Having a private charter boat in San Diego, much of our business derives from conventions that are in town, local businesses, as well as weddings. However, summer in San Diego is filled with families, many of who are visiting San Diego and want to get to know the city from a different perspective. It is a special treat to have a family aboard our boat that wants to soak up the San Diego sunshine and enjoy some quality downtime, 30-knot winds and all.
As the sun began to heat up the cement-covered docks, it was beginning to feel as though you could truly fry an egg on the ground beneath your feet. The San Diego sun has sure been shining these past few days, and we have been enjoying every minute. Although we truly have a great time on every sailing charter, yesterday was a pleasure for the Aolani team as we welcomed aboard a family of four whose only requests were great Mexican food and a jump in the water! Four towels and a call in to El Indio’s Mexican Food located on 3695 India Street in San Diego made that happen.
As we left the front dock at the Sheraton Harbor Island Hotel where the Aolani
is located and after having raised the sails, we headed straight to the bait docks where the harbor seals tend to hang out for obvious reasons (bait). They barked at us as we passed, reminding us that this was their dock, naturally.

Taking pictures at the Bait Dock

San Diego Harbor Seals on Bait Dock

Because the bait dock is close to the entrance of San Diego Harbor, we decided to sail out past the tip of Point Loma and the Point Loma Lighthouse, where we were unexpectedly greeted with high winds of around 30 knots and choppy ocean waters. It made for a great background as the family snapped pictures, but not for long as the winds became stronger. As we jibed to starboard tack to head back into the San Diego bay, we noticed a familiar ship entering the harbor right along side of us, the USS Nimitz supercarrier. Commissioned in 1975, the USS Nimitz is the first ship in the NIMITZ class of nuclear powered aircraft carriers.

Family stands in front of USS Nimitz on the Aolani Catamaran

With a length of 1,092 feet (332.85 meters), the carrier was easy to recognize as we began to wave and welcome back the crew from a successful sea trial. Aolani Owner, Bruno Schwarz, even blew the conk shell as we passed. Helicopters covered the skies as the carrier made its way back into homeport, and it was turning out to be quite an exciting day. The best part was, it wasn’t over just yet.

After sailing past downtown’s San Diego skyline, we continued south to Glorietta Bay where we could anchor and swim for a while. The water was refreshing as the family jumped in, as they made their way to the beach area where they could relax in the sand on Coronado Island.

Family sitting on Coronado Island Beach after swimming from Aolani Catamaran

Swimming in Glorietta Bay with the Aolani Crew

It was turning out to be quite an eventful day. We even saw a black jellyfish, one of many who have been making recent news for being in rare abundance in San Diego bay. To learn more about the rare occurrence, you can check out the recent LA Times article on black jellyfish in San Diego bay.

After four hours out in the harbor and under the beating sun, it was time to head back to the dock. As we reflected with the family on the day’s events, we came to the conclusion that it was action packed and yet another beautiful day on the San Diego bay. It made it even better that we could share San Diego and all it has to offer, with a family from out of town who appreciated it as much as we do.

To see more photos from this particular charter, check out our July 16th Family Charter album on Facebook.

It was nearly 9:00AM and the marine layer sat upon the ocean like a thick layer of vanilla frosting. People moved along the Pacific Beach Boardwalk in running shoes, on skateboards, bikes and rollerblades. You would never know it was only nine in the morning in this beach town, as girls and boys dressed up in red white and blue waited in line to get into any pub or bar to watch USA play in the World Cup game. Although the game was a loss for our country, the day itself was rather productive, and it all began with a beach cleanup…
Three times a month, the Surfrider Foundation San Diego County Chapter comes together to cleanup our beaches that become overwhelmed with empty bottles, plastic straws, cigarette butts and more. Aolani has supported the Surfrider Foundation for years now, the non profit organization that is dedicated not only to the protection of our oceans and beaches, but also to the enjoyment of them. Because we have a business on the water doing private sailing charters, it is important to us to keep our ocean playground clean and thriving. At a time when roughly 60,000 barrels of oil are draining into the Gulf of Mexico, it seems like a much more difficult task now then ever, making it that much more important to get involved.
And so.. we did. We started with an empty bag, but soon after scouring the sand, the bushes, the parking lots, we had already collected over 450 cigarette butts, and 3 lbs of miscellaneous trash, most of which was plastic. Although this bag of trash is minor in the scheme of things, every bag of trash that is prevented from ending up in our ocean is accounted for and that is what makes our time at a Surfrider cleanup completely worth every second. As a local San Diego business that works on the water every day, it put things into perspective for us as we prevented plastic cups and six pack rings from entering the underwater world we care about so much. As we walked along the boardwalk we began to get irritated. “Why can’t they just put this in the trash?” Lindsay asked (daughter of Aolani owner, Bruno Schwarz). We noticed all the restaurants lining the boardwalk, plastic straws and lids surrounding their place of business. As we realized how easy it is for many to be careless, it suddenly became crucial for us to become more careful. After all, it would be foolish of us to go on doing the same thing, expecting different results. After two hours we gladly recycled our findings, grabbed a “Hold On To Your Butt” bumper sticker (because “beaches and streets are NOT ashtrays”), and left with a feeling of accomplishment. After leaving Crystal Pier, we had already become more aware of each piece of trash we came across. Every cigarette, every cup, every newspaper amongst the hustle and bustle of surfer and observer alike, was noticed. Our eyes were open, no longer ignorant, and we were watching. And we are still watching today, as a Surfrider Foundation Member and proud local business owner of a sailing catamaran that utilizes the wind instead of diesel at all times possible and a company who recycles the bottles and cans that we go through on a given private charter.

