Sailing Antarctica Experts

WHY TRAVEL WITH US?

Originally from Switzerland, Laurent has a background in photojournalism and has worked as a professional photographer and wilderness guide for the past 15 years. He is no stranger to working under extreme conditions, such as documenting the 1000-mile Yukon Quest International Dog Sled Race in minus 50 degree weather, or guiding climbers on Mount McKinley. As a contract photographer for the Associated Press, Laurent has published photos in major syndications throughout the world. He is the author of several books, including ‘Climb Denali’, ‘Yukon Quest”, and ‘Antarctica’. He also co-authored two other photo books.  As a public speaker, Laurent has spoken at corporate events and his multimedia productions have been seen by thousands of visitors to Alaska.

In 2007, Laurent was the photographer of an international sailing expedition retracing the first scientific journey to Antarctica.  In 2012, he worked as a photo guide for Oceanwide Expeditions on several cruises to the Antarctic Peninsula.  This will be his 4th expedition with skipper Henk Boersma. Laurent lives in Juneau, Alaska, with wife, Greta, and son, Florian, 10. Laurent is fluent in English, French, German and Swiss-German.

Laurent has worked in the polar regions as a professional photographer and wilderness guide for the past 20 years

Originally from the Netherlands, Henk started sailing at the age of 12. He arrived in Ushuaia during  his quest to sail around the world, and spent more time here than he had planned.  He sailed to Antarctica and then decided to make a living from sailing. In 1995 he started chartering with his own 54ft. steel sloop rigged yacht in South America. He logs about 15.000 miles a year, mainly in Tierra del Fuego, making sailing trips around Cape Horn, to Antarctica, Falklands, South Georgia and up to Brazilian waters in the austral winter. He is regarded as one of the most experienced skippers in the southern Ocean. Almost two decades have passed since Henk was first sailing Antarctica, but his passion for its pristine nature, ice, flora and fauna remain the same.

Henk used to work as a commercial photographer in Amsterdam. So he is connected and interested in everything that has to do with photography. Henk lives in Ushuaia, Argentina, with his life- and business partner Jacqueline Haas. They have three children, Marisol, 9, Perla, 7, and Tristan, 5. Henk speaks English, Dutch, Friesian, German, Portuguese and Spanish.

Henk will be assisted by a yet-to-determined co-skipper who is familiar with the yacht and who is also a veteran of several sailing Antarctica expeditions