Glowing Reviews
Abby Normal 2 is abnormally exceptional!
May 2025
Three couples/family spent 7 nights on Abby Normal 2. Richard and Shannon Hallett proved to be great hosts, lots of fun and they made the trip exceptional. Shannon's cooking was fantastic, Rich's conversations were informative and interesting plus the weather was perfect. The boat was roomy, very clean and well kept. Actually, the weather was almost too good since the seas were calm and the winds were light so we motored more than we sailed. Our favorite Island was Anegada, where we rented Mokes and puttered around the island looking for flamingoes and great snorkeling spots with almost no people. The beaches are beautiful, and the bars and restaurants were fun and interesting. We were a little disappointed in the busier, touristy anchorages but all in all, it was a great trip and fun experience.
May 2024
We had an amazing week exploring the BVI aboard Abby Normal To! We went with three other couples, all good friends of ours. By the end of the week, we felt we had added another couple to this group of friends; Captain Richard and his wife Shannon, (First Mate, Chef and also a captain in her own right!). They were very gracious hosts from when they met us by the dock when we arrived in Road Town, to joining us for festivities on the Willy T, through to teary eyed goodbyes as we left them and our home away from home for the week!
Shannon is a very creative and accommodating chef. Each meal was presented exquisitely and exceeded our expectations! Richard is an accomplished captain who knows all the BVI islands and all the places we wanted to see. He shared many entertaining stories with us throughout the week. For those of us interested in learning how to sail or even sharpening our sailing knowledge, the captain was always willing to share the helm!
There were always ice-cold drinks in the cooler, a well-stocked bar, snacks and games to play! Our only regret was how quickly the week went by! One of our party members swears he lost a day (Thursday?) somewhere along the way! This trip is a must add to your bucket list. And we can’t think of a better way to check it off the list than with Richard, Shannon and Abby Normal To!
Wonderful crewed catamaran in the BVI
May 2023
We had a wonderful trip on board the Abby Normal Too with Captain Richard and his wife Shannon who was our amazing chef. Rich did a great job of balancing some of the fun stops we had seen online prior to visiting the BVI and quiet secluded coves where it felt like we had a private island to ourselves. I would highly recommend a crewed trip with the Moorings.
Apr 2022
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 a 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.
Superb charter in the British Virgin Islands
Oct 2021
We were on a chartered 50 foot catamaran "Abby Normal To," for 6 days and 5 nights in the British Virgin Islands through The Moorings. Our crew were married; Richard and Shannon Hallett. We had an absolutely fantastic time seeing way more than the normal itinerary because they spent long hours making sure that everything we wanted to see was included and then some. Our Captain, Richard, was a very nice and kind person and very experienced. Shannon could easily have served as Captain with her knowledge and she provided us with ongoing delicious meals three times a day in addition to snacks. Both Richard and Shannon made sure that our charter was the best possible and we always felt safe and secure with them at the helm. They had incredibly interesting stories that kept us all captivated. They have traveled around the world and have the kind of marriage that we can all aspire to. The Moorings is very fortunate to have them. The boat was beautiful. Our berth was great as was the bathroom. We never felt the least bit crowded. Highly recommend The Moorings and Richard and Shannon Hallett.
Happy Canadians on “Abby Normal To”
Jan 2020
Outstanding in every way. Richard and Shannon felt like family by day one and went out of their way to make our holiday more than we could have imagined! With a group of 7 including several “wanna be” captains, Richard taught us a lot about sailing and showed his amazing patience numerous times. Shannon’s not only an amazing chef but her sailing experience and tips were very valuable. Shannon’s meals were outstanding-when you can wow seven adults for seven days in a row- you are one talented chef. They took part with us in many activities, from snorkelling tours, videoing, story telling, just great hosts!
I have been in the travel industry for many years and have seen and visited many destinations. As a senior travel consultant I can guarantee you that this is a trip of a lifetime and Richard and Shannon made the difference!
“YIP. YIP!!
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