SEA BOSS

Captain: Darrel Hearne (47)

Darrel grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he spent his time prowling the suburban jungles and raising his pet lion, Chaos. He also managed to actually finish school, and holds degrees in actuarial science, accounting and company law, as well as being a lieutenant in the South African National Defense Force.

In 2003 he decided to sell his house, quit the rat race, and go to sea. He moved to Cape Town in South Africa, to upgrade his sailing qualifications. After several months of sailing some of the roughest waters on the planet, he finished his qualifications, and holds a commercially-endorsed Royal Yachting Association Yachtmaster Ocean Skipper’s ticket. He has lived and sailed in the Caribbean for the past eight years, sailing on a variety of vessels in the charter industry (from beautiful and graceful Oyster sailboats, to a 118ft motor yacht). His absolute favourite, though, is Sea Boss. Because she’s awesome. He has extensive sailing experience throughout the Caribbean, and knows where to find the best bars on most islands; essential knowledge for a charter-boat captain. His sailing adventures have taken him from sailing the Eastern US coastline, all the way through the Caribbean chain, and down to Venezuela and Columbia. In his travels he has swum with dolphins, had a 40-foot humpback whale breach right next to (and almost land on) his boat, and sailed through a hurricane. He is keen to experience two of these three things again. He is an experienced and seasoned sailor, with over 35,000 nautical miles in his log book on multiple yacht types. Darrel is a keen water sports fan, and loves to water-ski, wakeboard, kite board and dive. He loves any excuse to get out on the water, and would be more than happy to get involved with any of the water-sport activities offered on the boat. Or any games, really – he is a child at heart and loves to play.

Around the start of 2016, Darrel sadly lost his valiant struggle to maintain his bachelor lifestyle, and succumbed to the wily ways of Jenn, the chef on Sea Boss. They now live in connubial bliss, and there is an obvious peace and harmony on board preserved mainly by him doing everything she tells him to. Theirs is a love and friendship based on mutual respect, a profound inner connection, and knowing that the other person knows way too many of your secrets for you to ever let them out of your sight. We have high hopes for this one.

Chef - Mate: Jenn Hart (44)

Jenn grew up in Canada (in a well-known haunted house, no less!) but has strong family ties in the islands. She visited the British Virgin Islands for the twenty years, and took the leap three years ago to move and become a local. This has worked out well, as she brings her considerable experience and skill in the hospitality and food industry on board. She has had a fabulous year on Sea Boss and the guests continue to rave about her gourmet cuisine and out-standing people skills.

Jenn comes from a family of chefs, and has worked in the hospitality industry for many years. Her experience comes from formal training and hands-on learning. In addition to her delicious culinary creations, she also boasts some mean mixologist skills, and there is an ongoing contest on board as to who mixes the best drinks – thus far, Jenn’s Mai Thai leads the polls, with Darrel’s margarita a close second. Either way, the guests win.

Jenn is a versatile chef who works closely with guests to come up with a charter menu tailored to their personal preferences. She enjoys using locally-grown foodstuffs, and tries to incorporate a farm-to-table approach in her cooking. She has amazing contacts and local suppliers down here that assist in this, and she strives to incorporate healthy and wholesome nutrition in her delicious meals. Her favourite culinary creations are classics with a twist. Her menu planning skills are second to none and she will make sure everyone is satisfied at mealtime.

A keen surfer and beach bum, Jenn’s love of the water and the island life are a perfect fit for the charter lifestyle. Combine that, with her warm and caring nature, and it makes her everyone’s favourite crew member. She is a warm, genuine, friendly soul, and we are very happy to have her on board as part of our team.