Your Crew
Captain Rusty Day
Captain Dr. Rusty has a unique combination of qualifications and experience to make him an ideal skipper and guide both above and below the water. Rusty is the founder and Director of MANTA (Marine Science And Nautical Training Academy), a marine science non-profit based in Charleston, South Carolina, and operating its marine science field studies programs in the Virgin Islands since 2009. MANTA recently acquired DayDream, and now uses this beautiful yacht as their base for their marine science education and research activities when it’s not chartering. Your charter proceeds help support the yacht and the student programs, so thanks for your support!
Rusty was raised in a seafaring family from the southern Outer Banks of North Carolina. Growing up on boats, with a love of the ocean and an inquisitive nature made the decision to pursue marine biology quite natural. He earned his BS in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, MSc in Marine Biology from the College of Charleston, and PhD in Environmental Chemistry from the University of Pau, France.
Dr. Day has worked as a marine scientist at a number of labs, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He has worked on everything from corals, sea turtles, seabirds, and dolphins, using tools ranging from commercial fishing gear or SCUBA, to lasers and mass spectrometers. Dr. Day is an Adjunct Biology Professor at the College of Charleston, and has authored dozens of scientific publications in top journals and a book chapter.
In addition to Dr. Day’s scientific accomplishments, he also holds a 200 Ton Master Captains License and Sailing Endorsement from the U.S. Coast Guard, has logged 1000s of miles under sail, and is certified as a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer.
Rusty loves to teach and lead divers in exploring the reefs. So if you’re inquisitive about marine life, he’s happy to do slide shows to teach guests the local reef fish and corals, talk about turtles, give you an expert underwater tour, show you how to spot coral disease or bleaching, or collect specimens to look at under our on-board microscopes. And, he’s also a pretty decent fisherman when dinner time comes around!
Chef Neely Woodson Powell
Neely grew up on her family’s Island, a small boutique resort in the Florida Keys called Little Palm Island. Where she spent her life doing all things hospitality. Her family was very customer experience driven and she learned at a young age the importance treating people like family!
Her family also had a 1971 42’ Bermuda Hinkley, so sailing is second nature.
After college she started a shoe business in Charleston South Carolina. Designing, manufacturing, and growing this to 26 stores around the states and the Caribbean. Where she continued her inherent ability to quickly build authentic relationships, yall will be instant friends! If your real nice she will probably give everyone shoes!
Her favorite past time from a young age is cooking and she has mastered over the years some of the most yummy dishes that are requested over and over!
You will want all her recipes and dont forget about the custom made drinks at your command, shes a mixologist too!
The fun and entertaining chemistry between Captain Rusty and Neely makes for an unforgettable vacation that you will never forget and want to share with them every year.
The New Years week 2026/2027 guests aboard catamaran DAYDREAM wrote:
<p>Rusty and Neely,<br><br>We've tried to sum up the incredible experience our family had with you both aboard DayDream. Below is our review. Feel free to share with others.<br>Best, Brad and Lissa<br><br>Review of DayDream charter<br><br>We were a group of seven adults who spent eight days sailing around the USVI and BVI with Captain Rusty and Chef Neel, and we cannot say enough wonderful things about the experience. <br><br>Our group ranged in age from 28 to 73 with varying interests—scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, hiking, reading, chilling—and Rusty and Neely ensured that everyone was able to do the activities they hoped for and that all had a blast. <br><br>The boat was extremely comfortable and had all the amenities we needed, from paddle boards to scuba equipment to wonderful places on deck to lounge and relax. <br><br>Mostly, though, we want to emphasize how warm, engaging, and fun Rusty and Neely were throughout our trip. They are can-do folks. No matter how often we asked to revise a schedule, or change our next stop, or alter a planned activity, they were flexible, patient, and creative about making sure that everyone’s needs were met. To put it simply, Rusty and Neely are very special people. He is a raconteur with storytelling in his genes (and a PhD in marine biology) who can explain the complex behavior of marine creatures one minute and recount hilarious stories of hijinks on the seas the next. <br><br>For her part, Neely is the embodiment of Southern charm and hospitality—vivacious, enthusiastic, and a pure delight to be around. She is also a force of nature: On top of running a highly successful shoe business, Neely is a spectacular chef, and her talents were on display at meals three times a day. We didn’t make it easy for her: Half of our group are vegetarians, yet Neely managed to produce an incredible variety of delicious dishes that everyone could enjoy. All out of a tiny galley kitchen! <br><br>Bottom line: Sailing on DayDream and spending time with Rusty and Neely made this trip one of our most fun and enjoyable vacations ever.</p>
November 2024
<p>We’re two couples in our late 60’s - early 70’s and have been diving together since the 70’s. In the past, we have made multiple live aboard dive drips. This time we picked St. Croix to do more wall diving. We chose the 61’ Day Dream catamaran with a crew of three - Captain Rusty, Chef Neely and Divemaster Lassa. We wanted the ability to dive 3 dives a day - a compressor was a must. Unfortunately the brand new compressor had to be sent back for repairs. We were assured there would be enough tanks for 3 dives a day and they delivered.<br>We arrived on St. Croix midafternoon and took an open air taxi to the marina - a nice intro to St. Croix. We enjoyed a delicious snack on board while the crew took care of the luggage and set up our dive gear. We set sail for six days of fun. The diving was very enjoyable. We did have a couple days of chop, but a 15’ drop line took care of our two queasy divers. There was abundant marine life - sharks, turtles, rays and the wall dives were great. Chef Neely served delicious meals and rose to the challenge of meeting our varied requests. We dined inside with A/C or outside with beautiful views. We celebrated a birthday with a very memorable Danish birthday song. Our crew was very attentive to our needs and along with their extensive knowledge of the marine and island life made our trip memorable. Looking forward to next year!<br> </p>