Accomodations:

Crew Profile

Jordan Gibson – Captain
Jordan was born and raised on the east coast of New Zealand, where he spent his weekends fishing, sailing and surfing. After finishing school, he became a snowboard instructor and soon followed the winter season to Park City, Utah. Within time, the sun and the sea beckoned and Jordan made the move from solid water to liquid. An avid traveler, Jordan jumped at the opportunity to work aboard yachts, and joined the yachting industry in 2011.He spent five years aboard a very successful 130ft charter yacht extensively cruising the Caribbean, Bahamas and northeast coast of America and during that time developed the skills and experience that he is implementing into his own program. Jordan and his wife, Nichola were recruited by previous charter guests to run Pura Vida and have put their heart and soul into delivering the best experience on the ocean. The crew bring the meaning of “Pura Vida” to life on the ocean, and are dedicated to sharing that experience with everyone that steps onboard.

Nichola Gibson – Chief Stewardess
Nic, who grew up in the southeast of England, has been in the yachting industry since 2013. She was brought up around water and learned to love everything it has to offer from her early years. Her affinity for the ocean and keen interest in marine conservation led her to obtain a degree in Zoology from the University of Manchester. Wanting to focus her studies towards marine conservation and with a love for travel, Nic undertook a 6-month placement as a research assistant studying the dolphin population in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand – where she met Jordan – and which also provided her first opportunity to live and work on the water. After graduation, Nic stepped into the retail world – spending one year at a British chocolate company – before the opportunity came to join the yachting world. She began her career as a stewardess aboard a busy 130ft charter yacht, aboard which she and Jordan worked together for nearly four years. Having gained the valuable skills and the experience necessary to provide an exceptional service to guests, Nic and Jordan were presented with the opportunity to establish and run their own program onboard Pura Vida as a Chief Stewardess and Captain team. Delighted to welcome you onboard and show you all that Pura Vida and her crew have to offer, Nic will ensure your vacation is one to remember.

Telana van Wyk – Chef
Telana was born and raised on a farm in a small town in the Northen Cape next to the Orange River, South Africa. Growing up, she had a great interest in cooking and food and would help out at restaurants, where her big love for cooking began. Telana studied at the Institute of Culinary Arts, Stellenbosch and went onto work for four years in Cape town under some of South Africa’s top chefs. Following her studies and restaurant experience, she decided that she wanted to travel the world but still be able to do what she loves, so she pursued a career as a chef onboard a private yacht. Telana has been working as a yacht chef since 2016 and enjoys the opportunity it provides for expanding her culinary experience and knowledge. Having traveled extensively through Asia, she has a flair for Asian/Thai cuisine but loves experimenting with new foods and sharing her delicious meals with guests onboard. While on charter, her meals are influenced by the location and tries to incorporate local food if possible. In her spare time, Telana like to stay active and enjoys tennis, swimming, canoeing, river rafting, trail walking and skateboarding. She also enjoys learning new languages and speaks English/Afrikaans.

Stefan Najbicz – Deck/Engineer
Stefan grew up in Pietermarizburg, South Africa where he spent a lot of time as a child by the water. He quickly developed a love for the ocean and and avid sense of adventure. This spurred him to take his first step towards yachting by completing his Day Skipper and Power boat courses in Cape Town. On completion of his courses, he joined a 42ft Leopard and embarked on an Atlantic crossing from Cape Town to Tortola, totaling 4,000 nautical miles. This led to his first official season in yachting onboard a 95ft Pershing in the Mediterranean in 2010. Since then, he has completed many seasons onboard heavily chartered yachts, gaining extensive experience in all areas and in particular, the Caribbean. Stefan’s loves being outdoors, camping, hiking, snorkeling and helping to promote a healthy environment. He has a fun and light-hearted personality and looks forward to bringing the good vibes to your vacation.

Sample Menu

Pura Vida sample menu

Breakfast

[All breakfasts served with coffee& teas, fruit juices, cereals, yoghurts, a fresh local fruit platter, and warm pastries or freshly baked muffins]

Huevos rancheros – traditional Mexican ranch breakfast of flavoursome smoky tomato base topped with fresh guacamole and eggs

Vanilla berry chia parfait

Avocado toasts – multi-grain toast topped with fresh smashed avocado, cracked black pepper and a poached egg

Mushroom, feta and pea breakfast frittata

Smoked salmon served with lemon wedges, chives and delux scrambled eggs

Lunches

Greek platter of sundried tomato humus, toasted pitta, traditional Greek salad, and spanakopita

Jamaican Jerk beef burgers in a brioche bun with lime & chilli mayo, Caribbean coleslaw and spicy sweet potato wedges

Homemade Italian style pizza served with a crispy green salad and Italian dressing

Mahi-mahi ceviche served alongside quinoa stuffed avocado halves and a Peruvian salad

Smoky chicken tortillas with homemade refried beans, guacamole and pico da gallo

Appetizer

Scallops on a bed of pea & mint puree

Vietnamese vegetable spring rolls accompanied by homemade sweet chilli sauce

Greek orange salad dressed with an olive oil& cinnamon vinaigrette

Thai spiced butternut squash soup with crusty bread rolls

Coconut crusted shrimp skewers served with a ginger dipping sauce

Entrée

Tender grilled lobster tail with chilli-herb butter and grilled lemon served with asparagus & whipped sweet potato

Old Dehli style butter chicken with fruity pilau rice and oven baked crispy okra

Seared teriyaki tuna with miso baked aubergine

Grilled ribeye steak with red Thai curry and steamed green beans

Pan fried red snapper with harissa & rose, and Eastern spiced roast cauliflower

Desserts

Fresh mango crème brulee

Decadent sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice-cream

Dark chocolate brownie served with rum glazed pineapple

Ginger and lime cheesecake topped with whipped fresh cream

Indian spiced rice pudding with aromatic poached pear