EQUINOX

Captain – FC Lubbe
Education: Yacht Master License, Business Management Degree
Languages Spoken: English

FC, born in 1980, is from Empangeni a town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa approximately 157 kilometres north of Durban, in hilly countryside, overlooking a flat coastal plain and the major harbour town of Richards Bay 16 kilometres away.

Having parents that are avid deep-sea anglers, the ocean has never been a stranger to him. He received his provincial fishing colours at the age of 13. He gained his Skippers license at age 18 and skippered this fathers ski-boats over weekends for fishing tournaments and family days. He studied Business Management at Richtec College in Richard’s Bay. Since then he has built a stable international maritime career.

He started his maritime career on board an MSC Cruise Ship in the Mediterranean at 19. Staying in touch with his fishing passion, he took up a Fishing guide position for five years in Dubai where he often traveled to Muscat, Oman and The Maldives. During his time in Dubai, he discovered the yachting industry. FC did his Yacht Master License and started a seven-year-long career in 2010 with the Impulsive Group yachts onboard Impulsive Too an 82-ft Sunseeker and Impulsive a 126-ft Norship. The yachts traveled to the Mediterranean, Caribbean and The Bahamas. FC discovered The Bahamas five years ago on board Impulsive Too, where he immediately fell in love with the Bahamian archipelago, culture and friendly nature of the Bahamian people.

In his spare time, he enjoys fishing, reading up on history, playing a round of golf, and can also be found working on his jeep.

FC’s experience and ability will make your time on board Equinox both safe and enjoyable.

Stew – Fiona Last
Certifications: PADI Divemaster Certificate.
Nationality: British
Languages Spoken: English

Fiona hails from Oxford, UK and grew up in a small country village next door to a farm. She has a degree in television production, but has worked in the hospitality industry since she was 14. Following a few years in event management in London, she moved to Australia and fell in love with the sea. She spent two years working on a dive boat in the Great Barrier Reef before moving to the yacht industry, and started her career on superyachts in the Mediterranean and the Bahamas. Her passion for diving started when she was still at home in the UK, and started her PADI training in Northern England’s Coldwater lakes. She also loves reading, snorkeling and wakeboarding. Now, this friendly, bubbly Stew has joined the crew of EQUINOX.

Mate – Paul Nelson
Education/Certifications: BSc Marine Sciences; 200T Captain’s License, GMDSS, Marine Engineering Certification, PADI Dive Instructor.
Nationality: British
Languages Spoken: English, conversational Spanish

Born and raised in Plymouth, England, Paul Nelson grew up in the city but loved to hike the great outdoors. Prior to embarking on a yachting career in 2012, Paul spent more than a decade as a dive instructor on both small and large vessels. He also spent six months sailing liveaboards, delivered a yacht across the Pacific, and worked as a white boat captain for a luxury island resort in the Bahamas. When not at sea, Paul enjoys hiking, rock climbing and solo travel. His favorite place to be in the world is under water, where you’ll find him cave diving or teaching others how to scuba dive. He is happy to bring his skills and enthusiasm to his role aboard EQUINOX.

Chef – Florinda Baptiste
Education/Certifications: Bachelors of Science in Culinary Arts Management & Food Science, Johnson & Wales University, Providence, Rhode Island
Languages Spoken: English

Chef Florinda Baptiste was born in the city of New Providence, Bahamas, and lived a few blocks from the beaches and docks. As a child, she loved reading and arts & crafts.

Flo graduated from Johnson & Wales University and embarked on a culinary career that included posts as Executive Sous Chef at Luciano’s of Chicago and the British Colonial Hilton in Nassau, Bahamas. Her introduction to the world of yachting was in 2009 when a captain was seeking a chef for a two-week assignment. The trip was a success and sparked a new career path. Since then, she has worked on M/Y Adventurer out of Port Aransas, Texas and M/Y Temptation out of Charlotte, North Carolina. Although the Bahamas remains her favorite place in the world, she adores traveling to new destinations and sampling cuisine from other cultures. Food is not just her job, it is her true passion. On EQUINOX, Chef Flo’s skills and love of food is an essential part of the charter experience, creating a joyous and memorable vacation for guests.