The sailing course uses two primary texts, Sailing Fundamentals by Gary Jobson and, Chartering Fundamentals by Brian Fagan - both are published by the ASA. These books describe parts of the boat, crew responsibilities, hoisting sails, points of sail, tacking, jibing, right-of-way, anchoring, docking, navigation, knots, and more.  You will sail with other students and the instructor captain on your 50 foot sailing yacht. Each crew will go through the boat`s equipment checklist to become familiar with the location and operation of all the equipment.  Setting sail just before noon, our first destination will be Cooper Island which is about two hours away.  Each day we will plan to anchor by mid afternoon so we have good light and time to snorkle and explore the area. We will spend much of the time practicing maneuvers and learning about the boat.   The next several days will involve practicing maneuvers during the day and studying in the early evening. We will have the opportunity to swim, snorkel, and explore the many awesome and incredible places. We will sail our way around Tortolla, spending the night at many of the fascinating islands that surround it. The islands offer a variety of unique restaurants, shops, and night entertainment which are special. We will take turns cooking.

St Lucia - St. Lucia is north of St. Vincent and south of Martinique.  It is mountainous with lush rain forests and beautiful white sand beaches.  The Soufriere area near the Pitons are majestic!   Rodney Bay is a long bay with an island in the north connected by a causeway, a completely protected inner lagoon, and a two beautiful anchorages.   Pigeon Island, in the north corner of the bay, is now a museum and park hosting an old fort, hospital, barracks, and storerooms.  There is some snorkeling around Pigeon Island and a good hike on the island with excellent views.  Ashore, there is shopping for provisions, handicrafts and local art, and numerous restaurants.   Marigot Bay is a spectacular anchorage that is well protected from the sea and winds.  The bus to town comes to within a mile of the anchorage though taxis are also available at the resort.  There are a couple good restaurants, swimming pool, sailboarding, and other fun things to do within walking distance of the boat.  Excellent bars and night life.  Soufriere and the Pitons is exceptionally beautiful and is dominated by two towering Pitons.  The town of Soufriere is small, rustic, and picturesque.   A scuba dive site right off the Anse Chastenet beach is "outstanding" and definitely a "must" for scuba divers.  This area is part of the marine national park with excellent underwater reefs just off the beach.  Snorkeling in this area is also excellent.  Ashore are many boutiques, handicrafts, and restaurants.  The Soufriere area has many interesting on-shore activities.   The view from the Pitons is sensational.

Martinique - Martinique is still a part of France and the natives speak French and English.  It is the largest of the Windward islands with Fort de France quite civilized and bustling with shoppers and cars.  The island's interior is excellent for exploration - tall volcanic mountains, lush rain forests, and interesting villages along the shore.  St. Anne is a pretty town with excellent restaurants and good scuba diving.  The shrine above the town is just a short, energetic walk along a walled path.  The French Creole style food is very reasonably priced and the ambiance is unique.  Just past the town is a cul-de-sac and a small, quiet town called Marin.   It is undiscovered by tourism and untouched by commercialization.  Anse Noire is tiny bay with colorful cliffs that rise on the southern headland and a steep hill on the northern one.  A black sand beach at the head of the bay is backed by palms, behind which a steep jungle valley rises into the mountains.   A hike up the river behind the beach is way-cool.  The snorkeling along the edges of the bay is good.  There's a large bat cave nearby.  Fort de France is a major shopping spree and the largest city in the Windward Islands.  Here, we will spend a few hours touring the town, then rent cars and explore the interior of the island.  There are two large mountains, the tallest reaching 4,800' on the northern tip of the island.

Kea is an exceptionally picturesque and mountainous island consisting of several small valleys that lead down to small bays and sandy beaches.  Mykonos is the most cosmopolitan of all the Greek islands. Here the high mountains give way to small rocky hills which combine with beautiful beaches to make up the landscape of the island. You will find some of the most beautiful long sandy beaches and upscale bars and restaurants. The town is a stereotype of classic Cycladic architecture with whitewashed streets, cubical houses and churches with sky-blue doors and domes.  Delos is a major attraction. It is very close to Mykonos and was the religious and political center of the Aegean for a very long time. Some of the art and sculptures are more than eight thousand years old.  Walking through town to the ancient theater, through Cleopatra's house, several sanctuaries, and houses of famous Greek characters we reach the awe inspiring Avenue of the Lions which still has five Naxian marble beasts crouched on their haunches.  Paros is a large volcanic island, formed through the union of two smaller islands, Kalauria and Sphaeria. We will see lots of white marble architecture and visit an awesome Frankish castle built in 1620 from the stones of an ancient temple. Archaeology buffs will want to visit the scant remains of the Sanctuary of Poseidon, 5 km from the town of Poros. It is on the road to the Monastery of Zoodochos Pigi, amidst the most beautiful setting on the island.  Santorini has vividly colored cliffs - seared black, red and yellow by volcanic fires over 2,000 years ago when a volcano blew off its head. The rocky slopes rise between the white buildings of the harbor village and the even more dazzling white town of Thira, perched on top of the sheer precipices.  The view from the top is majestic.  Seriphos is a mountainous island with small, fertile planes between the ridges.  The island has its own specific yet basically Cycladic atmosphere.  The people are very friendly though many do not speak much English.