Later this day, we had a sailing charter. We took a family out sailing around San Diego Bay and came across a seal sitting on buoy 19. He winked at us as we passed, and we took it as a Thank You, a thank you for preventing even one marine animal from getting caught in another plastic mess, and that is what makes our time cleaning the beach so worth it.
To get involved in a beach cleanup in San Diego, check out Surfrider’s 2010 Beach Cleanup Schedule.

Aloha,
The Aolani Catamaran Crew

Cindy Schwarz of Aolani Catamaran at Surfrider Beach Cleanup

Buoy 19 Seal, picture taken from Aolani Catamaran

Seal Winks at Aolani Catamaran Crew

After what seemed like an eternity for Natalie as she stood on the aft deck of the boat, when the music turned on and the familiar faces of family and friends turned to smiles, she was finally ready. And so, Natalie walked down the isle on the arm of her Father, as the lyrics played, “I wanna love you and treat you right; I wanna love you every day and every night”. Guests snapped pictures as Natalie made her way toward her soon to be husband, and the moment was surreal with yet another beautiful San Diego sky as their backdrop.
As the sun began to make its way beneath the San Diego skyline, Natalie and Kirk exchanged vows that were given to them by our Captain, Ken. Our captain is licensed and therefore can perform the marriage ceremony, if you like.
When all was said and done and both had said “I do”, the air horn was blown and the crowd roared for the newlyweds. The photographer stepped in right away to capture the blissful moment, not that they would ever forget it.
After the ceremony, the wedding couple and their guests made their way to our salon area, where they stood in a buffet line for food catered by our friends at Il Fornaio. They had chosen the Petto di Pollo al Peperoncino which can be found on our Il Fornaio Catering Page. This dish is mesquite-grilled double chicken breast marinated with sage, rosemary thyme, crushed red pepper, white white and Dijon mustard. It was served with sautéed vegetables and warm roasted potatoes. After their meal, desert was naturally on everyone’s mind as we brought out their requested cake, the Rosina al Cioccolato. This chocolate mousse is soaked with Triple Sec, is served with organe crème anglaise and contains fresh raspberries. Let’s just say that none went to waste, as fingers began to swipe the remaining chocolate around the empty casing of the cake. Speeches were made and stomachs were full as the night began to draw to a close, but no one could resist dancing when our Saturday Night Fever album began to play as feet began to move to the sounds of “Night Fever”.
It was a perfect end to a perfect evening, as everyone walked off the boat completely satisfied, already reminiscing about the days events. Although the couple and their family was from Minnesota, Natalie and Kirk knew they wanted a San Diego destination wedding, yet at a romantic wedding location. We are grateful they chose the Aolani for not only did they have a great time, but we did as well. Jay, the best man, said that this is the best wedding he has ever been to. We are still reminiscing over that line, and last night, and wish to Congratulate Natalie and Kirk as they begin their lives together.

Natalie and Kirk getting married

After a 3 hour charter out in the San Diego Bay and under the sunshine, we can officially say that our guests had a great time today. The weather did not disappoint and neither did the food. Our guests today came with an appetite and left feeling full, thanks to catering by Terra San Diego. Terra has been a loyal catering partner of ours and has never failed to disappoint. Mike Rossman, owner of Terra Restaurant in Hillcrest, San Diego, has been working with us for the past six years- all of which we are grateful for.
Because this particular client had customers on board, he wanted something that could be easily put together for a large group. We have worked with Terra for a long time, and knew right away that their unique Box Lunch would be perfect for this particular occasion. Terra’s box lunch includes a wrap or sandwich, curried pasta salad, fruit and a cookie. More information can be found on our Catering Page.
Last week, the California Restaurant Association’s San Diego chapter hosted its 26th annual Gold Medallion Awards banquet at the Hilton Hotel here in San Diego. This special banquet recognizes local restaurateurs for their innovative concepts, achievements and applications in over 40 categories. While earlier that day Mike Rossman, owner of Terra Restaurant, had brought his famous box lunches by our boat, it came as no surprise when later that night the most notable award of the evening went to Mike Rossman for Restaurateur of the Year. Over 1,000 people attended the event and over $50,000 was raised for our community, some of which will go to a culinary arts program at Morse, San Diego, Mira Mesa and Garfield high schools.
Congratulations on your award, Mike! Thank you for all your scrumptious sandwiches, beautiful buffets and delectable desserts. We look forward to working with you again soon.

