We’ve been having all kinds of fun this summer.. one of many events we’ve supported this summer was the National Marine Mammal Foundation’s Benefit Concert at one of our favorite restaurants, the Bali Hai on Shelter Island here in San Diego. A great family friend of ours and President of the Maritime Institute San Diego, known to all as “Rags”, had mentioned that his friend and musician, Eric Stone, was going to be playing at a fundraiser sponsored by the Maritime Institute. Of course we had to stop by and check it out.

The National Marine Mammal Foundation’s mission is “to improve and protect life for all marine mammals, humans, and our shared oceans through science, service, and education”. Located on Shelter Island, our neighbors just up the street, the Foundation follows through with their statement by collaborating with top researchers to develop medicine for species conservation, as well as outreach and education programs that are provided by volunteers and staff alike.
Because we are out on the water so often, we frequently come across the NMMF staff in the San Diego Bay. We always wave, and sometimes their dolphins splash back.

So, we bought ourselves tickets and stopped by the fundraiser – 100% of the proceeds went straight the the Marine Mammal Foundation, which was awesome. Rags donated a raffle prize of a 2 week Captain’s License Class at his Maritime Institute valued at $1250, and Eric Stone provided the evening’s entertainment with his Island music, appropriate for our location at the beautiful bayfront property at the Bali Hai Restaurant. It was a fun night with friends, in support of our marine mammal friends that we love seeing out in the water on our harbor sails.

To learn more about the National Marine Mammal Foundation, check out their website here: http://nmmf.org/

Or, Watch their video here:
Marine Mammal Foundation Short Introduction on Vimeo

Cheers,
the Aolani team

May snuck up on us early last week and we didn’t hesitate a minute in making sure we were out on the water when it did. Last week we had several charters, but mostly with NAPA Auto Parts. NAPA (National Automotive Parts Association) was created more than 85 years ago, with over 6,000 stores nationwide. The top owners of these stores were invited out to San Diego to relax, recoup, and simply be appreciated. Amongst other adventures, NAPA’s top sellers were invited aboard Aolani Catamaran Cruises for a two hour bay sail. So, over the course of last week, we held several two-hour San Diego harbor sails and because of all the time we spent on the water, we have plenty of pictures to share…

Our first sail last week departed from Fifth Avenue Landing, a 12-slip “boutique San Diego superyacht marina and transient berthing facility” just right across from our San Diego Convention Center downtown. Being that this dock is so convenient to the location of downtown, our guests requested a pickup here so that after exploring the downtown Gaslamp Quarter, they could simply walk across the street and hop aboard for a day sail. Life is good. The picture below was taken just before our first charter that morning, at Fifth Avenue Landing, just as the sky began to clear after we chased them away.

It was perfect timing; after the clouds cleared and our guests jumped aboard, Captain Jesse gave the “Captain’s speech” and then we were ready to go. Right as we got out of our slip, we hoisted the sail then headed north through the bay toward the USS Midway, now a museum for those interested in stepping onboard a different kind of boat – an aircraft carrier. As we passed the San Diego skyline, we noticed a ship headed our way, into the harbor. As it neared, we noticed it was the USS Princeton (CG-59), a guided missile cruiser headed back to its port at 32nd street. This ship is armed with guns and missiles for surface to air, surface to surface, and anti-submarine warfare. There are also two Seahawk helicopters on her deck .. wish we could say the same!

As the ship made its way past us, everyone waved to the sailors on deck.

The USS Princeton was actually out training that day, the same day the Navy’s large-scale training exercise “Solid Curtain/Citadel Shield” occurred. We got to witness the training that day as we sailed along the bay, which included pyrotechnics, explosions and even gunfire – all mock, but still exciting. We spotted the Coast Guard boats out on the water; some of the guys onboard were in full uniform because of a movie shoot scheduled for that day. Due to the recent success of Act of Valor, other movie producers have decided to jump on the bandwagon and therefor have been filming US Navy Seals in action in our bay and off the coast of Point Loma. Throughout last week we witnessed Navy rhib boats come and go throughout the harbor, as filming took place – the same time as their training exercises. It was an exciting time out on the water, as usual, to say the least.

