Meet The Crew

Our crew loves sharing their coastal knowledge in a relaxed and informative manner. While committed to your comfort and safety, they know how to have fun!

Behind the scenes and onboard the Columbia III, we’ll do our best to ensure you have the best tour possible and return home with a new appreciation and a deeper connection with the natural world.

Ross Campbell

Owner/Operator

Ross, the owner/operator of the Columbia III since 2005, is your dedicated captain for a memorable sea adventure. His top priority is your safety, and his sense of humor and captivating stories will keep you entertained throughout the voyage. Ross’s love and meticulous care for the ship are evident in every detail, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience at sea.

With a diverse background that includes owning a 35′ tug, crewing on a 52′ salmon troller, and 17 years as a helicopter pilot, flying various helicopters locally, Ross is well-equipped to navigate the B.C. coast. He is the custodian of one of B.C.’s most renowned historical vessels, and his expertise in marine safety guarantees a fantastic journey for both seasoned mariners and first-time explorers.

Steve Schellenberg

Skipper

Captain Steve first began working in eco-tourism in the early 2000s. With a tourism diploma from North Island College and an adventurous spirit, he became a successful guide, leading tours in British Columbia, Belize, New Zealand, the Arctic and the Antarctic. In addition to guiding kayaking and boat tours, he also guided guests and film crews (including National Geographic) to see the polar bears of Hudson Bay for 10 years.  Steve has been sailing and working on boats on the BC coast for decades and first joined the Columbia III as a guide in 2008. In 2021 he transitioned to the role of skipper. Steve lives on Sonora Island with his partner Frieda and is able to walk to work from their homestead when we do winter and spring maintenance on the Columbia III. Always prepared to crack a smile, Steve will be looking forward to helping you explore the wonders of the BC Coast.

Jonas Fineman

Skipper

Born and raised on the Pacific coast, Jonas’ relationship with marine environments has been lifelong. He has travelled extensively in pursuit of remote surfing experiences and has spent over two decades as a commercial mariner. His career at sea began in earnest in the gaffing pit of a 36-foot, double-ended Salmon troller…built in 1929. The hook and line and harvest soon became supplemented by trap fishing for Dungeness Crab off the Oregon Coast and Golden King Crab in the Aleutian Islands. Eventually, Jonas found himself in the North Sea, crewing aboard a luxury sailing yacht. Two Atlantic crossings later, he left the Mediterranean and Caribbean behind and settled into life in British Columbia. Based on Cortes Island, Jonas has been guiding and skippering aboard expedition-style sailing and motor vessels between Victoria, BC and Juneau, Alaska, since 2012. When not at sea, Jonas enjoys sharing adventures with his wife, Amy and young daughters, Mila and Ava.

Tavish Campbell

Skipper

From the decks of expedition sailboats, fishing vessels and research boats, to charter vessels, dive operations, tall ships and kayaks, Tavish Campbell has spent his life exploring the coastline of British Columbia above and below water. Over 25,000 miles of offshore sailing has taken him from ports in Papua New Guinea to Norway, traveling aboard tall ships and delivering sailing yachts. Growing up on a boat-access-only island gave Tavish an early start on the ocean. While marine ecotourism continues to be the focus of Tavish’s work, his love for the BC Coast has led him to conservation advocacy that has been recognized on a global scale. Tavish’s energy and enthusiasm for the natural world is almost as contagious as his love of sharing a good adventure with his travel companions as both skipper and kayak guide.

Farlyn Campbell

Skipper

Farlyn, another one of our competent Columbia III captains, has been drawn to all things marine above and below the water from an early age. She has  been a mariner on our local BC waters and completed a few oceanic sailing expeditions to the South Pacific. Farlyn and her partner currently own and operate a small commercial salmon troller and log salvage boat. She is deeply committed to coastal conservation issues and gives much of her time and energy to research and advocacy for our Pacific salmon and coastal old growth forests. Farlyn is also just as happy in the galley as one of Columbia’s chefs producing delicious meals and seeing everyone onboard is well fed as she is behind the wheel of the Columbia III. Her calm nature, confidence and twinkle in her eye are well suited to keeping guests safe, at ease and smiling.

Luke Hyatt

Skipper

Luke Hyatt grew up on the Queen Charlotte Islands where he spent his childhood working on his father’s fish boat and developing his passion and extensive knowledge of the natural world. As a teenager he worked as a biologist’s assistant before becoming a kayak guide and boat captain. He has lived on Sonora Island with his wife Miray for the past 20 years and has been with Mothership Adventures since the beginning. He works as guide, skipper, naturalist and wood worker on the mothership and has built a beautiful island home for his family.

Miray Campbell

Logistics Coordinator

Miray Campbell grew up on Sonora Island and became a sea kayak guide at the age of 17. For four summers, she guided expeditions—mostly in the Johnstone Strait area—and worked at the local orca whale research station before promoting the idea of Mothership Adventures to her parents.

Miray has been involved with the company since it was founded in 2005 and has played a key role ever since—as a guide, cook, and company coordinator. She now manages the Mothership Adventures office from her home on Sonora Island, where she’s raising two young kids and tending to her ever-expanding garden. As her children grow, she still makes the occasional cameo during our paddling season.

