Great
crews make for great cruises –
and the crew on Liberté
are exceptional by any standards!
Walter Gordon Dehn-Monsen, Captain
Nationality : South African Age: 59
Born and raised in Knysna, South Africa, Captain Gordon truly has salt water in his veins, as he started his sailing career at the tender age of 12 in an old wooden sloop he bought for ten dollars in Cape Town, South Africa. The magic of the sea has been his homing beacon since that fateful day in 1957. Gordon represented South Africa in Hawaii, France, the USA and his home waters with many accolades, trophies and World Championships. He has sailed up the Amazon, seen the sights of many exotic destinations from the cockpit and successfully competed in the 1993 Cape Town-to-Rio Trans Atlantic Yacht Race. In keeping with his maritime endeavors Gordon is also a qualified Marine Surveyor for Lloyds of London and specialized in marine losses.
Captain Gordon Monsen is a qualified skipper with a YachtMaster Offshore/Ocean License with Commercial Endorsement, STCW95 certification, and has a Radio Operator Certificate to mention but a few validations of his expertise. Our Skipper has logged in excess of 90,000 miles, made 8 major ocean crossings, sailed numerous Caribbean-to-USA voyages, and has worked, sailed and chartered in the Islands of the Caribbean for 14 years, from Trinidad to the British Virgin Islands.
Captain Gordon uncompromisingly puts the safety and comfort of guests and crew before all other values. His knowledge of engines, mechanical systems and marine systems onboard are enviable. He is fastidious about maintenance, serviceability and appearance of Libertè, his home on the ocean. He has personally supervised all equipment installations, refitting and improvements to Libertè since he came to her in 2000. It is his firm belief in proper maintenance and his dedication to operational safety that sets Gordon apart from many of his peers in the Charter Industry.
Gordon is personable and always eager to share a story or provide information about the islands and his Caribbean experiences. He loves a good joke and enjoys the company of guests and friends. There is nary an island within the Caribbean chain where Gordon can't find a glad hand or long time friendship as a result of his years of chartering in these waters. He is the consummate host with a penchant for making our many guests comfortable, confident and at home on Libertè. Gordon's interests are predictably sailing, meeting interesting people, water sports and reading.
Michelle Monsen, Chef
Nationality : South African Age: 24
Michelle hails from Knysna, South Africa, where she grew up in a respected sailing family. Her father, Howard, is a seasoned sailor who recently completed the Capetown to Rio race on his 47’ Dudley-Dix yacht, ALCHEMY (aka 34º South). Her grandfather, Wally, has been cruising and racing the coastal waters of South Africa most of his life. Uncle Gordon, our esteemed skipper of Liberte, has made the ocean his life’s work. Needless to say, Michelle has a maritime soul. Michelle spent much of her youth sailing with her family. More recently she served as cook and crew for her father, and when not on ALCHEMY she gained experience catering for popular day charter boats in the Knysna area. Michelle has logged many sea miles in the Caribbean, South American and South African waters, and now brings her talents and experience to Libertè to insure that our guests enjoy the best possible meals and service.
Michelle is at home in the galley and produces meals that exude flavor, excitement and innovation in the culinary arts. The time spent training and working in professional kitchens in her home country is evident to all. Her experience is built on the solid footing from her time as a student chef in Kilses Kitchen, a culinary training site in Knysna. She continued honing her skills as a chef and assistant to the Catering Director at Hungry Heads Catering preparing meals for events.
Michelle is adept in the fine art of satisfying the most rigid dietary demands, and will eagerly work with our guests to be sure a guest’s specific tastes and regimens are met. She brings beauty to her meal presentations and her time training with some of the best in the business in SA bring taste and delectability to your palate. We like to brag that Michelle is a culinary artisan, but you’ll have to make that discovery for yourself!
Michelle is a delight! Her bubbly personality and infectious smile bring cheer to all who meet her. She is eager to please and her obvious caring for all she serves is admirable and evident. She is detail oriented with a flair for innovation. Her hobbies and interests are sailing, cooking, swimming, reading and meeting people. We are happy to have Michelle as part of our crew, and when you step aboard Liberte, you will know why as well!
Jacque van Wyngaardt, Mate
Nationality : South African Age: 22
The newest crew member to join Liberte, Jacque was born in East London, South Africa, a great city on the Indian Ocean. Needless to say, he spent his formative years surfing and diving these reef-strewn waters, developing his deep love of all things aquatic. When his family moved to Port Elizabeth, Jacque continued his romance with the sea and soon was drawn into the world of sailing. Throughout his years of school and studies, he always kept his sights on a future which would include the wonders and wanderlust of the ocean life.
While attaining his degree in Travel and Tourism from Varsity College, Jacque spent any free time available working to save money to allow him to take the necessary courses to attain a Captain’s license, which he completed in early 2004. With a license in hand, and his formal studies completed, he signed on immediately for delivery service and had his first ocean adventure crossing the Southern Atlantic Ocean to the east coast of South America, then up into the Caribbean on a newly commissioned Catamaran. Jacque boasts in excess of 7000nm to date.
Along with his sailing talents, Jacque also has developed proficiencies in almost the entire spectrum of water sports including PADI certification, water skiing, snorkeling, tubing and much more to help our guests enjoy their time aboard. He can identify a fish in a flash, zip guests to a secluded beach in one of our RIB tenders with ease and bring a smile to your face while serving a refreshing cocktail on deck. Jacque is enthusiastic and eager to do all he can to make our guests relaxed while sharing his passion for sailing and love of the sea.
Jacque is a welcome member to the Libertè crew. His youth and enthusiasm blends well with the experience of Skipper Gordon and proficiency of Chef Michelle. We are pleased to have him aboard and Jacque looks forward to doing all he can to make your next cruise with us fun, comfortable and adventurous.
