Captain: Taylor Bowker

Taylor Bowker | Captain
South African
Taylor was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and was by no means brought up around, or on the ocean. It was his attraction to adventure and travel that pushed him to sail a 40ft catamaran across the Atlantic Ocean from Cape Town, South Africa to Annapolis, Maryland at the age of 18. It was from there that he began his career on yachts. Taylor has traveled a vast amount of the world by sea, having encountered all sorts of weather and emergencies in his years of yachting. He has performed and excelled in every role throughout his yachting career, including chief engineer on a 146ft jet drive yacht at the age of 28. Due to his extensive knowledge on land, sea and behind the scene mechanics, Taylor carries a calm, collected and educated approach to any situation. Taylor has been Captaining motor yachts since the age of 25 and will ensure you a safe voyage aboard VIVACE. To top it off Taylor holds a PADI dive master, certified free diver and is an expert spear fisherman. If you are interested in water sports, Taylor is your guy. He can lead you through the lively reefs and wrecks of the clear Bahamas water and even catch your dinner! This, along with his friendly demeanor has created a favorable reputation for Taylor in the super yachting industry. In his off time he can be found venturing the mountains in Maine or diving the reefs of Central America. His passion for the outdoors and happy go-lucky attitude will have you smiling for weeks after your trip.

Monja Jacobs | Chef
South African
Monja grew up in Northeastern South Africa in a town called Nelspruit, on the boarder of the Kruger National Park. Her childhood circled around nature & wildlife, as she spent her winter’s enjoying safaris and summers on the Mozambique coast. After grade school, Monja moved to the Western Cape of S.A. and attended the University of Stellenbosch for Law and Accounting. It was there where she developed a greater passion for the outdoors, arts and gastronomy. After successfully procuring her bachelor’s degree she set her eyes on finding a career that suited her personality and aligned with her passions. It was then she decided to join the Yachting industry. Monja started yachting as a sous chef learning under some of the best charter chefs in the industry. Throughout her many years cooking on yachts, Monja has developed a refined, artistic and fresh cooking style. She has taken various intensive culinary courses and has a true passion for pastry making, Northern African and Mediterranean cuisine. Monja’s attention to detail and ability to utilize the freshest ingredients in all areas of the world, ensure each meal to be filled with flavor, delight and appreciation. Her calm and collected persona make her an advantageous crew member on board Vivace.

Elodie Davis | Chief Stewardess
American
Having grown up in the mountains of New England, Elodie’s love for the outdoors has always been strong. Her summers were spent sailing the ridged Maine coastline, while her winters were spent skiing the White Mountains. At an early age, Elodie was taught to grow her own produce on the family farm which created her palate and value of fresh and flavorful foods. Being a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada, Elodie decided to take on a double major in Criminology and Sociology in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Shortly after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts, she made the decision to join the yachting industry in 2015, to combine her passion of traveling the world with working on the ocean. Elodie has been lucky to travel many destinations all over the world on Superyachts, including the South Pacific, Australia, Central America, the East and West Coast of the United States, the Mediterranean and Caribbean. She has taken pride in learning cuisine styles on all of her travels and incorporates them into her cooking style. Elodie’s positive, upbeat and caring attitude creates for a fun-loving presence onboard amongst crew and guests. Elodie’s focus is always the guests experience, and she does everything she can to make the guests stay onboard memorable. Her impeccable service is complimented by her friendly, enthusiastic approach to life. She loves to entertain and strives for perfection. Elodie will ensure your holiday on VIVACE is everything you could imagine and more. Watch out, as her smile is contagious!

Ashlee Lakeman | Second Stewardess
Australian
Ashlee was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. Growing up she was involved in many sports including competitive swimming, where her love of the water originated. With Sydney’s infamous coastline, she spent many of her summers enjoying the beaches, numerous hiking trails and outdoor activities on offer. Ashlee has traveled to various places around the world, including Western Europe, Scandinavia, North America and New Zealand. On her travels, it is Ashlee’s goal to try and partake in her favorite activity – bungee jumping! After recently completing her Batchelor’s degree in Journalism, Ashlee’s travel bug was still alive and well, leading her to take the leap into the yachting industry. Having more recently joined the industry, she is eager to learn all the tricks of the trade. She is enthusiastic and takes on new tasks with optimism and ease. Her calm and collected demeaner is a lovely addition to Vivace. Ashlee is ready and willing to serve, her eye for detail and attentiveness in housekeeping will leave you wondering how your room is always so pristine. Ashlee’s professionalism and fun personality provide top notch service for guests. She is looking forward to aiding in an unforgettable experience for any guest that comes onboard Vivace.