To read more about the Navy’s “Solid Curtain/Citadel Shield” training exercises last week, check out this blog post from the Military Times:
http://militarytimes.com/blogs/scoopdeck/2012/03/23/its-just-a-drill-uss-princeton-target-in-mock-attack/

During the sail, Captain Jesse was posted up in the helm station – not a bad view for an office, right?

It was another awesome week sailing in the San Diego Bay – we couldn’t have kicked off May in a better way. Forget “May gray June gloom” – we know those clouds clear out, it isn’t called “Sun Diego” for nothing!

‘Til next time!
Aloha,
Lindsay

This morning I started thinking about all the awesome things we’ve done on the catamaran, from Birthdays to Bat Mitzvahs, not to mention all the great collaborative events. I was jotting down some dates in our calendar, updating our list of events as the season picks up, and as I got to the month of September it reminded me of last year when we were a part of San Diego’s TriRock for their second year (and ours!). Even though this was last September, it’s still relevant, as racers get ready for this years event – plus, we never wrote about it last time! So..what better time than the present right?! We had such a blast, so reliving it all only seems like a good idea. So..here I go.

It’s September 2011 and I had just moved home to San Diego, jumping back into the family business and my Dad had just reminded me that we were about to have a fun weekend ahead working with the 2011 TriRock, a nationwide triathlon event that gets its name due to the “rocking bands” that “rock your way from start to finish”. Love it. So, ever since their first event in San Diego, we have been the “team catamaran” at the TriRock – supporting the racers, assisting in their perseverance through a rocking band, of course. Last year we were so excited to have ‘Sung Mojo’ on board with us. Formed just north of us up in Carlsbad, California, we had founder Don Guy Ayala on the guitar, Keith Schipper with vocals, Barry Sinclair on base, and last but not least..Mark Stulz on the drums…on the cabin top. They came to our boat late Saturday night to load on their gear (drum set, microphones, speakers and snacks, of course), so that we would be ready bright and early for the race..

So..Sunday morning comes around and we are headed to the San Diego embarcadero, band and all, right along the waterfront and in front of the San Diego Hilton. We drop our anchor, post up, and the members of Sung Mojo have set up all their gear – drums on the cabin top and all. Downtown San Diego was beautiful beneath the early morning light…

The first start of the TriRock is set to begin, just as the sun wakes up. The first event is the 1500 meter swim, and here we are on the catamaran, they’ve just blown the air horn and have released the first set of swimmers and Sung Mojo begins to play. Speaking of TriRock..they rocked it alright. From Green Day to Led Zeppelin, the boys were rocking the catamaran and the event was a go.

As the morning progressed, Sung Mojo continued with their set as I frequented them with my camera, trying to capture the morning in images- though pictures could never describe how much fun we had, I can only do my best to tell you. Basically, we had a blast.

After the racers had finished their multiple swims, we had a chance to sail up the embarcadero along the waterfront and Seaport Village, Sung Mojo still playing their hearts out, singing their guts out. It was epic, to say the least. Everyone gathered along the waterfront in a media frenzy, (thanks for the photos and video everyone!!) and we all smiled for what seemed like the whole day … oh wait, we do that every charter.

After all the fun of the morning, we sailed back home to our slip at the Sheraton Harbor Island Marina. On the way back, I snapped this picture of the band. Great guys, so much fun.

So, here’s to a great TriRock 2012 – the race is set for September 9, 2012 this year so if you haven’t signed up yet.. do it now! I’m hoping to race in it, myself! Whether from sea or from shore, see you there!

