Our Crew

Our dedicated and multi-talented crew have spent years sailing along this coast, leading our trips. Their experience and commitment makes the difference between a good trip and a great one! Our captains are all Coast Guard and Department of Transport licensed to ensure safety.

Aboard each trip is a Resource Guide with qualifications in biology, education, zoology, anthropology or ornithology. Our guides are not only experts in their field, but truly enjoy communicating their enthusiasm to others. Down below in the salon, our wonderful cooks serve gourmet meals and beautiful buffets. Bluewater Adventures is proud to be an equal opportunity provider.

Office Crew

Randy Burke – Director of Bluewater Adventures, Captain

At age 27, Randy bought Bluewater Adventures from Dan Culver and started on his journey with the company. He is also a Bluewater Captain and has taken thousands of guests on memorable adventures along the BC and Alaska coast over 20 years. He has sailed across the Atlantic and Pacific on tall ships, been an Outward Bound instructor and holds an education degree, in addition to his 500-ton Masters license. When he is not in the office or leading trips, Randy enjoys spending time with his wife, Cathy and his teenage daughters, Anna and Heather.

Cathy Burke – Accounting

Cathy spent her youth on the Eastern Shores of the United States. It was here she developed a love for sailing, the ocean and the wilderness. She was an Outward Bound sailing instructor in Maine and then joined the crew aboard the tallship Sea Cloud and sailed the high seas for many months. Cathy also has a degree in Landscape Architecture. In her time away from managing the company books, she is managing her family of four and and dog, Maple.

Erin Boyle – Marketing

Joining us in June 2009, Erin brought with her a fondness for the BC Coast, a passion for travel and a love for the outdoors. She combines years of experience in hospitality with her degree in Marketing with the hopes of providing Bluewater guests with an amazing travel experience from start to finish. Erin loves critters, great and small, skiing, foraging, cookery, music and adventuring in general.

Holly Campbell - Logistics

Holly is thrilled to be joining the Bluewater Adventures team in the spring of 2021! Holly has worked in the outdoor industry for a little over 8 years as an outdoor education instructor through the spring, fall, and winter seasons in the Algonquin Highlands, guiding multi-day whitewater canoe trips through Ontario and Quebec and striving to make nature and outdoor recreation accessible for all while working at CNIB Lake Joe and the Canadian Cancer Society’s Camp Goodtimes. Holly’s hope is that Bluewater Adventures trips can expose more people to the natural world which may inspire stewardship and connection with our beautiful coast. When not making Excel sheets in the office, Holly can be found skiing, biking, hiking, gardening, and petting every dog she walks past.

Heather Burke - Client Care

Heather did her first Bluewater trip at 5 months old and subsequently grew up onboard Island Roamer and Island Odyssey. She recently returned to North Vancouver after completing her Bachelors of Science degree at McGill University. She has a passion for travel and hopes to reach her final two continents soon! When not working or travelling she is adventuring locally, watching reality TV, or entertaining her cat, Clooney.

Trip Leaders - The Bluewater Crew

Neil Shearar – Captain

Neil joined Bluewater in 1999 and has been a licensed skipper for 20 years. Neil was born in South Africa, but raised in Vancouver BC. He has ten years experience with Bluewater sharing his love of wilderness and wildlife on the B.C. coast, and has always enjoyed taking guests to the places he loves the most. His knowledge of the coast and his enthusiasm are inspiring to all of our guests. Neil is passionate about sailing and loves to write and play music in his spare time – He always has a guitar onboard! Neil is also a Yachtmaster instructor and examiner, he volunteers for search and rescue with the Coastguard Auxiliary. Owning his own sailboat, Neil likes to spend weekends on the water around Vancouver.

Xander Oldaker – Captain

Xander has been a sailboat captain for 25 years and is now in his 10th season with Bluewater. His sailing career has taken him from teaching sailing in downtown Vancouver to riding out hurricanes in the West Indies to exploring the fjords of Greenland. When not sailing, Xander works as a wilderness guide leading sea kayak and hiking adventures from South America to the high arctic. Residing on Vancouver Island, Xander spends his off season with his wife Alison and two kids.

