OWNER'S SUITE — SERENITY
The 122-foot (37.2m) Flagship motor yacht SERENITY is a true testament to her name. Built in 1993, but fully refitted in 2017, SERENITY offers guests a tranquil oasis from which to explore the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Eight guests are welcomed aboard for the ultimate luxury adventure — which is exactly what her owners wanted. SERENITY is their first yacht; they purchased her in 2016 and have been delighted by her ever since. Avid charterers, the owners of SERENITY were keen to explore the incredible waters from Seattle to South Alaska; for them, owning their own yacht was the next step.
They spend between six and eight weeks a year on board in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Previously named TALOS, the owners dubbed their yacht SERENITY because “that is how we feel when we’re aboard. She is the perfect yacht for this region,” her owners say. There are lots of enclosed spaces, like the flybridge — which can be alfresco — and the skylounge, that allow you to enjoy the sights regardless of conditions. The region in which the yacht cruises is unlike the traditional tropical yachting hot spots. Which is just how her owners like it. They’re often on board in Alaska. First thing in the morning, the owner will enjoy a run on the yacht’s treadmill, then the adventures begin.
SERENITY’s 29-foot Alaskan-style fishing boat, the SERENE MACHINE, is fully outfitted for exploration. It is perfectly suited to be independent of the main yacht for the day and comfortably accommodates eight people. The SERENE MACHINE has a standup day head and is enclosed in order to protect from the weather. The SERENE MACHINE is perfect to take guests ashore for hikes, get up-close-and-personal with glaciers, cast a line and hope to reel in the big one, and cruise alongside pods of orcas and other incredible wildlife. “We’ve had it only one season,” the owners say, “and it opened up the utility of the yacht in ways you never imagined.”
One of the owners’ favorite aspects of the yacht is the on-deck master. “It’s a huge plus as opposed to being down stairs,” they say, but also mention, “The yacht has great spaces for gathering with everyone on board, but it also has places perfect for some quiet time to read a book or watch scenery go by.”
SERENITY’s owners love Alaska and Puget Sound; this region is their favorite cruising destination. “The beauty and the wildlife are incomparable to anywhere we’ve ever been,” they say. “From the islands and changing nature of the landscape to seeing whales, otters, eagles and bears, to going fishing and crabbing, there’s so much to do — we love enjoying the many things that part of the country has to offer.” Another favorite cruising location for SERENITY’s owners is New England along the Penobscot Bay of Maine and farther north into Canada. They also enjoy The Bahamas, specifically the Exumas — they really love the fishing there. But they maintain that no matter where else they have cruised, Alaska is by far the most unique. “It’s constantly changing and always surprising you,” they maintain, adding, “There’s one spot in Red Bluff Bay where you can nose the yacht to a tidal waterfall then cruise a couple hundred yards and spot a bear fishing in a meadow, then in a few more hundred yards, you drop the shrimp pods to catch dinner.”
SERENITY is the perfect yacht in the perfect location for her owners. They enjoy every moment aboard and they offer her for charter, allowing guests to relish the luxury and incredible location that go hand-in-hand with SERENITY. “She was on the charter market when we bought her,” the owners say. “We expected to be aboard between six and eight weeks a year in Alaska and with her already consistent charter following, it made sense for us to make her available to others in those incredible waters.
The responses from clients who cruise in that area are always the same — they are blown away. Unless you’ve spent a lot of time up there, it’s unlike anything you’ve experienced before. We also get a lot of compliments on our incredible crew, but what guests talk about most are their experiences in the hidden bays in which they anchor, and the incredible opportunities SERENE MACHINE has opened up.”
Charter guests get to enjoy everything from fishing to wildlife spotting — “one group of charter guests were out on SERENE MACHINE when a pod of orcas came by,” the owners say. “One of the whales was swimming on its back under the boat, getting a belly scratch from the keel.” Another favorite memory for guests is cruising past glaciers and picking up a piece of floating ice for cocktails that evening.
The captain and crew of SERENITY further enhance the onboard experience. From the captain with a 20-year Navy career and lots of big-boat experience, to the chef who creates incredible Alaskan feasts from the fresh fish caught by the guests that day, the crew up the ante aboard SERENITY, ensuring an enjoyable, five-star experience for all.
After all, yachting is all about having fun! “We love being on the water,” the owners of SERENITY say. And their yacht allows them total flexibility and total peacefulness. “We love to anchor out in a beautiful bay with nothing around us but nature.”
