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Miscellaneous

Natural Cures for Seasickness

Written by Capt. Noah on Friday, 07 June 2013. Posted in Miscellaneous

Motion sickness is the body’s natural reaction to being unbalanced and it is directly related to travelling; whether via car, train, bus, airplane, boat, escalator, lift or any other mode of transportation. Seasickness is the motion imbalance that many people experience aboard ships and boats when out on the ocean. It is extremely common and very unpleasant; with sufferers having little or no warning signs and turning extremely pale in a few short moments.

This article is dedicated to helping victims alleviate their symptoms without the need for medication. Natural cures for seasickness are few, but there are ways to overcome this debilitating problem. There are various home remedies available on the internet; none of which have been scientifically proven to cure motion sickness. Once you understand that seasickness is caused by the brain’s reaction to unnatural movement, you can cure seasickness. The only way to do this is to constantly find a rhythm with the motion that puts your brain back in balance with your body. You can acclimatize yourself fairly quickly and effectively “overcome it”. Prevention is the best cure. Here is the most effective guide for overcoming seasickness naturally:

Recognize your symptoms: Your earliest symptoms need to be known in order to react to them and stop them escalating. Everyone experiences different initial symptoms but they are almost always repetitive. Generally yawning and drowsiness appear first. Then victims feel extremely lethargic and experience abnormal tiredness. These early warnings are so often unnoticed because people are already tired from standing watch.

The next symptoms to appear are usually an awareness of the stomach that turns to nausea. Sweating becomes evident, the face pales dramatically and hands start feeling clammy. Other common symptoms are flatulence, belching, salivating and an excessive need to urinate. Concentration becomes extremely difficult and eventually the nausea will come in waves, increasing in frequency until vomiting inevitably occurs. As these attacks continue, they happen with less warning than previously.

React to your symptoms: Do something about your symptoms as soon as you notice them. Walk around and find something to keep you occupied. Reduce visual conflict by focusing on something that is fixed still and not rolling with the waves. By staying amidships or aft you will experience less motion stimulus because pitching and rolling in the waves is less severe there.

There is a technique called “Horizon Viewing”. Use it because it works. Find a place where you have a clear, wide view of the motion around you. This will help your brain to anticipate the motion and your body will respond kindly. Use oncoming waves, clouds, distant sails and the horizon as references.

Go with the flow: If you lie down or lean passively against objects, the motion will be worse and may even toss you around. You will not get better by doing that. Instead, sit upright and relax your body while finding the rhythm of the motion.

Use your chest and neck muscles to keep your head and shoulders balanced over your hips as the boat moves. This is called “Riding the Waves” and it is far easier to do than fighting to hang on. It is also less tiring. When you feel well enough, then stand up and walk around. Find something to do while developing your sea legs.

Talk about it: Do not keep your seasickness to yourself. Communicate your symptoms with the captain and other parties onboard. Seasickness is common and almost everyone has experienced it at least once, probably more. There really is no need to be embarrassed and your captain should know some tricks that will help you. For example, by changing the course slightly the boat’s motion in the waves can be reduced dramatically.

Go on deck: Avoiding visual conflicts becomes easier when you minimize the time spent below. If you start feeling queasy then go on deck. This broadens your visuals and allows you to train your brain to anticipate the motion again.

Set a pace: If you have duties to attend to, pace yourself. You can keep your symptoms under control by taking regular intervals for some “Horizon Viewing” or “Riding the Waves”. Every few minutes (or when you feel your symptoms returning) then take a break. Increase your peripheral vision by expanding your view of the horizon widely.

Think forward: By anticipating your needs, you can keep your symptoms in check. Bring everything you will need with you onto the deck to eliminate the need to return below. For example; rather dress warmly. You can always remove clothing, but you will need to fetch more if you are underdressed.

Abstain from alcohol: Alcohol directly affects your vestibular system. If you are a sufferer and have consumed large quantities of alcohol, then you will soon feel dizzy every time you or the boat moves. We do not recommend climbing onboard if you are hung over from the night before. It is almost certain that you will get seasick.

Keep hydrated and replace lost nutrients: Those who have continual bouts of vomiting will soon feel weak, drowsy, confused and experience apathy. Even if you are feeling queasy, you need to force yourself to eat food in moderation and drink plenty of fluids. Even if you are unable to keep it down, small amounts ingested frequently will reduce the loss of fluids, glucose and electrolytes common with vomiting. You will soon feel better if you can keep yourself hydrated and replace any lost nutrients.

