I can't recommend this sailing charter enough! Our guy was so friendly and knowledgeable. I learned a ton about marine life and sailing. He had a great way of explaining things in simple terms but not dumbing it down too much. Great charter and great boat! read more

Nomad Sailing Charters - Boating Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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We went on a sunset cruise in Santa Cruise for my birthday last week and had a wonderful time. Brian and his daughter were so helpful and friendly. This was the soooo fun ! read more

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Wow! My husband and I booked a wonderful sail with Nomad Sailing Charters. We saw whales, otters, a seal and a great white! It is a beautiful, super sea worthy and comfortable sailboat. Sam was our captain and he was amazing. Everything was truly perfect. We felt safe, happy and well cared for. We are looking forward to another great sail! read more

Had such a good time in a nice, relaxed environment. Friendly crew, peaceful waves, and otters! love it! read more

Nomad Sailing Charters - Boating Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

First off, thank you Sam. You rock. What a great boat, great skipper and wonderful time. As a sailor of over 40 years, this was a privilege and a pleasure. Had friends in SC for the first time. We did a combo Wildlife / Sunset cruise. While I geeked out on the fabulous Westsail 42 (a boat I have always dreamed about) and Skipper Sam patiently indulged me in boat details, my friends were able to enjoy our beautiful bay in a relaxed, comfortable and SAFE way that was the highlight of their Santa Cruz visit. I cannot speak highly enough about Nomad, from the ease of booking, Sam's professionalism (on and off the boat) to the local area knowledge. All this equated to a simply great time - even for first time boaties. I will be back and encourage anyone thinking of a sailing charter in Monterey Bay to check out Nomad. It is like your boat, with an expert guide. You will see the big guys out there with their deck's full, standing room only, as you and your guests drink your wine in a bean bag chair on the bow, name sea otters and giggle like (dreaded) seagulls. Thank you again Sam, that was very special. Marc- read more

This review is LONG overdue, but the Nomad took us out for our 2nd charter last year and we asked if they had heard of any whales in the area. We went straight out into the bay a few miles and ended up in the middle of an Orca pod. It was absolutely amazing. Several Orca's breached right by the boat. Not only were we blown away, the crew was just as excited. Can't recommend the Nomad enough. It's fun, casual and very intimate with just 6 of your good friends/family on board. Don't wait, book it now! And yes, I got my thumb in our only group picture. read more

Nomad Sailing Charters - Boating Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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What a fantastic sailing adventure! We did a midday sail with Captain Helen and her mate Apple. Perfect weather, fun and informative stories, and we felt totally taken care of. It was so neat to watch the surfers at Steamers Lane from the water, something that those of us who don't surf never see. And we couldn't have asked for better weather - and the perfect way to celebrate a 40th birthday! The captain and crew made the experience even more fantastic, thank you! read more

Nomad Sailing Charters - Enjoying the comfy beanbags - Boating Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

My friends and I had an absolute blast on our sunset sailing tour with Brian! We saw sting rays jumping out of the water, sea otters, seals, dolphin and even a momma and baby whale. Brian is a great captain, conversationalist and guide. His daughter even made us lemon bars from their lemon tree. He has sleeping bags for cooler nights and plenty of space for our party of six. All the necessary amenities were on the boat. I would highly recommend Nomad Sailing Charters for an enjoyable day on the Pacific. read more

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If you want an amazing tour around the Santa Cruz Bay, this is the charter for you. If you want the friendliest captain, then Nomad Sailing Charters is where you go. If you love life and sharing it with amazing people in the most scenic environment around, the call Captain Thom. If I could live on this boat, I would!!! read more

Nomad Sailing Charters - Book yourself a sunset cruise in Santa Cruz, CA - Boating Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

This is hands down the ONLY place in Santa Cruz for you to go out and enjoy a day on the bay! Captain Brian and First Mate Dias made my bachelorette #lastsailbeforetheveil the BEST day in the entire world. We rolled up with champagne, sailor hats, and high heels and the men made us feel like a million bucks. Props to First Mate for always being ready with the camera for a photo opportunity. They were even so kind as to be flexible in the timing of the boat ride, which ended up being totally cosmic as we saw whales jumping up after a big sounding. There was popcorn, lemon bars (made by Admiral Elsa or Eloise-- Brian's daughter), and we brought plenty of snacks. The three hours was a perfect amount of time to see everything and we even got to have a small dance party aboard. Thank you Nomad!!! read more