Until next time I decide to relive memories from the Aolani Catamaran,

Lindsay

To check out more photos from the Sung Mojo band aboard Aolani Catamaran, click below:
Sung Mojo Band Photos – Aolani Catamaran Sailing Facebook

To find out more information on the 2012 TriRock event, click below:
2012 TriRock Triathlon San Diego Event
“Join us in America’s Finest City for the 2nd annual TriRock San Diego. Swim San Diego’s Big Bay, then bike through the 32nd Street Naval Base, and Run along San Diego’s beautiful Waterfront.”

To get updates about Sung Mojo, become a fan on their Sung Mojo Facebook Page.

A couple Tuesday mornings ago we attended the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau’s annual State of the Travel Industry Meeting at the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina. Expecting it to be mostly numbers and pie charts, we sat down in our seats, coffee’s in hand, and got comfy. We expected facts and figures, yet what we got out of it was so much more; we were reminded of the epic city we live in, San Diego, where the ideal blend of people, place, and climate reside.

In opening remarks that were warm and welcoming, Mayor Jerry Sanders reminded us that what makes this city so great are the people sitting right next to us; everyone sitting there that day works in the Tourism Industry in one way or another, so what we love to do every day is welcome outsiders with open arms, hence why they continue to come back. We are that kind of city, and it makes me proud to call it mine.

The Travel and Tourism Industry is the largest industry in the world, generating almost $1.8 trillion dollars in the United States every year. Jim Evans, CEO of Brand USA, was aware of that when he created his company, set to officially take flight later this year, whose mission is to “encourage increased international visitation to the United States and to grow America’s share of the global travel market. In doing so, we aim to bring millions of new international visitors who spend billions of dollars to the United States, creating tens of thousands of new American jobs.” Jim spoke to us that morning in all his enthusiasm and brought a new concept to the table, that we need not only look within the United States but also beyond our borders, for there are truly no limits – which is why I like Jim, he gets it.
There is a quote, corny or not, that notes “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” Jim gets this, he sees the potential for our growth here in the United States and he is going for it.

Another great professional that spoke to us that morning was Caroline Beteta, CEO of Visit California, “a non-profit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs, in partnership with the state’s travel industry, that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination.” Without having heard her speak, we love Caroline already. She is our go-to-gal in bringing in consumers to California – the golden state (need we say more?). Though we need not say more, Caroline does anyway; driving in potentials from all over the globe and most importantly, creatively showing them through various fields, just what California has to offer – that no one else does.
You know those great commercials you see that make you want to visit California even when you’re already there? That’s Caroline (and her team, of course). In fact, let’s take a mini break and watch one of my personal favorites here, the 2011 Visit California “Misconceptions” Ad:

Once Jim has brought in tourists outside the United States with Brand USA, Caroline brings them to California, then Joe Terzi, CEO of the San Diego Covention and Visitors Bureau, brings them home to San Diego. Joe is a friend of my dad’s (Bruno Schwarz-owner of Aolani Catamaran Sailing) and was described to me as “an incredible business man”. Coming from my Dad, who I perceive to be the most incredible business man (not just because he is my Dad) – Joe is exactly who we need as the face of San Diego tourism; he gets the job done. The San Diego Conventions and Visotirs Bereau, of whom Jim is presdeint of, has an incredible vision for our fabulous city; to “lead San Diego in becoming the most desirable destination”. We can’t argue with that one. By laying out a positive, functional, and fierce business plan for our city, Joe and the rest of those who back him (us) are well on our way to making that vision a statement. Joe, who has been out sailing with us multiple times, knows a good thing when he finds it – San Diego, delivering that return on investment we all seek to find.

The best part about our morning, after hearing the successful numbers and all the fun facts, is that they are in reference to the city we live in; the city we work and play in, the city of San Diego.
So come play with us, come Visit California, and we will show you a good time.