Brian Falconer – Captain

There aren't many places that Brian hasn't explored in his 40+ years of sailing - the Mediterranean, Caribbean, South Pacific to name a few - but the last 30 years has been devoted to exploring the incredible coastline of BC & Alaska. In addition to his many years as a captain, Brian has also operated a sail training program for youth for 17 years, led cultural eco-tours in remote villages in China & Tibet, and initially discovered the coastline of BC and Alaska as a bush pilot. One of his current passions is to be an international spokesman for cultural and natural eco-tourism and wilderness management issues. When Brian's not out on the water sailing and leading expeditions, he works as the Guide Outfitter Coordinator, advocating for BC's coastal carnivores, with Raincoast Conservation Foundation.

Ryan Masson - Captain

Ryan grew up on Gabriola Island, one of British Columbia’s Gulf Islands. He spent his summers exploring the coast on his family’s Sailboat and fishing with his Dad. He has worked in Tourism since 2004. In 2006 Ryan bought a sea kayaking company and spent 13 years as owner and lead guide operating multi-day kayak expeditions in BC and Baja Mexico. In the off-season Ryan is an instructor for Transport Canada teaching marine certifications and safety training courses. Ryan has been a licensed skipper since 2012 and has worked for Bluewater Adventures since 2016.

Gaelen Krause - Captain

Gaelen grew up in between Victoria and Seattle, spending much of his free time exploring the Salish Sea in various types of boats. Trained as a naval architect at the University of British Columbia, he has foregone the desk after 5 years of ship design in favour of the nourishing work of exploring BC’s beautiful waters, sharing his passion for sailing this coast. When not on the water with Bluewater, look for him back-country skiing, surfing on Vancouver Island’s west coast, or enjoying the domestic pleasures of cooking, reading and playing guitar.

Casey Brant - Captain

Based on Vancouver Island, Casey has driven whale watching boats in the Salish Sea for nearly 20 years. Her marine experience also includes a brief stint in the Navy, kayak guiding, driving crew boats and sailing around the Gulf Islands. Recent adventures include sailing to Mexico and working as Mate on a tugboat. In the winter months Casey teaches earth science and environmental science courses at Royal Roads and the University of Victoria. When not at work Casey can usually be found building something, fixing something, or out hiking with her dogs.

Mark Drozda - Crew

Growing up in the prairies with a father who loved and dreamed about sailing gave him the enjoyment of spending time on the water. While working in the IT industry many of his winter holidays were spent sailing in Florida, the Bahamas and Caribbean. In 2008, he took the leap and moved West to be closer to the water and to mess around on boats with a job as a service manager for a charter boat company. He started working for Bluewater Adventures in 2017. During his down time, you can find him at the Jericho Sailing Center sailing boats and paddling kayaks.

Josh Bannister - Crew

Josh is passionate about activism and protecting the natural environment. He has volunteered and worked with Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) protecting endangered marine species. He grew up on the coastal water of BC and lived aboard for years on his sailboat. On weekends you can find him hiking, sailing, surfing or volunteering. Josh is excited to bring his marine knowledge and experience to Bluewater Adventures.

Emma Richmond - Chef

Born on the east coast of Australia, Emma has always had a strong connection to the ocean. Currently residing in Tofino, she was drawn to the Pacific North Coast due to its untamed oceans, wild shores, and diverse ecosystem. She has been working as a cook and more recently a pastry chef for 10 years and in this time has been drawn to experiences that help her gain deeper knowledge about life in and around the ocean and the multitude of ways that we humans connect with it. This journey pushes her to find new and creative ways to use sustainably sourced seafood (and plant-based) ingredients in her cooking, while always keeping in mind how we can contribute to the oceans' future existence.

Kevin Stuermer - Chef

Kevin is an adventurer by heart and has spends his time travelling as much as he can. He just returned from spending the summer in Antarctica and made it all the way to the south pole. He is from Hamilton, Ontario where he owns/operates a manufacturing and distribution company and has been a professional chef for over 20 years, working in many countries including Netherlands, Hungary, Mexico, and USA.

