Captain: Shay Williams

SHAY WILLIAMS | Captain | American
Shay is a true water baby; At the age of 9 she and her family traded life in the high desert for life on the water, living and cruising Alaska, Canada, Western USA, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean Sea, until the age of 15. Throughout high school she channelled her love of the water into sport, playing water polo and competing in swimming at a remarkably high level. Then, at the age of 19 she joined the Coast Guard and was stationed in the Bering Sea and Northern California. Through dedication and ambition, Shay advanced quickly as a boatswain mate, a rescue swimmer and EMT, as well as a law enforcement boarding team member. But life had other plans for Shay, and found herself in the yachting industry. She took one brief sabbatical for 5 years, buying her own sailboat and cruising half-way around the world (a trip she intends to finish one day!), but her desire to share her love of travel and cultures beckoned her back to yachting. The Bahamas and it’s people hold a very special place in Shay’s heart, and she is excited to show you everything it has to offer.

BRADY LANGIN | First Officer | American
Brady grew up in the rural town of Uxbridge, Massachusetts (he doesn’t expect that you will know where this is!), but his passion for the sea grew from summers spent on Cape Cod, where he spent 4 years working as a sailing instructor. After graduating from college and working in business, the water called to him once again, and he took a job working on commercial passenger vessels in Boston Harbor. This opened his eyes to the possibility of a career on the water, and eventually led him to the yachting industry 5 years ago (and counting!). It has been over 2 years since he joined Valhalla, and Brady is now a 200ton USCG licensed captain. He spends his down time at the beach and with his friends and family on Cape Cod. Brady cannot wait to share his love of life on the water with you!

BRET KING | Engineer | American
You are in the best of hands with Bret, who has been in the marine industry in various forms since 1984. He has been with Valhalla for the past 9 years, wearing many hats and doing much more than just keeping the boat running. When he is not acting as a Renaissance man on Valhalla, he escapes to the water to recharge. His true passion is fishing, so you will find him adventuring outdoors and camping by a lake any chance he gets.

OCEANA MINTHORNE | Chief Stewardess | American
Born and raised in Hawaii, even as a little girl Oceana always dreamed of travelling for work. With a name like “Oceana”, one might even say she was destined for it! (In her career so far she has cruised the Bahamas, Caribbean, New England, the Mediterranean, Mexico, Costa Rica, the West Coast and Alaska). Cliché jokes aside, Oceana brings a solid hospitality background to Valhalla, spending 9 years working in bars and restaurants before making the transition to yachting. She has a degree in communications and loves to chat, and she has a special gift for making you feel like you have been heard. She will without a doubt exceed your expectations!
When Oceana is not on duty, she enjoys staying fit and active, finding new music, reading and doing yoga. Her favourite thing about yachting is the people you meet along the way, and she is looking forward to welcoming you on board Valhalla!

LUKE PATTON | Chef | American
Luke comes to Valhalla from Austin, Texas, and is a dynamic and creative Chef, who’s culinary style aims to be farm fresh whenever possible. Luke is always striving to keep the food that he cooks interesting and spontaneous. Known for bold flavors, he loves to highlight heat, fat, acid, salt, and smoke, but above all food integrity and the client experience is important to Luke, and he enjoys the challenge of elevating dishes to fit both the client and the occasion.
He has had the luxury and privilege of living and working in Los Angeles at some of the city's finest restaurants, as well as working in Mexico and France. He also worked abroad doing WWOOFING - “world wide opportunities on organic farms” - spending time cooking farm to table and working closely with a wine maker outside of Bordeaux. When he is not in the galley, you can find Luke camping, hiking (he has walked the Camino de Santiago twice), fishing, surfing, or even playing tennis. While he loves to stay active, he also takes time to focus on breathwork and meditation, and is always striving to learn and grow.

HAMISH DOWIE | Bosun & Divemaster | British/American
Hamish has been the Bosun on board Valhalla since the end of March 2024. Raised in London, England, he moved to Australia at age18, where he fell in love with the ocean and life on and under the water! He has been in the industry for almost 6 years, with extensive experience on busy charter boats. After a few seasons in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, the Bahamas is practically his second home. Hamish is an avid waterman, with a passion for everything from beach set ups to watersports, but his true love lies under the water’s surface, with scuba diving, free-diving, and spearfishing.

JORDAN MCHARDY | Deckhand | South African/American
Jordan is the newest addition to the Valhalla deck crew, and he brings with him boundless energy and enthusiasm. He grew up in South Africa’s northwest province but moved to Florida with his family in 2018, where he attended Florida State University for Industrial Engineering. Jordan is a sporting man, playing rugby, water polo and swimming when growing up. He still loves to keep active, and when he’s not working on boats, you will still find him out on the water, fishing, surfing, and spearfishing, and to top it all off, he loves to spend time in the kitchen or in front of the BBQ (Braai!)!
Jordan is excited for the opportunity to travel with Valhalla, and for all the guests he is going to meet along the way!

DAKOTA WILLIAMS | 2nd Stew | American
Dakota was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the daughter of a crew placement agent and a captain/
engineer. However, Dakota had her eye on the corporate ladder, and in 2016 moved to the Fort Myers area
to attend Florida Gulf Coast University. She worked in hospitality and high-end jewelry sales to pay her way
through college and graduated in 2020 with her bachelor’s degree in marketing. When the pandemic turned the
hospitality industry upside down, Dakota needed to aim her ambitions elsewhere! After working on land her
whole life, she decided to take the plunge and move to a career on the water…Valhalla is lucky to have her!
Outside of work, Dakota loves yoga, longboarding, and painting. She has a love for nature and the ocean, and
you can find her traveling to new destinations, paddle boarding and chasing sunsets. She also has a green
thumb, which she uses to tend to her garden where she propagates and grows various species of succulents
and greenery.