John and Rachelle Yoxall, Captain and Chef
John is originally from England, but spent most of his years growing up in Toronto, Canada, where he earned a double major bachelor of arts in English and History. John was a Partner with a leading management consultancy for 10 years before following his passion and changing to a professional career in sailing.
He holds his Royal Yachting Association Yachtmaster license, is a Canadian Yachting Association sailing Instructor and is a PADI Dive Master. He is also a sommelier through the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, and thrives in pairing the right wine choice with Rachelle's culinary delights.
Rachelle is from Vancouver, Canada, and has spent most of her life sailing the Pacific Ocean as a dinghy and big boat racer and dinghy and cruising instructor. While completing her psychology degree, she was an active Canadian Yachting Association black level Instructor Evaluator (highest level of sailing instructor). Now she holds a Royal Yachting Association Yachtmaster Offshore license, and her PADI Dive Master certificate.
She earned a Catering Certificate from the Cordon Bleu Paris and has worked with a tier one catering company in Vancouver.
Following their Yachtmaster examinations, they joined a yacht charter company in the Sporades Islands of Greece. At the end of that season, they moved to the British Virgin Islands to run exclusive crewed charters on catamarans and have not looked back.
John and Rachelle know the British Virgin Islands intimately. They customize each vacation to ensure that each of you has a tailor-made holiday of a lifetime! Whether it's secluded bays with soft sand and colorful snorkeling or diving, enjoying painkillers at a beach bar, mouthwatering menus, the nightly spectacle of a sunset at sea, or simply fantastic sailing, they have one goal....your pure pleasure.
Mark Wehrley - Captain
Mark was born and raised on the coastline of South Africa. Mark is a highly qualified yacht Captain. He holds Yacht Master Ocean and Master Mariner Class 4 certificates. Mark has logged in excess of 50,000 miles of blue water sailing with multiple Indian and Atlantic Ocean crossings. Mark is also a qualified PADI Dive Instructor with experience ranging from leading adrenaline filled shark dives in the murky waters off the KwaZulu-Natal coast of South Africa, to exploring untouched 18 century wrecks in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean off St. Helena Island.
Mark has crewed aboard some of the world's most well known super yachts. His extensive knowledge of the Caribbean waters and water sports including scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, water-skiing and fishing not only ensures safety, but leads to a dream vacation to all.
Frans Louw, Dive Instructor
Frans was born in South Africa and grew up on his family Game farm amongst the rhinos, giraffes and antelope. During his vacations he spent time on his family's holiday home on the Mozambique coast. This is where he developed his passion for the sea and his days were spent snorkeling, diving with sharks and catching large game fish. After completing his Financial Management degree in Cape Town he decided to complete an Atlantic crossing and ended up in the British Virgin Islands.
Frans is a qualified Dive Instructor and is eager to show his guests on board Zingara the delights of the underwater world as well as enhancing their skills Hobie cat sailing, water skiing, tubing, or wakeboarding.
Guest Comments:
What an incredible week, sun, sailing super crew! Many many thanks to John, Rachele, Tom and Karolina for a lovely relaxing holiday. Looking forward to coming back.
Ashleigh B. & Howard G.
John, Rachelle, Tom and Karolina,
Thank you for a truly fabulous week. Everything was just great. I will be looking at Zingara for our next family trip. Night dives and all.
Jeff B.
Zingara 2008!
Fabulous!!! Great weather, great crew, over the top cuisine, wonderful service. Many thanks John, Tom, Rachelle and Karolina.
Best wishes,
B. Family
Captain John and the sterling crew. We have had an exceptional and fabulous holiday on board. The congeniality of all was above and beyond. Come and see us in Naples. We welcome you all.
Suzie & Graham L.
Simply unbelievable! This tops all of our sailing trips! The cuisine was top notch! The crew wonderful, visuals once again divine and Captain John entertaining as well as best in the captain class. Sorry to leave, great memories forever.
Brent & Alex S.
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