Captain Rob Rogerson
Captain Rob Rogerson holds a US Coast Guard license for vessels up to 50 ton. He has thirty years of experience as a lifeguard and emergency rescue boat operator at Jupiter Inlet (Florida) and he is CPR and Emergency medical responder certified.
An avid surfer, free diver, and endurance athlete, Rob has always enjoyed the challenge and comradery of competing. He loves to participate in the many athletic events on St John. He placed in the top 10 of the Beach to Beach Power Swim long course division, was 3rd overall in the Love City Triathlon, and is a finisher of the grueling St John Trail Race, 8 Tuff miles road run, and Paddle the Park SUP race.
Rob’s passion for sailing began at the age of 12 when he learned to sail in summer camp in his home state of Florida. He’s been sailing ever since. For ten years Rob was the first mate on the 50-foot catamaran “Mariah” that offered snorkeling and sunset sails in the Palm Beaches. He has a passion for classically designed boats and has competed in Washington’s Birthday Classic boat Regatta 8 times. His girlfriend Michelle, and good friend Roberto won the event in 2015 on his Sea Pearl “Anhinga”, an adaptation of a Herreshoff design.
He has cruised from Florida to the Out Islands of the Bahamas and has captained bareboat charter sailboats while vacationing in the Virgin Islands with Michelle and his sons Forrest and Sebastian.
Rob is looking forward to sharing the magic of St John with his Pepper charter guests!
Michelle McConville
A Pennsylvania native, Michelle spent her summers at the Jersey shore. Her love of the water began there.
In 1990 she moved to South Florida. Boating was a big part of her life and she has over thirty years of experience. In her younger days, she competed on an ultimate frisbee team for seven years. These days she enjoys paddle boarding, running, rollerblading, cycling, hiking and skin diving.
Michelle raised a 22-year old daughter Taylor who also shares a love of the water. They both enjoy traveling and have been to lots of beautiful places including California, Hawaii, Colorado, Maine, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. Each was an adventure!
Michelle has had a 25-year career as a purchasing agent for various large companies. She met Rob in 2015 on an offshore full moon stand-up paddleboard adventure and they quickly hit it off. Rob introduced her to sailing and she took to it quickly. Together they won the 2016 Washington’s Birthday classic boat Regatta on Biscayne Bay.
Since meeting Rob, she competed in one triathlon, two duathlons, a one-mile swimming race, and a 10K! She is looking forward to the events held every year on St. John!
Michelle also crewed for Rob and team in the Crossing for a Cure stand up paddleboard expedition from Bimini to Florida in 2017. Rob covered 55 miles on that expedition and together they raised thousands of dollars for Pipers Angels foundation for cystic fibrosis.
Together they volunteer for charities and clubs including Club Scrub, a fun group that puts together many off-road cycling and paddleboard events and Freedom Waters Foundation that seeks to bring joy to the lives of children suffering from chronic diseases by taking them out for a day of boating. In addition to volunteer work, Michelle is CPR certified.