the food was fantastic. We could not have asked for better hosts. Your boat was absolutely beautiful, and we were proud to be on the most handsome boat in every harbor. Warm regards, Deborah Pan May 3-2008 Captain Richard was excellent with communication regarding where to meet and pick up times. We were in communication two weeks prior to meeting. He was available via cell phone for each of the passengers and he coordinated each of our arrivals. The boat was even more beautiful than we had expected. It was spotless from a cleaniness point of view and words cannot describe the beauty of this boat. Clearly the crew respected their boat and cared for it lovingly.It was very welcoming, flowers and potted plants made us feel at home. The crew was very professional and wore their uniforms, Contessa shirts. We liked their shirts and asked if they were for sale! Captain Richard was very knowledgeable of the BVI's, he was great at planning a tour of the BVI's for us, we enjoyed each of the places we visited. Despite the fact we had such a large boat we were excited to be able to visit Anegada. The boarding process was accomplished smoothly and on time. Each morning Denise prepared some form of fresh juice for us. We were a laid back charter and drank beer most of the time rather than liquor ,it was all of good quality and prepared just for us. We had wine as an option each night and the liquor was in abundance if we needed anything. The Food, where do I begin? We could not RAVE enough about Denise's ability to cook. The food was beyond our expectations and we found it incredibly difficult dicision to eat off the boat. Each day was a different breakfast,lunch and dinner with no repetitions. We Loved each dish she prepared and asked for her recipes, her Key Lime Pie ws unmatched anywhere else in the islands. We were amazed at the quality of food Denise was able to prepare in such a small kitchen!!! She is phenomenal and Contessa is lucky to have her! The boat arrived back on the dock on time and we were very sad to leave. We as a grup had never charter before and did not know what to expect, the crew immediately made us feel welcomed and comfortable. This trip was beyound anything we could have anticipated. Richard and Denise were amazing hosts, once the formalities were out of the way, the rest of the trip was laid back and informal. Richard catered to our every need and went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed including making sure the cooler was always full of beer.!! Richard judged our personalities and provided us with a catered charter that was a nice combination of relaxing and partying. He knew the best spots to snorkel and geat spots for cocktails( not to mention his great stories). Again, this boat was bautiful, when we were along side other boats in the harbors, CONTESSA glowed. The decision to have a mono hull to experiece true sailing was only further complemeted with the beauty of this boat. We hope to have another trip on Contessa in the future-as long as Denise is there to cook and Richard to be our guide. I woud heavily recommend this charter to anyone who is interested in sailing the BVI. Jillian McKay October, 2008 From: Cynthia Boehlke Subj: Re: what fun we had Date: Sat 4 Oct 2008 9.39 pm Size: 2K To: Captain Richard Hannah Dear Richard and Denise, Cynthia and I are grateful for having lived long enough to have met the two of you and shared the experience of a lifetime. You will soon recieve a remarkably well written and descriptive "log" of our time aboard the venerable Contessa. This is a gift to all of us, thanks to Cynthia, who started writing it the day we departed for Caneel Bay. It was difficult to say good bye after such a soulful, adventurous and comical five days together. Our BVI journey was proof enough that the "power of now" really matters and serves as a guide for living each and every day. I will complete my first reading of The New Earth this weekend and will start The Power of Now this week. It was more than a coincidence that you folks had already covered this essential spiritual ground. The hand of God was in it. As I type my eye wanders and takes note of the following reflection. " Your own mind....without anger....without fear.....without greed.....is the center of world peace." The absence of anger and fear also leaves room for the inner peace for which we have all struggled through disease and other challenges. Each day, we strive together, love together and find comfort together at the end of each day well lived. Our days with you in the bountiful and blessed BVI were just that way thanks to your hospitality, consideration, patient instruction and friendship. Rich P.S. My head of greying hair will never be the same. If the broadway show "Grease" makes a comeback, I might just audition for it. Or, "Moon" for the Misbegotten might be more appropriate. The next time somebody says, " don't look.....don't. Oct. 2008 October, 2008 ************************************************************************ How did you enjoy your cruising vacation? It was an unparalleled experience. We hope to do it again soon. How would you describe your Captain and crew? Were they Courteous? Helpful? Friendly? Attentive? Knowledgeable? Richard and Denise were the perfect crew and we felt that our pairing with them was providential. They were knowledgeable, friendly, funny, helpful. Richard’s experience sailing the BVI was helpful as we planned our itinerary and his stories kept us entertained in the evenings over dinner. We could not have asked for a more delightful experience – it was like going on a vacation with friends. Tell me about your meals? Did the menus meet your expectations? Denise’s Dominican background suffused all her meals, which were delicious. It was remarkable to see what she was able to create in that galley. Her apple pie, key lime pie and mahi mahi were especially terrific. She is a gifted chef and a wonderful hostess, always working behind the scenes to make everyone comfortable How is the yacht? Is she clean and well-maintained? Were your cabins comfortable? Contessa is a beautiful vessel and Richard and Denise keep her spotless. It is clear they take great pride in caring for her and in caring for her guests. The master cabin is roomy and comfortable. We were a little warm the first few nights, but Captain Richard figured out how to cool our cabin down before we turned in for the night, and that made it more pleasant. How did you find the pace and the itinerary of your vacation? Perfect. We trusted Richard’s advice to take advantage of good sailing days and managed to get to Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Norman Island and Jost Van Dyke. Saw a lot in five days and it was all due to his knowledge of how to make the most of the winds. Would you charter this yacht again? If not, please explain: Without a doubt. We can’t wait to sail Contessa again! What can Yates Yachts do to improve our services? Sherry, you provided us with wise counsel and great advice. You were always so prompt in replying to questions and to giving us every detail you could. We feel we found the right fit with Contessa, and Richard and Denise because of YOU! May we use you as a reference? Absolutely, anytime. Signed Cynthia C. Gorman