There is a great deal that you can do to prevent seasickness and even cure it once you know its causes. By teaching your “balance brain” to subconsciously and naturally anticipate the next wave, you can control the symptoms. Until you have learnt to adapt, you can use techniques such as “Horizon Viewing” and “Riding the Waves” to help alleviate sickness. Remember that these work best when you catch the symptoms early. If you do get seriously ill, then these guidelines will make the experience less unpleasant and will aid in a fast recovery. The best way to get over seasickness is to go sailing, yachting or deep sea fishing regularly. Fortunately, this is the most enjoyable method of them all.

Low Price Guarantee

Written by Capt. Noah on Wednesday, 05 June 2013. Posted in Miscellaneous

About our Low Price Guarantee on Fishing Charters

boat-direct-pricesYou may have noticed that we advertise a "Low Price Guarantee" or "Boat Direct Pricing" throughout our website. This is a fundamental piece of the value we deliver to our customers and is therefore something we take very seriously.

Our low price guarantee applies to private charters booked through us on our website or over the phone and reads like this:

If you find a lower price from any other source on any boat in our fleet we will beat that price by 10%

This means that when you book through VIP Fishing Charters you can always have trust that you are getting the lowest price on the boat that we book you on. We never mark up the price of our trips and you will always pay the same price as if you spoke to the boat's captain or owner directly.

If you have questions about our low price guarantee or if you have found a lower price elsewhere please call us and we will make sure you are taken care of.

We hate fine print, but we also like to be transparent and thorough. There are a few conditions when were are not able to beat a lower price:

  • After the time of purchase
  • When the trip, boat and/or desired time are different
  • When the price has not been advertised or quoted in writing
  • Promotional offers on group deal or flash sale sites such as LivingSocial or Groupon
  • Shared charters
  • Special events, packages, and vacation rentals

Manny Ramirez Fishing Charter

Written by Capt. Steve on Tuesday, 30 October 2012. Posted in Miscellaneous

Manny Ramirez Fishing Charter

A couple of months ago we had the pleasure of taking out Manny Ramirez on one of our fishing charters.  VIP Fishing Charters books a lot of charters for celebrities including professional athletes.  Most of them want to be discreet and don't want us posting pictures of them.  Manny was nice enough to pose for picture with Captain Paul out of Miami.  Manny had a great day with friends and family on the boat and we look forward to taking him fishing again soon.

Gorgeous Wind Map

Written by Capt. Noah on Tuesday, 30 October 2012. Posted in Miscellaneous

Gorgeous Wind Map

This may look like a piece of modern art, but it's actually an experimental wind map designed by some clever folks over at hint.fm. By using live wind data from the National Digital Forecast Database, the map renders wind speed and wind direction. The screenshot above was taken the morning of Tuesday, October 30, 2012, the day after Hurricane Sandy made landfall in the northeastern United States.

I wish they had included sea surface wind, but this still gives a pretty good indication for what the coastal winds look like, which can be very helpful for fishing.

The map is showing west winds for South Florida which should help lay down the rough seas from the past week. We just had our first cold front in South Florida and you know what that means? Sailfish time. I'd recommend heading out on one of our charters in Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, or Miami.

Source: Hint.fm Wind Map

Sport Fishing Miami

Written by Capt. Steve on Tuesday, 25 September 2012. Posted in Miscellaneous

Sport Fishing In Miami

Sport Fishing Miami is one of the most popular attractions and tourist draws to the city.  Sport fishing actually means fishing as a sport not to survive or for a profession.  Any type of fishing for recreation can be considered sport fishing.  Just like hunting, fishing is considered a sport.

The different types of sport fishing in Miami are bass and freshwater fishing, fly fishing, saltwater fishing,  pier fishing, and deep sea fishing.  Most of the time in Miami Sport Fishing you are competing against yourself to catch the biggest and most fish. The most competitive type of Miami sport fishing is a fishing tournament.  Anglers from all over the Miami-Dade county compete in different fishing tournaments through out the year.

Each type of sport fishing in Miami is unique and requires a specific skill set.  One might think that freshwater sport fishing in Miami would be a lot easier than deep sea sport fishing, but each requires a ton of skill and ability.  Miami is unique in which it offers almost every type of sport fishing.  

