Captain’s Log: Pure Fun

The Basics

The boat: Vesper, a 2023 Lagoon 46 catamaran

Courses Completed: ASA 101 (Basic KeelBoat), ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104 (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran)

Day 1: Settling In

Captain JT met Rob and Angela at the Compass Point Marina at 5pm. The couple quickly unpacked their things and then sat down with Captain JT at the saloon table to discuss their sailing goals. The couple hoped by the end of their sailing trip with Captain JT, they would have the confidence and know-how to bareboat! They went over itinerary ideas for this trip and Captain JT gave them the rundown of the boat– heads, fresh water usage, electrical systems, and the stove— before they headed out to enjoy dinner on land.

Day 2: Finding Our Sea Legs

The crew decided to enjoy breakfast on land before setting sail— and decided to stop by the charter company supply room to grab some snorkel gear! Once back on the boat, Captain JT introduced the couple to some basic nautical terminology and parts of the boat. Then, it was time to set sail! They each took turns at the helm as they made their way to the north side of St. John under power. Once Captain JT felt they had a good handle of steering, he introduced the crew to the next element— the sails! They raised the mainsail and set the jib and they were off. Rob and Angela practiced points of sail, steering a course, and even tried out their first few tacks. By evening, they had sailed into Maho Bay. Just in time to grab a mooring ball, turn on the tunes, and take a dip in the warm Caribbean waters!

Day 3: Embrace the Drizzle

The students woke up to rain and decided to embrace the drizzle— a slow morning with bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches followed by a bit of mooring practice! As the winds picked up a bit, they went out to sea to practice tacking and a few heave-to maneuvers. After lunch, they tacked their way to Sandy Cay, then jibed to Honeymoon Beach. A peaceful and relaxing day!

Day 4: Rain Brings the Rainbow

Wow— the rain really came down overnight and the crew woke up to some heavy seas! However, after a quick check of the forecast, they realized the weather should break by late morning and they made a passage plan for St. Thomas. As the rain slowed, the crew got underway with reefing practice. Along they went along the north side of St. Thomas, jibing out of the Middle Passage, and into Magens Bay. Once in the bay, they took turns at the helm and windlass controls to practice anchoring. After four anchorings, they called it a day and celebrated on the beach with a cocktail!

Day 5: Taking Advantage of Sunny Skies

No time for a slow breakfast this morning! The sun was out and the crew rushed through their granola and yogurt breakfast to take advantage of the sunshine. They weighed anchor and immediately started on man-overboard (MOB) drills. Captain JT was impressed as both students did a textbook recovery on their first attempt! The weather was perfect to practice reefing, with wind blowing around 20 knots. They tacked to St. John close-hauled until the winds died down and they had a slow, comfortable sail into Caneel Bay. An ideal spot to jump in the water and cool off!

Day 6: Pure Fun

“Friday was our best weather day of the week, and the crew had completed everything on our checklist so it was a day of pure fun,” Captain JT wrote in his Captain’s Log. The crew set their destination as Coral Bay and used the chart plotter to create a few different routes there and experimented with the auto pilot. By lunch time the crew had reached Coral Bay — just in time for Lime Out (the floating taco bar) to open! “The crew enjoyed tacos, custom drinks, and just floating in the water on a sunny day,” Captain JT described in his Captain’s Log. After lunch they sailed downwind to Christmas Cove to pick up mooring and enjoy a beautiful snorkeling session.

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Captain's Log