JD Hall is a grandson of the late Robert Hall, who is a national Hero. On independance day yestersay, JD's grandfather was just given a posthumous award for his role in shaping the nation of Antigua and Barbuda. His family goes back in Antigua too many generations to count and the family's reputation for honesty and integrity is infallible. Like me, JD was practically brought up on the sea. I remember seeing his dad "Kit" out on the Boston Whaler with a "school" of kids eager to get into the water for snorkeling or even more eager to "drop a line". Fishing, boating, camping and snorkeling are more a part of JD than anything else, which is why I was sooooooo happy to get the call from him about coming to work with me one day. He had been working with another tour operator and luckily for me, things didn't work out. I snatched him up because I knew he was more like me than most of the prospective skippers around. Another thing that ran in his veins was the love for engines and boats. What better person could I get to work with me just as I gotten a second boat? From day one his calm style and boat handling skills proved to be an asset that I was lucky to have.
JD is young and is learning about life and the world, and one of the nice things about our tours is that we meet so many interesting people. I have seen JD absorb plenty of info over the past 18 months or so and this young skipper is maturing in a way that his grandfather would be proud of. I know I am! Things to ask him about are anything to do with the sea.......things not to ask him about are his car troubles!!!! :)
You will meet him skippering either boat and I hope he sticks around with the company. He could very well end up running it! At his age most younger people just want to get out of Antigua, but JD enjoys his island life so much that he says he is happy to stay here for the time being. This shot of him was taken on the way in from an amazing fishing trip that just he and i did in Xtreme one afternoon. We went out with a few rods and not enough hands not planning very well, and ended up catching enough fish to supply all the restaurants in Jolly Harbour and our houses too. We were elated at the time of this pic. The euphoria doesn't get better than that.