VIP Fishing Charters can arrange any type of Miami Sport Fishing.  We are not bias to any kind in particular and work with only the best sport fishing charters and guides in Miami.  Join us for a sport fishing trip and let us help you compete in what we consider the best sport in the world!

  

Fishing Guides Miami

Written by Capt. Steve on Monday, 24 September 2012. Posted in Miscellaneous

Miami Fishing Guides

There are over one hundred fishing guides in the Miami area.  The best fishing guides in Miami have been fishing the local waters for years.  There's no other way to become an expert at anything including fishing without constant practice and repetition.  What makes a great fishing guide is first of all being able to catch a lot fish that you want to target.  Fishing guides in Miami usually have a specialty.   Some examples of types of Miami fishing guides are: deep sea fishing guides, inshore and bay fishing guides, and flats guides.  A fishing guide specializing in one of these types of fishing may not excel at a different type of fishing.  Making sure you choose the right type of fishing guide is important to the overall success of your fishing charter.

Another important characteristic for a Miami fishing guide to have is a personality to match your groups.  If you are a novice angler who has never been fishing before, a fishing guide who enjoys teaching and has a lot of patience would be a good fit.  Some of the best fishing guides are very intense and competitive but don't have the patience to teach newbies.  We have Miami fishing guides with range of personalities to fit all sorts of clients.  Some anglers want fun and jovial guides while other want more intense serious guides.

Get in contact with us so we can find out your needs and match you with the perfect fishing guide!

Miami Corporate Fishing Charters

Written by Capt. Steve on Monday, 24 September 2012. Posted in Miscellaneous

Corporate Fishing Charters In Miami

Our corporate fishing charters in Miami are a step above the competitions.  VIP Fishing Charters truly differentiates itself from all of the fishing charter operations in Miami when it comes to corporate and higher end fishing trips.  We understand the importance of cooperate fishing charters in Miami.  The quality of the fishing charter reflects upon the person in charge of booking it.  We make sure our Miami fishing charter captains bend over backwards to make sure you and your corporate guests have an amazing time and catch a lot of fish.

Catering is available on all of our Miami corporate fishing charters.  We can pretty much arrange any type of catering our guests request ranging from deli sandwiches, to sushi platters, to filet mignon.  If needed we can even provide a steward who will be in charge of serving food and beverage to the passengers on our Miami corporate fishing charter.

For larger corporate charters in Miami we like to hold mini fishing tournaments between multiples boats.  This keeps large groups on separate boats connected with one another and builds team comradery.  

If your corporate fishing trip is looking for some wow factor allow us to arrange a banner plane to fly over top your fishing boat with a slogan or message you would like the passengers to see.  No request is too much for us at VIP Fishing Charters.  Your satisfaction is our number one priority on your corporate fishing charter.  Click here to view some of our Miami Coorporate fishing boats.

   

Westin Diplomat Fishing Charters

Written by Capt. Steve on Thursday, 20 September 2012. Posted in Miscellaneous

Fishing Charters Near The Westin Diplomat

We have amazing fishing charters located 5 minutes from the Westin Diplomat in Hollywood, FL.  Our fishing boats are the nicest in the area.  Book you fishing charter directly through us and avoid choosing the wrong fishing charter.  We can arrange multi-boat corporate fishing charters for guests staying in the Westin Diplomat.  Our Westin Diplomat fishing captains are family friendly and great with kids.  Our boats typically hold up to six passengers but we have different options for larger groups.  

Our Westin Diplomat fishing charters is the perfect activity if you are looking for some excitement while staying at the hotel.  On any given day our fishing charters catch sailfish, mahi, tuna, swordfish, shark and more.  Our repeat clients will tell you "Book your fishing charter with VIP Fishing Charters, because it doesn't get any better!"  

We can accommodate all of your charter needs.  Catering and hotel pickup is an option on all of our fishing trips.  We'll clean your fish at the dock so you can take it back to the restaurant to have it cooked up for dinner.  Our captains and crews will go out of their way to make sure our guest have the best experience possible.  Give us a call today!

Today is National Rum Day

Written by Capt. Noah on Thursday, 16 August 2012. Posted in Miscellaneous

myers rumFishermen rejoice. Today is national rum day. Rum is to fishing like hot dogs are to baseball. Although if you're a novice, you may be better off sticking with beer or coke. Either way, Forbes magazine has a great article about different types of aged rums.

