How to Plan a Candlelight Dinner on a Tortola Yacht

Posted by admin

June 24, 2009

yacht Tortola and the British Virgin Islands are among the most romantic places in the world, and sailing in your own private yacht is one of the most romantic things you can do. So it’s understandable if you want to maximize the romance by having a candlelight dinner out on the deck, with nothing but you, your beloved, and the stars for company.

You’ll need to plan well. Yachts are not known for gourmet kitchens, so most of your foods will have to be prepared in advance, ready for warming and serving; they are also not known for roomy refrigerators, so it’s a good idea to have your romantic dinner only one day out, and store your dishes in a cooler by themselves.

You’ll need to think about a few things: table settings, which dishes to serve, music, and lighting. Yachts typically have tables below deck, but you naturally want your candlelight dinner on the deck. Use a crate or something similar instead of a table for stability. If convenient seating is not available, you’ll need to use deck chairs, so make sure they are available on your ship. For worries about things moving about, find a no-skid pad to set things on top of (you can buy no-slip rug pads like this at LL Bean - nothing will slide around if set on top of these!).

You don’t want to use top-heavy candelabra. Instead, go for weighty square candles, preferably short ones. Look for the ones that are at least three inches wide, and purchase them in several sizes. Drape your white linen tablecloth over the crate, set a small non-skid pad in the center, and set your candles out on top of that, randomly placed right up against one another. This will provide plenty of topple-proof lighting for your dinner as well as a funky romantic look.

Dishes can also be placed on nonskid pads. Keep things to a minimum: a dinner plate, a salad plate, silverware wrapped in napkins, and plastic wine glasses. Have towels stowed nearby to mop up any spills that may occur with a minimum of trouble.

Atmosphere and what to eat

Now, food. Pre-made salad is almost a given, and it keeps well. Desserts should be pre-made and pre-cut, stored in their own dishes. Good main dishes include lobster if you have a place to warm it quickly (if you’re limited to a microwave, put a dish of water in with the lobster to humidify the air and keep it from drying out), sushi, and caviar. French bread rolls are excellent served cold with butter. Steak is probably out, as it’s difficult to prepare quickly and easily. But really, your important ingredient is the right wine. Tortola is not known for the perfection of its wine cellars, so if you’re picky you may want to bring your own from the mainland.

Music can be provided by the ship’s systems or a stereo you bring with you - or you can anchor near one of the many beach bars on Tortola and the other islands. Bomba’s Beach Shack at Apple Bay, Tortola, for instance, is one of the wildest party bars in the British Virgin Islands, and on full moon nights music and partiers spill out onto the beach nearby. Imagine sitting under the stars with your loved one, listening to the distant sounds of music and fun, while you two can just enjoy a loaf of bread, jug of wine - and one another, there on the private deck of your yacht. Romantic perfection.

Sailing