Office Staff
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Randy Burke – Director of Bluewater Adventures
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. |
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Erin Boyle – Trip Logistics and Planning
Joining us in June 2009, Erin brings a wealth of knowledge to Bluewater Adventures. Graduating from the BCIT Tourism Marketing program she is familiar with the industry and has had various experience with logistics and planning. Erin grew up in North Vancouver, BC and enjoys sailing, traveling and the outdoors. |
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Lindsay Janes - Inside Sales / Naturalist
Lindsay joined Bluewater in 2006, exploring BC's vast and awe-inspiring coastline. Her earliest memories are beachcombing in her North Vancouver Island hometown and stuffing her mouth full of salmonberries -- things haven't changed much since then. When she's not teaching earth and ocean sciences, she works as a wilderness guide, ski patroller and first aid instructor. Lindsay earned a BSc from University of Victoria in Earth and Ocean Sciences in 2002 and a BEd with a minor in environmental education from Simon Fraser University in 2009. Her favourite marine invertebrate is the Giant Pacific Octopus. Lindsay also loves photography, surfing and playing music. When Lindsay is not on the boats, she is helping out in the Bluewater office! |
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Leanne Carey – Marketing Specialist
Growing up in Vancouver Leanne has always had a passion for the ocean and boating. Working at a marina while attending school, she graduating from the BCIT Marketing Management Program in 2006 where she specialized in Tourism Marketing. When taking some time and traveling in Australia, Leanne got the call to come home and work for Bluewater and has been with us since March 2007. In her spare time she enjoys sports, the outdoors, surfing and traveling to new places. |
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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 puppy Maple. |
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Trip Leaders - The Bluewater Crew
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Neil Shearer – Skipper
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 waters around Vancouver. |
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Ian Giles – Skipper
Joining the Bluewater team over 11 years ago, Ian has a very exciting background in the marine industry. He worked for the Canadian Coastguard for many years, and has spent many months sailing around the world on different vessels. Recently Ian received a teaching degree in French Immersion and enjoys the teaching aspect of the Bluewater trips. He is a very experienced sailor and likes to take guests to new and exciting places along the coast. |
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Xander Oldaker - Skipper
Xander has been a sailboat captain for 15 years and is now in his 5th 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. |
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Tom McPherson – Skipper / First Mate
Tom joined Bluewater as a practicum student from Capalino College Outdoor Recreation program in 2006. Growing up on the sunshine coast in Sechelt, Tom was the son of a boat builder and always had an interest in wooden boats, and woodworking. Tom volunteered on a tallship based out in England for six weeks and worked on a tuna fishing boat for a couple seasons. In his time he has built two cedar kayaks and is currently restoring a 34 foot classic sail boat that raced in the 1956 Olympics. Working towards his skippers ticket as well, Tom one day hopes to lead guests on trips in these spectacular destinations. Tom works maintenance in the off season and enjoys spending time along the coast with his wife Jocelyn and daughter. |
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Steve Roberts – First Mate
Steve has been with Bluewater since 2005 and continues to impress crew and guests with his extensive knowledge of sailing and the coast. Working towards his skipper ticket, Steve enjoys the rich waters of the BC and Alaska. Graduating from the Outdoor Recreation Program at Capalino College, Steve loves being in the outdoors and seeks new adventures. Working on tall ships in New Zealand and various other places, he brings a wealth of knowledge to the Bluewater team. In the off season, Steve not only helps with the Bluewater maintenance, but works on his own sailboat as well. |
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Dustin Dubois – First Mate
Joining Bluewater in 2007, Dustin is working towards his skipper’s ticket. Growing up in BC on the sunshine Coast, he got involved in sailing at a young age and now races competitively in both Vancouver and Victoria. When he moved to Vancouver he became a chef for a well known restaurant. Dustin then earned a certificate in Horticulture at Capilano College in North Vancouver and started his own landscaping company. At Bluewater, he now combines his love of sailing with his passion for food, animals and plants. He brings diversity to Bluewater that guests simply admire. |
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Gavin McLellan - First Mate
Sailing since before he can remember, Gavin spent his entire youth sailing around the west coast of Scotland "rock hopping", the Scottish term for reef dodging. He also raced on various boats from classics to Maxi's. After completing a diploma in marketing and working in an office for a few years he realized he would only be happy on the water. So off he went to the U.K Sailing Academy in Cowes, and gained his Yacht Master Offshore ticket. After UKSA Gavin secured a job in the Mediterranean on a SY Lazy Jacques where he remained for a year sailing the Med. Making the move to BC, Gavin started working as a whale watching skipper based in Whiterock and is now expanding his knowledge on the BC Coast with Bluewater.