There's nothing like being out on the water and making yourself a delicious rum cocktail. My old favorite is the rum and coke AKA "Cuba Libre", but after a recent visit to Newport, RI, my long time favorite was eclipsed by the "Dark & Stormy". The Dark & Stormy is a delicious combination of dark rum and ginger beer. My favorite dark rum is Myers, which has a unique flavor that you either love or hate, but if you're in the hate it group, there are plenty of other dark rums out there to try, Goslings Black Seal is a little milder.

So if you're going on a fishing charter and have the wearwithall to throw back a cocktail or too, celebrate National Rum day with my new favorite drink.

 

Destin Fishing Charters

Written by Capt. Noah on Wednesday, 15 August 2012. Posted in Miscellaneous

destin fishing boat back down 2 3 720

Over the last several months we have been expanding VIP Fishing Charters throughout the State of Florida. In total we are now in over 100 cities and the list keeps growing. Our mission has remained the same of helping our customers identify the best fishing charters in a given area and giving them expert unbiased advice on planning their fishing trip.

In addition to our VIP Fishing Charters website, we are also creating city specific websites such as Destin Fishing Charters. Here, we have a unique site with unique information tailored specifically to fishing in Destin.

We've taken a lot of cues from our VIP Fishing Charters site, such as providing providing large fishing photos and clear information. We've added additional features like interactive maps showing where our Destin fishing boats are located, as well as better fish information pages with great Destin fishing photos showing off the different fish. We've also incorporated our on page fishing quote request form to save people a step of having to click to another page to make an inquiry.

So, if you're considering planning a fishing trip in the Destin area, stop by our new site, or just click on over to our Destin page on our main site. We have two of the best fishing boats in Destin with great captains and crew.

Best Fishing Boats At Hillsboro Inlet

Written by Capt. Steve on Friday, 03 August 2012. Posted in Miscellaneous

Fishing Charters At Hillsboro Inlet

Hillsboro Inlet has some great fishing charter options.  VIP Fishing Charters has narrowed the fishing fleet down to the best boats at the Hillsboro Inlet.  In general the Hillsboro Inlet has nicer and better maintained boats that a lot of other Marinas.  My pick for the three best fishing boats at this particular Marina would be... in no particular order:

Killin Time Fishing Charters with Captain Tommy Oberrander on his 53' Hatteras.  Captain Tom has run a countless number of fishing charters from Hillsboro Inlet for VIP Fishing Charters and I can honestly say every client has only given amazing reviews.

Quetzal with Captain John Whitelaw on his 45' Hatteras.  John is an owner operator and takes great pride in his boat and reputation.  His boat is always spotless and icebox is always full of fish.  You can always count on the Quetzal to bring back happy group of clients.

Ringmaster with Captain John Castelli on his 53' Hatteras.  I think most of our clients are blown away by the value of this charter.  This boat is as nice as it gets in South Florida with out breaking the bank.  Captain John is enthusiastic young captain who consistently gets rave reviews from VIP clients

All three boats mentioned above are available for charter out of the Hillsboro Inlet year round.  We do a lot multi boat charters with these great captains for corporate events and parties.  

Give us a call and we'll put you on the boat that best fits you and your party's needs!

Fishing Charter Gift Certificates

on Monday, 23 July 2012. Posted in Miscellaneous

Fishing Trip Gift Certificates

We now offer fishing charter gift certificates due to a large number of requests.  What makes VIP Fishing Charter gift certificates unique is that we allow our clients to redeem the certificate at any of our locations.  For example if you someone orders a $500 dollar gift certificate for a family member in South Florida they can choose from all of our different boat and charter options and apply the amount to the trip.  People ordering fishing charter gift certificates can also pick a specific boat and trip and pay the full amount.  Once a gift certificate is purchased the recipient can contact VIP Fishing Charters at any time to reserve the fishing charter of their choice.  Some of our clients have already ordered our fishing trip gift certificateds for corporate raffles and charity auctions, birthdays, and holiday gifts.  We can't think of a better gift or prize then a private fishing charter with friends and family.

 

Sample Gift Certificate   

What is deep sea fishing

Written by Capt. Noah on Wednesday, 04 July 2012. Posted in Miscellaneous

bradenton-fishing-charters

Deep Sea Fishing generally refers to fishing on an ocean or other large body of water. The term has become synonymous with sport fishing and most commonly refers to fishing charters. It is somewhat unusual to say, “I went deep sea fishing” when referring to one’s own boat. On the other hand, if you ask someone “where’s a good place to go deep sea fishing?” chances are they’ll know you mean “where should I charter a fishing boat?”

