Our staff

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. 

Alexey Nazarov was born in the Russian town of Arkhangelsk, the so-called Pomors Capital of the world. Since his childhood, he dreamed of being a sailor.

After finishing high school at 15, Alexey started his naval career in the oldest maritime college in Russia. He graduated in 1997 and three months later made his first Arctic voyage as third officer on a hydrographic research vessel.

Alexey worked in the Russian Arctic in heavy ice conditions for the next eight years, serving on nuclear icebreakers for various international scientific expeditions.

He started with Oceanwide Expeditions in 2000, and in 2012 was promoted to captain aboard m/v Plancius. Celebrating his 20th anniversary of polar sailing in 2017, Alexey loves working with passengers and spending time in polar waters.

Alexey is also passionate about hydrography and enjoys sharing what he’s learned. During his vacations, he likes to visit different countries and spend time with his wife and son.