Take the next corporate meeting out of the boardroom and onto the Knysna Lagoon.
There are meetings that belong in a boardroom, and then there are occasions that deserve a setting people will still be talking about long after the work is done.
In Knysna, Ocean Sailing Charters is giving companies and private groups the opportunity to take their gatherings onto the water, combining business, good food, conversation and one of the Garden Route’s most recognizable coastal settings.
Operating from Sirocco Jetty on Thesen Island, Ocean Sailing Charters offers luxury catamaran experiences that travel through the Knysna Heads and into the Indian Ocean when conditions allow. For groups that prefer the calmer waters of the lagoon, there are options designed around a slower and relaxed experience.
It is an interesting alternative for companies looking beyond hotels, conference rooms and restaurants for their next executive session, product launch, team gathering or year-end function.
With each yacht accommodating up to 12 guests, the experience is intentionally intimate. That makes it particularly suited to leadership teams, client engagements and smaller groups where conversation and connection are central to the occasion.
For owner and skipper Neil van Deventer, the experience is about giving guests a setting that feels special while ensuring that every detail is professionally handled.
“Our professional team delivers seamless, personalised service, ensuring every detail of the experience is flawless,” says van Deventer.
“Whether hosting a high-stakes executive meeting or a milestone private celebration, our fleet is designed to inspire creativity, foster deep collaboration and lets hosts and delegates ‘party like billionaires’ in total luxury.”
And there is certainly room to turn a working session into an occasion.
Companies can customise their time onboard around what they want to achieve. A strategic meeting can be followed by lunch and a cruise. A product launch can become an intimate gathering with selected clients or partners. Teams can close off the year with an afternoon on the lagoon instead of returning to the same venues they have used before.
Food plays an important part in the experience too.
Guests can choose from fresh oysters, sushi platters, charcuterie boards and other catering options, while the Captain’s braai brings a distinctly South African touch to the journey.
The onboard bar carries champagne, South African wines, MCC, craft beers, ciders, spirits and soft drinks. Integrated audio systems are available across the catamarans, and groups can bring the occasion to life further with live musicians, DJs or guest speakers.
For those who want some activity between the food and conversation, Ocean Sailing Charters can incorporate stand-up paddleboarding, swimming, snorkelling and fishing into selected experiences.
The offering also extends well beyond the corporate market.
A yacht on the Knysna Lagoon creates a memorable backdrop for birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, proposals, baby showers, family reunions, bachelor and hen celebrations, wine tastings and graduation celebrations.
Behind the experience is a family-owned business with a genuine connection to the ocean.
Van Deventer’s love for sailing became part of his family story when his daughter Bella joined him on the ocean at just 10 days old. Her name would later inspire the names of vessels within the fleet.
Today, the fleet includes Ocean Rhythm, launched in 2007 and owned by Neil’s father Simon, alongside flagship LaraBella and LunaBella. Bella Vita offers another experience for guests who would rather enjoy the protected waters of the Knysna Lagoon.
The yachts offer indoor and covered outdoor seating, generous deck areas and forward trampolines where guests can settle in and take in the surroundings. Professional skippers and crew manage each journey, leaving guests to enjoy the occasion.
Ocean Sailing Charters is also part of Cape Country Routes, a collection of privately owned accommodation and activity establishments across the Western and Eastern Cape.
For businesses planning their next gathering, the appeal is simple. The agenda can still be important. The conversations can still be serious. The objectives can still be achieved.
The difference is that this time, the boardroom has sails, the Knysna Heads are outside the window, and the next big conversation could happen somewhere between the lagoon and the Indian Ocean.
Bookings and reservations
Ocean Sailing Charters
076 761 0353
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