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Ka’anapali’s original sailing family!
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In 2008, the Gemini ‘Ohana celebrated their 25th year chartering from Ka’anapali Beach. This ‘one of a kind’, family owned and operated sailing company, based out of Ka’anapali’s Westin Maui is proud to have given thousands of happy passengers wonderful sailing memories over the years. Gemini’s reputation of excellence comes in great part from her crew who run each trip with zest and dedication, giving every person who steps onboard the best experience they can create.
This tale began when a young 28-year old couple Gary & Ming Shipp began chartering out of the newly opened Ka’anapali Alii. With their 50’ Gulfstar, SuperStar, they offered a variety of 6-passengers sails during the busy months and week long sailing, snorkeling and hiking adventures around the islands during the slower months.
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Ming and Gary Shipp 1983 |
SuperStar – 50’ Gulfstar |
Crystal Anna – 73’ Schooner |
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After the birth of their sons Chimo and Olie, Captains David Foellinger and Marty Sands (owner of Absolute Fishing Charters) joined SuperStar’s crew. The Shipps purchased a new home, Crystal Anna, a 73’ Schooner and offered exclusive Private Schooner Charters and for years Crystal Anna was a focal point for Ka’anapali’s nightly sunset photos.
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Gemini – 65’ Catamaran |
The crew had become experts on the whales, dolphins, turtles and all the inhabitants of the ocean and became famous for their day long inter-island sailing adventures. One of their many repeat guests had become a very special friend, and offered to help this young family expand their business with a multi-passenger beach catamaran.
Gary Shipp, previously a boat builder, eventually came across his perfect beach-catamaran, recently launched and sailed from Seattle to Kona. With the arrival of the Gemini and their daughter Serena, the Shipps decided it was time to move ashore and sell SuperStar. Along with a contract at the new Westin Maui and an expanded crew, Gemini began her life in Ka’anapali.
With two boats and three young children, the Shipps still had their hands full, and when the unpredicted hurricane Iniki hit Maui on September 11, 1992 beautiful Crystal Anna capsized under the force of a gigantic hurricane wave while Gary and the crew struggled to take her off-shore. Hardly missing a beat, Gary Shipp with his 6-year son Chimo onboard and his crew, set out into the storm with Gemini to rescue three other boats in distress.
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Tragically, on a fatal day in November ‘92, they were all to experience an even greater loss. Gary Shipp adventurer, environmentalist and free-diver had a ‘shallow water black out’ after multiple deep free dives on the south shore of Lanai. His last words were “Isn’t this a perfect day”
The Shipp’s lives immediately changed forever. However, with the help of a loyal crew and a strong team, Gemini’s story continued…
Steve Dettwiler, Ming Shipp’s brother, a Canadian Helicopter pilot jumped in to help and became Gemini’s Operations Manger; he still works with Gemini today. A year later their sister Jane Dettwiler arrived to run the office, and Gemini’s family business continued.
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Shipp Family 1991 |
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Steve raised his daughter Tania on Maui, she now works with Maui Zipline Tours and the young Shipps all followed their father’s namesake. Captain Chimo runs a Maui fishing boat. Olie, also a captain is a deckhand on Gemini and works summers with UFO Parasail and Serena crews onboard during her college vacations.
Gemini is unique in the industry by having Captains and Crew, who has stayed together for years and who call themselves the ‘Gemini Family’. This legendary crew includes Gemini’s Cruise Director and Naturalist, David Foellinger (‘84) nominated ‘Keeper of all memories for this ocean tribe’, Captain Marty Sands (’85) who recently returned to captain Gemini, Rosemary Cummings (’91) transferred to work behind the scenes in 2007, Captain Steve O’Donnell, (‘91) a Maui Fire Fighter, still a standby crew, and Jennifer Durnin (‘92) who runs Gemini’s Video Program, Ocean Life Productions onboard. And, each winter Dirk Younkerman (’94) migrates with the whales to become one of Gemini’s Naturalists |
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The Gemini Family 2008 |
Gemini's Crew 2008 |
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Gemini’s millennium crew includes Captains Jake Tiller (’07) and Justin Lawson (’05), Linda Scarpuzza (’01), Andrew Weight (’06) and Dave Kingsford (’08). Please see ‘Meet the Crew’ on our website for the crew’s stories. It is this amazing crew who bring our guests back year after year.
Gemini is proud to run an eco-friendly boat, we use biodegradable/compostable cups and utensils made from corn starch and sugar cane pulp, and we recycle…
Gemini’s crew have performed numerous rescues at sea, including boats which have broken loose, windsurfer and hobby cats capsized and drifting off to Molokai, as well as long distance swimmers who have lost their way. We have bought in gigantic tangles of fishing nets and the first ever found Whale placenta!
As Gemini’s legendary Cruise Director David Foellinger sums it up, “its not just about taking people sailing, it’s about being Ambassadors of the Ocean.”
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