His early love for fishing and boats led him to become a skipper of power boats in 2003. But it was an invitation from a friend to assist on a yacht is where his professional career as a captain really began.

The freelance captain currently works for the Moorings, Footloose and Sunsail but before that he was mainly into power boats, having worked for Peter Island as a Boat Mate/Dock Master.

Mr. Joseph worked for Peter Island for three years and credited his extensive boating knowledge to the experience he earned during that time.

This young professional did not stop there, he went on to form his own company, Grand Slam Fishing and Sight Seeing tours, and it was that juncture that he was invited to assist his friend on a sail boat  and fell in love with sailing.

According to him, he also spent a few years as a freelance captain for Sunshine Powerboat rentals, where he did fishing and snorkeling trips among other things.

But his real sailing career began in 2007 when he began working at Moorings/Sunsail. Mr. Joseph, who first started out with boat showings, found the experience at Moorings helped to improve his knowledge about the various types of boats.

“Right now what I am doing is being a friendly skipper, I do half of a day or one day skipper. I spend a day and go out with the guest, teach them all the ins and outs of the boats and when I am convinced they can handle it on their own, I take my leave.”

Asked what he enjoys most about his job, the proud captain responded, “I love the scenery and really enjoy the sailing aspect - it is part adventure, part intuition part, part therapy. Its complete freedom when you are out at sea.”

This young professional’s driving force behind his job is being able to help others to enjoy what he enjoys – the sea and sailing.

Another area of his job that he thoroughly enjoys is doing boat deliveries. Mr. Joseph is often tasked with travelling to St. Marten, where the Moorings has a branch, to pick up yachts there and sail them back to the VI.

While he revealed that his job as a captain can be challenging because of the language barrier at times guests, the seasoned sailor said he and his clients often find a common ground which is sailing.

Interestingly, this professional boat captain said he had never planned to take up a career in sailing. He wanted to be an electrician and a photographer and by faith or destiny, he still makes time to do both. He finds time to do electrical work in his spare time and photography as a hobby.

However, there is another side to this young professional’s life – he is a self-taught poet and local promoter of poetry readings, lectures and music that are all geared towards African consciousness.

As a member of the local Callaloo Poets he eventually became part of the organizing committee to put on several noteworthy events.

“So far, I had the pleasure to promote many events. I had the chance to work with Jamaica’s famous dub poet “Mutubaruka”, lectures with herbalist Ras Bobby of St. Thomas, Kemtic Lecture Ashra Kwesi out of Dallas Texas,” he divulged.

Coincidentally, Kwesi and his wife Merira Kwesi will be in the Virgin Islands this weekend on May 15 and will be delivering a two-part lecture at Maria’s By the Sea.

“She will be doing a lecture on The Cultural Destruction of African Fashion, and he will be doing on African Spirituality – the Resurrection of the Black Christ,” Mr. Joseph said, and is encouraging those who would like to have a greater understanding of African consciousness and their history to attend the event.

“I am grounded in knowing my past because without knowing my past I cannot go forward in the future, being of African descent I align myself with Kemit (Egypt) because of the rich culture that it has given to the world,” said the promoter of African-oriented events who is also a member of the Afrikan Studies Club. He revealed that he focuses on promoting mainly events that deals with health and opening the consciousness of people of African descent about their fore-parents and understanding their history and culture.

As a promoter, Joseph said one of his future initiatives would be to bring awareness of jazz and conscious reggae to the VI.

“I think those are the only two music genres on the planet that I like for the message that both of them give,” he added.

Asked why he chose to be a promoter of such events, Joseph said he is trying to rekindle what is referred to as the “ancient future” or the past, and make it the future.

“I want to be able to help open the consciousness of people to understand that a lot of what they have been taught or that is handed down to them were not necessarily the truth or facts. I would encourage them to be open up and learn about their culture and heritage.”

His advice to young people who are looking to enter into a career or profession but are faced with difficult decisions and obstacles, is “whatever you put your mind to you can achieve. Nothing in life comes easy and you cannot look at the person whose parents had it and things were handed to them --- work for what you want --- the reward is sweet”.