St. Kitts has a population of 90,000 of which half are greenback monkeys living in the tall mountains and rain forests. The island has a steep central mountain range rising 3,750 feet high. The land between the mountains and the sea is gently sloping and fertile.  The town of Basseterre is quite pleasant with the usual shops and Carib charm.  The 3,700' mountain range is a whole different world of cool dark rain forest, windy elfin woodlands, volcanic craters and lakes. Statia (St. Eustatius) is a small island with a couple of houses amid old ruins that tumble into the sea. On top of the cliff, the small town peeks out through the trees. To the north a perfect volcanic cone looks down from 2,000 feet. Little movement breaks the unparalleled peace and tranquillity. All along the shore a sea wall protects a long street of shops and warehouses. There are many excellent hiking trails and the scuba diving is superb.  The most energetic and rewarding hike (3 hours) is up the volcano and down into the Quill crater.  At the rim, a path leads to the Mazinga - the highest point - but the growth is so dense that it does not offer the best views. St. Barts has the allure of a small island.  The interior of St. Barts is the prettiest of the Renaissance Islands.  The roads are often cut into the sides of the mountains.  Highlands include the wonderfully rugged southeast coast along Grand Fond, winding along the tiny mountain roads in Vitet, scrambling around the rocks at the end of the Columbier Road and buying intricate straw work from barefooted women in traditional dress in Corrossol. Anse de Grande Saline and Anse du Gouverneur are two fabulous secluded beaches surrounded by scenic cliffs and makes a great stop for a walk and a swim with a good little roadside creperie nearby.

St. Vincent and the Greandines - The Windward Islands are comprised of four major islands and numerous smaller ones called Cays (pronounced keys). The Grenadines consist of several small islands between St. Vincent and Grenada; some with high hills, others no more than a reef-enclosed sand cay sprouting a few palms. They all have perfect white pristine beaches, crystal clear water, and colorful reefs - like a tropical fantasy. St. Vincent, the most northern island we will visit, is an island of towering mountains, craggy peaks, and dramatic precipices dressed in a tangle of dense green forests.  Our favorite islands (visit our trip report) include:

St. Vincent is an island of towering mountains, craggy peaks and dramatic precipices. The awe inspiring terrain is covered in a tangle of dense green forest. It has a reputation for thieves, con-men, and extortionists.  The interior of the island is totally wild with an excellent climb into the bowl of a giant volcano and a boat trip to the Falls of Baleine. The Montreal Gardens in the Mesopotamia Valley is perched on the very threshold of the mountains at the end of a road. The Botanical Gardens are the oldest in the western hemisphere. Our favorite place is Wallilabou where you will find a superb restaurant and a exquisite batik shop that sells brightly colored batik depicting local scenes and nature. There is a small local bar, Ashton Hideout, that often has a steel band and good food. My favorite is an early morning hike up the steep, winding road for some excellent photo opportunities. Tobago Cays, a national park, are a group of small deserted islands protected from the sea by Horseshoe Reef, a kaleidoscope of Caribbean colors. There are remote sand beaches with excellent snorkeling. Scuba diving can be arranged with Dive Anchorage and Grenadine Divers. At nearby Mayreau, a one road island with pristine beaches, there is a fabulous view of the Tobago Cays from the top of the hill. There are paths leading to the many pristine beaches surrounding the island. Ashore is a resort, beach bar, restaurant, and a small village. Mustique is privately owned with some large estates, including those of Princes Margaret, Mic Jagger, David Bowie, and Raquel Welch. Parts of the island are wild while other areas are manicured.  Ashore is a small general store, boutiques, restaurants, and bars.  The Picadilli is a most excellent restaurant.  Bequia is isolated enough to remain relatively unspoiled yet lively enough to be stimulating and entertaining. It is a favorite hangout for many yachtsmen. Bequia's main harbor is Admiralty Bay - a huge well protected bay - with Port Elizabeth at its head. Small hotels, bars, restaurants and shops spread from town along the southern shore, strung together by a tiny path that threads its way along the seashore.   A hike to Hope where a lovely remote beach with rather shallow water sets up long lines of breakers often suitable for body surfing (watch the undertow).   Scuba diving in Bequia is awesome with two dive shops - Dive Bequia and Sun Sports.