To check out Terra Restaurant, click here.

Aolani Owner Bruno Schwarz with Terra Restaraunt Owner Mike Rossman

Here is what a recent customer had to say about the Aolani:

“We recently celebrated my 42nd  birthday on the Aolani and it was one of the best birthday’s ever! I invited 30 of my good friends and we all met at the Sheraton Hotel and Marina. The Aolani was docked right behind the hotel, which gave us some time to have some cocktails at the pool bar.
We were all welcomed by Bruno, Cindy and the Captain. Wow what a fantastic boat! I could have invited more people, as there was a lot of room for everyone to be comfortable.

The captain told us the “house rules” of the boat and off we went into San Diego bay towards Point Loma. What a beautiful city San Diego is. You simply get a different perspective when you are out there in the ocean. Some of my friends had stated that they were afraid of getting sea sick, but since the Aolani is a catamaran, it sailed through the waves smooth and easy.

We sailed along the Aircraft carriers, Coronado and ended up in Coronado Bay, where we had afternoon snacks. Aolani provided great food and drinks and Bruno and Cindy’s service was five star!

What a fantastic way to celebrate a fun afternoon in America’s finest city. I would recommend this to anyone.

Robert van Voorst

Last night our crew heard the news that fellow sailor, Abby Sunderland, was lost at sea somewhere in the Indian Ocean. Our first reaction was to pass on the news and keep Abby in our prayers, but we soon found ourselves in silence and at a loss for words. Although the crew on Aolani Catamaran Cruises has put in their hours, none of us have a story like Abby’s; a story worth writing about.
Abigail Sunderland is a sixteen year old “cleancut, All-American Girl” as her parents describe her. When Abby became a teenager, her goal became her focus. While most teens would be content with their goal of acing an exam, scoring a goal during a soccer match or getting the person of their dreams to ask them to winter formal, Abby was intent on making history as the youngest person, female or male, to circumnavigate the globe…alone.
In January of this year, Abby left Marina del Ray, up the coast from us in California, and embarked on a journey she would never forget. Although there were to be obstacles, Abby had prepared for this trip for months and there was nothing that was going to get in her way…until yesterday.
Rewind to about a week ago and you will find Abby describing her location as “the middle of the Indian ocean”, where 20 foot waves reside and moderate winds of 20-25 knots prevail. It seemed as if Abby knew what was ahead, for she spent most of her day patching up the sail, troubleshooting her Thrane & Thrane Internet system and checking for leaks. Because Abby is set up with the latest equipment, she is constantly monitoring the weather and therefore knew to get ready for stronger winds.
Fast forward to yesterday, June 10, 2010 and you will find a post from Abby’s parents. They had spoken to her that morning while helping troubleshoot her engine so that her systems could be recharged. As the satellite phone went in and out, they lost contact with Abby and were waiting to hear back from her when an unexpected call from Australian Search and Rescue came in, reporting a received signal from Abby’s emergency beacon (EPIRB), a beacon that was first thought to be automatic but with further investigation was found to be manual. Due to this find, Abby’s parents began working with American, French and Australian Search and Rescue authorities to coordinate the use of ships to begin her rescue efforts. As her parents quickly reminded us that Abby has all the equipment she could possibly need to survive, we still cannot even begin to imagine what it must be like to go through such an adventure. Although we are not sure what exactly happened out on the seas yesterday somewhere in the middle of the Indian Ocean , we do know that there were winds of up to 60 knots and seas 20-25 feet. Because Abby wrote in her very first blog post that 8 knots was “nice (and very fun) ”, we can only imagine what she must have felt as gusts reached 60.
1 knot=1.151 mph
Late last night as our thoughts were turned to Abby and her family, we received another update on her blog from her parents that Australian Search and Rescue had arrived on the scene, and that Wild Eyes (her boat) was “upright but her rigging is down”. Abby was able to communicate via radio and reported that she is fine.

