Ons team

Oceanwide staff

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. 

Expedition staff

  • Christian Engelke
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationaliteit: German

Since his first vacation to Norway in 1996, Christian Engelke has suffered from “Scandinavia fever.” Since then he has been exploring Norway, Sweden, and Greenland by foot, skis, and kayak.

After finishing an undergrad degree in engineering, Christian moved to Svalbard in 2008. Three unforgettable years later, he moved “down south” to Tromsø in Northern Norway, where he finished a master’s degree.

Since 2009 Christian has worked as a freelance guide and expedition leader. His initial voyages were in Svalbard and Greenland.

As of 2014, he has also worked in the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia. He loves the wildlife, stark landscape, and heroic history of these areas. 

Christian is a sea kayak instructor with a specialty in Tromsø whale-watching trips. When he’s not in the high latitudes, you’ll probably find him in his kayak off the Norwegian coast.

  • Ali Liddle
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationaliteit: British

Ali Liddle grew up in the north of England where, after leaving school, she qualified as a primary school teacher.

Read an interview here >
  • Rinie van Meurs
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch

Rinie van Meurs has been an expedition leader since 1989, leading hundreds of expeditions all over the polar regions. The Arctic island of Spitsbergen, the largest in the Svalbard archipelago, is as familiar to him as his own back yard.

  • Florence Kuyper
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Pippa Low
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationaliteit: British
  • Sara Jenner
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationaliteit: British
  • Martin Berg
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationaliteit: Swedish
Lees meer >
  • Jan Belgers
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Adam Turner
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationaliteit: British
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  • Philipp Schaudy
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationaliteit: Austrian
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  • Katja Riedel
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationaliteit: German
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  • Beau Pruneau
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationaliteit: Canadian

Activity staff

  • Michael Green
  • Function: Dive Team Leader and Advisor
  • Nationaliteit: British

Michael began diving in 1980, training with the Royal Navy in Portsmouth Harbour.

After leaving the Navy, he continued to dive mainly around the UK, diving wrecks and always looking for a new story.

He is qualified as a dive instructor with BSAC and PADI and is certified to operate Drager Dolphin and Buddy Inspiration rebreathers.

Michael has worked for Oceanwide Expeditions for five years and enjoys giving divers a safe and exploratory experience in the polar regions.

Michael’s biggest tip for polar divers is to slow down, look around, and enjoy the environment.

He looks forward to enjoying it with you.

  • Henrik Enckell
  • Function: Dive Team Leader & Advisor
  • Nationaliteit: Swedish

Henrik is an experienced dive leader, rebreather instructor trainer, and one of the first dive masters to bring tourists diving in Antarctica.

Captains

  • Remmert Koster
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch

Remmert Koster was born in the Netherlands, and from a young age he was convinced he would become a captain.

After completing nautical college, he sailed general cargo ships for several years before switching to heavy-lift ships, transporting such loads as offshore platforms, Dutch Royal Navy vessels, submarines, parts for petrochemical plants, dredgers, cranes, and other such items.

Since 2016 he has captained passenger vessels, starting with two mega-yachts and later becoming a captain with Oceanwide Expeditions on its Polar Class 6 vessel, Hondius.

Remmert is married and lives with his wife and her daughter in an old farmhouse in north Holland. When he’s not busy renovating the house, he likes to cook, travel, and spend time with his family and friends.

  • Arthur Yakovlev
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationaliteit: Russian

Arthur Yakovlev was born in Petrozavodsk, the capital and largest city of the Republic of Karelia, in northwestern Russia.

  • Alexander Schmidt
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationaliteit: German

Ali was born in Germany, where he studied geography but eventually decided to turn his passion for sailing into a profession. He pursued nautical studies in the Netherlands, specializing in traditional sailing ships as well as tall ships.

  • Evgeny Levakov
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationaliteit: Russian
Lees meer >
  • Ernesto Barria
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationaliteit: Chilean
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  • Toni Salo
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationaliteit: Finnish
  • Mika Erik Appel
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationaliteit: Finnish

Office

Head Office:
Fax: +31 (0)118 410 417
USA & Canada reservations:
Fax: +1 (0)281 749 8220
  • Michel van Gessel
  • Function: Director
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Florian J. Piper
  • Function: Director Sales | Arctic program
  • Nationaliteit: German
  • Majanda Fens
  • Function: Reservations Manager
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Toto Vermue
  • Function: Sales Accountmanager
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
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  • Danique van Burken
  • Function: Senior Marketing Manager
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Ingrid van de Loo
  • Function: Food & Beverage Manager
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Marie Rose Porreca
  • Function: Reservations, North-America
  • Nationaliteit: American
  • Piet Vink
  • Function: Managing Director
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Maria del Pilar Fernandez
  • Function: International Sales Manager
  • Nationaliteit: Chilean
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  • Alexandra den Dikken
  • Function: Senior Graphic Designer
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Geert Kroes
  • Function: Art Director
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Franklin Braeckman
  • Function: Antarctic Program Manager
  • Nationaliteit: Belgian
  • Femke Wolfert
  • Function: Staffing Manager
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Gabi Merten
  • Function: Reservations for the German speaking market
  • Nationaliteit: German
  • Dorine van Boekhout
  • Function: Reservations
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Karin Toornstra
  • Function: Reservations
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Sietse Vonk
  • Function: Purchase & logistic Manager
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Jeroen Blanken
  • Function: Hotel Operations Manager
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Grace Vidal
  • Function: Reservations, North-America
  • Nationaliteit: American
  • Ko de Korte
  • Function: Consultant
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
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  • Erik Hageman
  • Function: CFO
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Loraine van Huizen
  • Function: Online Marketeer
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Marina Joglar
  • Function: Reservations, North-America
  • Nationaliteit: American
  • Adam Turner
  • Function: Field Operations Manager
  • Nationaliteit: British
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  • Ronald van Herwijnen
  • Function: Technical Superintendent
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Elza Back
  • Function: Account Assistant
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Nyrée Siereveld-Verstraete
  • Function: Account Assistant
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Teun van ‘t Verlaat
  • Function: Technical Superintendent
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
  • Iris van Zalinge
  • Function: Sales Accountmanager
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
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  • Matt Cutts
  • Function: Content Writer
  • Nationaliteit: American
  • Andreas Diesing
  • Function: Key Account Manager for the German speaking countries
  • Nationaliteit: German
  • Sebastiaan Schijf
  • Function: Financial Controller
  • Nationaliteit: Dutch
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