ELLA Yacht Charter

Captain: Jose Francisco Luque Torres

Captain Jose Francisco Luque Torres (also called "Pepe" by friends)

Jose was born and raised close to a large nautical port, one of the largest in Spain, Almerimar. He lived there with his parents and sister until he was 17 when he went to Madrid to study business management and law by passing the national bar exam. Jose obtained a Master's degree at the University of Seville. However, after several years in a law firm, he soon realized that it was not his vocation, so he changed careers but first had to undertake nautical training. He has an advanced diving qualification, and the highest recreational/professional captain's qualification in Spain.

Jose started sailing at a young age when he went fishing with my family, and since then he has been passionate about the sea. He learned to swim in it, he spent every summer afternoon with friends playing beach volleyball and beach soccer, and even remembers that his first kiss was a summer night on the beach! Jose has always enjoyed the outdoor life, and in addition to sailing, he liked playing soccer and being outside with friends, especially riding his bike. He participated with his town's team, and they won several important championships and found he enjoyed team competitions. Jose still enjoys spending time in nature, enjoying long hiking trails, sleeping outdoors, and especially descending rivers and canyons which he finds exhilarating.

He speaks Spanish as his native language, as well as fluent English. He has traveled a lot which allowed him to improve his English. Several summers ago Jose decided to go to the USA and work there to continue improving his English and stayed in Long Beach Island (New Jersey) and San Francisco (California). In his student days, he provided English classes to people who wanted to learn Spanish. For several years he worked with the Red Cross in the maritime rescue section.

Jose's favorite place in the world is Ibiza - since it has everything. Dream beaches, fabulous restaurants, small unspoiled areas of countryside, nature, culture... it is a magical island, everyone who visits it is enchanted.

We asked Jose what adjectives friends would use to describe him and he replied "Active, friendly, funny, outgoing, athletic"
Jose's motto in life is "Sharing is living" and he applies this to his charters as he enjoys chartering with guests, adapting the type of charter they wish to do, and he's always happy to make their charter a memorable one.

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Chef / Stewardess Pamela Castillo (she prefers to be called Pam) was born in a small cattle town in the south of Venezuela, along with her parents and brothers. Pam loved all forms of sports in her youth, participating in theater and dance festivals. She started sailing when she was a teenager, on the Venezuelan coast, taking advantage of the fact that she lived in a tropical climate that allowed her to enjoy the sea almost all year round.

She completed her university studies in a city very close to the sea, where she studied Journalism, and obtained a Master in advertising and public relations. After graduating as a journalist, she had to flee the country due to the political persecution of the regime. Pam then settled in Spain and found her passion for the sea increased so she decided to pursue nautical studies, and qualified as a Yacht Captain of pleasure boats, Professional pattern, STWC95 Basic Training courses, GMDSS restricted radio operator, and health training.

Over the years Pam has worked as an institutional journalist, carried out photographic reports, and performed the functions of babysitter, restaurant waitress, cook, stewardess, sailor and skipper.

Pam's favorite sailing destination is the Caribbean because she was born and raised in its turquoise waters.

Pam prefers an interactive charter, exchanging ideas with clients and making decisions together, especially sharing the culinary experiences with her guests and being able to cook meals to their taste.

We asked Pam what are three adjectives your friends would use to describe you?
She replied "Responsible, kind, educated." Her motto in life is "The important thing is not what you look at, but how you look at it."

In her spare time she loves to participate in Yoga, Pilates, dance, running, and sailing.

Pam is a person very committed to her work, and one of her main objectives is that the guests on board return home with a wonderful navigation and personal experience.