Locals Launch Charter Service in Virgin Islands

Ginger (Balser) Judge wears two hats. While she’s The Epstein Middle School counselor by day, her evenings are spent managing charter boats in the British and U.S. Virgin Islands.

Riding the wave of the adventurous and luxury leisure market, Ginger and her husband, J.C. Judge, operate their boats “for hire,” with a captain included. Currently, they run day charters out of St. Thomas on Judges’ Chambers.

Judges’ Chambers (a 45-foot, four-bed, four-bath catamaran) can also be combined with “Kelea” for larger parties (up to 16 people) for a week span. Kelea is a 65-foot yacht that can accommodate up to 10 people. She has a king ensuite master bedroom, four ensuite queen bedrooms, and two forward crew cabins with heads. Rates vary, from $23,000 to $28,000 per week, depending on the season and whether a chef is desired.

Ginger explained, “J.C. and I have had this vision for years. In 2015, we were certified to sail in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and we fell in love with it. We got married on a boat in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) in 2017. In 2018, we bought our first boat, Judges Chambers. Judges Chambers was in a yacht charter company that paid for all of its expenses. It was a great deal for us, and a perfect way to discern if this was the direction we desired for our future. We’ve spent a significant amount of time in both the USVI and the BVI since then. J.C. and I can sail Judges’ Chambers on our own, as she is much smaller than Kelea.”

Along with their partners, Jim and Lyn LaValle, the couple operate as Kestrel Sailing, LLC.

Kelea and Judges’ Chambers can run out of the BVI or USVI. They can extend trips beyond a week if booked in advance. The trip is 100 percent tailored to clients’ needs. They offer several island-hopping adventures, including, but not limited to, St. John, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost, Norman, and Peter Islands. The boat can be provisioned with food and drinks prior to the client’s arrival, or they can shop with the boat manager upon arrival.

Ginger extolled, “There are a lot of fantastic places to dine out. We always have way more food on the boat than we need because we end up eating out a lot, but that is up to the customer.”

Kelea is definitely not a roughing experience. There are TVs in every cabin, and in the main living area (salon). There is a fully stocked bar and kitchen. Kelea also has a 70-horsepower dinghy that can pull a tube and/or water skis, both of which are on the yacht. The boat also has kayaks, paddleboards, snorkel, and Scuba gear, and fishing poles. They offer Scuba diving packages for an extra fee.

Ginger concluded, “This is an all-inclusive sailing adventure. We have a team of experienced and licensed captains, co-captains, and chefs with whom we have worked over the last eight years.”

In terms of sea sickness, J.C. stated, “The boat rides very smoothly, and we rarely stray far from land. The beauty of Kelea is that she is known as one of the smoothest sailing vessels in the world. If the client has a propensity for sea sickness, there’s an herbal patch that clients often rave about. Staying hydrated is key, and staying up top where you can see land is also very helpful. Itineraries are custom built and can be modified during the trip if a customer needs more land time.”

Delta has nonstop flights from Atlanta to St. Thomas. Kelea can be ready for travelers in St. Thomas, or they can take a private speedboat to Tortola as a departure option. J.C. also runs Downwind Construction, a residential construction company in Atlanta and Athens. He exclaimed, “One day we hope to make running charters a full-time reality. And we will figure out how our three ‘fur babies’ will fit into the equation when the time comes.”

For more information, please email keleasailingcharters@gmail.com, and prepare for the adventure of a lifetime!