A little bit about us..

Paul & Clare Ley established Pilgrim Sailing in 2010 in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. Paul and Clare are keen sailors, and their love of sailing and Clare's passion for good food make Pilgrim Sailing what it is today. 

In 2015, Pilgrim Sailing started operating on Magnetic Island during the quieter winter months and then permanently relocated to Magnetic Island in 2020. 

OUR MISSION AND OUR CORE PRINCIPLES

Our mission is to create unforgettable experiences which combine total relaxation and delicious food while showcasing Magnetic Island and its natural beauty.
THESE ARE THE THINGS WE LIVE BY:

OUR CREW AND THEIR STORIES

PAUL LEY

Paul has been working in the marine industry for over 20 years as a captain of a wide array of vessels and teaching sailing courses as a Royal Yachting Australia Instructor.

In his early career, he qualified with the RAAF as a fitter and refined his skills as a marine mechanic, fixing engines and everything else. In the late 1980s, Paul was a Dive Master in Cairns.

Paul is one of the skippers on board and ensures the vessel is in perfect working order for every charter.

CLARE LEY

Clare started off her career as a chartered accountant with over 20 years experience in the financial services industry.

She now manages behind the scenes of Pilgrim Sailing including the bookings, administration, marketing and finances for the company.  She also manages all the catering and hospitality needs.

Clare combines her experience in corporate world with her love for entertaining,  and is highly aware of the levels of professionalism and attention to detail needed for a successful event.

CLAYTON SCOTT

Clayton is a North Queensland boy with "salt water in his veins" and has called Magnetic Island home since 2005.
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Before settling on Maggie, Clayton spent five years circumnavigating Australia on his yacht Buccaneer - an experienced sailor who loves the sea and Magnetic Island.
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Many know Clayton from his days running his successful Fruit & Veggie Business in Cairns, the iconic Arcadia Store here on the island, as the welcoming smile at Mitre 10 or as one of the island's dedicated Volunteer Rural firefighters.⁠
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Jump on board and swap a yarn with him!

CLEM DUREL

Clem introduced herself to us in 2019 because she loved Pilgrim and wanted to come for a sail on her, even though she had never sailed before! 
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Early in 2020, just as the coronavirus hit, she sailed with us from Sydney to Magnetic Island. After that, she became our first employee and helped us re-paint Pilgrim during the lockdown.

Clem was born in 1992, the same year Pilgrim was launched! She grew up in the Loire Valley in France and studied Events and Tourism before coming to Australia in February 2019, when it was love at first sight with Magnetic Island.⁠

BRIDIE LEWIS

Bridie joined the crew in September 2021 and since then has split her time above and below the deck as a marine scientist at James Cook University & the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

Taking every opportunity to make a splash, Bridie has experience as a dive master, and has sailed from a young age. She is a bubbly and knowledgeable addition to our crew - don't hesitate to ask her some turtle-y fin-tastic questions!

SIOBHAN MATHESON

Siobhan is our newest crew member joining the crew in December 2022.

​Along with working on Pilgrim, she is studying Engineering at James Cook University in Townsville.

The chances are the chutney you eat on board is Siobhan's she is now our chief Pumpkin Chutney Maker!
We're all passionate about sharing the best experience with you.

OUR PROMISE AND OUR PARTNERS

These are the things that mean a lot to us and we consider when selecting our partners and suppliers:

OUR SUPPLIERS

On board we are passionate about serving quality local produce. Here are a few of our favourite suppliers:
  • Gallo Dairyland - our amazing cheese supplier from the Atherton Tablelands, near Cairns. They are a family run business who have been operating since 2007. 
  • Maggie Island Brewery - our very own nano-brewery on Magnetic Island. We serve their Holiday XPA on board.
  • Townsville Brewery - another great local brewery,  brewed across the water in Townsville using no preservatives.​ We serve their Legends Lager on board.
  • Tamburlaine Organic Wines - a family run winery in the Hunter Valley, NSW. Being organic they are perfectly aligned to our principles. Not to mention - we love it!! Tamburlaine’s contemporary organic philosophy simply aims to produce wines of the terroir while limiting environmental pollution and leaving the land in the best condition possible for the generations to follow.  Tamburlaine Organic Wines are vegan friendly.
  • Pukara Estate - who has a true commitment to agriculture and sustainable farming practices.
  • Airdale Orchards in Ayr supplies the most delicious dried fruits - depending what's in season you'll find something on your platter and in our non-alcoholic cocktails too.
  • ​MooGoo Sunscreen. Ok, so we don't eat sunscreen! But we are keen to eliminate the use of chemical sunscreens and educate guests on the impact of sunscreens on the reef.  On all of our charters we have Moo Goo sunscreen available to all guests on board as a tool to educate on the impacts of sunscreen on the reef. Find out more about the impact of chemical sunscreens on the reef.
 

WE CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AS MUCH AS WE CARE ABOUT OUR GUESTS....

We are mindful of our role in protecting nature and continue to review how we do things.

In 2021 we participated in the EarthCheck program to measure and manage our sustainability practices. Proudly, we are a regional leader in energy consumption, carbon emissions and water usage, with results significantly better than the regional average. 

In July 2023, we have commenced our journey with EarthCheck ECO certification and are working through the criteria to meet the strict EarthCheck guidelines. We are pleased to report that the majority of our practices align with the requirements and we are completing their robust process to achieve certification. Our goal is to be certified by December 2023.

Even though the very nature of being a sailing business lends itself to low fuel consumption, we review all areas where we can make a difference:
  • We select our menu with the environment in mind. We source local produce wherever possible reducing transport costs (and emissions). We are familiar with our producers and select those whose principles align with ours.
  • We sail wherever possible, minimising the use of the engine and hence diesel consumption and pollution.
  • We provide reef-friendly sunscreen, and recycle the packaging using the Terracycle scheme.
  • We minimise the use of plastic on board - no straws and no single-use bottles. Since December 2020, we have banned single use plastic water bottles, instead we offer complimentary still and sparkling water on every charter.
  • On board we use reusable platters and glasses wherever possible. In cases where we use single-use items :
    • The paper on platters and our stickers are compostable, FDA approved, 100% FSC certified and printed using water-based inks and part of the Eco-Packaging Alliance.
    • Other items are fully compostable and biodegradable.
  • We actively recycle our bottles and cans.
  • We continue to review our processes to ensure we are best practice or better.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES PILGRIM SAILING DIFFERENT?