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!

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!

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!

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.