Catamaran Callista

Captain Roland and Chef/ First Mate Vanessa, both vibrant and energetic, hail from Cape Town, South Africa. They have known each other for 20 + years and were married in February 2010.

Previously, Captain Roland worked in the corporate environment, ending at the pinnacle of his successful career managing his own business servicing the dental and medical industry. In between, he followed his passion for the sea by obtaining his RYA Yacht Master Offshore – subsequently receiving his RYA Yacht Master Ocean certification. Roland has delivered yachts professionally, doing numerous trans-Atlantic crossings (amongst others) accumulating in excess of 100 000 Nautical Miles. The majority of these deliveries were for the TUI group (Moorings/Sunsail)

Roland’s first transatlantic blue water passage in 2004 brought him to the shores of the Caribbean. It was during one of those yacht deliveries in 2005 that Roland came across Tradewinds Cruise Club and worked as a Charter Captain managing a Privilege 48 Ft catamaran in and around the Caribbean windward islands, operating primarily out of Jolly Harbour in Antigua, going on to work with Vanessa on numerous and larger catamarans for Tradewinds Cruise Club in 2012 and then into the private sector in 2013. His other passions include kite surfing, cycling, scuba diving, free diving and fishing.

Vanessa holds a diploma in fashion design but soon discovered that the hospitality industry is where her passion lies. For years a deli and coffee shop owner in the heart of prestigious London-Marylebone Lane- and prior to that, spent many years in the restaurant industry all over the world, from South Africa to Honduras to Europe. Having worked in the food and hospitality industry for so many years ensures without a doubt that your expectations will be exceeded. The guest book is testament to Vanessa’s great skills in the galley. Her creative flair and ability to cater to challenging dietary requirements is nothing short of incredible. Vanessa tends to lean towards a very healthy al fresco style preparation. (Roland is kept very busy on the grill!)..read more