CLAIRE

Captain: Eric Olejniczak

Captain Eric Olejniczak | Canada
Eric has been an avid sailor since he was very young and captivated by stories of his great grandfather, a merchant mariner. While growing up in Poland, he explored the waters around Europe and the Mediterranean. Later he sailed in Australia and Canada. After University, he opened a sailing school & charter company in Vancouver offering classes and charters throughout the Caribbean. Early on, he obtained his MCA 3,000-ton Class IV Unlimited License and has been running large yachts ever since. Over the last 25 years, he has shown countless guests the wonders of many enchanting areas including the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, México and United States. When not at sea, he loves playing tennis, hiking, mountain biking, rollerblading and fitness training of all kinds. Eric is looking forward to sharing his love of the sea and land activities with you.

Chef Adrian Gonzalez | Mexico
Adrian grew up in the holiday tourist town of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. After taking third place in a cooking contest as an adolescent, he became captivated by the joys of cooking. One of Adrian’s many thrills as Yacht Chef is exploring marketplaces in foreign lands inspiring him to create fascinating new recipes. He was trained at the Swiss Institute of Culinary Arts and Hospitality (ISU) in Puebla, Mexico. Adrian obtained a position in La Clusaz, France as a Food Operation Manager and added to his knowledge of French Cuisine. Adrian makes Mexican, European, American fusion into an art. After working in several high-end restaurants in Fort Collins, Colorado, Los Cabos, Mexico and Miami, Florida, Adrian discovered the sailing world and became certified as a private yacht chef. He has been in the yachting industry for over 4 years and is looking forward to providing you with a taste sensation to remember. Adrian has a beautiful wife, two teen-age stepchildren and an energetic five-year-old son who fill his time when he is not sailing. He is an avid biker and participates in marathons with his niece and nephew whenever possible. Adrian also has a love of traveling, which makes yachting the ideal career for him.

Chief Officer Jon De Young | USA
Growing up in Michigan surrounded by the Great Lakes, Jon has a natural love of the water. After earning his BA from Michigan State University, he pursued a career in the yachting industry. Having spent 20 years traveling the world he has worked on several 50-60 meter superyachts including ENTERPRISE V, PRINCESS MARLA, ALTITUDE, LADY LINDA, and MY SEANNA. Jon strives to deliver a great charter, leaving the guests with great memories for years to come. He enjoys college sports, reading, golf and spending time at his lake house in Michigan.

Chief Stewardess Kelly Olejniczak | Canada
Kelly is a natural born hostess who loves to spoil her guests & make them feel welcome. She grew up in Alberta, Canada graduating with an Honors Degree in Germanic Linguistics. Kelly went on to organize many high-profile special events in Canada & Germany during her subsequent public relations career. Her love of sailing began early on aboard her uncle’s boat & was rekindled through her husband, Eric. She became a Certified Sailing Instructor & opened a sailing school/charter company with him. Kelly holds her equivalent 200-ton Captain’s License and has been yachting professionally for more than 25 years. She takes delight in showing her guests the beauty & magic of sailing grounds in Canada, Australia, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Caribbean, Bermuda, United States, México and beyond. Outside of yachting, she enjoys fitness, health & wellness, animals, nature, hiking, and mountain biking. Kelly is looking forward to treating you to a delightful vacation you’ll remember for a lifetime.

Chief Engineer Albert Galychanivsky | Ukraine
Albert grew up in a land-locked part of the Ukraine, but always loved the water. As a young man, he competed all over Eastern Europe in the Olympic sport of canoe/kayak sprint racing. Though he dreamed of joining the Marines, he started his career aboard 600-foot Fishing Vessels instead. Albert became a Junior Engineer and went on to study at the Nakhimov Naval Marine Academy. He worked as engineer aboard cargo and container vessels where he traveled most of the world’s bodies of water including The Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans, the Mediterranean, and North, Baltic, Black Sea and the Red Sea. He extensively cruised Antarctica while working aboard a passenger ferry boat. Later Albert became Engineer aboard the Discovery Channel’s Research Vessel, “The Odyssey Explorer”. He transitioned over to Superyachts 8 years ago after obtaining his Chief Engineer Unlimited/Y1certificate. Albert has over 22 years hands-on experience as Engineer. When not tending to yachts, Albert spends time with his wife and dogs, enjoys playing tennis, solving mechanical problems and dabbling in computer software analytics. He has a very welcoming personality and is looking forward to having you aboard.

Bosun Dario Ferguson | Bahamas
Dario comes from the chain of islands known for its sun, sand, and sea... yes, the Bahamas! That’s where he grew up spending all his summers snorkeling, spear fishing, or exploring on a dingy. He always had a passion for the water and as a child would fantasize about the super yachts as they passed by. He said to himself that one day he would be the Captain of a super yacht and is now on that journey. That’s how he became a part of the yachting world and loves it! With 4 years’ experience at a five-star luxury resort and a friendly personality, he ensures a premium service aboard M/Y CLAIRE.

Deckhand Jeffrey Alipio | Philippines
Jeffrey has been in the yachting industry for 6 years working on various charter and private yachts. He started his career as a deckhand on M/Y MAR where he remained for two consecutive seasons cruising the Mediterranean Sea. After this, he joined M/Y
BERZINC where he worked as Lead Deckhand for 3 years. Jeffrey is extremely professional and skilled in handling various tasks and situations on deck. His passion for sailing and the hospitality service is well recognized by both crew and guests alike. He is always happy and willing to assist guests at any time and takes pride in helping make their vacation unforgettable. His hobbies are music, wood art and travelling.


2nd Stewardess Lymne Dahl| Philippines
Lymne was born and raised by the seaside in Carles, Iloilo, Phillippines. She graduated from the Maritime University with a Bachelor of Science in Cruise Ship Management. After college, Lymne completed her on-the-jobtraining in the field of Hospitality at various hotels before landing her first role on a Superyacht for the King of Saudi Arabia in 2008. Lymne has a wealth of knowledge in the interior of large and small yachts. She is proficient in looking after interior duties with ease and is looking forward to treating you to a wonderful time aboard. Lymne is a mother of two, fluent in Hiligaynon, Tagalog and English. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, dancing, singing and spending time with her beautiful children and family.

3rd Stewardess Lexi Wilson | Bahamas
Born and raised in the Bahamas, Lexi graduated high school and furthered her education in the United States on an athletic scholarship. After completing college, she returned home and worked in various fields before joining the yachting industry. Amongst other things, she was an expert cocktail server and concierge in the travel industry. Through those many years in service, it was a natural transition into yachting. With a beautiful smile and great personality, Lexi is looking forward to helping you enjoy yourself on board. When not yachting, she has a passion for travelling the globe and enjoys various fitness activities.