Captain’s Log: Captain Jalil’s Famous Fare
The Basics
The boat: Speculation, a 2021 Leopard 44
Crew: Captain Jalil (instructor)
ASA Students: David, Adam, and Chris
Courses Completed: ASA 101 (Basic Keelboat), ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104 (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran)
Day 1: A Range of Experience
Ready and excited to set sail, the crew of sailors meets at Crown Bay. Captain Jalil introduces himself and gets to know each of the group members. David has just retired and is looking forward to spending more time sailing. He has ASA certifications but feels a little rusty. He’s also hoping to get his ASA 114 certification for catamaran cruising on this trip. On the other hand, Adam and Chris are totally new to sailing but excited to give it a try! Go Sail Virgin Islands’ sailing trips cater to all levels of sailing experience and the trip is sure to be fun and worthwhile for everyone, even though they are joining the trip with very different knowledge bases.
Day 2: Getting Our Sea Legs
Boat orientation begins! The crew gets to know Speculation and how she works. First, the group works on maneuvers under power on the way to Flamingo Cove Water Island. Then, by early afternoon they’ve raised the double-reefed main and single-reefed jib. Unfortunately, getting “sea legs” comes easier to some students than others and Adam ends up battling some seasickness over the course of the day. However, by afternoon the group picks up mooring in Careening Cove and Adam gets a break on the St. Thomas waterfront to enjoy the beauty of the area while solidly on land.
Day 3: A Mix of Work and Play
Sailing is hard work! On day 3, the students work hard to learn about aids to navigation, rules of the road, chart elements and tools, and where to find real-time sailing condition information. However, the learning journey is also peppered with plenty of time to relax and have fun! After a full morning of sailing and learning, the crew picks up mooring at Cow and Calf Rock to enjoy an afternoon of adventure. They snorkel with the reef life, explore the arches, and even do a bit of spelunking!
Day 4: Captain Jalil’s Famous Cocktails
Day 4 brings with it lessons of anchoring, lights and sound signals, chart plotting, GPS coordinates, and more! The crew also makes their way through Current Cut under power and puts their knowledge of anchoring to the test on the northside of St. James Island. In the afternoon they practiced tacking through Pillsbury Sound, reefing south of Jost van Dyke and finally picking up mooring in Hawksnest Bay. Proud of a job well done, Captain Jalil treats the crew to his famous cocktails! What’s in them? You’ll have to take a class with Captain Jalil to find out!
Day 5: Captain Jalil Shows Off His Culinary Skills
Impressed by Captain Jalil’s cocktails the night before, the crew is in for a treat today with an introduction to some of Captain Jalil’s most famous meals! After teaching the crew man-overboard procedures, dead reckoning, and how to use the VHF radio, Captain Jalil gets to work in the kitchen. For lunch, it’s Captain Jalil’s famous sustainable tuna salad on the menu. Then for dinner (once moored in Francis Bay), Captain Jalil makes jerk chicken, Rasta stew, and plantains as the students paddleboard with the turtles!
Day 6: Sailing and Shipwrecks
The crew starts the morning by raising full main and full jib as well as enjoying some jibing practice in Pillsbury Sound. By afternoon, the group made it to Buck Island for some exciting adventures. They explore a shipwreck in the area and even have the opportunity to swim alongside some reef squids. Later that afternoon they set sail again for point-of-sail and jibing drills before ending the day at Honeymoon Island.
Day 7: Off to the Next Adventure
This sailing trip has come to an end – but that doesn’t mean it is the last time this crew will spend time sailing together! Captain Jalil reminds the students they are welcome back any time— to take more ASA courses, to try out bareboat sailing, or for a relaxing charter trip. Until next time, new friends!