Dr. Rob Butler - Naturalist

Bluewater has been fortunate to have Rob leading trips for us since 1990. Rob is President and co-founder of the Pacific WildLife Foundation and an adjunct professor of biological sciences at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia. He was a senior research scientist with the Canadian government for 28 years. His specialty is ornithology where he is recognized as an authority on the ecology of herons and shorebirds. He has written many scholarly publications and authored several books for over 30 years. Rob is also an International Fellow in the Explorers Club, Royal Canadian Geographic Society, and American Ornithologists Society.

Dr. Barrie Gilbert - Naturalist

Dr. Barrie K. Gilbert is Senior Scientist (retired) from Utah State University. After receiving his B.A. in Biology from Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, he earned a PhD in ecology at Duke University. His specialty is behavioural and conservation ecology, especially the application of behavioural science to management of human-wildlife interactions. His recent research has focused on the impacts of roads, access and recreation on bears and other carnivores, their habitat, and plans to minimize or eliminate these impacts at a protected area scale. He began studying bears in 1974 and started working with coastal B.C. bears in 1996. For the last 15 years he directed studies of human-bear interactions along salmon streams in Katmai National Park, AK, and in Southeast Alaska. Barrie has been with the Bluewater crew since 2006.

Keith Moore - Bluewater Adventures Naturalist

Keith Moore - Naturalist

Current LBCS Director. Keith has been a resident of Haida Gwaii for more than 30 years. He is a Registered Professional Forester and has an MA in Geography. Since 2000, Keith has run a consulting business based in Daajing Giids that takes him across Canada and the world to work on forest certification with the Forest Stewardship Council. To date, Keith has been involved in over 50 certification projects in five Canadian provinces and several other countries. Keith is also involved in forestry and environmental issues in BC. On Haida Gwaii, these include the campaign to protect the southern part of the islands, the Fish Forestry Interaction Program and the Strategic Land Use Plan. Keith lives with his wife, Helen, and sons Peter and Alan in Daajing Giids and is the current and founding director of the Laskeek Bay Conservation Society.

Danny Catt – Naturalist

Danny is a biologist, world traveller and internationally published photographer with over 25 years of experience in the field of environmental education. He has a technical diploma in fisheries and wildlife management as well as a BSc in biology and an MSc in wildlife ecology. Danny has also taught ecology in Asia and carried out post graduate studies in wildlife management in East Africa. Danny spent many years working for Parks Canada, as a naturalist and park planner prior to shifting to teaching at the post-secondary level. He has travelled the world and when not seeking adventures in exotic places was a faculty member in the Fish, Wildlife and Recreation program at the BC Institute of Technology, in Burnaby, BC.

Emily Fulton — Naturalist

Emily’s love for the wild west coast of BC began at an early age. Born and raised on Vancouver Island, growing up she spent a great deal of time exploring Barkley and Clayoquot Sounds and other remote areas aboard her family’s fishing boat. Emily earned a double major in marine biology and environmental studies from the University of Victoria, and has since worked as a wilderness guide around the Pacific Rim National Park area, and for various non-profit organizations as an environmental educator. She loves diving, hiking, wild food foraging and surfing in her hometown of Ucluelet. Her adventurous spirit and desire to share BC’s coastal wonders with guests has led her to Bluewater Adventures!

Grant MacHutchon - Naturalist

Grant MacHutchon is a wildlife biologist and naturalist based in British Columbia’s Kootenay Region where he lives with his wife and daughter. Grant has done research/management work with numerous species throughout western Canada for over 30 years, but most of his professional career has been working with grizzly and black bears. Grant has particular expertise in the areas of population biology, habitat ecology, classification and mapping, and bear and human interaction management.

When Grant is not working with wildlife, he fills his time with training bear viewing guides for the Commercial Bear Viewing Association of BC, for whom he developed the core curriculum. He is also the Vice President for the NPO, the Safety in Bear Country Society focused on bear/human interactions and safety.