Nomad Sailing Charters - Boating Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

As a mermaid I have come to rely on The Nomad as my vessel of choice for ocean adventures in Monterey Bay. The Nomad is a handsome vessel and a comfortable ride even in big water. Our first trip with The Nomad was for my mom's birthday last year -- we went sailing out of Moss Landing ahead of a big storm. That was super memorable. The Nomad is ideal for small groups. For my mom's birthday, it was a really special to have a private charter rather than getting on a larger boat with 30 other people. For most of my adventures with The Nomad, however, I am rarely on the boat. As an open water swimmer and a habitual shenanigator, I've come to rely on Captain Brian and The Nomad for safety support. In 2016, Captain Brian and The Nomad escorted our pod of six swimmers from Capitola to Santa Cruz (wharf to wharf), from Santa Cruz to Capitola, from Moss Landing to the Nearshore Buoy. Captain Brian and The Nomad also provided boat support for Angel More's 20K roundtrip Capitola to Santa Cruz swim (you can read the report here: http://www.swimmontereybay.org/uploads/4/3/2/8/43281189/angel_more_20k_2016_observerreport.pdf) This year, in addition to the usual Wharf to Wharf, we tried a new route: "Bridges to Wharves" (Natural Bridges to Santa Cruz Wharf, to Capitola Wharf). Once again under Captain Brian's expert guidance, the swim was a success. For this swim he oversaw 5 swimmers and 8 paddlers. Captain Brian kept everyone safe despite challenging conditions, and we all had a great time. Whether you are looking for a private charter for a sunset cruise, for whale watching, or something that requires specialized expertise e.g. supporting distance swimmers, I highly recommend Captain Brian and The Nomad. read more

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Captain Brian is the best! He notified me in advance that the weather would be foul on the evening I had booked a trip, and kindly offered to reschedule my trip. As I was getting ready to sail, I locked myself out of my car parked at marina. Captain Brian assisted me in every way possible to get my car keys, then we set sail for the smoothest and loveliest sail I've ever had! In addition to being an expert sailor, he is a gentleman, and a considerate and thoughtful human being. I will be returning soon with my family for another sailing trip. I highly recommend trusting Captain Brian for a wonderful experience. read more

Brian is the best, friendliest, most knowledgeable, most accomodating skipper around.

I can not say enough amazing things about the trips I have taken on the Nomad. My boyfriend and I went out for the first time since the pandemic began. The captain made sure the experience was absolute magic! We saw so many sea otters and sailed through the kelp forest- I couldn't keep the smile off my face. Highly recommend. We have since gone out two more time and everytime has been a totally unique experience! read more

WOW! Nomad was SO much fun. We were there for a bachelorette party and not only did they bring us as close to the sea action as possible (whales, dolphins, otters), they were incredibly nice and personable. I very much enjoyed the friendly banter, our ability to bring our own snacks and booze, and the ride. Not to mention they make a HUGE pot of popcorn! Plus, we even got homemade lemon squares made by Captain Brian's daughter. It was the perfect hospitable touch. First mate Diez was always looking out for photo opportunities for the group. Captain Brian was smooth with the boat and very very kind. I can't say enough nice things about this experience. I HIGHLY recommend taking a tour with them! read more

I'm writing this review while on the trip. Captain Brian is an awesome host. He made sure our family's first private sailing experience a very pleasant one. My kids enjoyed it, so did my wife and mom. Definitely try Brian on your next trip to Santa Cruz. read more

Nomad Charters was the BEST experience I have ever had on the ocean. Brian has a calm, relaxed demeanor, even though he is sailing a very large sailboat (43 feet long)! He took us out of the harbor in Santa Cruz and directly to our reason for chartering him...Great White Sharks! They were everywhere! Such amazing animals! We even watched a 14 foot female swim directly under the bowsprit! Brian is very knowledgeable and he made the trip relaxing and educational. To top it off, we caught a nice sunset on they way back to the harbor. We will definitely be booking the Nomad again! read more

We have sailed with Nomad for many events and captain Brian is a pro. He is a true waterman who loves what he does. It is always a pleasure cruising the Monterey Bay aboard Nomad. We've also hired Nomad as a support boat for open water swim events and they go above and beyond to keep everyone safe while having fun. read more

