Menu Close

Kekoa Featured on Delta Flights

The story of Kekoa is now featured on Delta flights. (Image credit: Kekoa)

Hello everyone, and happy Tuesday! I flew out of St. Thomas for a quick trip last week, and I was surprised to see some familiar faces on the plane’s television – the crew from Kekoa! How cool is that!

Kekoa is a beautiful hand-built, 50-foot wooden catamaran that’s anchored out in Cruz Bay. Kekoa is a daysail charter boat that’s known for her beautiful black sails. Kekoa’s story is a pretty incredible one, and the documentary that’s currently being shown on Delta features that journey.

The 29-minute documentary began filming just before Hurricane Irma back in 2017. The original plan was to film Jamison and Ryan Witbeck – the two brothers who built Kekoa by hand – sharing their story about how they hand-built the catamaran, lost it at sea, and ultimately got her back before operating her as a charter boat based here in St. John. Hurricane Irma changed all of that in a matter of hours.

Jamison and Ryan Witbeck, owners of Kekoa. (Image credit: Kekoa)

Hurricane Irma destroyed Kekoa, leaving her up in the mangroves out in Hurricane Hole. Jamison and Ryan painstakingly restored the boat as it sat on the shore at Hansen Bay. This documentary chronicles that journey, including when she splashed back into the water with the help of Silver Cloud, the iconic sailboat that’s often mistaken for a pirate ship in Coral Bay harbor. There are several familiar faces in the film, and my little Fish Bay house even makes a quick appearance twice! It’s an amazing story of strength, determination and perseverance. You definitely need to check it out.

I was so excited to see this being shown on the flight!
Kekoa landed in the mangroves after Hurricane Irma. (Image credit: Yeti Films)
Jamison and Ryan take a break from restoring Kekoa. (Image credit: Kekoa)
Kekoa splashes back into the water with the help of Silver Cloud. (Image credit: Yeti Films)

But don’t worry, you do not need to book a flight to watch this incredible film. You can watch it right here. Enjoy.


Want to learn more about St. John? Looking to take an island tour?

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour See the island of St. John with a resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.


Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj

Related Posts

4 Comments

  1. Dave

    What a great story! I’ve watched that boat countless times but never set foot on it. I think that needs to change.

    Thanks for sharing.

  2. Dave Krovetz

    My wife and I sailed on Kekoa when we were o nthe island in June. The entire experience was fantastic and our absolute favorite memory. We took a full day sail which included several snorkel stops, lunch, and drinks. From the moment we set our (bare) feet on the boat until we returned, we thoroughy enjoyed the cruise.

  3. Dave Krovetz

    My wife and I spent a day on Kekoa in June of this year. Several stops to snorkel along the way, with a great spread for lunch and a really friendly, fun crew. It was our favorite day on the island. Beautiful boat and a super way to see St John and the surround cays.

  4. Doreen Butler

    My husband and I have been to St John many, many times. We did a sunset cruise on Kekoa years prior to Irma. Thoroughly enjoyed it. We went back after Irma. Seeing it moored without it’s mast was heartbreaking. We would watch from Grand Bay and see them working on it. We went back…and she was back!!! Everytime we see her….we have this weird feeling. A great feeling. When she pulls onto the beach in front of High Tide…it’s just so exciting. Thanks for bringing her back. We are not very sea worthy, (get seasick easily) so a day cruise is out of the question….but seeing her everyday from the balcony and knowing her history is enough for us!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *