PENNY JO GUESTS COMMENTS

Vacation of a Lifetime

My family recently concluded a week long trip with Matt and Tmana in the St. Thomas/St. John waters. There is a definite consensus among the six of us that this was a vacation of a lifetime for us and that was due to the fact that Matt and Tmana went above and beyond for our family. Matt is a highly qualified, personable and skilled captain that made us feel welcome and safe from the minute we stepped on board. Tmana is lovely in every way and so talented in the kitchen as well as with her first-mate duties. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with them, so much so that we now consider them friends and sincerely hope to see them again in the future.
Matt skillfully demonstrated his keen ability to find us the best locations that would offer activities he knew we would love. He is extremely knowledgeable about sailing but also a joy to talk to about most any subject. He has a very sophisticated knowledge-base on a wide range of topics which made him easy and enjoyable to talk to during our time onboard.
Tmana is a magician with food. I can say without hesitation that whether you want simpler foods or finer foods, Tmana will find a way to please your palate during your time with her. She has such a warm personality and always seemed one step ahead of our needs as guests. Not only were her meals prepared with perfection, the flavor combinations and wine pairings were just spectacular. We never went hungry and were always so excited to see what she was able to whip up in the galley everyday!
The two of them together have a formidable working relationship and you can see from day one that they are in sync with each other as they take care of everything from sailing to serving meals to launching the tender. It was impressive to watch them work together on sailing days especially.
I would not hesitate for a second to recommend Matt and Tmana as a crew on any yacht for guests of any caliber. I can say without a doubt that they would make anyone’s trip memorable, safe, personalized and more than anything, fun!

Sincerely,

Katie Alves

2023

Matt & Tmana,

The past week has been an amazing experience.
You did an amazing job of taking care of our family on this special trip - 50 year anniversary, 5 year anniversary, 40th birthday and a 15 year anniversary celebration all on one trip was a lot to ask, our expectations exceeded in every way.
Thank you for the care and hospitality shared with us. We are very much looking forward to the next trip we can take with you.

Wishing you full sails and smooth waters.

Best Wishes,

Mike & Karen

Terrific Crew

I just wanted to let you know what a terrific job Matt and Tmana did as our crew on Laysan last week! Given that they had never sailed the vessel before, they did a fantastic job working through all the unknowns while keeping us super happy. This is the kind of crew that every boat should have – engaged, experienced, fun-loving and knowledgeable about the stops we made.
Laysan was a lovely catamaran. Matt and Tmana made the cruise the best way to spend our wedding anniversary! They are now good friends and will be the crew we ask for on our next trip!

-Deb Ersland

2023

Our family of four - including two “active” boys - just completed a one week voyage around St John with Captain Matt and Chef Tmana. It was a wonderful experience. We were concerned that our boys would get cabin fever on a boat for a week - but that was never a problem. Captain Matt organized activities (snorkeling, fishing, tubing, sailing lessons) that kept us all occupied and engaged throughout the trip. Taking the dinghy to Lovango for dinner, which Captain Matt organized for us, was a real treat. However, we did not need to leave the yacht for great food as Chef Tmana’s culinary creations were top notch. Both Captain Matt and Chef Tmana have experience in the restaurant/catering industry, and it shows. We were delighted with the food throughout the trip - as well as Captain Matt’s surprise cocktails that just seemed to pop up at the right moments. We highly recommend Captain Matt and Chef Tmana for anyone looking to experience a crewed yacht charter. Wish we were still aboard!

Kind Regards,
Kurt Rademacher

2023

My wife and I recently chartered a catamaran in the US Virgin Islands with 2 other couples. It was an amazing week spent exploring the pristine waters and secluded coves of the Island of St John. What made this trip truly exceptional was our Captain, Matt Dana and his wife Tmana, who acted as Chef and First mate. Having previously sailed bareboat, we did have concerns about having a crew. However, we understood that a catamaran of this size required true professionals. Matt and Tmana exceeded all of our expectations.

Matt and Tmana were both knowledgeable and passionate about their jobs and it showed in everything they did. They were attentive to all our needs but not overbearing. They were respectful of our privacy and knew when to engage and when to stay in the background.
Matt chose an itinerary for us based on our preference sheet and he was spot on. We spent our days relaxing in quiet coves, snorkeling and enjoying the clear, blue waters while Tmana spoiled us with her excellent culinary skills at breakfast, lunch, dinner and happy hour snack. The dining experience Tmana delivered exceeded most fine dining restaurants. The evenings were spent enjoying wonderful dinners and drinks followed by board games, which Matt and Tmana occasionally joined in on.

Matt accompanied us on our snorkel adventures and showed his knowledge of the marine life by pointing out all the sights along the way. He was always concerned for our safety but let us explore at our own pace.

There were days when the winds cooperated and we went sailing. Not from one destination to the next but true “let’s take advantage of these winds” sailing. These were exceptional experiences encompassing both fun and learning from true experts. Tmana emerged from the galley with her first mate hat on and showed her skill at operating the jib, sail and all the controls of this large vessel.

This trip was in our top 5 best vacations ever because of these 2 amazing people. As we are planning our next trip, we will be reaching out to Matt and Tmana first, to be with us as our crew or charter the vessel they are associated with.

John and Gail Zvijac

Wonderful Vacation

Our group of 6 had a fantastic vacation with Matt and Tmana! Our vacation group was my husband, two sons and they each brought a friend. Our boys are 19 and 21. We sailed the USVI side and Matt knew all the best spots to visit! We snorkeled at different spots each day which was amazing to see different creatures and fish at each spot! Matt was always accommodating to our crew and ready to please our group in any adventures we wanted. Matt took us on an incredibly beautiful hike to see the Danish ruins, pulled the boys behind the tender with a tube, fished, played games, sailed, swam with turtles. We even got Tmana away from the kitchen a few times to snorkel! Tmana was usually busy in the kitchen cooking her amazing dishes and desserts! We went out to dinner a few nights and they joined us. We had to have a dairy free diet and Tmana did amazing accommodating us! We would most definitely do another trip with them in the future. Book with Matt and Tmana, you won’t be disappointed! They can make a mean pain killer too!

Suzanne H Michaels & Barton Hills Mortgage