CAPTAIN: Jon Jeffreys, Welsh
Captain Jon’s passion for sailing started with his father teaching him the ropes as a young boy in Wales. He began his sailing career as a flotilla skipper for SunSail and then spent five years as a skipper for The Challenge Business organization racing and training crew volunteers for round the world ocean races. He has been skippering private yachts since then. Jon has worked exclusively on sailing yachts including Elysian, Naos, Rebecca, Whisper, Sleighride and most recently, the classic Endeavour.

Jon has many years of experience and has made a career out of sailing yachts that has taken him around the world. Thus far Capt Jon has logged sea time hours in the Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, South Pacific and North Pacific Oceans, the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas the East Coast of the United States, Europe, Cuba, Newfoundland, Japan and New Zealand. In his repertoire of education, Jon holds an RYA Commercial license, a MCA Master Yachts 3,000 tons and an engineering degree from Imperial College in London. Before taking up a captains position fulltime Jon worked in engineering.

Captain Jon has logged over 115,000 miles at sea and has dealt with some extreme environments. High latitudes, ice, strong tides and stormy seas have all been part of Captain Jons tenure, as well as the relaxing cruise style of calmer warmer waters. Jon is a very capable yachtsman and loves to sail, but more importantly he is a regular guy who enjoys meeting new people, exploring new places and enjoying all that life has to offer. When enjoying time off he is likely to be found scuba diving, exploring, reading a good book or hanging out with his wife Bridget. With Captain Jon at the helm you are guaranteed to experience sailing and your chosen cruising grounds in unique and exciting way.

FIRST MATE: Tom Hustler, New Zealand
Tom grew up in the City of Sails, Auckland, New Zealand. He was first pushed towards independence and adventure when his mum packed him off to boarding school as a teenager. After graduating, he was not quite ready to settle down to another four years of academia, so he set of for a year of traveling. He traveled through the U.K. and most of Europe, including Greece, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and France. Tom spent six months of his gap year working at the National YMCA centre for the U.K. on the South Coast of England, where water sports and other outdoor activities were the main focus.

When Tom returned to New Zealand after his year abroad, he still had itchy feet and was lured into the yachting scene. Sailing came naturally to him and he has turned this passion into a career. He is particularly keen about sailboat racing. He competed in the Sydney to Hobart Ocean Yacht Race in 2005, as well as numerous other ocean races while working aboard the legendary Kialoa III during his three year tenure aboard. Eight years later, he has logged over 90,000 miles at sea and is a step away from earning his 500 ton Masters license.

Tom has sailed in the Indian Ocean, the North and South Pacific, the North and South Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea. He has also sailed the east and west coasts of the U.S. He is a certified Rescue Diver and spends as much time as he can at recreational Scuba in order to hone his underwater videography skills. He also enjoys constructing scale models of classic cars and ships.

Tom is far from done exploring and traveling the world. He hopes to one day visit and come to know many more parts of it, including India and Antarctica to name a couple. Tom is a fun-loving and skilled sailor. With Tom aboard Axia as First Mate, guests are guaranteed to feel relaxed, safe and well looked after topped off by a bit of fun and excitement!

ENGINEER: Tom Symington, England, UK
Tom grew up in the Norfolk in the east of England where his interest in sailing was sparked and encouraged by his uncle who was an Engineer aboard a classic sailing yacht named Tigerlily. Tom began sailing from a young age gaining experience on a number of small dinghies and keelboats, including Lasers, Toppers, Wayfarers and Leaders. In addition to his interest in sailing, Tom is an outdoorsman and adventurer. He as traveled around the world with stops in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and the United States to name a few. He enjoys windsurfing, wakeboarding and kite surfing. Tom comes to Axia after his first position in yachting as the 2nd Engineer aboard S/Y Perseus, a 163 Perini Navi. Tom is outgoing, energetic and keen to see the world and develop his skills as a yachtsman.

CHEF: Brigid Rafferty, American
Brigid developed a passion for cooking early on. As number eight out of nine siblings Brigid found herself helping her mom in the kitchen preparing meals for many from scratch.

While an undergraduate student at the University of Colorado her love of food and quality culinary experiences was heightened during a year abroad in Bordeaux. This is where Brigid says here pallet was born and the delicate way food is flavored gained her admiration. After ten years in corporate America as a financial consultant, she took the educational steps toward her career of choice; a Cordon Bleu chef.

Brigid has now been tearing it up in the galley for eight years and enjoys preparing a wide variety of cuisines including; fusion, Asian, Mediterranean, Italian and Greek just to name a few. But, what really makes her happy is cheffing for those who love to eat and appreciate fresh and flavorful cuisine. Her career in yachting has taken her throughout the Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Cuba, the Atlantic, Pacific, and the Mediterranean. Married to Captain Jon, Brigid is a competent sailor. When shes not in the galley she can be found on in or near the ocean. Brigid loves to scuba dive and snorkel. She also enjoys hiking and loves experiencing different cultures and languages. While onboard S/Y Axia Brigid is a sure bet on decadence, flavor and variety in your dining experience.
Download Brigid’s sample menus – Flavors from the Galley.

CHIEF STEWARDESS: Josie Cargeeg, Cornwall, England, UK
Josie was born and raised on a working farm nestled on the cliff tops of rugged South West Cornwall. Her hospitality career began at a very young age helping her grandmother at the B&B on the farm. After finishing school Josie left home to find adventure – this was found a mere 28 miles away on the beautiful Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall.

Planning on just a summer job, Josie found instead that she was captivated by the island’s breathtaking scenery and wonderful people. She remained there for several years until she once again felt the pull to explore. She ended up at Nottingham Trent University studying for a degree in Photography. However, the Cornish coastline was far away and she had set deep roots in the Scilly Islands. She returned there to spend three years at the Star Castle Hotel on St Mary’s where she worked at every aspect of hotel management, including housekeeping, reception, service and Commis Chef.

In 2005 adventure came calling again. This time Josie set her sights further from home. She traveled as far as South Africa to begin the training that would eventually lead her to a life on the sea. Since then, she has spent over three years sailing the Med, the Caribbean and South Pacific. In the midst of all of this travel she stopped just long enough in Sydney, Australia to complete her Chef training at Le Cordon Bleu.

Josie enjoys photography, travel, scuba, baking and horseback riding. She is a consummate host, a lively conversationalist and a valued member of the Axia team. With service in her hands any guest aboard will find themselves well cared for and relaxed while aboard and refreshed upon departure!

STEWARDESS: Rachel Slade, England, UK
After completing a degree in Geography at Nottingham University Rachel has traveled the world pursuing a career on the water. Working as an assistant dinghy instructor for Sunsail in Turkey, and later in Antigua, furthered her passion for sailing which grew to include a keen enjoyment of windsurfing and kite surfing. As long as Rachel is in, on or under the water she is sure to be happy.

Eager to continue leading an active and adventurous lifestyle and to expand her travels Rachel progressed from dinghy sailing into the super yacht industry in 2008. She first joined the industry as delivery crew on a crossing of the Atlantic on S/Y Andromeda La Dea, a 154 Perini Navi. She was hooked. Before joining Axia’s team she was a stewardess on S/Y Savannah. With experience in the service industry and a love for sailing Rachel will make sure your time spent on S/Y Axia is extremely comfortable, enjoyable and good fun.