
Kiriakos Botonis
Chris was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, with deep Greek roots, and is fluent in both English and Greek. From a young age, Greece played a huge role in his life. Almost every summer was spent surrounded by the sea, island villages, fishing boats, family, food, and the lifestyle that comes with living close to the water. Leaving at the end of each summer was never easy and always left him wanting more time in the place that felt most like home.
At just 19 years old, Chris built a successful high
end landscaping company serving high net worth homeowners and commercial properties. Building that business taught him discipline,
leadership, attention to detail, and the importance of delivering exceptional service. Combined with his Greek upbringing, hospitality and making people feel welcomed came naturally to him.
At 22 years old, while sitting in Fiskardo Marina in Kefalonia, he noticed a man relaxing on a
sailing catamaran with an Australian flag hanging off the stern. It hit him that this man had sailed halfway across the world and looked completely relaxed, free, and at peace. That moment inspired Chris to start learning how to sail.
What began as curiosity quickly became a passion and eventually a lifestyle. Over the years,
Chris has sailed thousands of nautical miles throughout the Mediterranean and Caribbean and now sails Athena Blu across the Atlantic between Europe and the Caribbean each year.
Chris enjoys sharing that lifestyle and knowledge with guests along the way, whether it’s the
basics of sailing, weather, fishing, island history, or discovering hidden places away from the
crowds. Athena Blu was built to create experiences that feel authentic, relaxed, adventurous, and connected to the ocean and local culture.
He values good energy on board, attention to detail, genuine hospitality, and creating an
atmosphere where people can slow down, connect, and enjoy the experience together. Over time, strangers become friends, crews become families, and the memories created at sea last long after the trip ends.



























