Former large yacht chef, resort owner Joe Cannon dies

Nov 13, 2018 by Triton Staff

Former yacht Chef Joe Cannon passed away in November in Costa Rica. The cause of death was complications from cancer. He was 68.

Since 2005, he and his wife, Christine, owned and operated Coral Hill Bungalows in Costa Rica. Before moving to Costa Rica, Mr. Cannon worked as chef on many motoryachts including the 161-foot Feadships Dream and Pegasus, the 130-foot Westport Kaleen, the 120-foot Crescent Impetuous, the 105-foot Broward Party Girl, the 97-foot Broward Miss Tricia and the 87-foot Sunship Esoteric.

In his early years in yachting in the 1980-90s, he freelanced on several motoryachts including the 105-foot Netanya II, the 130-foot L’Aprilia, the 135-foot Carmac VI, the 105-foot Empress II and the 87-foot Quo Vadis.

The following memorial was submitted by longtime friend Capt. Paul Lyons:

Chef Joe Cannon, and wife, Christine
Dec. 19, 1949 – Nov. 8, 2018

 

Yacht chef and resort owner, Joseph J. Cannon of Paris Street, East Boston
Dec. 19, 1949 – Nov. 8, 2018

As a younger man, Joe drove air freight trucks and managed the family business, Cannon Express. His hobbies were gourmet cooking and photography.
In 1985, he made a voyage from Newport to Fort Lauderdale as yacht chef. He met his partner and love, Christine, in St. Thomas. They started working on boats together, traveling the world. Years later, back in Florida as landlubbers, they organized several businesses. In 2005, Joe and Chris sold everything and moved to Costa Rica. They invested in a property that was a three-minute walk from the black-sand beach. Around the mahogany main house, they built three bungalows. Using Joe’s computer skills and incredible photos, they built a website. This turned Coral Hills Bungalows [coralhillbungalows.com] into one of the top boutique hotels in Costa Rica.
As usual, they were hands on. Using the fresh local harvest, Joe did gourmet breakfasts before sending the guests off to zip lining, waterfall hikes, wild animal rescue, indigenous Indian villages, boogie-boarding and to the local beach bars and fish restaurants. Joe and Chris had recently retired. Joe lived a good life. La Pura Vida.

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