The past week of training at the "Sea Pilgrims" yacht captains' school in Göcek Bay, Turkey, has been an unforgettable experience for me. Standing at the helm of the Bavaria Cruiser 49 yacht under the guidance of skipper-instructor Dmitry demonstrated that the sea is not only about beauty and freedom but also serious work that requires knowledge and skills.

In 7 days my team of four student-businessmen, not only became friends but also learned important skills: docking under various conditions, managing the yacht under motor and sails, adjusting the sails, rescuing a person at sea, and mastered marine piloting, navigation, meteorology, and much more. Particularly valuable was the training on special survival cases at sea and the yacht's technical device.

Dmitry showed himself not only as a high-class specialist but also as an excellent teacher, able to convey his knowledge in an accessible and interesting way. The organization of daily life on the yacht was of the highest standard, making our stay on board as comfortable and safe as possible.

I am grateful to "Sea Pilgrims" for this unique experience, which gave me not only new knowledge and skills but also confidence in my abilities. I highly recommend this school to everyone who dreams of sea adventures and aspires to become a real captain.

I never thought I'd want to leave a written review anywhere. I'm a workaholic programmer who isn't particularly fond of noisy festivities and publicity, but my friends gifted me a course at SEA PILGRIMS. Honestly, I haven't regretted a single minute. Yes, our team had 4 unfamiliar guys, but it was cool because everyone had the goal to learn how to manage a yacht and sail. Instructor Dmitry managed to interest and engage everyone in the processes, forming a good team. Gradually, everyone began to understand when and what needs to be done, without any screw-ups 😉 There can be a debate about whether 10 days of training is enough to become confident and then rent a yacht on your own... In my opinion ( As for me) - yes, but only if you end up in a good school and with a professional instructor. I was lucky to learn from Dima, so thanks for the patience and positive thinking. Also, I want to highlight that the moorings in scenic places, especially near the island of St. Nicholas, are something else. No hotel tourism can provide the opportunity to see all this beauty. Only a yacht, only the view from the sea!

Without a hint of deceit, I want to say thank you and express my gratitude to the SEA PILGRIMS school. I am writing my review not immediately after the training but after my first charter experience. I completed the intensive course several months ago, and today I returned from Croatia after the most amazing week of sailing with friends. The knowledge and skills I acquired at the school during Sasha Pravdin's classes turned out to be more extensive than I expected. I managed to implement all the ideas and stops on the chosen route, even though it was a new area for me. I want to wish future beginner skippers not to be afraid of docking in marinas because here they teach you how it should be done and even better. My team of friends, after my briefing, worked like pros. Thank you for the awesome skills. Only the best wishes.