LIQUID SKY Yacht Charter

Captain: Simon Pocock

Simon
Simon is a professional yacht captain and dive master with a great passion for working and living on the water. Born in England, his keenness for the outdoors started young with a thirst for adventure leading to many destinations around the world. Being a Class V White Water Rafting Guide in New Zealand and riding his motorcycle from Canada to Argentina are just some of these experiences that have moulded him into a person who can thrive In a wide range of scenarios and environments. When it comes to yachting, his goal is to provide guests with an experience of a lifetime. He considers himself a very meticulous person with a keen interest in engineering and enjoy the problem solving that comes with being a captain. When he is not on the boat, he enjoys keeping fit and active, with surfing, kite surfing and mountain biking being three of his favourite hobbies.

Chef Maya Walsh
Maya grew up primarily in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., but also lived between her parents' home countries of Japan and Canada. A lifelong lover of water, she enjoyed body surfing on the beaches of California and sailing and canoeing on the lakes of Ontario. After graduating from the University of Toronto, where she studied Japanese, Spanish, and biology, Maya realized she wanted to pursue a deeper involvement in the culinary world. Her food journey began with six months of WWOOF-ing in Spain and Portugal, followed by a move to Baltimore, where she immersed herself in the vibrant organic urban farming scene. During this time, she worked at an award-winning French bistro, bartended at a natural wine and sake bar, and roasted and served coffee.
In 2020, she lived in Japan, where she interned at a Michelin two-star restaurant and worked in a traditional noodle shop. She is a graduate of the Ballymaloe Cookery School, located on an organic farm in Cork, Ireland, as well as the Ashburton Yacht Chef Academy. Having traveled to over 40 countries, her culinary expertise is broad and eclectic. Her passion for food goes beyond cooking; she is committed to sourcing high-quality, seasonal, and local ingredients, fostering strong relationships with producers. Maya particularly enjoys foraging, fermenting, sourdough baking, and pickling. And she loves breaking down and serving any fish or lobster she might catch off the boat!
Maya has been working as a chef in the Virgin Islands for over 5 years now! But during recent off-seasons, she deepened her knowledge of ancient wine culture in the Republic of Georgia and worked the harvest at a low-intervention winery in Slovenia. She also spent time in Honduras, earning her PADI Rescue Diver certification. And she just returned from Thailand where she took cooking courses and learned to be a Padi dive instructor.
Maya’s relentless pursuit of gastronomic knowledge, combined with her ability to cater to guests' dietary restrictions, preferences, and culinary aspirations, ensures a unique and memorable dining experience.

Caro
Originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, Caro transitioned from a decade of competitive showjumping to a marine-focused career after volunteering with turtles in Madagascar. Relocating to Durban’s south coast, she became a certified dive instructor, working three years at a renowned shark diving spot and later in Mozambique. In 2022, she completed yacht courses, leading to roles on a dive boat in Greece and as an instructor in South Korea and the Philippines. In 2023, Caro attended a yacht bootcamp in the Dominican Republic, then gained experience in Fort Lauderdale through day-work yachting jobs. She has worked on various boats in the Virgin Islands for the last 2 years and decided that this is where she wants to be. With skills as a deckhand, stewardess, and dive instructor, Caro aims to build a long-term career running charter catamarans as a Captain in the US Virgin Islands, bringing her signature enthusiasm and hospitality to guests.