So , I finally got one of my bucket list vacations to sail the BVI’s. We did a floatilla with 5 boats ( Lagoon 43 ) and I signed on with 4 couples. Added myself as a semi- experienced sailor who had finished part of my charter certification. Not Captain material, but wanting to be involved. Well, long story short. One of our couples with experience backed out. They assigned a random couple we did not know who claimed to have a captain license. Upon arrival at check in, we found out his captain license had been revoked. He knew nothing about a sailboat, all his time was on a powerboat. And he was suffering from a combination of dementia and alcoholism.

They let us charter anyway, but the flotilla had to buy extra insurance on our boat and didn’t tell me. Off we go from Tortolla to Norman Island and it becomes very obvious with my wife, who does have basic sailing knowledge with me and a guy who is clueless. Which became painfully obvious as we got to the mooring balls and spinning circles because he doesn’t know how to run a dual engine boat, sail or power.

So for the rest of the week, yours truly becomes Captain, with my wife as my deck hand, and one other of our party that I know well as my second mate because he understood the electronics and navigation system. This was the picture my wife caught on day two. Not the most reassuring shot of your captain. But the boat and crew made it through 10 days, and the passage to Anegada without a scratch or mishap. Just a few shattered nerves. Yeah, I’d do it again, and the charter company gave me a gold star and permission to Captain in future (not bad for a guy who’s experience was a 20 foot scow, and a 25 foot single IO power boat). But in future, I’ll carefully select my own crew, thank you!