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NEW CREW for the 2023/24 season
Mark Russell
Shawna Taylor
Mollie Dreskin


Born in Japan, growing up in England with American parents, Mark has always been a voyager. Having started sailing at a young age, he completed his RYA day skipper course at the ripe age of 13 years old on a 32’ sloop sailing the French and English coasts. His passion for all things nautical led him to a degree in Marine Biology and Coastal Ecology at the University of Plymouth where he completed his Yacht Master course and worked locally as a dive guide and RIB pilot. Soon wishing to explore further afield, Mark embarked on a career as a professional dive guide and instructor working all over the world and clocking up thousands of dives culminating in a 4.5hr dive to 260’ on a rebreather to explore a war wreck in Vanuatu. This was while working on his first luxury motor yacht. He then stayed in this sector on and off for the next 17 years earning MCA Master 3000 and Y4 engineer licenses. One notable break from luxury yachts was his time spent with the race vessel ‘Earthrace’. The team circumnavigated the globe in 60 days in a 78’ motor yacht with 4 crew and still hold the World Record to this day! Mark loves exploring the Virgin Islands and all the fun, culture and nature it has to offer.

Our chef Shawna grew up in Oklahoma on a cattle ranch and began cooking at a very young age, taught by all the women in her life. She has a passion for creating delicious meals influenced by her Southern and South Korean background.

Growing up in a land locked state she never imagined herself working on the sea but with her adventurous soul she took on a new challenge and joined the yachting industry, from where she became a second stew and quickly worked up to being a chief stew and then a chef. Her true love and passion is cooking. She has this "overwhelming joy" when cooking meals and seeing the smiles that her guests faces when enjoying her food This has inspired her to be the best chef she can be in the yachting industry.
She too has fallen in love with life onboard and is magnetically attracted to the ocean and the sea.

Mollie is from just outside of San Francisco, California where she spent a lot of time outdoors growing up. Following a cold university degree in Syracuse, she decided to follow her heart to the islands and live the never ending summer. Mollie began working on sailing catamarans as an underwater photographer in Maui and quickly fell in love with sailing, deepening her passion for the ocean. In her free time you can usually find Mollie in the water; whether that be free diving, swimming or learning new water sports. She holds a Yachtmaster Offshore license and is training to become the captain of her own vessel one day.

This great trio look forward to welcoming you onboard Ripple this season and creating the best vacation memories for you, your friends and families.