ALANDREA

Captain: Mike Tews

Nationality: American

Captain Michael Tews
After completing time in the US Army as a Security Communications Specialist, Michael started out in yachting as an engineer and dive master on a sportfish boat and then transition over to motor yachts. He has spent many years on successful charter yachts such as SOVEREIGN, KALEEN, CRESCENDO and more. His experience the Bahamas, the US East Coast, spans the entire Caribbean with many years based in Saint Martin. Mike is well versed in fishing and loves all watersports.

First Mate Liam Lowrey
Liam began his yachting career in 2011 and has spent time on numerous boats with varied itineraries around the world. He once sailed 7,400 miles from Cape Town, South Africa to Florida over the course of 64 days competing in superyacht regattas and sailing with professional crew. Liam has spent most of his yachting career in South Florida, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and the Western Mediterranean. He has a myriad of interests outside of yachting that include: travel, culture, art, history, style, function, design, engineering, food growing and sustainability, cooking, photography, diving, sailing, fishing, watersports, woodwork, leatherwork, and up-cycling and restoring anything of interest.

Stewardess Alana De Jager
Alana is originally fromSouth Africa, where she grew up in the small surf town of Jeffreys Bay. She moved to Cape Town with her twin sister to pursue their passion for garment construction and finished with a BA Degree in Fashion design back in 2014. After completing her BA Degree, she had a quest for travel and adventure. The motivation to live and work on the water came naturally and in 2015 Alana decided to pursue her career within the yachting industry. Having worked on boats ranging between 30m to 60m and completing three crossings in the last 7 years, Alana is committed to give her guests the most enjoyable experience and making sure all their needs are attended to. Alana worked with Captain Mike on board M/Y CRESCENDO where she completed many successful charters and continued to M/Y ALANDREA where she has transferred and applied her longevity, skills, and experience to complete many more successful charters on board.

Deckhand Siyabonga Mphokeli
Siyabonga was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and at a young age moved to Cape Town. After finishing school, he started a career in hospitality where he gained valuable experience and was loved and enjoyed by everyone because of his sincere and open character. During Siya’s career in hospitality, he met a lot of people who worked on yachts and from their experiences he decided he would love to follow a career in yachting. It presents great opportunities and Siya’s goal is to become a Captain. He is motivated and driven with great problem-solving skills. He started his career a few months ago as a day worker and was kept on as a Deckhand/Engineering Assistant until finalizing of its pending sale. Siya has a great passion for the industry, he completes and delivers tasks effectively and is flexible and adaptable in all situations. He enjoys running, hiking, and keeping fit on a regular basis. Siya will ensure your time onboard will be remembered and all expectations exceeded.

Chef - Dario Tani
Born in Venezuela, based in the Caribbean, Chef Dario has been home in the kitchen since he was 16. When he’s not cooking, he’s usually surfing (or doing something in the water) and sharing with others. His free spirit (and job) has trekked him all over the world, but his roots and steady spirit always bring him back home to Puerto Rico. Chef Dario has more than 24 years of combined cooking experience working in North, Central and South American Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. He has helped open 10 different restaurants and ran high-end residential catering establishments. Over the years, he has worked as a private chef in homes and mega yachts. His cuisine ranges from vegan to paleo, farm-to-table, European, Latin and Asian influences. He cooks light, healthy, and environmentally conscious, sourcing ingredients from local farms and farmers markets. He prefers to use as little processed foods as possible ad believes in a well-balanced eating experience. Chef Dario’s passion for making others feel good, fused with his love for food is the perfect recipe for a one-of-a-kind culinary experience.