the heart of
nautico
When you step on board Black Diamond, we aim to make your experience more than just a charter. From our professional service to our curated hospitality offerings to Black Diamond’s elegant finishings, it’s our goal to deliver more than an excursion: we want to create memories and share our genuine love for the water.
reverend captain russ
Every Nautico adventure includes Captain Russ Rowlands at the helm of Black Diamond. Captain Russ has been sailing keelboats for 15 years, and has covered more than 10,000 nautical miles crossing oceans and island hopping through sunny locales. He learned to sail at Queen City Yacht Club on Toronto Island while working on Bay Street, and fell so much in love with boats that he changed his life to chase his dreams. Those dreams led to Niagara - where he met and married Beth - and the romance of Niagara opened the doors to Niagara Nautico.
Captain Russ holds a commercial captain’s license from Transport Canada, is a Provincially recognized officiant, and has published a book based loosely on his travels.
black diamond
Black Diamond is a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 39i Performance monohull racer cruiser. She is equipped with two state rooms (for changing into your bathing suit or wedding attire), a spacious head (bathroom) with full separate shower, a well appointed galley (kitchen), a downstairs salon that can comfortably seat 8, a twin-wheel cockpit where 6 can eat or a dozen can mingle over drinks, and a swim deck (with hot and cold shower) for diving off her stern into the mild waters of the shallow bay that is situated outside Port Dalhousie.
Black Diamond has extensive safety and comfort upgrades, and has passed all Transport Canada requirements for use as a commercial vessel.
nautico photography
All Nautico weddings include professional photography by an experienced photographer who knows their way around the boat. Beth Loewen - part owner and top boss of Niagara Nautico - is our primary photographer. She has sailed on Black Diamond while holding onto the lifelines to lean overboard to get the perfect shot. It’s just as important to understand how the boat moves as to know the subject in front of the lens, for any photographer on board Black Diamond.
If you have a favourite photographer in mind, we are open to inviting them on board, but please let us know in advance. The nature of life on water can be perilous for photography equipment. Trust us.
