Reviews from
Past Charters
Don't just take out
word for it: read what some of our past shipmates have to say
about their SeaScape experience. And if you'd like to contact
some of our SeaScape references directly, just
email us and we can send you a contact list.
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G'day Diane and Rob:
Queen Agrapina & I returned to reality physically but not
mentally. We walk slower, panic less and smile moreas a result
of two weeks on Vassilis with you two and Punter Group 1. No
time to elaborate now--but it was truly the best two weeks yet
in our 30 yrs together. Thanks for all the effort and care you
put into making this so; I know how much there is to it.
Off to the treadmill now--our souls are still sailing with you--have
a terrific summer. You two are mighty special.
Terry & Nancy
B, Virginia
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After just one day back in England, last week's fantastic journey
seems an age ago; 5:30am alarm call this morning - followed
by a day trawling through 476 emails with the rain lashing down
outside! Many thanks to you guys for making last week such a
fantastic holiday. I had so much fun - great people - no stress
or deadlines. Great experiences, learning how to jive, listening
to Enya as we sailed with blue sky and sun...sleeping on deck
looking at the stars. Superb holiday!
Many thanks again and c u again for sure.... Sue Rennie, Essex,
UK
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Thanks for the memories!
I did use one of the shots from your screensaver on my screensaver.
Im
not sure I ever wrote to you after our trip to tell you how
impressed I was by the caliper of your skipper and his first
mate. They were 1st class in every single respect. Seamanship
- Mathews boat handling was the best Ive ever seen.
Teamwork - the way they communicated during maneuvers was a
model for every cruising couple, Concern for their clients -
when Barb returned to the Anna Maria the last day with a very
bad abrasion from my motor scooter fiasco they were compassionate
and medically agile. In summary, they instilled confidence and
created a relaxed, fun environment for all of us.
Best wishes to you and all your crew for the holidays,
Phil von H, Massachusetts
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......and
we'd just like to mention that our trips are now officially
"Veterinary recommended"!
Hello!
I hope you can pass
this on the wonderful crew that we had on our two week trip
in Sept/Oct. It was a trip of alifetime for me! I was aboard
the Anna Maria with Mathew and Jill. They were super hosts,
guides, chefs, and friends to all of us on the trip. Diana was
a first rate leader and organizer of chaos! How do you get bunches
of people from one place to the next so smoothly? Ray, well
, no one can order starters nor make his sailing companions
more at ease then he can. Cheers to you! Darryl, the backgammon
king and maker of outstanding bruchetta...good luck with your
future endevours! I have and will continue to highly recommend
Seascapes for the greatest sailing adventures!
Thank you from the
bottom of my heart!
Steva-the-vet
(ps...Diana, let
me know if you still need cats neutered..haha)
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Dear Matthew:
Don't know when - or even if - you'll get this but I wanted
to write to thank you for the wonderful time my wife Jadis and
I had aboard Anna Maria. You and Jill are terrific people who
made our vacation so much better than it might have been. We've
chartered a boat in Greece before, with a captain, that was
not one-half as much fun or as satisfying. Your and Jill's attitudes
and professionalism made all of the difference.
Best wishes,
Craig Blurton (Hong Kong)
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Hello Di and Ray !
Bradley, the girls and I wanted to drop you a note, thanking
you for the two weeks we spent as mates on your crew. What an
incredible experience for our family. We will forward you some
worthy shots when we get them back from the photo shop this
week. This was definitely a trip of a lifetime. In the meantime
many thanks for an unforgettable experience. Diana you are quite
gracious, it was a pleasure to serve on your "crew".
Warmest Regards, Sandy Burkett, Seattle
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Subject: Thanks lots and lots
Dear Di,
Sorry for taking
so long to write to say thank you for an absolutely brilliant
holiday!! Stu and I had the best time and for me personally
it was my break of a lifetime. When I got back friends have
said that they haven't seen me
this relaxed for years and years. The trip filled all my expectations
and beyond. It is not often you get good company, good times,
good food and wine in such a spectacular setting together all
at the same time. There were a few tears when we got to Mamaris!!
We've been in touch
with Tracy and Dan since we got back and I think that they will
be good friends.
We've also got our
photos back. Tell RJ we had a few decent sunset shots, and gratefully
Cardiff gave us a beautiful one when we landed too, so it didn't
seem so bad when we got back. The pictures have sparked a real
interest with our friends. A couple are getting married next
summer and have shown an interest in chartering one of your
boats with along with me, Stu and some other friends for their
honeymoon. Some people are very strange! The only potential
flaw in this is that they want to go to Thailand too and can't
decide!
Sorry if this letter
sounds a bit cheesy! We just had such a brilliant time... we
will be back.
Give my love and
hugs to RJ, Deb and Dave, and see you next summer
Tanya & Stu (Cardiff,
Wales)
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Diana and Carole -
Just
wanted to take the time to say a huge thanks and WOW for our
trip with the company. As was witnessed first hand by Diana,
our whole group had smiles plastered on our faces the entire
time! We really appreciate all that was done to make our group's
dream sailing trip come to fruition.
