Here are Vinay’s unedited words in answer to the question what was it like to crew for Captain Lexi on WildChild…
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Sailing with Captain Lexi on Wild Child has been an experience of a lifetime! I came aboard in St Martin about a month ago. We have sailed west about 500 miles, with several stops in Puerto Rico and are now in Luperon in the Dominican Republic.
It has been an amazing adventure, creating many remarkable and unforgettable memories.
For context, although I have sailed for about 50 years, it has predominantly been racing or coastal. I had never lived on a boat, nor done much cruising, but now I have experienced both.
Survival on the ocean depends first and foremost on safety since one is constantly dealing with the elements and the various moods of Mother Nature.
Having followed Wild Child online, I knew something about both Captain Lexi as well as the boat. I knew that Captain Lexi is an experienced skipper and Wild Child is an extremely seaworthy vessel. So I was not concerned about our safety.
Nevertheless, when I got on board, it was reassuring to see that Captain Lexi is extremely safety conscious. She has invested in emergency and safety equipment and went thoroughly over procedures. On board practices always start with safety, including personal floatation devices, sailing gloves, as well as always being tethered to the boat anytime we are underway.
Before starting to sail one has to go through Captain Lexi’s boot camp. She is a great sailing instructor and it was good to get aligned on terminology and expectations. I also learned a lot from the entire experience.
Wild Child is really a fitting name for both Lexi, as well as the boat. She really is a free spirit and a remarkable person in many respects.
Not only is Lexi a very capable skipper, but also very practical and resourceful. She is a whiz at all things electrical and electronic and fixes everything on the boat. She is very strong and courageous. Certainly not an average chic by any standards 🙂
Lexi is also a very complex person. She is a lovely human being and can be very considerate and kind. But paradoxically, she can be mean and dominating. She is very intelligent, well educated and well read.
She can be a patient teacher, but can also be extremely impatient. She recognizes that at times she can be arrogant, or even rude or demeaning.
Lexi acknowledges that she is emotionally volatile. She also has very strong opinions e.g. she hates most men, loves all things Canadian but hates the American government and corporations. Do not be surprised by rants and raves.
We realized that we are very different from each other – sometimes poles apart, and so often did not understand each other. Nevertheless, despite our differences, we worked well as a team, and had a great time.
If you have an opportunity to sail with Lexi you will likely enjoy yourself and learn a lot if you come with an open mind and your patience.
He didn’t sign off but that was pure and genuine words from Vinay…