About the Captains
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John McGroder
John McGroder is fluent in Bahasa Indonesian and has a reputation as being one of the most experienced and friendly operators in the Mentawais. Together with his wife, Belinda, they will assume the total job of being the perfect hosts.
John has been surfing since a sprog, growing up at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, traveled the world extensively and worked on boats for the last 24 years whilst Belinda has previously worked in the surf industry.
John currently holds a Master Class 4 Skipper’s Ticket for 200 miles off shore, a Marine Engine Driver 2 Ticket and an Australian Radio Operators License. He has sailed along the South African coast, crossed the Indian Ocean, and done two Tasman crossings. Worked and raced sailboats in and around Auckland Harbour, sailed from New Zealand to Hawaii, worked and raced yachts around the Hawaiian Islands and from Mainland USA back to the Islands. He worked for 5 years aboard Cray boats off Geraldton, Kalbarri, and the Abroholos Islands in Western Australia where he earned valuable experience and enough sea-time to allow him to attain his Captain’s License. He then worked as a captain aboard a 45ft tugboat doing waterfront construction, demolition, and barge work around Sydney Harbour. He was also in charge of various charters and towing jobs along the NSW and QLD coast.
In 1995 he captained Nusa Dewata doing surf charters in Timor during the fledgling years of the Surf Charter Industry in Indonesia. From 1996 to 1998 he captained Katika in the Mentawai Islands. In 1999 he skippered the Indies Trader 2, and later in the year he captained the Indies Trader 1 on the Quiksilver Crossing campaign in the South Pacific. 2000 and the 21st Century found him still on the Indies Trader 1, searching for surf.
John began 2001 on the Indies Trader 1, prior to the purchase of the Barrenjoey.
John and his wife Belinda have taken various breaks from their live aboard charter business. During these breaks they have employed competent fill-in Captains to take responsibility of their operation. Darren Nutt and Byron Hitchenson both keeping Barrenjoey’s stoke alive.
In 2005, Fynn McGroder was born and has spent the last 3 years maturing into a regular little sea grommet. 2009 will see the birth of their second child.
BEN HILLIER will be the Barrenjoey Captain in 2009.
Ben has a Master 5 Captain’s ticket and a Marine Engineer Driver 2. He has spent 2 seasons skippering Freedom 1. Previously he has worked 4 seasons as deckhand aboard aboard Navistar and Bintang. Ben is also a licensed carpenter, has done 3 years aboard fishing boats in the Great Australian Bight gaining valuable sea time before making the move to Indonesia. Ben is fluent in Bahasa Indonesia, with a excellent friendly reputation among the rest of the surf charter fleet. Barrenjoey welcomes him aboard.