Your Crew
CAPTAIN Mat Kubik & CHEF Devaney Barnard
Captain Mat Kubik began his offshore sailing career in the cold Baltic waters in 2003, where he immediately fell in love with the sea. Before committing fully to professional sailing in 2015, he worked in the specialty coffee industry, owned a wine shop, and built a parallel career as a photographer and journalist. Together with his wife, Karolina, he published a photo book on Coney Island titled We Are All Strange.
Over his professional career, Mat has logged over 100,000 nautical miles as captain, navigating some of the world’s most challenging and spectacular regions: Antarctica, the South and North Atlantic, the U.S. East Coast, the Caribbean, Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland and Arctic waters, the North Sea, the Baltic, the entire Mediterranean, and parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
He is as composed and confident guiding guests through calm Caribbean waters as he is driving a vessel through 40-foot seas and 100-knot winter storms north of the Falklands. Mat has completed seven Atlantic crossings on both monohulls and catamarans, and has captained luxury charter yachts, expedition vessels, and private boats ranging from 55 to 120 feet. He is a problem solver and has strong technical expertise in various yacht systems. He holds a commercially endorsed RYA Yachtmaster Offshore/Ocean 200GT license.
Mat is dedicated to creating unforgettable experiences for his guests—balancing excitement, exploration, and complete relaxation, whatever the moment calls for.An avid diver, he is experienced in both open-circuit and closed-circuit rebreather diving, in open water and caves. He is a Divemaster/diving instructor. He holds a commercially endorsed RYA Yachtmaster Offshore/Ocean 200GT license.
When he’s not sailing, diving, or freediving, Mat can be found spending time with his wife and their three blue cats, riding his motorbike through wild landscapes, or making photographs. At his core, he is a true adventurer.
Chef Devaney -
Growing up in the little town on the very Southern tip of Africa called Fish Hoek, it’s no wonder Dev has always been drawn to the ocean. A self-proclaimed water baby, Dev’s most beloved pastimes are snorkeling the frigid Cape Town waters and kelp forests that encircle it, or riding her horses in the mountains the Cape of Good Hope. This coupled with living with being raised in the newly crowned culinary capital of the world it’s not a wonder that the influence from an entire country of foodies would guide Dev’s footsteps towards a culinary career within the yacht world, Despite studying a double major in Art History and English and a brief three year stint in Physiotherapy, Dev’s life took yet another daring 180 degrees at the age of 26 into the world of yachting. Dev calls her cooking style ‘a chip out of her very being’ and you can be assured that every meal is made with thought and care and an ample amount of love. If she’s not found gleefully hopping up and down after a successful bake she can be found reading or watching the nursing sharks swim past (something that never fails to excite her). With her calm and friendly nature you can be assured Dev will make your stay an unforgettable and blissful experience.