Looking forward to another great year in the Travel Industry, and to sailing with you out on the water,

Lindsay Schwarz
and the Aolani Catamaran Sailing crew
San Diego, CA
www.aolani.cc

To see a video of the 2012 San Diego CONVIS Annual Report, watch it here:

Last Saturday, March 3, we were scheduled for a 3 hour charter. By the time everyone boarded, the temperature had reached high 70’s and the sun was in full affect. I crewed that day, happy to be in a pair of shorts, and my Mom, Cindy, crewed as well. We had Captain Jesse in the helm, and were ready for another awesome day sailing in San Diego. Life is good.

A family loaded onto the catamaran, everyone was local and it turned out we even shared a mutual friend – our city is a big one, but the best part about it is that it doesn’t feel that way. There were about 30 onboard that day, all set to sail, so we left the docks of the Sheraton Harbor Island Marina in search of adventure.

Steve, a guest onboard that day, mentioned that he wanted to go out and really put our sails to use in our great Pacific Ocean. We were thrilled. So was Captain Jesse, if you can’t tell from his mugshot, below:

We headed west, away from the coast, for a full hour. As we passed the edge of land that is Point Loma, I wondered if I had ever seen it so green before. Perhaps the day was unusually clear, or perhaps I hadn’t taken the time to look so much before, but it was definitely a sight to be seen.

After we left the coastline, we saw some wildlife; from sea lions to seagulls, and the occasional lobster pot of course. That counts too, right? For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, lobster pots are portable traps used for catching lobster. Lobster fishermen place pots off the coast of Point Loma, and all around San Diego, in hopes of filling their cage with dinner. Diving for lobster is not only a way to get your next meal, it has also become a sport for some. In fact, some friends of ours over at URT Clothing came up with an event, the now inaugural “Lob-off”, where participants go lobster diving (last year, off Sunset Cliffs). “Prizes were given for the number of legal-size lobster and the biggest lobster caught and the state Department of Fish and Game monitored the contest.”

To read more about the “Lob-off”, check out the article here:
http://www.sdnews.com/view/full_story/16607158/article-Inaugural-‘URT-Lob-Off’-event-is-one-unique-lobster-snaring-competition-?instance=sdnews_n_page#ixzz1oXw8RDeh

Past the lobster pots and beyond the San Diego bay border, we headed out into the ocean and were greeted by beautiful puffs of wind. We let our forward sail unfurl, and went sailing.

It was such an epic day, just look at the San Diego skyline as it becomes our background.

After heading out as far west as time would allow us, it was time to head home. We had such a blast out in the ocean that our 3-hour charter was extended to 4 hours, but now we were headed east, back into our San Diego Harbor. I had to furl (or “roll up”) the forward sail, which is always a task on an especially windy day, so I got my mini-workout as everyone cheered me on. It always helps to have supportive teammates, thanks guys!

As we headed back into the calm of the bay, everyone’s cheeks had been sunkissed and our mission had been accomplished: we got some good wind sailing, and everyone left with smiling faces.

Another successful day out in the water in San Diego. No complaints here.
See you out on the water,
Lindsay

San Diego is known for its sunshine and palm trees, its smiling faces and endless activities, but every so often we get some rain and it’s as if the whole city shuts down. Drivers start honking, walker’s start running as raindrops fill the empty streets. I, personally, love our San Diego sunshine however a little storm every now and then keeps things interesting. Plus, who doesn’t appreciate a movie day indoors every now and then, “Captain Ron” anyone?

Well Monday February 13, after my morning in; checking through emails and changing the world while the sky churned colors of dark grey, our open “house” event was still a go for 5pm. I had been receiving so many inquiries lately to see the boat, from wedding planners to Concierges to interested friends, that I figured an organized night out on the catamaran, dockside, would be the way to go.

I had various calls throughout the afternoon, “Are we still on?”, “Does the catamaran have cover?”, but pressed on despite the stormy day hoping for the best. “The event is still on, and we have plenty of cover”. When I arrived at the boat to prepare for our event, (like make sure the stateroom beds were made rather than piled with various accessories) the rain poured down as I stayed inside our main cabin, staring out our windows wondering what fate had in store.