The trip was everything
we expected and more. We took to heart the information provided
on the website and the wonderful document "101 things to
know." It really was camping on water and was quite the
adventure! Although our entire group were pretty much first
time sailors, we were well-prepared for brief showers, shared
spaces with others, and living life in our shorts, swimsuits,
and sunglasses! Everything you said was right on - we were psyched
for the wonderful time to be had!
It was also great
to be put at ease about living on the boat for a week by our
skipper and bonus first mate, Matthew and Jill! The entire group
was thrilled with the personal attention and yet space they
provided for our group. Really, whatever we needed they provided.
Matthew and Jill kept us happy with fruit and nuts, Coke, Diet
Coke, rum and beer (because
that was all we ever asked for :>)!
And they always made
sure we were pointed in the right direction whenever we were
at a new island. They arranged scooters for us, got us maps,
even came with us at times to steer us in the right direction
! Yet we did have our own room and space on the boat as a group
- we were all amazed at how we could still have peace and relaxation
with eight of us on board!
We hope that we can
someday return to sail those blue waters. I have submitted my
story line to our military newspaper Stars and Stripes and certainly
hope it gets some business coming your way!
If you ever need
anything from us, just ask! We like to think we are part of
the sailing family now - like alumni? HA!
And a huge thank
you yet again! - Theresa (and Troy) Wesson, Germany
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Diane, I just wanted to take a minute out of your busy day to
thank you and Ray. We had an outstanding time. We are talking
it up here in Wisconsin in hopes that it will bring you some
business. We feel very lucky to have had really great boat mates.
We all hit it off! If you and Ray do Thailand or Tonga, let
us know...we want to go. Again, it was GREAT! Thank You! Tom
& Sue Hoffmann, Wisconsin
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Deanna & friends on her next trip with us, our Feb '03 Thailand
trip!
Just passing on my feedback from the recent Turkey/Greece trip
I took with you from 5/27/02 to 6/9/02.
My biggest fears
before I came on this trip were that I wouldn't like anyone
(or no one would like me!) and that I wouldn't like being on
a boat for two weeks. Both of these fears were immediately put
to rest the first day. I had an absolutely wonderful time.
I was very nervous
because it was my first trip overseas. I felt safe, comfortable,
and confident the entire time, thanks to you and the other skippers.
Ray, Matt and Jill, Charlie, and yourself were excellent at
operating the boats; pointing out the best shops, bars, and
beaches; stocking the boats with food and alcohol; and just
trying to make sure everyone was having a good time. I really
liked it that all of you were so laid-back and relaxed; I think
that really influenced everyone else to be that way also. Ray
was a great skipper and "galley bitch" - he made the
trip fun and provided lots of laughter for the group.
I was a little worried
about packing but found that I was able to get it all into a
carry-on piece of luggage. There was nothing I didn't pack that
I thought I needed. I was on the Angelina, and even though it
was the smallest sail boat, it never felt crowded. I got along
with 14 of the 16 people on my trip. We really became great
friends. Many of us are still in contact (wishing we were back
there on the boats) and will probably travel together again.
Turkey was my favorite,
but I liked Greece a lot, too! My favorite parts of the trip
were the Turkish massage in Datca, renting the motor scooters
in Pandeli and Patmos, the lunch stops the last two days where
we got to swim and explore, and the food (where else in the
world would I get to eat wild boar stew, roasted goat, and homemade
dolmades?). I thought the trip combined tiny destinations (like
Dirsek) and large destinations (like Bodrum) well. Anyway, as
our group got along so well, we had a good time wherever we
went!
I hope to take the
10-day sail in Turkey either this fall or next, so maybe I'll
see you all again. I am still going to send pictures and Udder
Butter as soon as I get it all together, I'm still trying to
get back into the swing of things in the real world.
Feel free to use
my name and excerpts from my e-mail - i'm happy to answer any
questions for prospective sailers if they want a traveler's
point of view.
Deanna Sanvi , Illinois
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Dear Diane:
Thank you for the trip of a lifetime. Who would have ever thought
that a boatful of strangers could have so much fun
and get along so well? Maybe it's because it takes a bit of
"adventure in your spirit" to sign upthat and
an Internet connection!
I'd say that the proof of our compatibility is that we've gotten
together since our time on Vassilis! Barry and Tracy were houseguests
for a few days when they came for a wedding in New York, and
Fran and Michelle were here for dinner last August. It's amazing
that even though we all came from different regions, we're able
to stay in touch. Now it's you and Robert's turn! We'd love
to see you again (either here or on a future trip)!
Hugs from both of
us,
Stu and Alex
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As
it is, I have not stopped talking about the trip since I got
back and would love to talk about it some more. I had a wonderful
time. It was everything I had hoped for. Hope everything is
going well out there on the clear blue seas. Tell Christie that
Mona and I now have a reputation for naked sailing. Every time
someone invites us out they make sure to mention that it will
be a clothed sailing trip and that we will have to control ourselves.
I guess there are worse things that we could be known for.
