Meet Captain Dirk and First Mate Sandy DeLo and share in their passion for boating, fun and adventure!
After earning his Ph.D. from Columbia University, Dirk started his career in education, ultimately working his way into the field of technology. His land-based career offered him the opportunity to work in locations around the globe such as Switzerland, Brazil and China. His last post before casting off the dock lines was serving as Chief Technology Officer for a New York City based global education company.
Dirk started sailing solo at 5 years old, crossed the Pacific Ocean from LA to Honolulu at 14 as part of a racing crew, and has been leading yacht charters around the world for over 25 years!
Some of his favorite destinations are French Polynesia and the British Virgin Islands, which he first visited in 1981. He is an avid water sports enthusiast and will be happy to lead you on SCUBA dives in the best locations, snorkeling, e-foiling, wing foiling, tubing, wake boarding, knee boarding, kayaking, SUPing, deep sea fishing, and even provide an introduction to kite boarding.
Dirk also has a Mavic Pro drone aboard and will be happy to record breathtaking footage of your dream vacation aboard Le Rêve.
Captain Dirk is a highly experienced US Coast Guard certified 100 Ton Master Captain, PADI SCUBA Instructor and an award-winning bartender mixing up craft cocktails for the guests!
Chef/Captain Sandy trained at Ashburton Chefs' Academy in the United Kingdom a few years after earning her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Business. She loves preparing delicious meals for guests and introducing people to the seafaring lifestyle! She stars in her very own cooking show called “Cooking with Yacht Chef Sandy” and loves to showcase meals she makes aboard for her Roku TV and YouTube viewers.
Prior to taking to the ocean, she led the Corporate life, having worked Internationally in Australia, Italy, London, India and Thailand. She spent her first career on Wall Street in technology-related roles for a Fortune 100 Firm and a few extra years as a Management Consultant, also in Technology. These experiences have played in to the professionalism she brings to managing her galley and understanding the needs and desires of guests on board.
Sandy has been cooking since the age of 10 and she loves to get creative in the galley and serve up tasty snacks and beautiful meals to guests. In addition to serving as Chef aboard, Sandy is a PADI Divemaster and a USCG Certified 100 Ton Master Captain with blue water experience on the high seas. Some of Sandy’s favorite spots are the Virgin Islands (especially Waterlemon Cay!) and the Exuma Islands of the Bahamas.
Dirk and Sandy have been in the Virgin Islands charter industry since 2007, first as yacht owners with hired crew aboard. In 2013, they deepened their commitment to yachting, adding a 38’ day charter motor yacht based in New York to the fleet. 2015 brought a second motor yacht operating day charters in Long Island Sound and their charter operation was running in full swing.
Sandy and Dirk are now owner/operators of the amazing 2017 Lagoon 620 Essence Edition, Le Rêve, where their professional C-suite background, intimate knowledge of sailing and the islands, experience in hospitality, celebrity chef experience and history in the marine industry combine to provide the ultimate experience for their charter guests. Join them in “Sailing the Dream!"