4:15pm Monday afternoon, just 45 minutes ‘til showtime, and there was a break in the clouds. (and so, I took a picture…)

Alison Fuller, from Stella and Dot, arrived to set up a display of jewelry in our main cabin, just an added bonus for the evening’s walk through. Stella and Dot, a boutique style jewelry company based in San Francisco, has become one of the 500 fastest growing companies of today. Their fun pieces have been featured on Gossip Girl, the Today Show, and in magazines such as In Style and Lucky.

As our open “house” guests showed up on the catamaran, they were able to try on pieces or even make a purchase seeing as it was the day before Valentine’s Day, and what better gift besides Chocolate or a catamaran ride, agreed?

As the clouds cleared and guests showed up (way to go guys, our guests showed us that some people in San Diego do still get out despite the storm!), we snacked on salmon and had a glass of wine as the Aolani catamaran was shown off in all its entirety.

If you are interested in Stella and Dot Jewelry, check out their website at www.stelladot.com
If you would like to inquire about hosting an event onboard the Aolani Catamaran, email us today at info@aolani.cc

What a year it was for the Aolani team. Whether we were on a San Diego yacht charter, at a local hosted marketing event, or volunteering in our community, we were always having a good time..and that is why we do what we do, as a family.

My parents, Bruno and Cindy Schwarz, started up our company in late 2001 after realizing they could do what they love, and get paid for it..and for all of us, that’s our goal too, right? If we can find something we are passionate about, we will excel at it because it brings us satisfaction. Being out on the water almost every day, or at least around a crowd who appreciates it, is what I was born into and therefor I love it. This is exactly what I want to be doing, what we want to be doing, and so as we reavaluate our goals for the new year, we are satisfied with what we do and therefor are easily motivated to continue to make the business stronger, because we believe in it.

We couldn’t have asked for a better way to start off our new year, with a charter. This wasn’t just any charter, we hosted a wedding…one of our many favorite types of charters. What is neat about a wedding is that it brings all kinds of people together, family and friends, to celebrate the union of two people that decided what they have is great enough for a lifetime. I love that I get to be a part of so many of these unions on our beautiful catamaran, and photograph them as they take the leap of faith. Capturing the smiles and the joy brings me joy, so I wouldn’t have it any other way..especially when the couple you are photographing is Sherri and Spencer.

Sherri came to visit the boat over the summer, to take a look at what we had to offer. After taking Sherri and her Mom on a tour around the catamaran, I talked with her for a while about the layout of the boat and promised her a day she would always remember. I can promise this because I know the business my family runs, and we don’t let anyone who comes on our boat walk away with a complaint. Our first priority is our customer, and we take that seriously. Trusting me, Sherri took her first leap of faith on our boat that day, and booked a date. Let the planning begin…

Fast forward a number of months and January 1,2012 had arrived. Sherri and Spencer were already staying at the Sheraton Harbor Island Hotel & Marina, where we are located, so they conveniently walked down to the boat once the guests had all gotten onboard. Sherri looked different then the first time I had met her, as she was now in a beautiful long cream colored wedding dress, with a bouquet of calla lilies in hand. As they stepped onboard, the moments were photographed then once Captain Stephen gave his safety talk, we were ready to set sail.

We motored out of the harbor, past the Cabrillo Yacht Club and Tom Ham’s Lighthouse and out into the San Diego Bay. Here we hoist our main sail, then begin our route down to the San Diego Skyline. Sherri and Spencer were ready for the ceremony, as was our Captain, Stephen, who provided the ceremony for them, and so it began. Reminders of love and selflessness were given, as well as direction.. ”You may now kiss your bride”.

After everyone clapped and cheered, champagne was passed around to the guests and the music of Natural Vibrations played the song “You and I”, with the lyrics” You and I could never part, ‘cause I’ve loved you from the start, just so you know”.

