Employee Spotlight – Ryan Querry
From the lakes of Ohio to the pristine waters of the US Virgin Islands, Ryan Querry’s journey embodies the spirit that defines Waypoints Yacht Charters.
Ryan’s intimate knowledge of the USVI combined with his positive “glass half-full” attitude makes him an invaluable asset to our St. Thomas base. His expertise spans from technical maintenance to understanding the unique island culture, helping guests transition seamlessly into “vacation mode” from the moment they arrive.
In this spotlight, Ryan shares his insider perspectives on the Virgin Islands’ best-kept secrets, from secluded bays with resident sea turtles to the tranquil shores of Anegada, along with cultural insights that will enhance your Caribbean experience. His passion for building relationships and creating memorable sailing adventures reflects the family atmosphere that sets Waypoints apart from other charter companies.
Can you share a bit about your background and how you came to join Waypoints Yacht Charters?
I’m originally from Ohio, which is a classic landlocked state, but I grew up on a local lake about 20 minutes from my hometown, doing a lot of fishing and boating with my family. We also have Lake Erie to our north where my wife and I have a camper with our boat during summer months for whenever we need an escape or to enjoy the world-class walleye fishing available on the lake.
My wife and I actually honeymooned in St. Thomas in 2012 and then moved to the island just three months later. I spent a year working in retail at Home Depot on the island, where I met a gentleman that I worked with for about a year while I was learning to become a dive instructor. We then worked for a company on St. Thomas for 10 years, running three different yachts ranging from a 50-foot custom-built catamaran to a 52-foot and a 65-foot Lagoon.
I’ve just started at Waypoints and I’m excited to bring my experience to this role.
What makes the USVI a special sailing destination?
For the years that I was chartering, we always termed it as the Disneyland of sailing. It is one of the friendliest places in the world to either learn how to sail or to just have a great sailing vacation.
We have an environment down here that lends to having a breeze 90% of the time, and if you have patience, you can get wherever you want without ever having to hear an engine.
It’s a very calming experience, in my opinion. When I first started working on the water down here, I was confused about why sailboats seemed to bring bigger smiles to people than motorboats. After learning how to sail on those catamarans and figuring it out myself, I realized why everybody was so happy.
What does a typical day look like for you?
A typical day for me revolves around talking to our technicians, figuring out what they need, acquiring parts that we may not have in stock, and making sure that our interior cleaners have everything they need to prepare the vessels for guests to arrive. I also help with customer service and walk around on the docks, making sure everybody has what they need.
I kind of term myself as a “rah rah” guy. I’m definitely a half-full guy, not a half-empty guy. As we like to say down here, there’s a price for paradise. There are certain things that we don’t have that may take a little longer to get here, or you might just go without, but at the end of the day, it really doesn’t seem to matter.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
I enjoy the interactions that I have with everybody here at the base—whether it’s an interior cleaner, a technician, or one of the boat wash guys. I love talking to everybody every day, seeing how their day is going, and seeing if there’s anything I can help them with, whether it’s work-related or personal. I’ve always got an open ear.
That was one of the main things I enjoyed about the yacht charter work that we did—I enjoyed building relationships with our customers and finding something in common with everybody.
Do you have a favorite charter destination or personal favorite boating memory?
In the US Virgin Islands, my favorite location would be Salt Pond, located on the south side of St. John. It’s a very small bay that only houses around 4 moorings, located on an extremely sandy beach. There are probably 6 to 8 sea turtles that live in the bay continuously, and there’s a very nice hike that takes you out to the point of Ram’s Head that I enjoy doing also.
In the BVI, my favorite destination is Anegada. I love the tranquility of it. It has the third largest barrier reef in the world, Horseshoe Reef. The snorkeling is great, and there’s fantastic bone fishing for anybody intrigued by saltwater fishing—one of the most difficult fish in the world to catch. The people are extremely friendly, and the food is amazing. The island itself is known for conch, which is a local mollusk. They prepare it in about five different ways, and they’re all delicious, along with the ample fresh seafood they catch on some of their boats.
If someone new wanted to start yachting, what advice would you give them?
Yes, I think the USVI is a fantastic place for beginners. It’s centrally located—you can go to the British Virgin Islands within three of four hours of departing the base. You can get to St. Croix, which is the largest island in the US Virgin Islands, takes about four or five hours, depending on the day. And then we also have the Spanish Virgin Islands, which are part of Puerto Rico, also very close by in terms of sailing.
You can accomplish anything you want to while you’re here—whether it’s finding a bucket list piece of jewelry with no sales tax or making memories with your family in a quiet secluded bay underneath sugar cane mill ruins. There’s so much adventure here that your options are unlimited.
What do you think sets Waypoints Yacht Charters apart from other charter companies?
There’s a strong feeling of family here. Whether it’s amongst the technicians and the interior cleaners all the way up to the management, everybody gets together at the end of the day and goes over things and might hang out for 15 or 20 minutes. Everybody always makes sure that you have what you need, and everyone’s always looking out for each other. We’re always trying to help each other progress.
You always feel like you have someone to talk to, and that’s conveyed when guests arrive. We’ve got guys that immediately will drop everything they’re doing to go over and help you get your luggage into a cart as soon as you get out of the taxi. And then as you come into our welcome area, we’ve got rum punches mixed up for everybody just so that when they arrive, they understand that it’s vacation time.
All the things that you had to worry about during your travels don’t matter anymore. You’re here. Everything’s going to be perfect. And if it’s not, we’re going to try our hardest to make sure it is.
What does it mean to you to play a part in making sure people have a great experience on the water?
It’s extremely fulfilling. There’s nothing that makes me happier than to see someone just absolutely thrilled at the end of the week, whether it was snorkeling for the first time, catching a tarpon off the back of the boat, or seeing something you’ve never seen before like wildlife, dolphins, or whales. We get humpback whales from December until about a couple of weeks ago, so there’s a lot that can happen on these vacations to make them memorable.
Do you have any other insights about the USVI that visitors should know?
The biggest thing I can say to anybody that travels specifically to the Caribbean is to do a tiny bit of research into the culture of the islands before you come. People sometimes struggle down here because they aren’t in tune with how people greet each other. We have a very specific way where you have to start every conversation with “good morning” until noon and then “good afternoon.” There’s a very small window that is undeciphered for “good evening”—that’s about when the sun’s setting—and then after it’s dark, it’s “good night.”
You start every conversation that way before you ask for something or try to do something. It’s a greeting, and it’s very nice for people to do that because it shows that they care just a little bit more. This culture down here really likes to have some pleasantries attached before you get into business.
Come here with an open mind and an ability to adapt, and you’ll have a fantastic stay.
Experience the USVI & BVI with Waypoints Yacht Charters
The US and British Virgin Islands offer an unmatched combination of perfect sailing conditions, breathtaking destinations, and memorable experiences that cater to sailors of all experience levels.
Whether you’re seeking family memories in a secluded bay, adventurous snorkeling among reefs, or the simple pleasure of sailing in perfect conditions, the Virgin Islands deliver on every front. Our St. Thomas base puts the entire USVI cruising grounds within easy reach.
Contact our Waypoints Yacht Charter Specialists today to begin planning your US Virgin Islands escape, and discover why Ryan and our entire team consider this tropical paradise the ultimate sailing destination.