Rob Lott - Naturalist

Rob is a Bluewater Naturalist when he is not busy as a marine mammal scientist working with Whale and Dolphin Conservation in the UK. “I feel incredibly privileged and fortunate to work for an organization that campaigns tirelessly for the conservation and welfare of whales, dolphins and porpoises across the world. Working for WDC also gives me the opportunity to travel widely and see these conservation measures in action.”

Before his work with WDC, he undertook a Master's degree in Marine Mammal Science. “I have been fortunate enough to watch and photograph wildlife all over the world including Alaska, Antarctica, Australia, Canada, Iceland, New Zealand, Norway and the Bay of Biscay. In 2006, I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro on a charity trek to raise money for an African medical foundation. But it is the ocean that draws me back and the whales and dolphins that call it home. My favourite places on the planet are Northern Vancouver Island, Svalbard and South Georgia.  My current role with WDC includes the Anti-Captivity Campaign and the Orca Programme.”

Christopher DiCorrado - Naturalist

Christopher is a biologist and naturalist who has studied many types of wildlife and habitats. His interest in nature started at a young age in Southern Ontario, but he then moved to B.C. for university and work. After jobs and travel across Canada to South America, and Europe to Africa, he found his way back to the west coast over 10 years ago. When not with Bluewater, he’s strictly been “birds.” Since 2007 he’s been coordinating the BC Breeding Bird Atlas to determine the abundance and distribution of birds across the province with Canada’s leading bird conservation organization, Bird Studies Canada. As such, he’s worked extensively in every corner of the province. Each year he meets with volunteer “citizen scientists”; regular birders who put their enthusiasm and knowledge into conservation action. Beside Haida Gwaii (the “Galapagos of the north”), another favourite place for him is leading expeditions to Ecuador (including the Galapagos).

Andrew MacDonald – Naturalist

Sustainability, conservation and nature have been key themes throughout Andrew’s life. He is an avid artist, photographer and writer, and frequently weaves his illustrations into his naturalist presentations. He has used those skills to protect hundreds of hectares of conservation lands in British Columbia and secure funding for species at risk research and ecological restoration as an advocate, grant writer, environmental educator and conservation manager. While earning a Fine Arts Degree in Creative Writing & Art History, with a focus on the art of Coastal First Nations, he paid his way by cooking at BC Coastal fishing resorts, and remains on standby to help out in the galley. Birds have always been his gateway into nature, but he’s just as happy looking at the smallest tidepool, the biggest tree, and everything in between. When he’s not on board, he runs his own salvage-design-build company on Vancouver Island, where he lives with his wife and keeps tabs on his two adult children.

Sharon Kay - Naturalist

Sharon is all about exploring the coast while connecting with people and laughing a whole lot along the way. She has been working on the water as a wildlife guide and research scientist for the past 9 years. Sharon worked for many years as a whale watching guide around Vancouver Island and developed a healthy obsession for the giants of our waters. Her research interests have been ever changing, starting with her work as a disease ecologist studying sea stars and the intertidal life of the B.C. coast. Sharon now works in ocean conservation monitoring the health of BC's killer whales and humpbacks, using drone-based photography. She is working towards her Master's degree, researching prey sharing behaviour and social systems of killer whales. In between research and adventures on the water, Sharon can be found at local markets where she runs her own painting and photography business, Sharon Kay Art.

Liron Gertsman - Naturalist

Liron has been observing and photographing the natural world continuously since he first got his hands on a borrowed camera and pair of binoculars at the age of five. His work has been experienced by millions in some of the largest museums across the world, including the Natural History Museum in London and the Smithsonian in Washington DC. Liron uses his photography and tours to educate on the importance of preserving and protecting the natural world for the continued health and existence of all who live on our planet. As a naturalist and photographer, he feels it is his duty to show people the essence of Earth, by thinking outside the box to create eye-catching images and unique experiences that connect people with nature. Liron’s work has been widely recognized and awarded, sweeping the professional category of the 2022 Audubon Photography Awards among others. Liron uses his intimate knowledge of British Columbia’s bird, wildlife and photography hotspots to craft the best experiences possible. Liron has ornithological training from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada, and has a biology degree from the University of British Columbia.

