ABBY NORMAL TO GUESTS COMMENTS

March 2024 BVI

We had a wonderful week aboard Abby Normal To, a 51’ catamaran based in Tortola, BVI. The boat is very comfortable, with four attractive, cozy double cabins and plenty of great places to sit, eat or relax outdoors, in sun or shade. The Captain, Richard Hallett and the first mate/chef, his wife Shannon, are lively, fun companions on your journey. Seasoned sailors originally from South Africa, they know the great spots for snorkeling, shelling and beach walks. (Ask them about their sail across the Atlantic!) Shannon’s cuisine is truly excellent - it seems a miracle that such flavor and variety can come out of that galley. But, if you want meals and amusement ashore, the Halletts are happy to oblige with recommendations and reservations. The boat can be filled with music, from your playlists or Shannon’s, and the Starlink internet is strong and consistent. There is plenty of snorkeling equipment aboard and there are lots of fish and critters to see. Unlike some catamarans that are only really used as power boats, this one sails, too, and is glorious when those sails are up. Whether you want a quiet adult vacation, a family getaway or a party trip, the Halletts and Abby Normal To will take great care of you!

January 2024 Family charter

Best family vacation yet! Such a magical week with Captain Richard and Chef Shannon. They were both truly AMAZING - from their knowledge of the islands to introducing us to so many spectacular places to the wonderfully delicious meals to just their kindness and hospitality - we couldn't have asked for a better couple to sail us around the British Virgin Islands. The catamaran was spectacular - very clean, spacious, comfortable, beautiful. Even after 7 days and nights of fun - from sailing, snorkeling, paddle boarding, hiking, swimming, kayaking, fishing, relaxing, enjoying sunrises and sunsets, playing games, lots of eating and drinking, exploring, etc, etc - none of us were ready to leave (and we already can't wait to go back)!

May 2023 -Couples - Wonderful crewed catamaran in the BVI

We had a wonderful trip on board the Abby Normal Too with Captain Richard and his wife Shannon who was our amazing chef. Rich did a great job of balancing some of the fun stops we had seen online prior to visiting the BVI and quiet secluded coves where it felt like we had a private island to ourselves. I would highly recommend a crewed trip with the Moorings.

Nov 2022 - Abby Normal To with Captain Richard & Shannon

Our 3rd BVI charter, this time with our adult kids and spouses. Best experience yet!! Richard and Shannon made us at ease from the get-go. Weather was a bit iffy . . . Richard made sure we got to the places we wanted to see and dodged some of the rain clouds. Shannon's culinary skills are simply . . . amazing!!! Portions were perfect, presentation was gorgeous and the all important taste . . . DELECTABLE!!!
Beverages of choice were a plenty and excursion suggestions were on point. Really enjoyed spending an evening at Saba Rock with them! Well done! :)

Reviewed October 26, 2022

Our experience, delayed 2.5 years by Covid, exceeded all expectations. Of course, BVI has glorious sailing grounds, but our Captains, Richard and Shannon, crafted out custom adventure, refined by years of experience and skill. BVI provided the canvas & pigments, “Abby Normal To” was the brush and Richard & Shannon were the artists that carefully apply the brushstrokes to create a perfect vacation masterpiece for us.

The beautiful vistas surrounding our vessel each day were varied & dramatic. We experienced a few rain showers, each lasting only minutes & mandated calling “all-hands-on-deck” for rainbow watch. We were frequently rewarded. I personally most remember the colors of sunrise and sets, cloud formations and the infinite hues of the waters as we sailed.

Three, five-star meals + snacks were crafted by Shannon, then presented by Richard each day. Chicken, salmon, shrimp, calamari, duck, etc. as well magnificent salads, homemade & fresh-baked, crusty sour dough breads plus delicious desserts flowed from the galley; the products of Shannon’s skillful hands. Repeatedly, our crew raved over the cuisine, finally exhausting our superlative vocabulary, leaving us with just “WOW”.

We are now planning our next R&S Sailing Adventure!
Date of experience: October 2022

October 22- 29, 2022

Richard and Shannon,
Thank you for a wonderful trip. We were welcomed with balloons & birthday cake to celebrate a few milestone birthdays. We'll take many memories home with us from this trip.... the rainstorm on Anegada and our epic trip on the mokes back to the ship, the rave/techno dance off with Richard, the inspirations and Shannon's amazing cooking. & start of her cookbook we hope she titles "160 charters" and what we hope to see a new tradition starting of Abby Normal To white clothes parties of Foxys!
Thank you! Rahme, Jackie, GreAnn etvc.s

May 2022- Amazing escape to the BVI

A perfect vacation sailing the beautiful BVI with wonderful friends! The ‘Abby Normal To’ was in tip-top shape with all the amenities and gear needed at our disposal. Each day was smooth sailing, snorkeling, swimming and a new adventure…from the Bubbly Pool splash to the sparkling Anegada beaches. We enjoyed every minute of our vacation, including flamingo sightings and fun visits to Willy T’s, The Bitter End, Saba Rock, The Bee Line and the Rum Distillery at Cane Garden Bay. Another highlight was an exciting adventure with Kelly’s Tours to Conch Island and incredible snorkeling at Horseshoe Reef. Aside from the all the fun adventures, we still had plenty of time for rest and relaxation aboard the spacious and comfortable ‘Abby Normal To’. A huge shout out to our exceptional and engaging crew! Richard & Shannon provided valuable and interesting insights, accommodated our every need and delighted us with the most delicious meals. Best trip ever!

