生命中的一天——格兰特·拉菲尔

Grant has been captaining boats of all kinds in a multitude of places around the globe for more than two decades. After being in charge of one of the first electrically propelled super yachts in excess of 100t, he discovered Soneva, and was drawn to the philosophy practiced at the resorts and was excited to continue to play a part in the evolution of sustainability.

If I have a charter booking my focus would be on making sure the guests have the best possible experience based on their personal interests. Everyone is different, so I have to be very flexible. Because I’m so passionate about what I do, it’s easy to convey that energy into a positive experience for all. We offer a variety of charters onboard Soneva In Aqua. Our anchorages, diving spots, surf breaks and cruising grounds all change depending on the weather, guest preferences and the mood onboard.

早起，乘小艇带客人前往外岛之一，希望在日出标志着新一天开始时赶上几波浪潮（通常与嬉戏的飞旋海豚一起冲浪）。在客人享用早餐时，将客人带回游艇，起锚并航行到环礁保护范围内的众多绝佳潜水地点之一。我们经常在活动前后组织前甲板瑜伽课，让客人舒展身体，或者根据客人的喜好进行晨间冥想。

At around 11-12 we would get the SCUBA or snorkelling gear ready to explore the marine world beneath the hull. If the yacht is secure and it’s a large group I often get into the water to “help lead the dive” (give me any excuse to get in the water!). After the dive we might offer our guests a Castaway Picnic on an uninhabited island or a four-course bespoke lunch prepared by our onboard chef.

日落之前，我们可以举办一场浪漫的海滩烧烤，客人可以在私人海滩上欣赏星空，欣赏太阳落入地平线下的美景。另一个受欢迎的夜间体验是主卧室的玻璃底按摩浴缸。水下灯光在夜间吸引各种鱼类，使其成为一生难得的体验。

所有这些选择听起来可能很棒，但幕后的工作却非常艰巨。我的职责一直延续到深夜，远远超过了客人梦想着追逐完美海浪或与优雅的蝠鲼一起畅游的时间。我必须不断检查天气，确保锚是安全的，并始终检查船上设备是否正常运行。游艇上的奢华绝非只是轻轻一按开关就能点亮房间，打开水龙头就能流出热水，或者按下按钮就能控制温度。需要更深入的理解才能让这些看似平凡的奢华成为现实，这也是我洗头时仍然会关掉淋浴水或确保在不需要时关闭所有不必要的灯的原因之一！

当我不忙于租船和将游艇停泊在索尼娃芙西岛时，我的一天通常遵循不同的惯例：

If there is swell forecasted, I’m up before sunrise to catch a few waves before having breakfast between  07:15 – 07:45. By 08:00 I’m generally at my desk going through the daily memo and checking in-house guests, which together with internal information gathered from the Barefoot Guardians, helps me pin point the guests who would not want to miss out on the magic that Soneva in Aqua can offer.

At 08:30 I head to the morning briefing, which is attended by all team heads. Here we discuss the details of the day’s events, guest arrivals and departures, and any important issues that may need to be dealt with. After the morning briefing, I have a meeting with Soneva in Aqua’s crew to discuss things like the maintenance schedule, outstanding jobs and what needs to be done in preparation for the next charter.

此时，客人们开始来吃早餐，我借此机会自我介绍并带他们参观游艇。一旦登船，客人总会感到惊喜。这种长度的船的内部空间比预期的要大得多。经典优雅的设计引人注目，而且保持着完美的状态。

Due to the complexity of the vessel we are often faced with mechanical issues that need immediate attention. Luckily, I have an engineer onboard but often prefer to get personally involved. I feel it’s important to have a hands-on approach to both better understand the condition of the yacht and to appreciate the hard work my crew are constantly doing to keep the yacht in a safe state for all that come onboard.

Whenever I am not on charter or repairing issues onboard, I focus on taking care of the large amount of admin that comes with running a vessel of this type and working in a hotel chain of this repute. Although the resort has separate departments dealing with various areas, a yacht differs in many aspects and a lot of my time is taken up with specialized orders, marketing, finance, projects and the crew. Throughout the day I am always checking my email whenever I get a spare moment. Mostly writing to inform potential guests, Hosts and agents of all the exciting options available onboard Soneva in Aqua, or tailoring trips based on a guest’s specific requests.

晚餐时，我经常被要求主持各种熟悉旅行（旅游附属代理商）或来度假村的有影响力的人，特别是如果他们有任何类型的游艇背景。

I am very fortunate to have my family living with me on the island. I have the cutest little blonde haired 2-year-old (I might be a little biased). He hates wearing shoes and loves the ocean. The highlight of my day, if I’m not on charter, is taking him for a sunset swim – the perfect way to finish my day.