Sailing conditions, Anegada and boat selection bring this family back!

You can sail 15 boats in a day at Bitter End! (If you are a family of five avid sailors, that is.)

To racing sailors among Bitter End guests, the names Pam Healy and Craig Healy might ring a bell. Pam was a Bronze Medalist at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in the 470 class, sailing with JJ Isler. Her husband Craig is no slouch himself. He is a world class Soling racer (World Champ and Olympic Team in 2000), and currently a top Etchells sailor. Together, they have produced even bigger results: a great family -- Claire (16) George (14) and Henry (11). As a family, they hail from Tiburon, California, and sail out of St. Francis Yacht Club (San Francisco). But Bitter End Yacht Club is a vacation favorite of theirs. Here’s why:

BEYC: How long have you been coming to BEYC?
Pam: This was our 7th visit as a family (Easter 2010). Craig and I have raced in the Pro Am and in the STFYC/NYYC team races years ago and always knew this would be the ideal vacation for a family. Our children's school vacation schedule dictates when we can visit, but when [after a fun week] we get on the boat to leave for home, our children want to know when we are returning. We’ve come at Thanksgiving, and now in the Spring. Both times have been equally fun for our family.
 
BEYC: You come a long way to visit Bitter End, why?
Pam: The attraction for San Franciscans that love to sail is the warm weather and the Club fleet. This type of experience isn't duplicated anywhere else. One evening at dinner we tallied up that between the five of us we had used 15 different boats at Watersports in one day. The kids will already be out on a Hobie before Craig and I make it to breakfast. Coming from California is not so difficult. If you book ahead you can get a great LA to Puerto Rico flight that really cuts the trip down. We figure another 6 hours traveling is worth it versus going to Hawaii or Mexico.
 
BEYC: Why is it a good family vacation for you all?
Pam & Craig: More time for the two of us to just hang out and get caught up, now that the kids are older and we can let them be independent. It's really nice not to worry about them at all. As the kids get older I think they prefer coming at Easter because there are more teenagers to hang out with. They love going to the Pub and playing pool and darts after dinner and drinking a Ting (a carbonated grapefruit drink).
 
BEYC: What do you enjoy most about Bitter End?
The family: We use the Lasers, the J24's (IC-24s), and the Hobies all day long. It is so nice for us to sail in bathing suits and t-shirts (sailing on San Francisco Bay can be cold). Our favorite excursion is Anegada by far. That is our annual trip and the only one we go on. It's fun to wander around on that beach and know that the next body of land looking east is Africa.
 
BEYC: Do you have a room type preference?
We especially like the breeze that filters through all the rooms, but we prefer not having to get in a golf cart (we like to walk).
 
BEYC: Anything to add?
Pam: When Claire was 10 she informed us that she was going to have her wedding at the Bitter End! Is that enough notice for Mary Jo?