Sabine Moll – Naturalist

Sabina grew up in the mountainous south of Germany, always outside in nature. She knew early on that she wanted to contribute to conservation and so she decided to get a Master’s degree in biology and work in conservation projects in Africa and the Amazon. Her quest for wilderness and untouched nature eventually led her to the West coast of British Columbia where she started working as a wilderness and bear guide in 2017. Years of being around and studying bears on this beautiful coast have only increased her fascination for them, but also all other animals and plants. This is what brought her to Bluewater Adventures, where she gets to contribute to the protection of the coastal ecosystems by sharing her knowledge and passion with travellers from all over the world. When she is not out working as a naturalist and guide, you can likely still find her in the same places, photographing wildlife, kayaking, hiking and climbing mountains.

Stefan Himmer - Naturalist

Stefan started his connection with nature at a very early age assisting his father in photographing birds and nature in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba. He completed an education in field biology and then studied fish ecosystems in NW Ontario, Nunavut, NWT and BC. In 1990 he started studying grizzly bears in the Khutzeymateen Valley and then moved to Bella Coola where he lived and worked with the grizzlies of the Central and North coasts until 2003. He now resides on a biodiverse 29 hectare property with his limnologist wife, Eva Schindler, near Nelson, BC. He continues to assist other biologists with wildlife and fisheries research and management projects. He uses his experience as a biologist and naturalist in his personal endeavours as well. He has a large food garden, picks wild mushrooms and plants for personal use and commercially, is an avid backcountry skier and hosts large parties with Eva of where he puts on unique pyrotechnical (fire) shows and generally pursues the life well lived.

Ian Thomas - Bluewater Adventures Naturalist

Ian Thomas - Naturalist

Born in Vancouver, Ian has a lifelong passion for the ecosystems and wildlife of the coastal rainforest. A biologist by training, Ian received his Master’s Degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Windsor in Ontario. A biologist by training, Ian received his Master’s Degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Windsor in Ontario. Ian’s work as a wildlife biologist has taken him to wild places across Canada. From the depths of BC’s Great Bear Rainforest to the boreal forests of Saskatchewan; to Seabird Island in the Maritimes, to the cloud forests of South America, and to far-flung islands in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, these journeys have instilled in him a deep love and reverence for the dwindling wild places of the world.

Ian is a passionate bird-watcher and naturalist, as well as a fanatical big-tree hunter. He is happiest when thrashing through dense underbrush, scrambling over deadfall, and wading through icy streams in search of scarce groves of undiscovered giants that still survive in the remote corners of coastal BC.

Dr. Robin Wright - Naturalist Emeritus

Dr. Robin Wright is the curator for Native American Art at the Burke museum, former director of the Bill Holm Center for the study of Northwest Coast Art, and an expert on Haida art. Robin has been leading trips to Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) for over 20 years, most of them with Bluewater Adventures. She is always keen to share her knowledge on Haida art, First Nation stories, and her recent passion, Haida genealogy. As well, her deep relationship with the people and land of Haida Gwaii is what brings these topics to life.

Steve Herrero - Naturalist Emeritus

Stephen is known as the world’s leading expert on the causes and avoidance of bear attacks. He has been studying bears and human-bear interactions since 1967 and his popular, research-based book, Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance is considered as the standard reference, selling over 125,000 copies. Working with colleagues, he has applied the understanding of bear behaviour developed in his book toward making four not-for-profit videos on safety around bears. The flagship video “Staying Safe in Bear Country” has been viewed millions of times. Steve’s interests in nature, conservation, and people reach widely beyond keeping people and bears safe when interacting.

Captain Gold - Haida Resource Guide/Naturalist Emeritus

People thought Captain Gold was mad when, in the 1970’s, he paddled a canoe from Skidegate to the old Haida village of SGang Gwaay - nearly 160 km of hazardous seas. He knew the importance of reconnecting with his heritage, making sure village remains were not further disturbed and of being there to welcome visitors. He single-handedly changed the image of the village and became the first “Haida Watchman”. Stories of his life-long efforts to preserve the Haida spirit, heritage, language and oral history. He is an elder, a Haida historian, an author, and a story-teller.