OCULUS Yacht Charter

Captain: Paul Garfield

Paul Garfield - Captain

Paul born in England, raised in south Africa. Paul began racing sailing dinghies (Optimists) on a salt pan at 5 years old, leading to superyachts at age 19. He has worked on various yachts around the world settling into the 130ft range. Paul holds a Master 3000 tonnage certificate and has Captained yachts for over 10 years and has clocked several hundred thousand sea miles, including 14 Atlantic crossings. He was most recently at the helm of M/Y SWEET ESCAPE where he performed numerous successful charters in the Bahamas and Mediterranean. Paul loves water sports, he is a keen sailor, PADI dive master, jet ski instructor, and has recently taken up kite surfing. Now back in the beautiful Bahamas as the Captain of MY/ OCULUS, Paul’s goal is to create an exciting and fun and safe environment while providing the highest quality of service for guests.



Nicholas De Waal - Chief Officer

Born in Cape town, South Africa, Nick started his yachting career at a young age of 21 in Europe. He spent 5 years along the Mediterranean coast working on several busy private yachts. Nick is extremely excited to finally be here in the Bahamas! When not on the boat, you’ll find Nick in the water or at a gym. He loves Crossfit, playing squash and chess. Nick is looking forward to exploring the Bahamas with you and entertaining you all with his Dad jokes! (Sorry, but we did warn you)



Taruna Aswani – Chief stewardess

Taruna grew up in the busy city of Mumbai, India, where she graduated from Physical Therapy school in 2013 and has worked in various hospitals and clinics in India as well as the US. Despite loving her profession then, Taruna’s curiosity to explore the world, and love for travel brought her into the world of Yachting 6 years ago. Taruna has worked on several busy charter/private yachts on which she’s travelled the west and east coast of North America, Bahamas, Caribbean islands and her favorite so far, Scandinavia! Taruna spends all her energy (while never losing her smile) in creating beautiful memories for our charter guests and making sure every guest’s needs and demands are met, above and beyond their expectations! Taruna enjoys travelling, hiking, practicing yoga and although it takes little to make her happy, Taruna’s perfect day must involve the sun, sand and sea!



Chelsi Lotter- Stewardess

Born and raised in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Chelsi has always had a love for the ocean, sports and animals. Chelsi grew up riding horses ever since she was 4 years old, and participated in various horse riding competitions with her equine beauty ‘Intaba’, her partner in crime for 6 years. She gave up her equestrian dream before embarking on her travels while she worked as a professional Au Pair, in parts of Netherlands and California. Loving every bit of her travelling experience and combining her love for the ocean, Chelsi decided to step foot into the Yachting world in 2020 and has never looked back! Chelsi cannot wait to have you all onboard and make sure you’re all well taken care of and full of smiles throughout your stay on your floating home, Oculus



Thomas Rider – Chef

Chef Thomas Rider is American Born from Washington D.C. From an early age Thomas had a passion for Cooking, being inspired by both his grandfather and Step father who was a well known chef in Washington D.C. Thomas was accepted in o the Culinary Arts program and The Culinary Institute of America in N.Y and also studied at Le cordon Bleu. Thomas trained at many high end restaurants in Washington D.C and Maryland and has worked at several resorts and restaurants up and down the east coast as well as the US Virgin Islands. Thomas began his career as a chef yachts for over 5 years ago. He loves to prepare guests with a taste of the cuisine in the areas they are cruising as well as incorporating other flavors and styles to give it a unique twist. In his spare time he loves to be on the water, fishing, swimming and boating with his wife Alyssa and two children Charles and Thomas Jr. Having worked with Paul before, he joined the team.



Johnathan Luszcz – Engineer

Growing up in new England USA, in the brisk, abundant waters off the Atlantic, Rhode Island, Johnathan was drawn to the ocean. Graduating from New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) with a degree in Electrical Engineering (4 Year associates).
His passion for the sea grew and his expertise took him to the Bahamas, Caribbean, South America, Mexico, the West Coast, and the South Pacific. Learning how to fish, scuba dive, Free diving and salvage boats, was just the fundamentals for beginning a life on the high seas. 12 years in the industry to date. His vast experience and knowledge ensures that Oculus runs smoothly.



Nicholas Orry Pyfrom – Deckhand

Orry, our youngest crew member, adds a youthful energy and enthusiasm to the team. Born and raised in the Bahamas, he has developed a strong affinity for the sea and his love for the Bahamas is evident in his enthusiasm for showcasing the best that the islands have to offer. His responsibilities include maintaining the exterior of the yacht, assisting with docking procedures, and providing exceptional service to guests.