DE LISLE III

Crew Profile

David Rutherford
Position: Captain
Nationality: Australian
Description:
Captain David brings nearly 30 years of experience in the Superyacht Industry, with 23 of those years dedicated to captaining both private and charter yachts. His extensive career spans destinations including the East and West Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Cuba, Mexico, the Bahamas, and Australia. Among his many adventures, Captain David’s favorite chartering destinations are the Bahamas and the Virgin Islands. When not at sea, he enjoys surfing, wakeboarding, and waterskiing, as well as venturing inland for mountain biking and bushwalking with his wife and son. Committed to delivering an exceptional experience, Captain David and the crew of DE LISLE III go above and beyond to ensure your time on board is truly unforgettable.

Name: Jack Bradford
Position: First Officer
Nationality: Australian
Description:
Having grown up with a deep connection to the ocean, Jack has spent most of his life on and around the water, developing a passion for boating, fishing, and reef exploration from an early age. He joined DeLisle III in March 2025, combining his love of the sea with creating unforgettable guest experiences—whether it’s diving untouched reefs, fishing remote coves, or finding the perfect beach for a picnic. With previous experience on superyachts, tourist boats, and research vessels in Far North Queensland, Jack brings extensive local knowledge of the Great Barrier Reef, Whitsundays, Swain Reefs, and Torres Strait. His favourite activities are spearfishing and exploring remote reef systems, with a dream to cruise the South Pacific.

Name: Nigel Syme
Position: Chef
Nationality: Australian
Description:
Nigel was born in New Zealand, and at the age of three moved to Australia with his family.
As a young boy, in 1997 Nigel was among the top 10 Apprentices in competitions, and in 1999 became a qualified Chef. His first job at Marriott as a Chef de Partie allowed him to dive into his passion under the guidance of English Chef Mark Wilson for 2 years.
Nigel was awarded gold and silver plate awards whilst within the Marriott hotel chain. He opened two of the best Restaurants in Queensland, East Coast Australia, sharpening his skills from training since a young adult, and then found himself working alongside a Personal Chef of the Sultan of Brunei where he became a Chef de Cuisine.
Nigel accommodates a diverse array of tastes. Nigel has more than 25 years experience plating up delicious delights, 6 of which have been enjoyed at sea. Naturally, his love for fine food and the sea, make his seafood selection most requested. Since leaving his land-based career, Nigel has been working on yachts all over the world, creating delights for high profile Owners and Guests.
Nigel has a deep passion, a person who cooks from his heart. Freshly-baked breads, pasta and desserts spread a smell like no other, whetting your appetite as you come out of the water after a day of active pursuit!

Name: Holly McDowell
Position: Chief Stewardess
Nationality: Australian
Description:
Holly McDowell is an Australian who grew up in Tambourine Mountain, Queensland and possesses a passion for traveling, which has ultimately led her to join the yachting industry. Holly has previously worked as a sole stew/deck and has cruised the Mediterranean and Coral Sea waters. She has been living in the Whitsundays since 2021 and enjoys snorkelling and free diving over the reef. In her spare time, Holly enjoys yoga, meditation, tarot, and journaling whilst watching the sunset on the beach. A fun fact about Holly is that she possesses an ‘outback’ side to her from her dad, running a cattle farm when she’s home. Holly believes that the ultimate key feature of DE LISLE III is the crew and their drive to create amazing, unforgettable experiences for our guests.

Name: Toby Christopher Meredith
Position: Chief Engineer
Nationality: Australian
PREVIOUS YACHTS: SV Atlantic Clipper, SV New Horizon, SV British Defender, SV Boomerang, SV Southern Cross, SV Whitsunday Blue, MV Tornado, MV Skybird
TONY HAS CRUISED: Australia: the Coral Sea, East Coast.
Description:
DE LISLE III's engineer holds a key role on board with extensive experience in the Australian and New Zealand oceans, on motor and sailing vessels. Of course, the engine room for him is the key center of operations on board DE LISLE III, and he looks forward to showing guests around. Tony has worked within the maritime industry for over 10 years , on a variety of different vessels. It was only a recent merge for him to start working within the superyacht industry: he loves the adventure and unknown, exploring new places and meeting new people. Tony recently purchased a house and has been enjoying the renovation process, landscaping, and watching the sunset from the balcony. He plays Golf, enjoys scuba diving and used to ski back home in New Zealand.

Name: Daisy Stoltz
Position: Deck/Stew
Nationality: Zimbabwean
Description:
Daisy was born in Zimbabwe and moved to Mackay at age nine, where her connection to the ocean really began. Growing up, she loved being outdoors and near the water, which eventually led Daisy to a career in diving. After starting with a dive internship in Airlie Beach, she went on to complete her instructor training and worked as a Dive Supervisor in Fiji, managing local dive staff and daily operations. Most recently, Daisy served as a Research Dive Leader on a Crown of Thorns vessel, supporting marine conservation projects. Now in her first superyacht season with De Lisle III, she's excited to combine her passion for the ocean, adventure, and travel in this new chapter. Some of Daisy's favourite experiences are scuba diving, spearfishing, and simply enjoying beach life. A standout destination for her has been the Yasawa Islands in Fiji, not only for their incredible waters but also for the opportunity to connect with local communities. Outside of work, Daisy enjoys staying active with yoga, gym, and walking, as well as creative pursuits like macramé and sewing. For Daisy, the best part of De Lisle III is the crew — working alongside passionate, professional people makes every day rewarding.