Alex was born in Namibia, Africa, where he spent his early years developing a love for nature; both ocean and desert life became engraved in his character. He spent many weekends exploring the Atlantic coastline on foot and became an avid fisherman by the time he was five-years-old.
The next step was to head out onto the ocean and he was fortunate enough to have a family who encouraged him to get his Hobby Cat and Laser sailing licenses before he’d even finished primary school. He completed these courses while experiencing the waters off the East coast of Africa, the Indian Ocean.
He moved to South Africa for his high school and university years where he found a passion for diving in his free time. He never faltered on his love for sailing though and enjoyed family sailing trips all over the world. By the time he left school, he’d sailed a few more seas - the Caribbean, the Pacific and the Mediterranean...read more
When he finished up at the University of Stellenbosch (where he learnt a lot about wine, naturally), he headed to sailing school in Cape Town and eventually made his way up to France where his yachting adventures took him on an epic journey through the Mediterranean, across the Atlantic and finally onto Brazil.
Once Alex had completed his Yacht-master, he permanently moved into the yachting industry where he worked his way up the ranks eventually making it to Captain at the age of 23. He spent 3 years moving between the Caribbean and Mediterranean seasons and
completed his Divemaster in Panama in 2016.
Alex loves cooking and is known as the “Braai (BBQ) Master” where his skills range from Argentinian tenderloin to hand-caught lobster. His German sense of humor (no laughing matter), sailing experience and humble nature all lend a hand towards a great Captain whose crew and guests alike will tell you that a trip with Alex is “absolutely the best”.
CHEF: Marcelle LIRON
South African/Bristish
RYA Powerboat level 2 – PADI rescue Diver – STCW 95
Yacht Cookery Course – Food Hygiene level 2
Languages: English
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, the last thing Marcelle ever saw herself doing was actually getting to live the dream and sail the world.
She started dancing at the age of three and immediately developed into a confident stage-presence who is always the life of the party. Hosting and entertaining come naturally to Marcelle; a look through her guest testimonials will show a mature, organized Chef and Hostess who is also able to initiate a karaoke sing-off or create an unforgettable atmosphere at an impromptu Caribbean beach party.
Marcelle’s love affair with food began early and she often reminisces about learning tricks and family secrets from her mother, an influence which is clearly visible in her repertoire.
She takes pride in not only delivering spectacular meals with interesting and varied “flavor-bombs” but also creating a special twist on every day dishes. She has been in the yachting industry for over 4 years and has made her way around the world making sure to pick up flavor combinations and recipes along the way. Tasting the influences from all over the globe, you’d think she ate her way through each of the 35+countries she has visited.
After spending time learning from an ex-yacht chef in Palma de Mallorca last year, Marcelle decided to head to Germany to learn a bit about the Bavarian cuisine. She worked in the kitchen of a reputable hotel in Munich where she was taught a variety of cooking, preparation and time management skills and gained invaluable experience.
Having spent the major part of the last 4 years extensively sailing the Caribbean Sea, she has developed an avid love for the ocean; scuba diving and snorkeling are some of Marcelle’s favorite past times and she loves taking her guests on unforgettable reef tours to discovery some of the ocean’s animal life.
DECK-STEW: Jessica BLATTER
Bristish
STCW 10 – RYA Powerboat level 2 – NPLQ Lifeguard - SSI/ PADI Open Water Dive
Food Hygiene level 2 – First Aid & AED Trained
Languages: English
Jessica was born in Mallorca, to yachtie, international parents who, before her 1st birthday, had her and her brother onboard a small sailing boat for a voyage across the Atlantic.
Following this came 5 years of island-hopping around the Caribbean, before they settled in Antigua. By this time she had definitely gained her ‘sea legs’, even learning to walk onboard! Jessica continued to live in Antigua, eventually moving ashore after a hurricane
took their sailing home.
Alongside schooling, she was fortunate enough to grow up living the simple island life; exploring beaches, caves, fishing and showing a keen interest in dinghy sailing, swimming and other water sports. She also developed her love for horse riding and the arts; she learnt to play guitar and loved performing on the musical theatre stage.
This upbringing fueled the adventurous spirit that lives in Jessica now, and a deep love for the ocean and exploration.
Jessica and her large family (she has three siblings) eventually made the big move to England in search of more worldly opportunities. This shaped Jessica into an adaptable and flexible individual, used to adjusting to unknown environments.
With a big family she has clocked lots of experience babysitting kids of all ages. Jessica is an open minded, well-rounded young lady who loves experiencing different cultures and languages and
meeting new people: her ultimate goal is to travel the world in its entirety.
Having spent the last 6 years in England, Jessica has continued to get her ocean fix in other ways, gaining her SSI/PADI Open Water Scuba Diver license, her RYA Powerboat license and working as a lifeguard for the past few years, and most recently volunteering
at a surf camp in France. Alongside this, Jessica has formal service experience and maintains a mature, professional hosting manner. She is creative at heart and loves cooking and interior design/detailing and brings this passion to Christina Too.
