Lady Azul Leads Exciting New Life

Lady Azul is enjoying a fresh lease of life as one of Southeast Asia’s most fun and adventurous charter yachts, as the 129ft Heesen explores exciting new destinations and provides memorable experiences above and below the water.

- Jim Loe

Lady Azul seems to possess an adventurous spirit. After several charters from Phuket since emerging at the end of last year from an extensive refit, the 39.4m Heesen is set to sail south to Singapore in April before heading to the likes of Tioman Island along Malaysia’s east coast and exploring the remote Anambas Islands of Indonesia.

Malaysia-based Gerry Ross has been Captain of the four-deck, five-cabin Lady Azul since 2015 and seen much of the world during almost two decades in charge of cargo vessels, ferries and private yachts, having also been a commercial diver and commercial fisherman.

Yet even this rugged, chisel-jawed New Zealander appears as excited as any charter guest about the upcoming voyages on the blue-hulled Dutch motor yacht, which he has overseen through two major refits, most recently in Langkawi, his home for the past decade.

“I’m excited about the Anambas, as its somewhere I’ve always wanted to go. It’s only recently opened up so it’s like the last frontier,” says Ross, 45, who first came to Asia on the 26m Azimut Verena V, the smallest yacht he has captained.

Now fully equipped for diving and packed with new toys including a 15m inflatable netted lap pool, Lady Azul also appears to inspire loyalty, not only among Captain and crew but also charter guests.

Ross recently took Lady Azul on its first charter into Myanmar after an active family – who had used the yacht a year previously – booked her again, but only after confirming the Captain and key crew were still aboard.

“The place is stunning. The beaches and the islands are something else,” Ross says of the little-visited Mergui Archipelago. “Another attraction is that you basically have the whole place to yourself.”