SPECIAL CRUISE ISSUE : Yachting : Adventures Afloat : Guided, small-group sail trips give glimpse of life on a private yacht--without the hassles

When I lived in Venezuela a decade ago, one of my biggest thrills was joining a friend on his 50-foot sailboat for a leisurely cruise to the out-islands of Los Roques, a little-visited Caribbean archipelago with white, coral sand beaches, fabulous snorkeling in turquoise waters and some of the best bonefish fishing in the world. It was accessible only by private yacht.

Now, anyone can go to Los Roques simply by booking toll-free with a U.S.-based commercial outfitter that makes a regular run to the islands for sailing and fishing excursions.

I hate that my secret paradise has been discovered, and worse, made so accessible.

But if you crave an intimate vacation afloat, my loss is your gain--and not just in Venezuela. Guided, small-group sailing adventures, which give participants the experiences of the wealthy yachting set minus the huge expense and headaches of boat ownership, represent one of the hottest trends in cruising worldwide. They’re a perfect option for singles or couples who can’t round up enough like-minded friends to charter their own sailboat and crew and who don’t mind sharing deck space with a few strangers--typically between two and 20 other passengers, depending on the boat and location.

“People on our trips usually have done traditional cruises and are seeking a more quiet vacation with personal attention,” said Scott Swanson, owner of Lost World Adventures, a Georgia-based company that organizes sails in Los Roques. “They like the idea of someone else running the show--doing all the cooking, navigating and acting as guide--they don’t care about night life or shopping, and they love the chance to mingle with villagers or just keep to themselves.”

Before you ship out, keep in mind that while small-group travel provides wonderful opportunities for meeting new people, it also requires an easygoing attitude toward your companions. On an 800-foot, six-deck cruise ship you can easily avoid people who irk you, but that’s much harder aboard a 40-foot sailboat. The situation can become particularly dicey when, say, smokers and nonsmokers collide, so check ahead to see what policies are in place regarding potential problems.

It also helps to be flexible about cabin size, food choices (no multiple-choice menus on most of these boats) and the sometimes rocky ride that on cruise liners is usually mitigated by stabilizers.

And since the limited number of passengers often means the operator is functioning under a tight profit margin, cancellations may be treated more strictly than on large ships; in fact, you may lose your entire fare if you haven’t arranged for cancellation insurance.

Sailing Los Roques is my idea of heaven; your perfect trip may be another one of these intriguing adventures:

Casting off to Venezuela: Lying 80 miles off the Venezuelan mainland, Los Roques National Park is a 556,000-acre stretch of 365 mainly uninhabited islands. The offshore flats are perfect bonefish fishing grounds, and the extensive underwater reefs shelter tiny blue-green sergeant majors, huge Day-Glo parrot fish, delicate pink sea anemone and a wide range of coral formations.

Participants in Lost World Adventures’ sailboat excursion to the islands fly to Caracas, then board a small charter plane for the 35- to 45-minute flight to the largest of the island group, where they transfer to a four-passenger, 42-foot sailboat with a crew of two. (Those who prefer land-based accommodations can stay at an island guest house, taking sail trips during the day.) The cruising pace is leisurely as the boat makes its way through the islands; there’s plenty of time for snorkeling and (at an extra charge) diving. Guests also can visit the small local fishing village. Three-day, two-night charters in Venezuela’s Los Roques Islands are $595 per person, plus air fare, and depart year-round.

Those who want to fish can do so from small skiffs or by wading knee-deep along the sand flats. While fishing is possible on all trips, serious anglers may want to book one of the company’s special five-day, four-night bonefish fishing excursions ($950 per person, plus air fare).

Watching wildlife in British Columbia: The Sierra Club has come a long way since its simple, turn-of-the-century hiking outings in the Sierra Nevada. The club’s weeklong sailing trip around British Columbia’s heavily forested Queen Charlotte Islands ($1,795 per person, plus air fare) gives up to 15 participants a close-up view of some of North America’s most pristine wildlife habitats, as well as an introduction to the Haida Indians who inhabit the region and are known for their huge totem pole carvings.

Guests are based aboard a 68-foot ketch with eight double cabins, three shared bathrooms with hot showers and a large lounge with an extensive natural history library. The two naturalist guides double as crew. The boat also is equipped with an inflatable dinghy for shore excursions, fishing gear (cod, red snapper and salmon are abundant) and two, two-person kayaks, which can be used for reconnoitering when the sailboat is at anchor. The area is particularly rich in bald eagles, puffins, whales, sea lions and porpoises, and the islands’ old-growth forests provide fine hiking.

Sailing through history in Turkey: You’d be hard-pressed to find more captivating sailing grounds than Turkey’s southern “Turquoise Coast.” Craggy coastlines, ancient Greco-Roman ruins, cozy Mediterranean anchorages, forested trails and a culturally rich populace make for a full plate of sensual and educational fare.

Idaho-based Remote Odysseys Worldwide is in its 12th year of running cruises aboard traditional Turkish gulets , 70-foot, wide-beamed wooden motor-sailers that accommodate 11 guests. There are six double cabins with private baths and plenty of deck space for lounging and watching the passing scene.

