SALTY DOG

Captain: Gordon Holden

Nationality: USA

MEET YOUR CREW:
CAPTAIN: Gordon Holden
Chef: Caitlin Mahoney

Meet Gordon Holden, your Captain on Salty Dog! He is 28 from Buffalo NY and has been around the water his whole life. He grew up on the shores of Lake Erie sailing/swimming/waterskiing with family and friends in addition to spending summers at Lake Muskoka in Ontario Canada doing much of the same.
His family owns a C&C 33ft sailboat on Lake Erie that he and his 3 brothers learned to sail from an early age. In addition to sailing, he was the captain of my high school swimming and diving team as well as the local rugby club. He has always had a passion for the water and has sailed in a variety of locations across the globe.
During summer breaks in college, he worked in high end hospitality establishments in East Hampton & Montauk NY and enjoyed providing unique experiences to guests. A few years after graduating college with a Business Administration & History Degree, he worked in Corporate for some time and decided to leave his desk behind and hit the water full time! Gordon went on to obtained his captain and sailing credentials, spent a season working flotilla charters in the Mediterranean, mainly Croatia and Greece, and has spent the last season captaining term charters in the Virgin Islands.

Caitlin was born on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts and moved to Breckenridge, CO when she was 4 years old. Growing up in the mountains of Colorado was a wonderful upbringing that allowed her to explore skiing, snowboarding and a 15 year-long figure skating career. Her parents are from Florida, so despite being raised in a landlocked state, every family vacation was spent in the sand, sun & salt water.

Caitlin was raised with the values of hosting social gatherings and creating memorable events to last lifetime, many times shared over a great meal prepared side by side with her culinary trained father and brother – a family affair.

Her family owned a small fine dining restaurant in a beautiful ski town which held the space for celebrations including proposals, anniversaries, birthdays, and special holidays. Her mother handled the reservations and office duties while her father designed and supervised seasonal menus inspired by his diverse background working in top-echelon restaurants throughout the United States. Caitlin’s earliest memories include setting the restaurant up for dinner service, taking reservations, decorating for the holidays and on the busiest nights of the year working as a hostess. She has always loved the art of entertainment shared over a delicious meal and fabulous cocktails.

After 6 years of working as a concert marketer in the music industry, Caitlin made a career change and began working for a dive shop out of Boulder, CO. This new position opened her eyes to exploring the 72% of our planet which remains beneath the surface. Upon obtaining her scuba certification she then went on to live in Cozumel, Mexico for a year followed by obtaining her divemaster and PADI Instructor certifications in Utila, Honduras. She then accepted an opportunity as a chef on a term charter yacht in the Caribbean which she excelled at and now looks forward to yet another season in the Virgin Islands

She looks forward to sharing her love for the ocean with you and creating those very special moments together around the dining table.

Gordon and Caitlin look forward to hosting you on Salty Dog.