Fun in The Sun With Anguilla's
Rum & Reel Charters

 
 

By: Louise Fayet

Fun in the sun is a shore thing when you are at sea with Rum & Reel Charters!

Established in 2019, Rum & Reel Charters boasts one of the sweetest boats to grace Anguilla's waters. Meet Rum & Reel's 50' vessel, Striker...

All Aboard Striker!

A three decker boat that stretches 50' long, Striker has rich history. Originally from St. Maarten, Striker was a diamond in the rough. The Rum & Reel team spotted her in the St. Maarten boat yard and envisioned all that she could be. After months of extensive renovations and re-do's, today, she sparkles.

Built with passion, Striker is fully outfitted for luxurious days on the water. Rum & Reel's charter boat is unlike anything you have seen yet. Let's start at the top...

All Aboard Rum & Reel's Striker

Rum & Reel's Captain Claude Richardson (aka Punky) has a phenomenal view from the top! Yep, the driver's seat is set way above the sea in the Crow's Nest. The Captain's Crow's Nest offers 360° panoramas of Anguilla blue.

Captain's Crow's Nest

Downstairs, the spacious outdoor deck beckons you to lounge the afternoon way. Equipped with a comfy day bed, this is prime location for catching sun-rays and taking in the refreshing sea breeze.

The Main Deck

Want to escape the sun? Striker's interior is plush! Lined with soft seating areas, power outlets, a flatscreen TV, bar and even custom Lacoste towels, nothing has been overlooked.

Lacoste Towels

There is also a bathroom and seating area further inside the main cabin.

Of all the areas on Striker, our favorite has to be the Bowsprit...

I'm Queen of The World!

There is no beating the feeling of standing above the water, watching Anguilla's blue water move beneath you.

Traveling in-style? Check! Drinks? Check! Snacks? Check! As for destination? Rum & Reel's five-star team, Captain Punky, First Mate Brandon Bradshaw (aka Dilon) and Mates Rickiell Hodge and Chris Boundikas offer a variety of tours.

• Little Bay tours
• Sunset tours
• Scrub Island tour
• Offshore Cay tours
• Fishing tours
• Party boat trips
• Extra VIP service (including a variety of high-end liqueurs, cigars and more)

At Sea with Rum & Reel Charters

Photo: Rum & Reel Charters

Our destination for the day? The offshore cays!

Via West End Arch

Captain Punky took the scenic route, showing us the beauty of Meads Bay from the sea and even popping in on one of Anguilla's most fascinating spots, The Arch. Next stop?

Exploring Dog Island

Dog Island is one of Anguilla's least visited and most remote offshore cays. Approximately 13 km to the north-west of Anguilla, with zero restaurants or bars, this island is perfect for any nature lover and explorer.

Anchoring In Paradise

Photo: Rum & Reel Charters

The island's main beach, Great Bay beach takes your breath away. Pearly white sand and enticing blue waters make it perfect for light paddle boarding and a stroll on the beach.

Dog Island From The Sky

I mean, look at all those blues!...

Great Bay

A 510 acre island, Dog Island is pure natural beauty. It is covered in small emerald-green shrubs and lined with dramatic cliffs on its north side. The island is best known for being home to hundreds of thousands of birds with about 40 different species. It is also a breeding ground for goats and reptiles.

After lazing away on the fluffy sand, we were on our way to Dog Island's neighboring islands, The Prickly Pear Cays.

The Prickly Pear Cays

The Prickly Pear cays are made up of two islands, Prickly Pear East and West. Most charter trips to Prickly Pear include a stop on Prickly Pear East's famous white-sand beach. However, the Rum & Reel team has discovered an absolute beauty out on Prickly Pear West!

Prickly Pear West

Prickly Pear West is ripe with some of the clearest water we have seen in all of Anguilla and a fascinating swim-in cave.

Bird's Eye View of Prickly Pear West

Tucked away under the limestone rock, the cave can be easily missed. Little known, it is a secret gem. We were a little nervous about entering the cave, so Chris led the way in via paddle board.

Grab a mask and jump in because this cave is a must see. The feeling of being inside the water, surrounded by cavernous rocks is surreal!

The Cave at Prickly Pear West

Exploring sure builds an appetite! Luckily, Chris and Rickiell have Striker fully equipped with plenty of drinks (soft drinks, water, rum punch, beer, wine, the list goes on!)...

Cheers to Rum & Reel!

Photo: Rum & Reel Charters

... and fresh snacks of fruit skewers and veggie platters.

Veggie Platter Snack

Photo: Rum & Reel Charters

Refreshed, we were ready to float on to...

Prickly Pear East

Photo: Rum & Reel Charters

Prickly Pear West's sister island is much bigger, more popular and is home to two restaurants. Prickly Pear East is known for its long stretch of sand and large salt pond. Nearby you can find two more cays, like North Cay and East Cay. These are rock formations, only a couple of feet above water level. Keep an eye open for them as you depart Prickly Pear East!

Sandy Island Lunch

What hits the spot after an exciting day of island hopping and adventure?

Lunch at Sandy Island

Yummy BBQ ribs & chicken fresh off the grill!

Bellies full, and with the sun riding low in the sky, there was just one thing left to do...

Slide Into Sunset at Little Bay

Captain Punky is captain extraordinaire. He makes sure you sea it all.

Dramatic Little Bay Cliffs

He gets up close and personal to the cliffsides that define Little Bay. We marveled at the rock formations looming above us. Over 70' high, with dense pockets of cacti and plenty of pelicans roosting, it is a sight to behold.

We gently bobbed down the coastline until Captain Punky anchored in the middle of the bay.

Little Bay at Golden Hour

As Captain Punky dropped anchor, Chris pulled out Striker's inflatable slide. This had to be one of my favorite parts of the day!

Sliding Into Sunset

Complete with an end-of-day rum punch, cliff jumping and slipping and sliding into the sunset, it's a special way to end the day.

Memorable Moments at Little Bay

Photo: Rum & Reel Charters

The whole Rum & Reel crew go above and beyond to deliver an unforgettable day. On a vessel built with passion, Rickiell, Punky, Dilon and Chris are wonderful hosts. Here's to good days with great people in Anguilla!