There is no definition as to the depth that deep sea fishing takes place at. You could be deep sea fishing in 40 feet of water or in 4,000 feet of water.

Deep sea fishing usually takes place on private charter fishing boats that are chartered (rented) for a period of time. Deep sea fishing charters typically include the boat, a captain, and often a mate as well. The boat has all the necessary equipment, including rods, reels, bait, and other technical items, required for fishing.

Short trips usually include the price of fuel, but longer trips as well as trips on high end fishing yachts typically add the cost of fuel on at the end.

Yacht Explosion Hoax

Written by Capt. Noah on Tuesday, 12 June 2012. Posted in Miscellaneous

Yesterday, the United States Coast Guard received a distress call from an unknown caller claiming that a yacht called "Blind Date" with 21 people on board had exploded off the coast of New Jersey. The calller reported that everyone had escaped from the boat and were in life rafts.

The Coast Guard immediately dispatched air and sea rescue units and the NYPD sent two of their helicopters, but found no signs of life rafts or distress of any kind.

As a result the USCG is now saying they believe the call was a hoax and is offering a $3,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the phony caller.

Besides the obvious cost to taxpayers of dispatching a massive search and rescue operation, incidents like this unecessarily endanger the lives of the men and women who we rely on to rescue us and are truly despicable. Our judicial system seems to think so too. If convicted, the phony caller could receive 10 years of prison time and a $250,000 fine. 10 years sounds reasonable, but I wouldn't be shocked if an operation like this cost more than $250,000 to put on.

 

 

5 Father's Day gift ideas for Dads who love saltwater fishing

Written by Capt. Noah on Tuesday, 01 May 2012. Posted in Miscellaneous

Fathers Day Fishing Gifts

tavernier-key-guys-yellowfin

Does your Dad already have a collection of "world's best Dad" mugs? Does he just go out and buy toys as soon as he wants them, leaving no time for well intentioned children and family members? If so, here are five clever gift ideas for Dads who like saltwater fishing in Florida

1. South Florida Peacock Bass Fishing Charter

Heard of a Peacock bass? The crazy fighting fish from Brazil that some schmucks brought to Florida and now is taking over our canals? Yeah that one. It might be bad for the environment but it sure is good for anglers. These beautiful fish are best caught from a small boat with an expert guide with the right equipment. We've got just the guy and your dad should be pretty stoked, especially if he's never done this before.

2. Williamson Live Mackerel Dredge Bar

Kite fishing is a popular way of catching sailfish, but a lot of the pros are recommending using a dredge. This dredge bar comes pre-rigged with 9 baits and 6 spoon flashers to get those sails excited. 300-lb. mono throughout makes it sturdy and Live Mackerel are pre-rigged and swim upright at 1-7 knots. The dredge includes an easy-to-rinse mesh bag.

3. Leatherman Charge TTi Multi Tool

Building on the success of the Charge AL and ALX the TTi rules the world of Leathermans. Is there such thing as having too many Leathermans? Your Dad probably says "no, there's no such thing." Besides a host of obvious tools, the TTi has a sculpted titanium handle that won't rust and is comfortable and lightweight.

4. GoPro HD Hero 2 Outdoor Edition Camera

Waterproof, shockproof, nearly bullet proof, the GoPro HD Hero 2 is a great gift for any outdoors or fishing enthusiast. For Dads who love to fish, we recommend the Outdoor edition complete with headstrap mount. Although the headstrap looks pretty ridiculous it's the best way to capture Dad's next fishing fight – err you know what we mean – and it's also great for Blair Witch reinactments and inane frat house humor your Dad loves.

5. Ultra Luxury Fishing Charter Aboard a 65 Foot Viking Platinum Edition Sportfish

Unless your Dad belongs to the top 1% chances are he doesn't have a 65 Viking Platinum Edition sport fishing yacht. This 65 foot boat – we mean yacht -- is complete with luxurious staterooms, flatscreen TVs everywhere, a top of the line entertainment system, and fishing equipment and tackle all at a tournament level. Sure, a day on the water will run you almost $4,000, but that sure beats the $3+ million price tag. And for that price, the owners even been good to pay for the first 20 miles of fuel. What a bargain!

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