We sailed down to the Maritime Museum of San Diego where historic ships are maintained including the Star of India, the HMS Surprise, the Californian tall ship, and a B-39 Submarine. We then made our way past the USS Midway, where we waved to guests onboard the carrier who were excited to see a happy wedding couple onboard with us. The feeling was mutual.

As we continued past the Fish Market Restaurant of San Diego, one of our favorite places for Happy Hour after we go for a sail, we sailed by Seaport Village where we saw the Red Bull “New Year No Limits” ramp being deconstructed after the jump that was made on New Years Eve by Levi LaVallee, a professional Snowmobile racer sponsored by Red Bull Energy Drink, as well as Robbie Maddison, an Australian professional motorbike stuntman. Both LaVallee and Maddison successfully completed a jump across the harbor area at the San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina. LaVallee brown a world record by launching 412 feet, while Maddison jumped 378 feet on his motorcycle. The event happened just hours before midnight on New Years Eve, hence the event’s title, New Year: No Limits. It was exciting to see the ramp, especially after knowing what had happened there just hours before sailing by.

As it was nearing sunset, it was time for us to catch the view and so we sailed north back toward our slip at the Sheraton Harbor Island Hotel and Marina. As the fog moved back over the tip of Point Loma, we saw the sun set in the distance, lighting up our city in shades of yellow and gold; a suitable backdrop for a glittering skyline. As we docked and took the last minute group pictures, we said our goodbyes to the couple and their families. However, we never really say goodbye, it’s more like see you next time.

And so, like I said, we started off our New Year in a great way, and know that the best is yet to come. We’ve got lots of exciting events coming up soon, so be on the watch. After all, it’s a new year, and there are no limits.

Cheers,
Lindsay Schwarz
Aolani Catamaran Sailing

Wow! Talk about an exciting day on the San Diego Bay! If there are a couple phrases we overuse at “work” when we’re out sailing, one of them is “no complaints here” and another one is “there is always somethin’ going on in this bay!”. Today was a perfect example of the latter, hence I’m writing a blog post about it.

So, we had two charters today, both with a sales company that sells legal paperwork to car companies..pretty unique right? Well, 200 of this companies top employees were given a trip to San Diego as well as different options once they got here. The two sails we had today were with many of those employees, and both groups sure chose a great day to go sail because there were quite a lot of photo opportunities.

By the time our second charter of the day set sail we headed straight to the middle of the bay, where the America’s Cup catamarans were out sailing, getting in their last practice before tomorrow’s San Diego America’s Cup Race begins. It’s quite an exciting time for us here in San Diego, as the long anticipated event will begin tomorrow morning, bright and early.

A little history on the America’s Cup: the prestigious trophy is awarded to the winner of the America’s Cup match races. A match race is a race between two yachts. The Cup trophy was originally awarded way back in 1851 by the schooner America. A fun fact about this race: the America’s Cup is the oldest active trophy in an international sport. True story. What’s so exciting about this race is that it is usually held in waters far from here, while this year it will be hosted in the U-S-of-A, right here in San Diego, California and we couldn’t be more excited.

As we sailed through the bay, Coast Guard came alongside us to inform us of our boundaries while the Cup boats were our practicing. We were sure to keep our distance as we watched as a group of 24, most of us with camera in hand. Now that’s a picture I should have captured. Here are a few shots from their last trial day:

After watching the practice runs, we sailed back, near the aircraft carrier #70, USS Carl Vinson, as they were setting up for this evening’s Carrier Classic. This first ever event has just ended, as I write this post, and the North Carolina Tar Heels have just won this one of a kind event- a first ever college basketball game onboard an aircraft carrier- in celebration of Veteran’s Day. With thousands of troops onboard, model and actress Brooklyn Decker, retired professional point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers Magic Johnson, and even our President of the United States, Barack Obama, it was quite a night to celebrate.

