Q.—What do you like about Mallorca?
A. — Personally, having spent more time there than any other place in the world in the last 20 years, including my home in South Africa, it has just about everything one looks for: swimming, sailing, tennis, golf courses, climbing, hiking and cycling. The list goes on. Professionally, it’s the centre of what I do – sailing large yachts. When one combines the services one receives in Mallorca, along with the rest of what the island has to offer, there’s no place like it.
Q.— When/how did you join the yachting industry?
A. — I’ve sailed since I was a child but when at 31 I was offered a delivery onboard a 45ft Catamaran from Cape Town to St Lucia, I jumped at it with the intention of not returning, but rather to make a life of sailing the world. Despite many bumps along the way I never looked back, ever.
Q.—What training did you do?
A. — In my early years I met an amazing older Australian bloke: Murray, an ex-road train driver who’d reinvented himself and was (and still is) sailing 50-60ft Swans around the world. He took me under his wing and taught me most of what I know today. Nothing beats learning on the job. My mentor and a great friend – we all need one of those in our lives.
Q.—What’s the best thing about your job?
A. — Life on the water, sailing, interactions with people from different nationalities, cultures and beliefs. There is nothing monotonous about this life we chose to live, which is the absolute beauty of it.
Q.— What’s the most challenging part of your job?
A. — Educating Owners/Yacht managers that the crew are their most important asset. Without good crew, the yacht suffers as does the owner and so it trickles down… Sadly I think the mindset has moved in the wrong direction, especially since COVID and a lot of yacht crew are not being treated well.
Q.— Think back to when you were completely green – what advice would you give yourself?
A. — The same advice I give to new crew now: Never give up. Make the people who you want to employ you, want to employ you. Be positive and enthusiastic, humble and professional. Don’t be fake – just be you.
Q.—What’s your dream itinerary?
A. — Any place that I have not yet been to like Patagonia, Cape Horn, Alaska, and islands in the South Pacific that yachts normally don’t visit – Pitcairn, Easter Island.
Q.— What do you like to do when you’re not working?
A. — Simple things like sail my Hobie Cat, taking my Surf Ski into the bay at sunrise, burn meat and drink good wine (usually lots of it) with friends, play tennis, go hiking, unwind with no agenda each day. This world of yachting is always about having plans or making plans and being prepared, so off time is none of this.
Q.—What’s the most memorable guest experience you’ve had?
A. — Bob Geldof. He did an impromptu jam session onboard with his daughter – hilarious and beautiful to see.
Q.— What’s been your most memorable experience?
A. — We stopped off at Ascension Island some years ago, travelling from Cape Town to St Maarten, to give the crew a play day of swimming and exploring. That evening we were having a Braai on the swim platform (as we do) and some of the crew were fishing. The Deckhand caught a big trevally, which he then proceeded to gut. Out popped 2 baby Turtles. The stewardess picked one up and gently pushed down on its shell. It moved and started breathing – ‘Lucky’(as we named it), had been saved. Shortly thereafter, the water was teeming with new born turtles, fish and birds trying to eat them. We managed to net and save 27 little turtles, placed them in a big cooler box filled with salt water and made islands from beer cans for them to rest on. The next morning we departed the anchorage and held a turtle release ceremony at the 50m drop off. It was very emotional – clear images I still hold dear to this day. Lucky was the first to go as we figured the more we released, the more attention they would get. We still believe that we saved them all.
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