Mckenna left her hometown in South Africa at the age of 18 to pursue a life of adventure. She grew up in and around water and is very much at home on the sea.
Having visited the Arctic, Mediterranean, and Caribbean seas she is looking forward to continuing exploring the world on super yachts.
Mckenna has what she describes as a thoughtful nature, she enjoys reading both fiction and true stories in her spare time, and is very much looking forward to welcoming guests onboard S/Y Q this summer!
Mckenna Abbott
Chief steward/ess
Ed was born in England but has travelled ever since he can remember, but Australia in his late teens is where he developed his love for the ocean and taught various water sports. It was also here that Ed discovered the world of yachting.
Ed’s career has focused solely on sailing yachts, including S/Y Ethereal, S/Y Anakena, and S/Y Anemoi.
Ed has a passion for SCUBA diving, having explored some of the most pristine waters all around the world, including a lot of the Pacific Ocean. In his spare time, other than diving, Ed enjoys mountain biking and would love to add to his already logged time in the air by doing more flying lessons.
Edward Brennan
First Officer
Born in Nottingham, Sam is also known on board as our big friendly giant. He has a deep passion for animal behaviour science, which led him to study and gain expertise in this field. Sam is also a certified dive master, combining his love for exploration and the underwater world. His adventurous spirit extends beyond the seas, as he has a strong affinity for travel and discovering new places.
In addition to his passion for marine biology, Sam has had the incredible opportunity to work on various yachts, including the magnificent S/Y Aquijo, the world’s largest ketch. This experience allowed him to further develop his skills and knowledge in yacht operations and sailing.
In Sam’s spare time he enjoys hiking, reading, diving and always manages to find a peaceful spot to rig his hammock for some chill time.
Sam Gethings
Bosun
Zak grew up in a family of caterers in the South West of England. He knew at a young age that he loved the hospitality industry. Zak started at the age of 14 working at his parents’ restaurant, then moved at 16 to work for the Michelin starred chef Chris Horridge. There he trained in classic French food with a modern twist and learned how to organize and manage the kitchen.
In the following years, Zak moved to Richard Branson’s private island in the Caribbean. There he learned a range of different cuisines including Japanese and Caribbean food. Later, he moved to Australia and worked at the premier restaurants in Sydney and Byron Bay. He was offered a job as a Head Chef at a beach club in Bali, Indonesia. He then spent 3 years in there where he mastered several different styles of Asian food. Zak is now extremely passionate about cooking Asian food, which is fresh and vibrant.
In Zak’s free time, you will often see him surfing, paddle boarding
and keen to find new places to explore.
Zak Bingham
Chef
Bartosz hails from Gdynia, Poland, a vibrant maritime city on the Baltic Sea. He graduated from the Maritime University of Gdynia in 2018, having already begun his career at sea in 2017. His upbringing in such a rich maritime environment has shaped his passion for engineering and safety on the water.
Bartosz's professional journey has seen him rise through the ranks at Royal Caribbean Cruises over six years, from Engine Cadet to achieving his Chief Engineer Unlimited license. In 2021, he transitioned to the yachting industry, initially serving as a 2nd Engineer on a 74-meter motor yacht before returning in 2023 to take on a permanent role as 2nd Engineer on a 58-meter motor yacht.
Outside of work, Bartosz is a social individual with a strong commitment to healthy living, engaging in activities such as gym workouts, running, and road cycling. He is also passionate about language learning, being fluent in Polish, English, Spanish, Russian, and Croatian, with a foundational knowledge of German. A lifelong football enthusiast, he played for 12 years with local clubs in Gdynia.
Bartosz Wronka
Chief engineer
Jonny’s love for sailing began with the Sea Scouts in Scotland, racing dinghies on cold lochs. After traveling post-high school, he earned his Engineering Officer of the Watch license at Warsash Maritime Academy and spent eight years on oil tankers and cruise ships, achieving his Chief Engineer Unlimited license.
Since 2015, he’s brought his commercial expertise to the yachting industry, serving as Chief Engineer on various motor yachts. S/Y Q is his first sailing yacht. He has cruised extensively across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the South Pacific.
Off duty, Jonny enjoys life in Glasgow with his wife and young son, spending time outdoors, wild swimming, and paddleboarding.
Jonny Martinez
Chief engineer
George is from Auckland, New Zealand. He has a big passion for the ocean, growing up sailing and racing on his Dad’s boat and fizzing around the Hauraki Gulf on his own fishing boat. He loves being out on the water.
Having completed a general engineering apprenticeship on land, he is working to get the next yacht engineering qualification.
George is an active person, recently completing a full Ironman. His hobbies include fishing, swimming, running, cycling, surfing and anything outdoors!
George Fowler
2nd Engineer
Kendra-Lee was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. She set sail on adventures with her grandparents around Cape Town every December Holiday. It was during these magical holidays that her love for the sea began. Combining her passion of travel and service, she set her sights on the superyacht industry and began her journey in 2016.
Her yachting experience is as diverse as it is impressive. From private yachts cruising the Red Sea to luxurious beach villas lining the Mediterranean coast, Kendra-Lee has thrived in a variety of environments. Her passion is all about creating an unforgettable yachting experience. Her ultimate goal is to create a harmonious and enriching environment onboard, she’ll ensure comfort and personalize everything to your desires.
When Kendra-Lee isn’t spoiling you onboard, you might find her diving the crystal-clear waters as a certified Divemaster, or catching some waves on her kiteboard. On land, she’s a lifelong horse enthusiast, always up for exploring nature. She maintains her inner balance and finds peace on her yoga mat.
Kendra Lee Coleridge
Stewardess
Karolina was born and raised in Świnoujście, Poland. She has a vast international experience in hospitality and guest service as well as event managing and housekeeping. She graduated from the Higher School of Tourism and Hotel Industry and alongside her studies, Karol trained on Unity Line passenger ferries and in hotels.
During that time, she also became interested in wellness and spa therapy, and learned various massage techniques. While living in Malta, Karol was also proud to work in one of the top Maltese restaurants from the Michelin Guide.
Karol has many hobbies but one that stands out the most is her passion for cooking. Often she takes the opportunity to jump in the galley and cook the crew some of her favourite polish dishes. Not only is she talented in the galley but is also great at handy work and is often minimising the engineers work in the interior.
Karolina Mateja
Stewardess
Hugo grew up in East Sussex on the south coast of England and now lives in Edinburgh, Scotland with his partner Esme. He grew up sailing boats, mainly on the west coast of Ireland in Clew Bay, Co. Mayo, where his parents have a holiday home.
Hugo started working professionally on small sailing yachts on flotillas holidays in Greece before moving on to larger yachts. He has previously worked on S/Y Sea Eagle and S/Y Aquijo.
Hugo likes being active and is a keen cyclist and hiker. He plans on doing some trekking in Nepal and cycling in Chile in the not-too-distant future.
Hugo Lewellyn
First Officer