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Hans Denee – Chef
Being an avid amateur cook his whole life, Hans decided to become a professional when he was 49 years old. After a year at the Cordon Bleu cooking school in Ottawa, he opened his own Inn/restaurant in Granville Ferry Nova Scotia. After 5 years and extensive winter boredom, Hans decided to come back to the West coast. Bluewater Adventures was mentioned by Jacqueline, his daughter, and three years ago he did his first trip for Bluewater. Getting away from the so called civilized world and entering the natural world of the Queen Charlottes, the Central Coast or South Alaska works like a life saver for Hans, particularly when he can participate in trips with Haida Elders and other Haida people. |
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Debra Fontaine - Chef
Debra spent her childhood cruising the BC coast with her family. Her father was an appraiser and they visited logging camps up the northern inlets and the lodges and resorts in the Gulf islands and Discovery islands. Her dad did the insurance appraisals in these water access areas and Debra's mother steamed pots of clams, prawns, and salmon. She saw a lot of the coast in the 50's and 60's. Moving to Cortes Island in her 20's she raised her family there. She was chef/manager at Hollyhock on Cortes Island for 15 years and then went to the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel in Vancouver. She spent a year at The Dubrulle Culinary Institute and then 2 years in wilderness at Strathcona Park Lodge as head chef. Finally she found a way to combine her love of cruising the coast, seeing nature at its best, meeting wonderful people & cooking up a storm – Debra joined Bluewater in 2007. |
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Kate Riddell - Chef
Kate began cooking for Bluewater in 1998 and has been head chef at Selkirk Wilderness snowcat skiing since 1995. One of her favourite moments on a Bluewater trip is watching whales through the galley porthole while preparing delicious meals for our guests. |
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Annie Strucel - Chef
Residing in Nelson, BC - Annie has joined us each summer on adventures along the coastline for over 11 years now. In the Bluewater off season, she works as a chef at various ski-resorts and lodges in the BC Interior. She also runs a catering company based out of Nelson, BC. The guests always appreciate Annie’s diverse and healthy food that she creates from the galley. An accomplished skier and Yoga instructor Annie loves the outdoors and keeping fit. |
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Lindsay Janes - Naturalist
Lindsay joined Bluewater in 2006, exploring BC's vast and awe-inspiring coastline. Her earliest memories are beachcombing in her North Vancouver Island hometown and stuffing her mouth full of salmonberries -- things haven't changed much since then. When she's not teaching earth and ocean sciences, she works as a wilderness guide, ski patroller and first aid instructor. Lindsay earned a BSc from University of Victoria in Earth and Ocean Sciences in 2002 and a BEd with a minor in environmental education from Simon Fraser University in 2009. Her favourite marine invertebrate is the Giant Pacific Octopus. Lindsay also loves photography, surfing and playing music.
