Your Crew
Sam Collins Head Captain
Crew Profile
MEET YOUR CREW for 2024/25 seasonCAPTAIN: Sam Collins
CHEF: Zina Lynkova
STEWARDESS: Anna Vann
******** Mike, Leslie and Leeann will be leaving Sail Away at the end of November, 2024
Sam and Zina met on holiday in St Marten, where they hatched a plan to work together offering concierge, experienced rich ccrewed charters in paradise. They have been sailing professionally side-by-side, full-time for more than nine years, all over the eastern
Caribbean, across the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. They consider themselves very lucky to be living in beautiful places,
sharing their happiness, excellent food and enthusiasm with their guests.
Sam has worked as a full-time captain for more than a decade, accumulating thousands of miles at sea, including a transatlantic passage as captain. He is committed to ensuring the highest level of safety, service and fun for every guest. As soon as you step on board you will feel relaxed and at home. His long list of interests include BBQing, making cocktails, stargazing & engaging in interesting topics of conversation. For fitness he enjoys water sports, especially diving & anything involving a sail and on occasion he plays the guitar too.
Chef Zina is from Ukraine and grew up in the seaside town of Yalta in Crimea. She worked in the hotel business from a young age and lived in Italy before meeting Sam. She obtained her culinary training as a yacht chef in France, England and Thailand. Guests love Zina’s kindness and her prowess in the galley, where she consistently produces beautiful and delicious meals. Her other interests include music, dancing, swimming & scuba diving.
Anna is an experienced yacht crew having sailed 40,000nm over a 7 years period exploring many beautiful places with her husband on their catamaran. They started their journey from the Dominican Republic down through the eastern Caribbean, Barbados, ABC Islands, Colombia, Panama, across the Pacific Ocean to French Polynesia, to New Zealand, then onto Fiji, across to Indonesia, Seychelles and finally to Tanzania where we sold our boat. On returning to England, Anna completed her silver service and maritime training and continued life at sea working on commercial yachts. She worked in the roles of stewardess, deckhand, 2nd mate and chef. She naturally cares for others and their wellbeing and would enjoy offering yoga and fitness sessions onboard in addition to serving her guests on charter.
In her spare time she volunteers at her local church and participates in local clubs - from gardening to golfing - leading an active lifestyle.
Anna is looking forward to sharing her experience and ensuring that her guests have the best time on charter.
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Warm and friendly, Captain Mike and Chef Lesley Blamey will spoil you with true South African hospitality. From the moment you step aboard, you will feel at home in the comfortable and beautifully appointed Sail Away. They grew up together, in the Sub Tropical coast of KwaZulu Natal, and the ocean and watersports have always been a big part of their life. They traveled extensively meeting new people and making friends around the world, and enjoying the cultures and cuisines of the world, and decided that once they sold their National Transport Company, and the children had graduated and left home they would pursue a more relaxed lifestyle sharing their love of the ocean, water sports, traveling, meeting new people, enjoying their cultures and cuisines and making new friends.
Mike is a qualified RYA Yachtmaster with over 50,000 sea miles under his belt. Together they have sailed and explored the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It gives him great pleasure to assist a total novice in getting up and sailing with a little guidance and encouragement. He is also a qualified Padi Dive Master, and will happily assist certified divers on planning their dives and accompany them as their guide. As an accomplished water-skier, and surfer he will soon have you up and riding on your water sports of choice. He is very competent in maintaining and running all aspects of his yacht. His warm and giving personality, love of life, sense of humor and honesty make him a great captain to sail with. His "generous" barman's skills and great tales will have guests laughing into the night. He's also a great DJ.
Lesley is a certified diver, and with 45000 sea miles logged is also proficient at the helm and in all crew aspects.
A great cook - who's skills in the galley will delight you. Her wonderful cuisine, reflects favored dishes from around world, varied and beautifully presented. A true Piscies, you'll find her in the water as as much as on it. She will happily take you on guided snorkeling safaris, pointing out all the varied corals and fish found in the beautiful Caribbean waters. She is a natural earth mother, who enjoys children, is fun, easy going, helpful and resourceful. She will happily play surrogate "granny" to the kids, keeping them entertained and happy while you enjoy a scuba dive or a visit to one of the fabulous beach bars or restaurants on the islands. From the moment you board Sail Away she will make you feel relaxed and at home, while making sure your every need is attended to. Mike and Lesley have been happily married for 40 years. Their friendship, respect and happiness together makes them a great team, and they look forward to giving you a holiday of a lifetime.
Chef Leanne Ho-Chung
An adventurer, Australian chef Leanne Ho-Chung has spent the past 15 years exhibiting her culinary talents aboard charter yachts around the world.
Leanne has trained professionally at the renowned Ashburton Cooking Academy in England, as well as at professional culinary schools on Thailand and Sydney.