Hours of coastal cruising are interspersed with swimming and snorkeling stops at quiet coves, lunches at seaside villages, excursions to ruins and hiking through inland forests and mountain areas. At one stop, the group travels by minivan to a mountain community for lunch in the home of a Turkish family. The boat anchors in isolated bays, as well as in the harbors of small towns, where guests can go ashore to stroll the waterfront or visit the neighborhood tavernas.

Two itineraries are offered. The Aegean Mosaic, a 14-day trip taking in the more northerly section of the coast, includes eight days of cruising and four days on land for $1,990 to $2,490 per person, plus air fare. The more southerly 16-day Lycian Shore route entails 10 days of cruising and costs $2,250 to $2,600 per person, plus air. Both itineraries take in Istanbul and the ancient ruins at Ephesus.

Windjamming in Maine: Laid-back windjammer vacations have long been popular around coastal Maine, but the owners of the 115-foot Stephen Taber, based in Rockland, Me., are experimenting with a more active sailing experience: a weeklong hiking adventure through the Downeast Maine islands ($675 per person, plus air fare). Traditional lobster bakes and ship-board storytelling and sing-along sessions are revved up with challenging treks on Isle au Haut, a tiny forested island that is part of Acadia National Park, and around the bays of Swan Island, Deer Isle and Mount Desert Island.

The Stephen Taber, circa 1871, is the oldest continuously operating sailing vessel in the United States, with lots of brass and mahogany and 12 cabins accommodating 22 passengers. Owners Ken and Ellen Barnes run the boat like a floating country inn--very informal with lots of homemade soups, breads and other cozy touches. Cabins are comfortable but small--”like camping on the ocean, only better,” Ellen says.

Exploring sea caves in Thailand: The Andaman Sea, a misty blue stretch of the Indian Ocean in Thailand’s far south, is as eerie as it is striking. Huge limestone formations rise from the water looking like a kind of nautical Stonehenge. Many of the islands are honeycombed with sea caves and shelter hidden lagoons encircled by 100-foot walls and towering waterfalls.

Wilderness Travel’s 15-day jungle safari and sail through the area starts with three days of jungle walking and river rafting in the dense rain forests of Khao Sok National Park near the southern Thai town of Surat Thani. The park is home to monkeys, wild elephants, bears, tigers, leopards and buffalo. Accommodations are in a jungle lodge with rustic floating bungalows.

The group then transfers to a 60-foot wooden junk for six days cruising the Andaman Sea, with snorkeling and explorations of sea caves and lagoons by sea canoe. There are also daily visits to small towns and fishing villages, and inland hikes. The boat accommodates nine guests in four double cabins and one single berth. Cost of the trip is $3,395 per person, plus air fare.

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GUIDEBOOK

One source for finding small-group sailing trips is the Specialty Travel Index, a directory of adventure-tour operators. Published twice a year, it may be purchased for $10 for two issues by calling (800) 442-4922 (credit-card orders only) or sending a check or money order to 305 San Anselmo Ave., Suite 313, San Anselmo, Calif. 94960.

Lost World Adventures, 1189 Autumn Ridge Drive, Marietta, Ga., 30066; telephone (800) 999-0558. Three-day, two-night sailing trips in Venezuela’s Los Roques Islands depart year-round. Price: $595 per person, plus $653 round-trip air fare from Los Angeles to Caracas; extra nights $195 per night, per person. No single supplement. Scuba gear surcharge is $83 per day. Five-day, four-night Los Roques bonefish fishing trips, including two days of fishing, are $950 per person, plus $653 air fare; additional nights $255 per person.

Sierra Club, Outing Department, 730 Polk St., San Francisco, Calif. 94109; tel. (415) 923-5522. Weeklong sailing trip in British Columbia’s Queen Charlotte Islands (No. 95074) departs May 26. Price: $1,795 per person, plus $615 round-trip air fare to Sandspit, B.C., from Los Angeles. No single supplement.

Remote Odysseys Worldwide, P.O. Box 579, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83816; (800) 451-6034 . Two-week Aegean Mosaic trips along Turkey’s Turquoise Coast with eight days of sailing depart May 20, June 10, July 1 and Sept. 2. Price: $1,990 to $2,490, depending on date and number of participants, plus $1,168 round-trip air fare from Los Angeles. Sixteen-day Lycian Shore trips with 10 days on the boat depart Sept. 16 and Oct. 1. Price: $2,250 to $2,600 per person, plus $1,168 round-trip air fare from Los Angeles. There is a single supplement of $100 if travelers want private hotel rooms while on land.

Windjammer Schooner Stephen Taber, 70 Elm St., Camden, Me. 04843; (800) 999-7352. Weeklong hiking and sailing trip in Downeast Maine departs Sept. 4. Price: $675 per person, double occupancy, plus $603 round-trip air fare from Los Angeles to Rockland, Me. Single rooms may be available at no extra charge. Other trips not specifically designated as hiking programs depart weekly June through September at the same price.

Wilderness Travel, 801 Allston Way, Berkeley, Calif. 94710; (800) 368-2794. Fifteen-day southern Thailand jungle safari and Andaman Sea sail departs Oct. 22, Dec. 9 and, in 1996, Jan. 6. Price: $3,395 per person, double occupancy, plus $1,150 round-trip air fare from Los Angeles to Bangkok. Single supplement: $320.