Born and raised in Zululand in South Africa, Mike started fishing with his dad at a very young age and has loved the ocean ever since. He started out in yachting in 2015 and has been on yachts ranging between 45 and 65 meters. Favorite destinations include Italy and Spain, not least because of the delicious food! Mike is a passionate sports fisherman and has a special knack when spearfishing for king mackerel, wahoo, and Mahimahi. He also loves to free dive and of course support South Africa in rugby. Mike can’t wait to meet you and show you a good time whilst reeling in that catch that you’ve been dreaming of.
Mike Pellegini
First Officer
Tiara was born on the Caribbean island of Aruba. Surrounded by water, she has grown up doing sports as kitesurfing, swimming, and beach tennis. During high school, she got involved in coral reef restoration, helping replant nurse corals back on the reefs. This developed diving as an interest. When she turned 18 years old, she got into hospitality as a vehicle to see the world and has since travelled most parts of Europe, Dubai, and the Caribbean. We had the pleasure of making Tiaras acquaintance as she was waiting on our table in Aruba. She then mentioned that she was going to travel to Europe in search of a job, and the rest is history. Tiara couldn’t be more excited to welcome you onboard!
Tiara Muyale
Stewardess
Candice grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. She has a Bachelor of Commerce degree in management sciences and used to work as a digital marketer before she found her passion in yachting. She first started on yachts in 2018, running small sailing boats in Croatia, since then she has travelled to over 30 countries around the world and hopes to continue this list. She has a passion for travel photography, hiking, cooking, yoga, and anything surrounding the beach! Candice would love to get to know you!
Candice Pellegini
Chief steward/ess
Joe is from Cebu City, Philippines, a home for beautiful resorts and tropical diving spots. He studied a Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering in college & went to join the commercial shipping industry as a marine engineer after graduating. He worked in that industry until joining yachting in 2018. Joe welcomes you onboard and is always open for an engine room tour or a friendly visit!
Joesph Lariego
Engineer
Christiana grew up in San Diego, California. Her childhood revolved around the water, sailing, diving, surfing, windsurfing, and waterskiing. Almost every summer was spent on her family’s sailboat. After graduating from UCLA with a degree in Economics she decided to travel and have some fun working on sailboats. Twenty-nine years later the yachting industry is her career. Christiana has captained Big Eagle through Alaska, the Baltic, the British Isles, the Norwegian Fjords, Panama, the Eastern and Western U.S. coastline, the Bahamas, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean from the very mouth of Gibraltar to Turkey's most Eastern shore. She is a dive master and enjoys guiding the guests on dives.
Christiana Virgilio
Captain
Phil grew up in Paarl, South Africa, a charming wine town just 40 minutes from Cape Town. His father, a diver, introduced him to the ocean early on. By age 8, he was free diving alongside him, hunting lobsters during the season. Following high school, he pursued a commercial diving license and spent a year working in Cape Town. Transitioning to recreational diving, he became an instructor and spent two years teaching in Jamaica. Beyond diving, his hobbies include golf, hiking, and traveling to immerse himself in diverse cultures. We are so happy to have Phil onboard Big Eagle, he cannot wait to take you on an underwater adventure!
Philip Van Dyk
Deckhand
Stella is from a coastal town in New Zealand called Mount Maunganui. After graduating from University with a Bachelor's in Communication and Journalism, she flew across the world to backpack through Europe. Yachting came into play upon returning home, and realizing that she wasn’t finished with travel or ready to start working in an office. Outside of work, Stella enjoys exploring new places, hiking, picking up new creative hobbies, and spending time cooking/baking. She loves to unwind by spending time with her family back home or reading a good book. She will always be spotted with a smile on her face and loves chatting to guests from all over the world. With a warm, welcoming demeanor, Stella aims to create an atmosphere where every guest feels special and cared for.
Stella Cashmore
Stewardess
Having grown up in a Navy family, Charley began traveling the world at a young age, eventually honing his culinary skills in the Southeast food centers of Charleston, Atlanta, and Columbia. In addition to his 16 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, Charley is an avid diver, explorer, and culinary tourist, and is excited to share the flavors he's experienced with you and your guests.
Charley Scruggs
Chef
Aidan is 24 years old from South Africa and has been in the yachting industry since 2021, cruising the waters of Puerto Rico, the Mediterranean, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and the BVI's. He's also done crossings from America to France. He has his 200-ton Yacht Master, and as he also has an interest in the engineering side, he has completed his AEC1. Aidan grew up in the beautiful city of Cape Town, South Africa. Holidays were spent with his close-knit family in the outdoors, camping, fishing, doing watersports, and playing golf and rugby. As a fun-loving, energetic, sporty person with an easy-going personality, he enjoys interacting with different guests and ensuring that they have an enjoyable experience on board.
Aidan De Villiers
Deckhand
Paul comes from Pretoria, South Africa. He grew up going on coastal vacations with his family, where he fell in love with the ocean and had the opportunity to do a lot of water sports, such as open water swimming, wakeboarding, and waterskiing. Sports and training have always been a passion of his, and he’s a big rugby fan and enjoys water polo. That being said, he is equally happy strategizing his next couple of moves playing chess, which Paul’s father taught him from the age of five. He also made the school team play chess! A year ago, on the recommendation of his brother, Paul set out looking for his first position onboard yachts and has since worked in the Mediterranean and around Florida. Paul is looking forward to welcoming you onboard and making sure your vacation will be unforgettable!
Paul Jooste
Deckhand
Price: $192,500 - $212,500 / Per Week
Length: 172' Ft
Guests: 12
Speed: 15 Knots
Cabins: 6
Build year: 1980
Crew: 10