As Aolani is about to set sail this morning on yet another great charter, our thoughts will turn to Abby as we comfortably sail through the San Diego Bay and out past the tip of Point Loma, not taking a single moment or gust of wind for granted.

Abby, we wish you all the best. You have seen more and accomplished more than many of us will do in an entire lifetime, that is what makes you worth writing about.

Calm Seas and Warm Winds,
The Aolani Catamaran Crew

Follow Abby and her journey on Wild Eyes (her boat) here.

November 20, 2005

San Diego Credit Union Commercial Shooting

Ever since we set sail as Aolani Catamaran Cruises in December of 2004, we have been fortunate to be involved in many different kinds of charters. From birthday celebrations to weddings, family reunions to family dinners. It’s almost been five years by now, and yet we feel like weve been involved in it all! A few months into the start of our business, we were presented with a unique opportunity to be the base vessel for a commercial shooting. Of course we said “Yes!”

Early Friday morning camera and crews took over our quarters as we were getting ready to embark on an adventure that would last until sunset on Sunday evening. With our boat filled with surfboards and snacks, we took off from the San Diego Sheraton Harbor Island Marina where we dock our catamaran and we headed North past Mission Beach and ended up just South of Birdrock. Once we anchored, the crew began to hussle as they had a schedule to follow, as the actors (two young surfers from San Diego) began to read over their lines. With the call of the director, they hurried to put on their wetsuits, grab a surfboard, and jump on into the winter waves. After catching their breath they went over their line one last time and the cameras began to shoot what would be the opening scene.

After a few fun but tedious hours in the chill of the winter air, the surfers took a break and opted for sandwiches. As the day progressed, the crew decided they wanted to take advantage of being on the boat so we cruised around the area until we found a perfect spot for sunset, anotherwords the closing scene. It was a perfect ending to an exciting day, and our crew sure had a lot of fun with theirs. Did we mention that two of our crew members that day, Emmy Pickett and Lindsay Schwarz, got to be in the backdrop for closing scene? Look closely when you come across the commercial and you will spot them, the two of the seven little black dots bobbing up and down in the waves waiting for a set to come in. Or if you happen to catch some waves in the early morning, you may come across our Aolani crew as well. We love to be in the ocean when we aren’t sailing on it, and we love being involved in San Diego’s great community. It truly is a great city, and we wouldn’t want to be doing this anywhere else.

Thank you to the crew on board and to all that were involved in the commercial that weekend, we sure had a lot of fun with you guys! Check out the commercial they filmed called Competitive Auto Loans for San Diego County Credit Union when you get the chance!

Click here to learn more about San Diego County Credit Union.

Aloha!
The Aolani Catamaran Crew

These are a few of our many Private Charter Options.
Please feel free to call if you have any further questions (619) 807-8000
We look forward to working with you!

Harbor Cruise / Dinner Cruise: Sail around beautiful San Diego bay, enjoy the sights of Seaport Village, Aircraft carriers at North Island Naval air Station, Submarines at Pt. Loma, the Hotel Del Coronado, and of course, those spectacular Pt. Loma sunsets.
1/2 or DAY SAIL: Cruise around the bay or anchor in Glorietta Bay for lunch with the view of the Hotel Del Coronado. Sail along the coast, it’s your choice with this day cruise. Utilize our gourmet catering and bar service or stop at any of San Diego’s famous bay side restaurants.
SAILING VACATIONS: “Aolani” has four queen size guest staterooms for your rest and relaxation. Southern California offers a wide variety of sunny destinations including beautiful Catalina Island. After an exciting day on the water, hit the beaches, go sightseeing, shopping, or dine at local restaurants. Your next vacation could be sailing in sunny southern California! Our crew has 2 seperate cabins, and will be available to serve you on your private sailing charter
TEAM BUILDING: Hands on sailing. Our experienced sailing and racing staff will easily have your group sailing Aolani and working as a well-oiled machine while enjoying San Diego’s incredible sailing conditions. We offer packages to increase your employees’ ability to work, communicate, and coordinate as a team. These programs have proven very successful in many of the top Fortune 500 companies.

Our private sailing charters are also available for Weddings, Anniversaries, Corporate, ETC. There is always a reason to celebrate, and to sail!
We look forward to meeting you
-The Aolani Crew

Aloha! Welcome to our new website! We are so excited for a fresh new start and to be able to connect with you better! Although this is our first blog post, we will be sure to keep you all updated about our trips and latest adventures. We as a team here on board the Aolani look forward to talking to you and getting to know you better. Our clients are most important to us and we value your input and comments! Please feel free to leave us feedback, this way we can better serve you. Thanks for reading, and check back soon for updates! Aloha!

-The Aolani Crew

Aolani Owners: Bruno and Cindy Schwarz