Onze vriendelijke en behulpzame collega's zijn u graag van dienst. Ze kunnen alle relevante vragen over onze reizen, de bestemmingen en de schepen van Oceanwide Expeditions beantwoorden. Ze werken allemaal reeds vele jaren met veel enthousiasme voor Oceanwide Expeditions en hebben ook allemaal één of meerdere expeditie reizen naar het Noordpoolgebied en Antarctica meegemaakt, waardoor ze de poolgebieden uit eerste hand kennen.
Sarah Gerats grew up in Belgium but lost her heart to the Arctic at an early age, first experiencing it as an exchange student at the Academy of Arts in Iceland.
In 2012 she took a trip to Spitsbergen and ended up extending her visit indefinitely. Sarah now works as an expedition leader and guide aboard sailing vessels both in the Arctic and Antarctica.
Sarah guides with enthusiasm and knows much about the archipelago’s terrain, wildlife, and history. Her main focus is the stories connected to Svalbard’s numerous locations as well as details about its rapidly changing landscape.
A year-round resident of Spitsbergen, Sarah knows the island’s daily life intimately and will make sure to tell you all about the darker months in the high north.
When not working at sea, you’ll find Sarah on her sailing boat along the Norwegian coast or on hiking-skiing trips around Svalbard.
Jan Belgers was born in the Netherlands and currently lives in Rotterdam. He has been working as a professional outdoor guide and expedition leader for many years.
Phil Wickens studied biology at Imperial College in London. After completing his PhD in plant pathology, he worked as a field guide for the British Antarctic Survey.
Ernesto Barria was born in Santiago, Chile, into a family with strong bonds to the sea: His father, grandfather, and several uncles all share a love of the ocean.
A beach guard by the age of 16, Ernesto’s favorite sport when he was young was swimming. When he finished high school, he moved to Puerto Montt, one of the most important ports in Chile. There he started his studies to become a merchant marine officer.
By his graduation in 1991, he’d already begun to sail on different vessels around Puerto Montt.
Ernesto became first officer of Antarctic Dream in 2005, beginning by navigating in Antarctica and later the Arctic. In 2011 he obtained the rank of captain, and in 2015 he was chosen as the best officer of the Chilean merchant navy.
Ernesto became a captain for Oceanwide Expeditions on Ortelius in 2013.
When he’s not working, Ernesto loves to travel around Chile with his family. He enjoys scuba diving, swimming, cycling, and photography, which has become his favorite hobby.
Remmert Koster was born in the Netherlands, and from a young age he was convinced he would become a captain.
Born in Rybinsk, Russia, Yury Marin began sailing on small sporting yachts at the age of nine. By age 16, he was already preparing for a life of sailing the world's rivers and seas.
