Captain: Carl CJ Coetzee

Captain: Carl CJ Coetzee
CJ, the Captain of SY JOY, his passion for the ocean stretches back further than he can remember. Born out of a childhood of summers spent visiting his grandfather’s house on the beach in Cape Town, he always knew he wanted a life by the sea.

Starting his career as a dive instructor and professional underwater photographer and videographer, CJ spent many years working with thousands of clients, not only training them how to dive, but sharing his love for the ocean and guiding them to some of the most spectacular underwater locations and majestic marine life. 

After many years under the sea, CJ decided to make the move into yachting to expand his experience and build his career. Taking his experiences from large super yacht to smaller award winning charter catamarans, CJ now has 7 years of working experience around the the Caribbean, Mediterranean and South East Asia to make him the perfect captain for any yacht charter. 

With experience of transatlantic crossings on spectacular sail yachts, finding Manta rays in the Benguela current off of Mozambique, discovering overhead barrels on never heard of islands lost in the Indian ocean or swimming with Tiger sharks in the Bahamas CJ has a knack of finding the most spectacular treasures that mother nature has to offer.
 
With a laid back and very friendly disposition, he leads a team of dedicated and professional crew to ensure that all of his guests have the opportunity to enjoy an once in a lifetime experience. 

“I am very fortunate to be able to live a life that most could only dream of, however there is no greater joy than sharing that with others, either in, or out of the water.” 


Chef: Desree Pierce
Ever since Desree can remember she has loved being in the kitchen. Starting by cooking for friends and family back home in in Cape Town, she thrived by experimenting with new dishes and exciting flavour combinations. Having studied and worked in fashion design, Desree has a keen eye for detail and a natural creative flair and decided to follow her passion for gastronomy full time by joining a high profile catering company. After building her skills in private and event catering, Desree’s passion for the ocean, travel and the culinary arts led her into the world of yachting.

With years of experience as a chef on board private and charter yachts from the Mediterranean to Madagascar and everything in between, Desree has been exposed to (and fallen in love with) a multitude of cuisines and cultures. Organic and fresh ingredients inspire her to create delicious yet health conscious menus onboard, and her passion shines through her meticulous planning of flavour combinations, textures and presentation. Desree will gladly work with you to create personalised menus based on dietary requirements and preferences, to ensure that every meal on board is an event in itself.

Always keen to learn more and expand her repertoire, Desree has recently completed an intensive pastry and bread making course at The Academy of Pastry Arts accredited by City and Guilds as well as undertaking placements at two of Kuala Lumpur's finest restaurants; Enoteca (Italian) and Aliyaa (Sri Lankan). She is also lucky enough to have cooked for Chef Mario Batali and received the following testimonial: "best yet. Truly perfect".
Beyond the galley, Desree has a real love of travelling and loves island hopping in whichever part of the world she is in.


Hostess: Lexi Alexandra Fletcher
Lexi is upbeat and charismatic, with a calm disposition and can do approach that makes her a welcome team member in any situation and a great asset on board Joy.

With experience early in her career serving cocktails and later moving on to client servicing in the marketing industry, Lexi has extensive practice delivering to the highest standards with flourish and flair over almost 15 years. She understands the importance of the smallest finishing touches and prides herself on providing a truly personalised service for guests.

Working closely with Captain CJ and Chef Desree, Lexi will make sure that every aspect of your trip is taken care of so that you can sit back, relax and enjoy a once in a lifetime holiday on board Joy.

Having lived on three continents, Lexi has devloped a deep passion for travel and has been lucky enough to visit some of the most beautiful places in the world. A keen diver and hiker, she delights in exploring everything that the natural world has to offer, both above and below sea level.


Mate: Pierre Hugo
Pierre really discovered his love for nature when at 14 he moved to Cape Town with his family. Travel and a sense of adventure runs in the family and over the years Pierre has developed a great passion for the ocean in particular, where he enjoys sailing, surfing, snorkelling, diving and fishing.

With a background in environmental science and marine biology, Pierre has a deep understanding and appreciation of the natural world and decided to pursue a career in yachting to follow his true calling in life.

With experience sailing in some of the most beautiful and remote parts of the world, including the Caribbean, Hawaii and the South Pacific, Pierre loves being able to bring his enthusiasm to new challenges.

Pierre is outgoing, approachable and loves interacting with people. As mate on Joy, he aims to ensure that guests have the most fun as possible, whether that involves sipping daiquiris on the bow, paddle boarding through mangroves or spotting dolphins at sunset.