BELLA TU FOR
CHARTER
BEN GRANT | Captain | American
Ben Grant, a Louisiana native, began his maritime journey at The Citadel, where he majored in History while participating in the Navy ROTC program. Following his college years, he joined American Cruise Lines and obtained his first Captain’s license, embarking on voyages to stunning destinations such as the British Virgin Islands, Alaska, and Puget Sound. Ben worked for Yacht Management in S. Florida and then BELLA TU when she first launched in 2019. After this Ben worked for a private commercial touring company gaining more hours before returning to BELLA TU, where he is enthusiastic about showcasing the wonders of the sea to guests. With a focus on safety, Ben is an organized and respectful professional who enjoys snorkeling, sailing, and biking in his free time.
MARYKATE IIYANKPOFF | Stewardess | American
MaryKate was born in Key West and raised in South Florida. She spent much of her childhood on the ocean boating and traveling with her family. Her first day on the water was her third day of life, aboard her father’s lobster boat. At age five MaryKate cruised the Bahamas for the first time. She spent most of her summers and any off time on adventures around the water. She studied at Florida Atlantic University and graduated with a degree in Psychology. After graduation MaryKate became an Elementary teacher at a school for special needs children.In the midst of her teaching career, she was offered a summertime Stewardess position. After accepting this opportunity, she was immediately drawn to the lifestyle that working in the yachting industry offers and she decided to pursue it full time.Her love for the water and the marine industry makes her excel at what she does. She loves to bring out the smile in her guests with her bubbly personality. On her time off she enjoys spending time in nature; including boating, fishing, camping and traveling.
MICAH HERRON | Mate | American
Micah grew up in the deserts of Tucson Arizona. While backpacking in Hawaii, he came across a sailing youth hostel and he quickly fell in love with the ocean. With a very strong engineering mindset, he rose through the ranks as a crew and service technician. Boasting over 10 years in the industry, Micah loves taking new adventures and making new friends along the way, while striving to upgrade his captain’s license to 200-tons.
Freelance Chef
