Industry Insight
Special Yacht Operations
Pelorus offer the next level in adventure travel, designing ground-breaking and exciting experiences not usually associated with a traditional yachting itinerary.
“Owners and charterers are looking to explore further afield,” says Jimmy Carroll, co-founder of travel and adventure agency, Pelorus. “They want more intimate encounters with wildlife, indigenous tribes and nature. Operating in lesser-known parts of the world, however, demands a huge amount of research and logistical preparation. This is where we come in.”
Specialising in designing and executing yacht expeditions to the less travelled, remote regions around the world, Pelorus works closely with charter and yacht management teams as well as captains to make extraordinary yachting experiences a reality. From planning routes and taking care of the technical logistics, to drawing on the team’s extensive expertise in designing land and sea-based experiences to craft unique itineraries, Pelorus is the next step in experiential travel.
The passion for exploring remote regions of the world was triggered in the foothills of the Hindu Kush in Asia, with founders and former British Army Officers Carroll and Geordie Mackay-Lewis leading reconnaissance units on long-range desert patrols and helicopter operations. The knowledge they forged and skills they acquired – meticulous attention to detail, matchless planning, ingenuity and determination – during these years lay the foundation upon which Pelorus is built.
Both fellows of the Royal Geographical Society, their CVs would stand up against the hardiest adventurers – mountain leaders, advanced divers, paragliding pilot, skydiving – and they both have significant experience within the luxury and yachting sphere. Their unique fusion of credentials made them well-placed to envision yachts as the ultimate platforms for extraordinary experiences.
“By working with brokers to use yachts as a platform, we help create experiences that allow guests to go further than ever before,” says Mackay-Lewis. “Paraglide to your yacht from the top of a glacier, dive to explore WW2 fighter planes or immerse yourself in culture by interacting with native tribes in Papua New Guinea.”
Pelorus is able to gain exclusive access to sites across the world – many considered out of bounds or completely inaccessible – through its enviable black book of contacts, helping captains and brokers take itineraries to new heights. Deep rooted and far reaching, their contact list includes marine biologists, conservationists, TV producers, world-famous photographers, ice pilots, scientists, archaeologists, military experts and dive guides; all of whom possesses an intricate knowledge of their respective fields.
For clients – to be pioneers of discovery – Pelorus make it possible to explore and enjoy the world’s most exclusive and untouched regions. “This is genuine 21st-century exploration,” says Carroll. ”But with levels of luxury and comfort equally as suited to St Tropez or St Barths. The potential is huge.”