Sonya is the head of the photography department and has been with Blackcat in Akaroa more years than she can count. Sonya also helps out with customer service and always has a joke or two to make people smile. A local resident for most of her life, she is more than happy to answer questions about the town and its history.

Sheemal has joined our team in Akaroa.
Sheemal is from Fiji and brings lots of energy to our front line team!

Pip is our General Manager here in Akaroa and has her finger on the pulse of everything on the wharf and the water. Pip has a long history with Blackcat and Akaroa.

Libby has joined the Blackcat team this year as a guide. She always has a lovely smile on her face even when she is washing wet suits!

Danza hails from a small west coast town and grew up in the deep south. Danza has always had a love of the water and has been working on boats for the past six years. Danza is working at Blackcat as a swim skipper and aspires to be an offshore skipper when she grows up.

Krystal is a multi talented worker. She can be seen behind front line or out crewing on Blackcat.

Emma has joined us for the 201617 season working as a swim guide and on front line. Emma is a qualified vet nurse and loves all animals. You might see her on the AMP show circut in the horse riding events.

Dan Dan the photo man is our Jonnie on the spot with the camera on board the Blackcat. Give him a smile and he will make a memory of your trip for you.

Moses is a young local lad who is working his first season at Blackcat in customer service and also helping with the suiting and booting and clean down in the swimming with dolphins area. Welcome on board Moses!!

A long time employee at Black Cat Cruises, the thing I love about my job is that no 2 days are the same, you never know what sort of day you are going to get and variety is the spice of life!!

Hamish worked for Blackcat for eight years before he joined the New Zealand Fire Service. He missed us so much that he comes back to skipper the Blackcat and swim boats every now and then.

Hugh is back for his second season with Blackcat. This year he is guiding.

Hugh is back for his second season with Blackcat. This year he is guiding.

Drew has returned to Blackcat after a five year OE working on super yachts. Drew is passionate about the peninsular and considers it to be a privilege to show our beautiful harbour and wild life to travellers and locals alike.

Dan moved from the deep south to join us in 2012. His smiling face can be seen on the Diamond Harbour Ferry most afternoons. He loves driving the Fiordlander 1 as it reminds him of his time on Lake Manapouri.

As an ex-fisherman, John loves early mornings. So much so, he has been getting up at 5am 5 mornings a week since 2005 to operate the Diamond Harbour Ferry!

He even got to meet Princess Anne to receive a Local Hero award after saving a fisherman who fell overboard in Lyttelton a few years ago – Go John!!

A key part of the team is our dolphin mascot seen on special occasions like the odd cruise ship welcome or santa parade!

I love Lyttelton Harbour and have built up a huge knowledge of the area and its wildlife over the years. I can’t think of anything else I would rather be doing.

Helen has been with us working on Blackcat for several years now. Helen makes a mean cup of coffee and is always ready to answer any questions on the boat. She is pretty handy with the ropes and a boat hook.

As the Chief Executive my life at Black Cat is a very busy one. I started out as a skipper for the Diamond Harbour Ferry and worked my way up the ranks. 10 year’s on and I’m now steering the company, along with the occasional boat.