St John Sailing is as good as it gets

Sailing Around St John and the US Virgin Islands or venture over to the British Virgin Islands

These great captains all offer guests of Great Expectations a great sail at a great value:

Cloud 9 - Let’s Go Sailing on Cloud 9 a beautiful and spacious 47' Beneteau sailing sloop. Sit back and relax while Captain Jason sails you past many scenic Virgin Islands or learn how to sail and take a turn at the helm. Enjoy a snorkel stop – they only take you to the very best places! Cloud 9 features a comfortable cockpit with a full bimini for plenty of shade, a swim platform for easy entry and exit of the water and ample seating on the deck. Choose one of our sailing trips for the best day of your vacation! They offer: a Half Day / three hour sail with typically one snorkel stop; a Full Day / six hour trip with lunch and up to three snorkel stops; Sunset Sails, Jost Van Dyke trips and Custom Private Charters. Captain Jason and his first mate Leslie, know the waters above and below! Cloud 9 is offering guests of Great Expectations a special 10% discount when booking direct with Cloud 9 Sailing Adventures!

KEKOA is a 50 ft. wooden catamaran built in 2008 which has unique silver hulls, black sails and a deck that glows blue at night. KEKOA is 30 ft. wide providing for a smooth and level ride while enjoying gentle trade wind sailing. The vessel has ample seating on the deck or in our shaded cockpit. KEKOA also has a wet bar, a bathroom and a seat that stretches across the entire stern deck. When its time to disembark on the out islands for swimming or snorkeling on the world class reefs, we provide a stairway to the water. Come aboard KEKOA and enjoy the newest, sleekest and most awe-inspiring sailing catamaran in the Virgin Islands. In addition to a great sail experience, guests of Great Expectations get a 10% discount. Just ask for Claire or one of the two captains, Captain Ryan or Captain Jamison, brothers they be!

Survivan is a beautiful 46' Jeanneau sloop. Go sailing and have what will be one of the highlights of your vacation to St. John! Survivan’s over-sized cockpit has a full bimini for plenty of shade. Snorkeling in the crystal clear water is a breeze with its open stern, swim ladder and fresh water rinse. Whether you want to sit back and relax or take a turn at the helm you will be offered a custom sailing trip to fit your needs. Options include: full day with gourmet lunch and two snorkel stops, a half day which is a three hour tour with one snorkel stop, Sunset Sail, and a full-day trip to Jost Van Dyke in the BVI and have what will be one of the highlights of your vacation to St. John! Captain Jason and his first mate, 'Lou', know the waters and promise a great day - at a great value offering guests of Great Expectations a special 10% discount!

Wayward Sailor- The Wayward Sailor is a classic 30' Islander sloop owned and operated by Capt. Phil for the past 27 years. Captain Phil has logged well over a hundred thousand miles under her keel, traveling throughout the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

Boating Safety

No matter how much experience you have, it’s always a good idea for everyone to review boating safety rules before departures. Read below to familiarize yourself with these 10 basic boating safety tips:

1. Be Weather-wise
Always check local weather conditions for boating safety before departure- TV and radio forecasts can be a good source of information. If you notice darkening clouds, volatile and rough changing winds, or sudden drops in temperature, play it safe by getting off the water.

2. Follow a Pre-Departure Checklist
Proper boating safety means being prepared for any possibility on the water. From compliance with fire safety regulations to tips for fueling up, following a pre-departure checklist is the best way to make sure no boating safety rules or precautions have been forgotten.

3. Use Common Sense
One of the most important parts of boating safety is to use your common sense. This means operating at a safe speed at all times, especially in crowded areas. Be alert at all times, and steer clear of large vessels and watercraft that can be restricted in their ability to stop or turn. Also be respectful of buoys and other navigational aids, all of which have been placed there for one reason only- to ensure your own boating safety.

4. Designate an Assistant Skipper
Make sure more than only one person on board is familiar with all aspects of your boat’s handling, operations, and other boating safety tips. If the primary navigator is injured or incapacitated in any way, it’s important to make sure someone else can follow the proper boating safety rules to get everyone else back to shore.

5. Develop a Float Plan
Whether you choose to inform a family member or staff at your local marina, always be sure let someone else know your float plan in terms of where you’re going and how long you’re going to be gone. A float plan can include the following information: name, address, and phone number of trip leader: name and number of all passengers; boat type and registration information; trip itinerary; types of communication and signal equipment onboard.

6. Make Proper Use of Lifejackets
Did you know that the majority of drowning victims as the result of boating accidents were found not to be wearing a Lifejacket? Make sure that your family and friends aren’t part of this statistic by assigning and fitting each member of your onboard team with a Lifejacket-prior to departure.

7. Avoid Alcohol
Practice boating safety at all times by saving the alcohol for later. The probability of being involved in a boating accident doubles when alcohol is involved, and studies have also shown that the affect of alcohol is exacerbated by external effects such as sun and wind.

8. Learn to Swim
If you’re going to be in and around the water, proper boating safety means knowing how to swim. Local organizations such as the American Red Cross and others offer training for all ages and abilities- check to see what classes are offered in your area!

9. Take a Boating Course
Beginning boaters and experienced experts alike need be familiar with boating safety rules of operation. Boater education requirements vary by state- some require validated completion of at least one boating safety course. Regardless of your individual state's requirements, it's always important to be educated, aware and prepared for every circumstance that might arise. You can learn boating safety rules by taking a local community course, or there are online tutorials to help educate novice boaters.

10. Consider a Free Vessel Safety Check
Take advantage of a free Vessel Safety Check from the US Coast Guard. They offer complimentary boat examinations to verify the presence and condition of certain Safety Equipment required by State and the Federal regulations. Free of charge, they’ll provide a specialist to check out your boat and make helpful boating safety tips and recommendations. They also offer virtual online safety checks as well. Find a vessel Safety check examiner closest to you.

All this good info is from DiscoverBoating; check it out for more details.

And, I'd add check the charts to that list. The waters of the Virgin Islands is beautiful and clear; however, one of the wonders of our waters are our coral reefs. Beautiful to look at but nasty to run aground onto especially in a chartered boat!

St. John Villas

St John Sailing is as good as it gets

Sailing Around St John and the US Virgin Islands or venture over to the British Virgin Islands

Boating Safety

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