DEVINE SAILING

Captain: Wayne Keese

Nationality: USA

Captain WAYNE KEESE, or Captain Ray Devine and Chef/Steward SYLVIE REESE combine their love for sailing, and commitment to exceptional hospitality to guarantee guests wonderful memories aboard Devine Sailing. They are passionate about the experience they deliver, cultivating a feeling of adventure and joy, that is sure to last far beyond your time in their care.

CHEF REIS (Sylvie) is high energy, adventurous, creative with a positive attitude towards life. She is a true artist with an immense passion for cooking and living on the ocean. During her last college years as an illustrator, she was also training to be a military cook. In her twenties she worked on ships, in bush camps and officer dinners for up to 350 people for the Canadian Naval Reserves during 7 years. At 27 she starts a family and lives in the forest, in an off the grid log house in the Lower Laurentians in Canada. At 32 she starts her Art School Studio at home and at 40 she opens a public Village Art School Studio Gallery Café & Hostel.

At 48, Sylvie starts her first sailing adventures in the Caribbean as a crew/cook/first mate on sailboats for passages and deliveries. A year later she sells everything, closes her studio and buys a sailboat. She and her partner sailed from Canada down south, all over the Caribbean for 7 years. While sailing she also develops a passion for fishing, snorkeling and living on the ocean, she is definitely a mermaid. Presently living in the Virgin Island, for the last 2 years she worked as a freelance chef for day and term charters, for retreats and Airbnb guest. She loved her experiences so much that this year, she decided to chef fulltime for term charters. She is super excited to work on Devine Sailing as a chef first mate. Being a charter chef satisfies her
immensely. She is ready to prepare her creative, delicious healthy meals for everyone to enjoy during their unforgettable vacations on the ocean.
Let the memorable adventures begin in the beautiful Caribbean islands!

Captain Wayne Keese

Captain Wayne grew up in Texas and has always led an adventurous life. His love for flying, started at 16 and sparked an interest in skydiving. He joined the U.S. Army at 17 and was in the Airborne Division and Special Forces. When he finished his service, he became a master electrician and continued teaching skydiving, where he met his wife Emily. As an entrepreneur, he has increased his knowledge and skills, and can troubleshoot and repair almost anything!

In preparation for what he thought was a “retirement dream plan”, Captain Wayne started his sailing career at the age of 55 on his personal catamaran with an Atlantic crossing from Durbin, SA to Naples, Florida. He has continued to hone his sailing skills with his last 10 years delivering humanitarian supplies to Ile a Vache, Haiti, hurricane refief, visiting each Caribbean island all the way to Grenada, and chartering.

He holds a 100 TON MASTERS WITH SAILING ENDORSEMENT, STCW, FCC Marine Radio Operators Certification, PADI Rescue Diver, Dive Master, and Dive instructor certification. Captain Wayne's love of diving, is a proven fact while teaching others to dive or just doing fun dives. He is very familiar with all dive sites in USVI, BVI and Puerto Rico.

Captain Wayne's number one priority is making sure all guests, have a memorable time on each charter. He loves teaching guests new games and making his famous Captain's Cocktails each evening!

Join Captain Wayne for the charter of a lifetime!!

Captain Ray Devine

Captain Ray is a retired Firefighter/Paramedic, and during my career, was promoted to EMS Supervisor with the St. Louis West County fire protection district. To try and impress with my Captain abilities, I have been sailing boats since the age of 4 in my bathtub as a child, racing around the bubbles, and other toys in the tub. I moved up to larger boats, sailing the BVI's, back in the 90's, renting boats with the family. Then captaining and crewing boats for the last 30 years, using chartering boats from the Moorings, Voyage, TMM, Dream Yacht, and Seabattical. I have done boat deliveries, from as far away as Cape Town, SA, to Bermuda, to St. Martin, to and from St. Thomas, Grenada, Florida, Louisiana and sailing school in Australia. I was also 1st Mate and Engineer on several large 85' to 125' Motor Yachts with Captain Winston Hovey, and Captain Cynthia Hovey in Florida, Tortola, St. Thomas, St. Martin, and St. Bart's, working with Owners and guests on their boats. They even wrote a book " There's a Yacht more to life" in which I have the privilege of being in it.

Captain Ray is a PADI certified Dive Master. I hold a USCG Merchant Marine 100 Ton license, with the STCW certificate, along with a RYA Captains license from the Flying Fish School in Australia. I am also proud to have served in the U.S. Army for 6 years as a Medical Corpsman with a Honorable Discharge. I love to do term charters. making friends along the way, enjoying the beauty of the islands, beaches, the sunsets, and having fun in the Islands, and most important, the unique experience with my guests.