Brian was a great captain and host. He has sailed around the world and has great stories and knowledge of the local area. This would be a great activity for an adult group or family of all ages. This is a must do if you want to explore the area around Santa Cruz! read more

While I did not spend much time ON Nomad, I did get to look at the gorgeous boat while swimming from Santa Cruz to Monterey. Brian was an incredible pilot, he plotted a straight course and kept me and the crew safe. I would recommend Nomad and Brian to anyone wanting to swim the bay or enjoy all the wildlife that exists in it. read more

What a chill, and relaxing experience!! Captain Crista and her co-captain gave us our first sailing voyage and it was perfect!! They were low maintenance and allowed us to bask in the fun of "firsts"!! I would highly recommend this company!! Thank you ladies! read more

I've now been connected with a number of open water swim events (as a supporting kayaker--I'm not crazy enough to swim several hours in Monterey Bay's cold waters). Brian Thom and his Nomad comprised the lynchpin of these successful outings. His knowledge of the bay and conditions there, and wisdom about the wildlife (some of it two-legged) that we'd encounter there, made for a calm, friendly, well-organized experience, in all conditions. I don't hesitate to recommend his company for any outing on Monterey Bay. read more

A fabulous experience! Was out on the bay with 5 girlfriends for a Bachelorette Weekend and it was an afternoon we'll never forget. Captain Brian was experienced, professional, kind and hospitable. The popcorn and lemon bars were a dream! read more

I highly recommend the Nomad for any of your adventures, from whale watching trips, memorials at sea, private tours, swimming shenanigans, etc. I've sailed with Captain Brian a few times for different swimming adventures in the Monterey Bay from Santa Cruz, Capitola, and Moss Landing. The Nomad is so comfortable, myself and several other friends slept aboard for memorial day weekend, even though I live 20 minutes away- it was really relaxing. I have another adventure in a couple of weeks with the Nomad! But I'll continue to keep sailing with the Nomad, I am literally going to write in my will that the Nomad be my sailing charter for my burial at sea. Hope that helps! :D read more

Really can't put into words what a great time we had on Brian's sailboat. We highly recommend chartering with Nomad. Can't wait to do it again. read more

Had a great time with Brian. He was informative, easy going went with the flow of the evening. Boat was wonderful, clean and he had some extra blankets to keep us warm. We went up and down the beach of Santa Cruz and got to see some wild life up and close. I would recommend Nomad in a second. read more

Awesome memory making excursion! Captain Brian did not disappoint. Weather conditions were not be best for sailing (no wind), but he hung in there and, just as the sun was setting, the sails billowed and it was magic! We will return. If you go, don't forget the wine and nibbles. Perfect. read more

Brian is a knowledgeable, experienced, professional and fun captain! He seamlessly chartered our successful Monterey Bay relay swim from Santa Cruz to Monterey on September 22nd, 2018. He monitor conditions to help us pick the perfect day, set us on a straight course and paced our swim. As swimmers, we felt confident with him as our captain, definitely put us at ease with nothing to worry about but to just swim! Not only that, the Nomad was extremely comfortable and accommodating for such an adventure. We had access to hot water for both showering and tea/coffee making and plenty of space to sit, lie down wether that be on deck or in the heated cabin. I will definitely go with Nomad Charters for my next ocean Adventure! read more

Another wonderful day in and on Monterey Bay this past Saturday. Capt Brian is a very skillful and knowledgeable sailor and Nomad is a gorgeous vessel. read more

Another successful swimming adventure completed with the help of the Nomad and Capt Brian Thom. I recommend the sailing mastery of Capt Brian to anyone wanting to explore the greater Monterey Bay. Sailing in the Nomad is always a great experience and Brian looks out for all of his crew in the most caring way. Safety First! read more

I can't say enough about the epic sail my family had with Brian from Nomad charters. It was a beautiful afternoon and the boat was delightful. We called on a last minute trip for my husband and his birthday. Brian was able to fit us in for a sunset sail and it was perfect. We are a rowdy bunch sometimes and Brian handled it with calm and expertise. A great experience and wonderful way to see the coast of Santa Cruz. Highly recommend!! read more