April 2022 BVI

We just returned from a wonderful, crewed charter in the BVIs on the "Abby Normal To" hosted by Richard and Shannon Hallett. Over the years my wife and I have done 7 bare boat charters in the Caribbean,starting with the BVIs in 1972. My goal for this trip was to introduce my family to the pleasures of sailing in beautiful places. We were a very diverse party, ranging from my 10 year old grandson to an 80 year old great grandfather. Although I might have qualified as a bare boat skipper, I chose the crewed option to reduce the stress on the entire party. Boy was I right!!
Richard was a competent sailor who was very flexible about our itinerary and was willing to teach and share duties at the helm. At one point when we were anchored at Anegada we rented a small Hobie cat and Richard volunteered to give each of the two boys individual sailing lessons. Richard also helped us find a local fishing guide for a half day excursion to Horseshoe reef. The boys had a great time catching bar jacks,grouper, and barracuda. Just as we were leaving, my son hooked a very large fish. After a 15-minute fight on very light tackle he finally managed to land a 15 lb Mutton snapper
Shannon was an exceptional chef. Every meal was an event! beautiful presentation and fine dining flavor. In addition, she was willing to provide matching quality alternatives for my youngest grandson who did not eat meat. Because she knew the local vendors, she was able to obtain the freshest ingredients for each meal.
I can't finish this review without mentioning the boat. A 50 ft, 5 cabin catamaran. What a treat for an old sailor! New additions since my last charter 15 years ago included a desalinization system which allowed for freshwater flushing in the heads, state of the art navigation electronics, power winches which allow single handed sailing from the helm, an elevator for launching the dingy, and great performance under sail. We averaged 10.5 knots on a reach from Virgin Gorda
to Anegada with a 17-knot wind. In addition, I would like to note that the boat was designed to be friendly to us seniors who may have a bit of a problem with balance. There was no place that I could go on the boat where there was not a secure hand hold.

Jan 2021 • Family - Awesome New Year’s Charter

Sailing vacations are the best way for our family to be together, to relax, enjoy swimming, snorkeling, paddle boarding, kayaking and great scenery. Our family had a wonderful vacation on Abby Normal Too with Richard and Shannon over New Year’s. Shannon prepared great food and Richard provided endless entertainment and great advice on where to go and what to do. The BVIs are a great place to go with lots of beach bars and fun anchorages. Can’t wait to go again.

December 2020 - Enjoy the BVI without the crowd!

We've been chartering in the BVI for since 2008 and our recent two-week trip (starting Dec 1st) may have been one of the best yet. Yes, the entry, testing, and quarantine protocols were inconvenient. On the flip side, we felt safe with how the BVI Gov was handling the reopening and the protocols Moorings has in place. The gov was/is still getting the kinks out of testing and notification logistics, but Moorings was behind the scenes working with them to make it easy for us. Out sailing catamaran, ABBY NORMAL TO, was in tip top shape and ready to go. We spent the first 5 days "quarantining" (??!) on a beautiful boat in lovely uncrowded bays while enjoying exciting day sails. On Day 6 we had The Baths to ourselves! The ABBY NORMAL TO crew, Richard and Shannon Hallett were awesome and took us to places we'd never been before. Shannon's meals were 5-star! We really felt the BVI Love. Everyone we encountered went out of their way to be friendly and welcoming. We are planning our next trip already.

Jan 2020 • Couples - Happy Canadians on “Abby Normal To”

Outstanding in every way. Richard and Shannon felt like family by day one and went out of their way to make our holiday more than we could have imagined! With a group of 7 including several “wanna be” captains, Richard taught us a lot about sailing and showed his amazing patience numerous times. Shannon’s not only an amazing chef but her sailing experience and tips were very valuable.
Shannon’s meals were outstanding-when you can wow seven adults for seven days in a row- you are one talented chef.
They took part with us in many activities, from snorkelling tours, videoing, story telling, just great hosts!

I have been in the travel industry for many years and have seen and visited many destinations. As a senior travel consultant I can guarantee you that this is a trip of a lifetime and Richard and Shannon made the difference!

“YIP. YIP!!

Thank you Richard and Shannon for a fantastic trip!