Captain’s Log: A Business Retreat
The Basics
The boat: Calypso, a 2023 Fountaine Pajot Astrea 42
Crew: Captain JT (instructor)
ASA Students: Lizzy and Alex
Courses Completed: ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104 (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran)
Day 1: Staff Trip
This trip was a unique one— the crew was all Go Sail VI staff and their families! Lizzy, Go Sail Office Manager, and Alex, Go Sail’s content creator, would both be working on their ASA certifications. Karson, Alex’s husband, and her 10 month old daughter, Lily, were also joining in on the fun. Karson already had received his ASA sailing certifications about a decade ago in the Grenadines. Alex and Lizzy both had completed ASA 101 with Go Sail Flathead Lake. Lizzy has been sailing since she was a kid but this would only be Alex’s second time out on a sailboat!
Day 2: A Water Spout!
After a delicious breakfast and a thorough check out briefing, the crew was ready to set sail! Everyone took turns at the helm as the students motored out of Compass Point Marina and along the north side of St. John. Once everyone was comfortable maneuvering under power, the crew worked to hoist the mainsail and set the jib. And they were off— sailing lessons had begun! As the crewmembers took turns on the winches and at the helm, Captain JT spotted a water spout in the distance. A fun sight to see for the crew’s first day out at sea!
Day 3: Beautiful Views
The winds were absolutely perfect for a long morning of sailing! The crew left Maho Bay, sailed through Thatch Cay Cut, and smoothly moored in Leinster Bay. Captain JT dropped the dinghy and everyone headed to shore for a hike to the Annaberg Plantation! The Caribbean blue water shimmered next to the ruins and the crew sat for a while and just enjoyed the views. The area was so gorgeous, they decided to stay in Leinster Bay for the night. They had the bay completely to themselves until Captain Trevon showed up with his students— now it was a party!
Day 4: Changing Course
The crew woke up to quite the heavy winds– 27 knots! They decided to motor out of Leinster Bay and scrap the plan to sail to Coral Harbour in such gusty winds. However, less than a half hour after taking off— the winds started to die down! The crew changed course, reefed and raised the mainsail and tacked their way to the east end of St. John. They then headed to the south side of the island, practiced jibing and dropped anchor in Coral Harbour. A perfect stop for lunch at the floating taco bar before jibing back into the Virgin Islands National Park in the afternoon!
Day 5: A Long Sail
The weather started off a bit gloomy— the perfect time to practice knots, use the chart plotter, and learn navigation skills! By the time the students had finished, the sun was shining and it was time to make the long sail into Magens Bay on St. Thomas. “The crew did such a great job with the jibes and determining the appropriate time to jibe to maximize our progress to our destination for the day,” Captain JT noted in his Captain’s Log about the day’s sail. To end the day, Captain JT went and picked up Go Sail owner, Captain Genevieve, from shore— now, the staff party finally felt complete!
Day 6: We Meet Again
Off anchor and into the wind! The crew made a passage plan to head east. The crew used the hand bearing to calculate the right time to do tacks and make it through Middle Passage, between Thatch and Grass Cays. They also used the hand bearing to do a two point fix to determine their exact location on the water. The students smoothly sailed through the Passage and into Pillsbury Sound where they continued to tack their way along the east end of St. Thomas, through Current Cut, and eventually making it to Great St. James Island. After a few man overboard drills, it was time for Pizza! The crew stopped at the floating pizza boat for cocktails and to make their pizza order. A few minutes later, Captain Trevon’s crew joined the party! Everyone hopped on their boat to catch up on the week and swap stories. What a perfect ending to the staff’s week at sea!