Thank you for the
wonderful time - Genevieve V, San Francisco
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I love talking about my adventure sailing trip to anyone who
will listen...so much so that my friends have told me that they
feel as if they were on the trip with Genn and I ! I am still
walking around braless and topless as often
as possible; in fact, some friends and I went out on the San
Francisco Bay a few weekends ago and of course all the men kept
telling me that they were just waiting for me to bare it all.
Unfortunately, it was only about 60degrees so they were all
very disappointed.
I have also taught
several party goers how to belly dance. It is quite a fun way
to get a party into full swing....no pun intended.... Mona P,
San Francisco
Coooooooooooooooooool!
I just realized I never thanked you for our Greek trip this
summer -- probably the best vacation I've ever had! Suzanne
M, San Francisco
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We're
back in the mainstream without jetlag, and we are filled with
love, memories and laughter. We shared our lives for what seemed
like only a moment in time, but the experience and friendship
will last forever for us. The trip was more than we thought
it would be... a credit to your hard work, planning and sense
of humor (which was tested on more than one occasion). Thank
you for a fantastic trip which we will be sharing in detail
with our friends at a dinner party this weekend.
Much love,
Molly and Pam, Seattle
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Just
wanted to add my own thanks onto the others. Our vacation was
truly incredible - it surpassed all my expectations thanks to
you and Rob and all the others. Beforehand, I think we all had
visions of killing eachother after the 1st week! But instead
the Vassilis was definitely a great place to be. I really hated
coming back to grey old Seattle--the more I think about it,
being a cucumber polisher doesn't sound half-bad! ;-)
We'll definitely have the party when you get back in town (hopefully
I'll get my belly-dancer top to fit by then)!
P.S. one year later.
. . "Of course you can use my email on your reviews page!
That trip is pretty much the reason I now live on the tropical
island of Guam...! :) "
Shelly Hughes, Guam
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Jack and Scarlett
and I threw our Turkey party Saturday....We did it like a show
and tell with Jack and me prancing around in our Muslim pants
to demonstrate our new found freedom. Then we brought out photos
of our artisans and told stories about Turkey and the products.
It went smashingly well!!
And guess what? People practically accused us of keeping Turkey
and SeaScape Sail as a long-lost secret and why didn't we share
this trip with others. Well, to keep the peace, I said I'd e-mail
you and find out when the next Turkey trips were scheduled,
but I was making no promises that you'd want them on board (hee,
hee, hee).
Well, here's to you
and your fabulous business! Thanks for a wonderful, memorable
time and all the directions.
Kate D, Kansas City
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Sally & I REALLY
enjoyed our week on Vassilis! Just an hour out of Kos Sally
commented to me that both of you
exude such relaxed competence we could see we were in good hands;
could kick back, let the sun, wind, and that blue blue water
(and Diane's tropical drinks!) do their magic. The group we
had on board meshed together well too. I sit here & chuckle
when I remember Bob saying he'd like to get Judy to massage
his feet like Colleen was doing for Paul; I said "Well,
Bob, you'll first have to learn how to wash your stinky feet,"
and Ken's whole body rumbled & quaked with laughter.
Many thanks for your hospitality, your friendship, and for organizing
such a great trip.
Drake Pike (Hong
Kong)
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Jane
and I want to thank you, Robert (and Mia of course) for a great
vacation. As a matter of fact, it was the best one we have ever
had. . .and we have had some wonderful ones. We really appreciate
the efforts you all made to make it as flawless as possible.
Hopefully we'll see you again - not next year, but the year
after - if everything goes well
Jon Emerson, Farmington,
CT
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As I sit at my desk on this cold, grey morning, it is hard to
believe that I last saw you in the taverna on the back side
of Leros where the sun was shining, the day relaxed, and the
schedule nonexistent. Our boatmates Bob and Bonnie sent us a
photo they'd taken of us drinking a glass of wine on the back
of the boat. Drake and I both looked at the photo, at each other,
and said, "Who are those people?" We couldn't believe
how relaxed we looked. Karen Atkinson, Seattle
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We were cc'd on
this msg to a "potential newbie"! :)
We had an absolutely great time with SeaScape. They were where
they said they would meet us and the trip was better than we
ever expected. I would really strongly recommend taking an adventure
with them. You just need to be aware it is a very casual sailboat
trip and not a cruise ship environment. The first one up usually
makes the coffee and you will usually have to peel your own
fruit, open your own yogurt and put on your own honey for breakfast.
We also took turns cleaning up the kitchen. The rule was he/she
who cooks does not have to clean!!!!
My husband and I went and everyone on the trip was new to us.
They were a very diverse and interesting group and it really
helped make the trip special.
The only advice I
would give is pack light. We took a lot more than we needed
to. Tevas, shorts, tops and swimsuits will pretty much take
you everywhere. You only need to make sure and have a pair of
long pants or for your wife a skirt and something that covers
her shoulders if you want to go into the monasteries or other
religious sights. They were really amazing and I would recommend
you see them.
We went in late June/early
July and it was very warm. We only had one evening when we needed
something a little warmer. If you are going earlier, ask Diane.
She knows everything and very helpful.
If you have any other
questions, feel free to ask me. I would be happy to help.
Judy R, Seattle
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