Thibault Casabianca - Captain
Gaining his earliest experience sailing his dad’s Jeanneau yacht, Thibault Casabianca has always felt a deep connection with the ocean and yachting, and is still a keen surfer and angler. For this reason, he turned his passion into his profession and pursued a career in the charter yacht industry.
Since 2012, Thibault has held various positions on commercial vessels, working his way up from Deckhand to Chief Engineer and Captain of several charter yachts, most recently the 80ft Sunreef SY Nomad.
He brings to his role of Captain of SY BABAC an optimal knowledge of navigation, marine engineering, boating safety standards, vessel maintenance, yard period scheduling, administration and management.
He holds his 500T UMS Captain license, Engineering qualifications, PADI license and is fluent in English and French. When he’s not working, he can still be found somewhere on the water, most likely aboard his own 19ft Tahitian fishing boat, surfing or competing in his local body boarding competitions...read more
Motivated and dynamic, Thibault is a genuine team player who believes his unique compliment of skills and natural abilities ensures he provides charter guests with the highest quality of service.
Nina-Sue Hopkins - Chef/Stewardess
Nina-Sue grew up on a wine farm with a family who have always been passionate food and wine lovers.
Nina-Sue attended a top-notch cooking school in South-Africa where she earned a culinary certificate. She also studied dramatic arts and worked in the entertainment industry for a while before she started traveling the world and sailing the seas. Nina-Sue is an advanced diver and absolutely in love with the underwater aquatic wonderland life.
Raven Gonzalez - Stewardess / Deckhand
Born in Florida and raised on the water, Raven has been active in watersports her whole life. So, it was only natural that after acquiring Degree qualifications in Pre-Vet Medicine and several years’ experience in hospitality, she joined the yachting industry in 2019.
Since then, Raven has held the position of Stewardess aboard SY LOLALITA, a Privilege 65 which specialised in charters for scuba diving adventures and animal encounters, and her current role aboard SY BABAC.
Over this time, she has undertaken over 10,000 nautical miles in charter and experienced the cruising grounds of the Caribbean, sailing from Florida to Panama, along the coast of Central and South America, as well as the wonders of French Polynesia and the South Pacific.
In her role as Stewardess/Deckhand, Raven has drawn on her creative flair, solid skills in hosting, her ability to work as part of a team and her passion delivering outstanding charters. It’s her responsibility to maintain the yacht’s interior to a five-star standard, providing service and table settings for fine dining experiences and bartending/mixology to suit guests’ preferences. Raven is also responsible for the exterior maintenance and upkeep of the vessel, which she undertakes with gusto and precision.
Among her many skills, Raven is PADI certified, certified for driving powerboats up to 30ft and instructing guests in watersports and snorkelling adventures.
When time allows, Raven enjoys scuba diving, yoga, reading, travel, fishing and photography.
