Your Crew!

Dear Guest and Future Friend, Captain JJ and I would like to welcome you to your private getaway. I purchased Morning Star with the idea of combining three things I love: sailing, cooking and meeting new people. I wanted to provide individual attention to our guests, to offer you an exceptional experience on Aruba. We hope that through this experience you will come to enjoy the waters of Aruba as much as we do. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce my daughter Jasmine to you. She is a sweet little girl who loves the sea as much as I do. Regards Katrin and JJ

Captain Jan Jaap Van Russen (JJ) I was one year old when my parents purchased their first sailboat. They took me sailing all throughout Europe teaching me how to sail. At sixteen, I became a sailing instructor. When I turned eighteen, I joined the marines and acquired my international sailing license. In 2005 I felt I needed a break from life in Amsterdam, so I decided to sail on a 42-foot catamaran throughout the Caribbean for one year, visiting such places as St. Maarten, Trinidad and Venezuela. When I reached Aruba I decided to stay on this beautiful island. In 2007 I joined the Morning Star crew and in 2008 I became the fulltime captain of the Morning Star. Finally my work is my passion!

First Mate/Chef Katrin I was born in Germany, and relocated to Aruba in 1994. I was blessed with a father that loved to cook, and he passed that passion on to me. After arriving in Aruba, I explored several careers, almost always as an independent business woman. For four years, I owned and operated a water sport company. I closed the business to pursue higher education in the United States. After returning to Aruba, I got in touch with my passion for food, working as a bartender, waiter and kitchen assistant. I learned how to prepare and present various dishes and desserts. Still I was dissatisfied with the limited customer contact working solely in a kitchen, so I started a new business, running a food wholesale company. I participated in many food and food preparation trade shows which further refined my food preparation and presentation skills. After that I started Morning Star private sailing charters where I could combine my passions for cooking and sailing. I am certified as a first mate by the American Sailing Association and in the possession of the Aruban Klein vaarbewijs