Sarah Hauser

Guide

Sarah began her guiding career after completing the Canadian Outdoor Leadership Training Program in 1997. Since then, she has been working and adventuring along the BC coast. Kayak guiding has taken her to Vancouver Island, the BC Central Coast, Haida Gwaii, Baja California, and even Antarctica.

She joined Mothership Adventures in 2020 and quickly became an integral part of the team. Eager to expand her skillset, Sarah has pursued boat handling experience and worked as a whale-watching guide for several summers. She’s now studying hard to sit her 60-Ton Limited Master’s ticket, which will allow her to captain the Columbia III in the future.

Sarah loves all fauna—from tiny intertidal critters to breaching humpbacks—and brings a deep passion for coastal ecology to each trip. She calls the Comox Valley home, and when she’s not at sea, she’s often found mountain biking or skiing in the backcountry.

Robin Humphreys

Guide

Robin spent much of her childhood around boats of all shapes and sizes—from homemade rafts to tall wooden ships. Her deep familiarity with life on the water is immediately apparent when you meet her aboard the Columbia III. Robin has been kayak guiding with Mothership Adventures since 2011. In addition to guiding, she’s completed a number of impressive personal expeditions, including paddling to Southeast Alaska by kayak, navigating down the Columbia River, and undertaking several extended trips along the BC coast.

She’s currently studying hard to sit her 60-Ton Limited Master’s ticket, which will allow her to one day captain the Columbia III herself. Robin brings never-ending energy and a calm, gracious guiding style that enriches every aspect of the guest experience. When she’s not leading paddles or exploring the shoreline, she’s often in the galley as one of the ship’s chefs. If you’re lucky enough to be on board when she’s cooking, you’ll enjoy her passion for fresh, healthy meals, and of course, some sweet treats too!

Al Wylie

Guide

Al grew up in Coquitlam, BC, and discovered their love for kayaking in the TRU Adventure Studies program. Al has been guiding ever since and is an enthusiastic adventurer, photographer and dedicated birder. They have paddled all over the BC coast and spent time guiding in the clear waters of the Bahamas. Given the opportunity, they can be found sitting by tide pools for hours at a time, watching the lives of the many tiny creatures unfolding slowly in the still water. When not guiding, Al can be found climbing, skiing, high-fiving their dog, snacking and finding new and narrow places to squeeze their kayak into.

Lé Chandler

Guide

Drawn in by days spent by the ocean and in the mountains, Lé made Vancouver Island home 12 years ago. Lé began working as an outdoor educator, inspiring youths’ connection and sense of belonging in the natural world. Lé’s fun-loving, playful energy led them from outdoor education into kayak guiding, where they enjoy meeting new folks and sharing in the magic of the marine ecosystem. Lé’s passion for kayaking is fuelled by their curiosity and love of exploring BC’s remote coastline. Outside of guiding, Lé is an elementary school teacher, avid gardener and parent to an awesome toddler in the Cowichan Valley, traditional territory of the Quw’utsun people.

Daniel Nammour

Guide

Dan has guided trips in boats of one kind or another in a variety of environments, from river trips through the deserts of the American Southwest to kayak mothership tours through the fjordlands of Patagonia to expedition sea kayaking amongst the sandy cays and blue waters of the Bahamas. He calls the BC Coast home and has spent years guiding kayak expeditions and crewing on boats up and down the coast. His favourite animal is the barnacle.

Cass Sica

Guide

Cass is a guide, outdoor educator, and teacher who loves to explore and play outside. Always fascinated by aquatic creatures, his first visit to the stunning BC coast had him hooked, and he has lived near the ocean since. He has a passion for ecology and helping people find their connection to the natural world. When he is not engaged with youth programming, he can be found paddling, climbing and hiking across the coast.

Carly Mersereau

Chef

Carly followed her love of bread and butter to France, where she trained and apprenticed as a pastry chef.  She cut her teeth in the bakeries of Toronto, but has happily traded in skyscrapers for the towering trees of Cortes.  When not cooking on the Columbia III, you’ll find her slinging sourdough at the farmer’s market, wrangling cows, or quietly growing vegetables in her garden.

Frieda Humphreys

Chef

Frieda was raised on Maurelle Island, where she spent her childhood preparing wild, foraged and garden fresh food. These ingredients are still what drives her passion in the culinary world today. Almost nothing brings Frieda more joy than seeing friends and family sitting down together creating memories over a delicious meal and she is thrilled to be able to assist in creating these moments aboard the Columbia III. Being raised on a small island meant that Frieda spent lots of time in boats as a child and young adult which helped foster a love for the BC coast. She looks forward to creating tasty meals for you in such a beautiful environment.

Rachel Muehlenberg

Digital Marketing Strategist & Coordinator

Rachel brings over a decade of experience in marine adventure tourism to her role as a digital marketing strategist and coordinator. As a former full-time whale-watching skipper and wilderness guide, Rachel has a deep passion for the outdoors and coastal British Columbia. Rachel specializes in crafting content strategies and leverages her industry knowledge to connect with our online audiences on a more profound level. She believes in the power of storytelling to drive digital marketing success and works behind the scenes to share Mothership Adventures with the online world.

Her digital marketing business is called Watershd Co.