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Jenny Kingsley - Naturalist
Jenny is a naturalist and award-winning interpreter who began her career in the Rockies with Parks Canada when she was 21 years old. For the past eight years, she has worked as a grizzly bear guide and coastal naturalist at remote lodges and on sailboats in BC. 2009 will be her fourth season with Bluewater. As part of the Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Jenny has worked to protect B.C.'s Great Bear Rainforest. Her roles with Raincoast included research, communications and development and planning. Aside from sailing the coast, Jenny's other favourite place in the world is the Canadian arctic, and she has traveled there extensively in her other favourite vehicle - the canoe. She is also a musician and singer/songwriter who works as a journalist and community gardener when she is home from sea. |
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Bruce Whittington - Naturalist
Bruce was drawn to the natural world through birds, but has broadened his interests after a life on the west coast. He is an Honorary Life Member of the Victoria Natural History Society and a founder of Habitat Acquisition Trust, a regional land trust in Victoria. He has made over 60 trips to Alaska as a naturalist for Holland America Lines, and made his first trips to Haida Gwaii with Bluewater in 2007. Bruce is a keen photographer and a member of the Professional Writers Association of Canada. Bruce is also the author of three books about the natural history of the west coast, and was elected in 2008 as a Councillor in the town of Ladysmith, where he lives with his wife Wanda, an artist. |
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Kitty Lloyd – Naturalist
Kitty did her first trip as naturalist with Bluewater Adventures in 1996, and she’s been back every year since then. Kitty’s passion for the natural world is infectious, and her broad knowledge of coastal biology and cultural history enriches the trips she leads. After earning a BSc in marine biology, Kitty moved to Bamfield on the west coast of Vancouver Island, to work at the Bamfield Marine Science Centre.While in Bamfield, Kitty started the first commercial kelp farm on the BC coast, cultivating, harvesting and developing a dried product for the health food market. Kitty moved to the Victoria, BC area in 1998, and has worked with SeaChange Marine Conservation Society and Seaquaria in Schools delivering environmental education and marine biology programs in local schools. Kitty is currently involved in shoreline restoration and conservation efforts along the Gorge Waterway in Victoria, as biologist. |
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Kate Henderson - Naturalist
Earning her Teaching Certificate and Bachelor of Science in Biology from The University of Victoria, Kate is now a high school biology teacher. She spent 2 years living in Bamfield and working at the Bamfield Marine Station as a marine educator and research assistant. She also lived in Edinburgh working as a research assistant for a year. In her free time, Kate works as a contract project manager with Science World. She loves marine invertebrates especially Abalone and is amazed by the diversity of kelps in British Columbia. Kate Joined Bluewater in the Spring of 2008. |
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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 is a faculty member in the Fish, Wildlife and Recreation program at the BC Institute of Technology, in Burnaby, BC.
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Dr. Rob Butler- Naturalist
Bluewater has been fortunate to have Rob leading trips for us since 1990. Rob is the coordinator of the British Columbia Breeding Bird Atlas and scientist with Bird Studies Canada. He is also 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. He earned his doctoral degree from the University of British Columbia and he lives in New Westminster overlooking the beautiful Fraser River. |
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Dr. Barrie Gilbert - Bear Biologist
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 behavioral and conservation ecology, especially the application of behavioral 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. |
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Eric Baron - Naturalist
Eric Baron is a passionate naturalist who gets equally excited about tiny porcelain crabs, breaching whales and everything in between. His academic background includes Environmental Science and Resource Management degrees. Eric’s keen sense of adventure and career experience in protected area management makes for lively discussions and engaging experiences aboard Bluewater Adventures trips. Eric has been working with Bluewater since 2003. |
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Tim Irvin - Naturalist
Tim Irvin's fascination with nature has lead him to explore the wilderness of Canada and earn a degree in biological science. He has worked as a field biologist on many projects including studies of Canada Lynx, salmon and song birds, and he can identify 100 species of birds by their song. His love of wild places has also resulted in several multi-week wilderness canoe adventures, including a recent seven week solo trip in the arctic. That same passion to explore brought him to the west coast of British Columbia, where he worked as a grizzly bear guide and naturalist at remote lodges for five years. Tim is always looking forward to his next trip with Bluewater Adventures, to share the beauty of the BC coast with others and for a change of pace from his current work with the BC Ministry of Environment.
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