After sailing as close as we could get to the USS Carl Vinson, it was just about time for us to be heading back to our home port at the Sheraton Harbor Island Marina. As we pulled in, dockside, our guests began to gather near the stern of the boat as they were preparing for their exit, and a gentleman came up to me. After shaking my hand, he says with wide eyes and a dramatic smirk, “must be nice”, and I thought to myself..you know what..it sure is..but here’s the catch, I don’t take a single day for granted. My family has served this nation and my friends currently serve this nation, and for that I am forever grateful.

With that, Happy Veteran’s Day, folks, and I hope to see you out on the water this weekend for the 34th ever America’s Cup Sailing Races.

-Lindsay

Happy Fall to all! The last time we visited our Aolani Catamaran blog page was early February just after Ashley and Drew had taken their leap of faith, in marriage, on our catamaran on a cool but beautiful winter eve. Fast-forward seven months and though much has changed, much remains the same. And with that, let’s get up to date.
It is now early November in San Diego and with our first day of fall behind us, it’s hard to believe that another summer on the Aolani Catamaran has come to a close. Luckily our summer was warmer than last years, wait..did we even have a San Diego summer last year? Either way, not to worry, we’ve always got blankets on board.

This summer was filled with fun, as summer is when we host mainly families onboard the catamaran whether it’s for a snorkel charter up to La Jolla Cove, searching underwater for the bright orange Ghirabaldi, or for a 25th Wedding Anniversary on the boat where we sailed through Glorietta Bay and over by the Hotel Del Coronado, where the couple had first met just a number of years back. This summer we held meetings onboard, sunset dinner cruises, surprise birthdays and even surprise engagements. We’ve celebrated with Retired Navy Pilots who came to celebrate .. well, the fact that they are now retired. We’ve shared laughs with the kids who jump off the boat and into Glorietta Bay , tears with families who lost a loved one as we help spread ashes out in the Pacific Ocean , and even an occasional karaoke song in our main salon room. Just two weeks ago, we held a beautiful wedding onboard with an Indian family who decked out the catamaran in bright yellows, oranges, and pink. We danced with them to the sounds of their bollywood themed playlist, until our cheeks were sore from laughing. What fun we get to share with all of you, and we remember each one. No charter is the same onboard the Aolani, and we cherish that. As long as you are having a good time, then we are too. That being said, we couldn’t imagine doing anything else in the world. We feel blessed to be the only catamaran in San Diego that charters, and therefore want to share it with all of you. So, come sail with us and we will make sure you have the very best of time as San Diego is full of life, and we couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. Even now as I write this post here on my computer, dockside on the Aolani Cat, the Navy’s Blue Angels are flying overhead in acrobatic ease as they welcome citizens to the annual Coronado Speed Fest, where vintage cars from across the country come to race on a spectator friendly 1.7 mile course at Coronado’s Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI). There is always something going on in this great city of ours, and we get to experience so much of it from the very bay we sail through almost daily. Whether it be watching the military train in the San Diego Bay, cruising by the Aircraft Carriers, or making a marine life charter out of it and searching for dolphins in the bay, or blue whales a few miles offshore.. there is always something to see, and we want to show you, so again, we would love if you came and sailed with us.

In closing, keeping in mind that we began this business in late 2001, we feel blessed and fortunate as a family to have had the opportunity to share the Aolani Catamaran with so many wonderful people, and to see so many smiles as you leave the vessel with what seems to us like pure satisfaction. Your happiness is ours, as well, and we look forward to many more years to come of sailing with you.

As I recently graduated college to move home to San Diego, the great city that I grew up in, and work on and for the Aolani Catamaran Charters and with my family, I can certainly say with absolute certainty that it is truly good to be home.
I look forward to seeing you, meeting you, and having a great time with you out on the water.

Live Aloha,
Lindsay Schwarz
Aolani Catamaran Crew and Family member