Our people make the difference
Our multi skilled and expert team are the core of our business.
Not only will our guides keep you safe while on the water, they’ll also share stories and observations about the environment in which you’re travelling through, ensuring a rich and rewarding travel experience. To top that off, our guides are as handy with a set of saucepans as they are with a paddle, and can cook you a delicious meal at the end of the day!
The SSV office team love to help you achieve your travel dreams, being experienced and well-travelled professionals themselves. From answering itinerary questions to destination information, to sorting out pre and post trip arrangements, our SSV staff strive to be of service.
Director, Senior Guide, Chief of Operations
Toby Story
Toby has been working for Southern Sea Ventures since 2005, guiding trips from the tropics to the polar regions. He has led trips in Norway, Greenland, Spitsbergen, Fiji, South Georgia, Antarctica, Tasmania, West Papua and the Philippines. Toby is a qualified sea kayak instructor and manages operations from Hobart, Tasmania, where he is based. Toby has a MS in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology and is ever passionate about sharing the world’s great coastal environments.
Travel Planner
Turiee stidwIll
Turiee has a Bachelor of Business in Tourism and has dedicated her career to the travel industry (while also bringing up four children!) After working in corporate travel, Turiee decided to follow her enthusiasm for off-the-beaten-track destinations with roles in adventure travel. Turiee feels privileged to help people’s travel dreams come true and is continually inspired by the shared stories from many of SSV’s well-travelled clients. Travelling is not only Turiee’s profession, but also her passion, with many family holidays to far flung places around the globe. Turiee is part of the SSV office team in Australia and if you’re wondering, her name is Norwegian.
Travel Planner
mael ressos
Mael has over 20 years of experience in the travel industry with the last 15 specialising in polar expeditions. Mael has journeyed to Antarctica and the Arctic and is proud to have braved the polar plunge in both poles! Mael is passionate about sharing these stunning, wild and remote destinations with our guests, knowing that the trip of a lifetime awaits them. Mael is part of the SSV office team in Australia and is a fluent French speaker.
Senior Guide/Operations
elijah newton
Elijah thrives on the thrill of taking adventurers to remote and iconic destinations by sea kayak. Elijah’s enthusiasm for adventure is contagious: “There’s something indescribable about experiencing these hidden wonders from a kayak. It’s wild, surreal—and too good to be true!” Elijah has travelled far and wide, leading expeditions from Ningaloo to the Antarctic Peninsula, with more adventures in the planning. Elijah’s qualifications include WFA, PA Sea Guide and, in his words, wants everyone to enjoy a wicked time on the water!
Office Manager
karen robinson
With over 30 years of experience in the tourism industry, across both retail and wholesale sectors, Karen brings a wealth of expertise to her role as Office Manager at SSV. Karen has a Business degree and owns her own travel company, reflecting her deep passion for the industry. At SSV, Karen thrives in a role that allows her to contribute to organising extraordinary adventures to remote and unique destinations. A dedicated traveller herself, Karen aims to take 2-3 significant trips each year, with recent destinations including Raja Ampat and Papua New Guinea.
Senior Guide
DANIEL STAVERT
Hailing from the Blue Mountains (Australia), Daniel has always been drawn to the beauty of wild places. With more than a decade of guiding sea kayak trips, he has led expeditions from the icy regions of Antarctica, Greenland and the high Arctic, to the tropical waters of Fiji, Raja Ampat and northern Queensland. Daniel has a Bachelor of Arts in History, and brings a love of sharing stories, deepening the experience of those that travel with him.
Founder of SSV
AL BAKKER
Al has paddled whitewater and sea kayaks for 45 years in North America, South America, the South Pacific, Japan, Australia, NZ, Antarctica, South Georgia, the High Arctic and Greenland, Russian Far East and all across Europe. He has led commercial sea kayak tours for the last 27 years and developed sea kayak, rafting and cross country ski programs in many countries. Al has worked as a helicopter ski guide, rafting guide and wilderness first aid instructor and is a keen photographer. While Al has officially retired, he owned and managed SSV for more than three decades and remains in an advisory capacity.
Senior Guide
kate brown
Kate is passionate about helping people reconnect with nature by exploring incredible destinations. Kate has guided expeditions for 15 years all across Australia, New Zealand, Nepal and Tasmania. Whether she’s leading an expedition through remote landscapes or guiding a group through iconic locations, Kate loves seeing the wonder in people’s eyes as they immerse themselves in the beauty of the outdoors. An avid surfer, Kate enjoys all water sports, running in the hills, pottery and is halfway through her paramedic training!
Senior Guide
devin duffy
Devin is a dedicated sea kayak guide with a passion for connecting people with nature and promoting sustainable travel. With extensive experience leading kayak expeditions in Alaska, Norway, Patagonia, Baja, the San Juan Islands and British Columbia, Devin brings a wealth of knowledge to his role. For SSV, Devin has guided trips in Svalbard, Fiji, Indonesia and Melanesia. A Colorado native, Devin’s diverse experiences include working as a PADI Dive Master, a commercial fisherman in the Bering Sea and for the National Science Foundation in Antarctica.
Italian Head Guide
enrico carrossino
Enrico runs our Italian and Corsican sea kayak programs and with his incredible knowledge of Italy and passionate love for his country he makes our sea kayaking adventures a smorgasbord of cuisine and culture. He is a certified whitewater and sea kayak instructor in the US, Italy and Switzerland. He speaks English, French and Italian fluently. Enrico lives between Genoa, Italy and the Ticino region of Switzerland.
Trip Development
meg grover
Meg has been involved in the adventure travel business for over 35 years. She has worked as a travel advisor, in sales training for a major retail chain, reservations manager for an adventure wholesaler and managed the SSV office for nearly 20 years. Meg’s role in SSV has now changed from ‘front of house’ to trip development, research and writing. Meg’s love of travel continues and is constantly thinking, “now where to next!”
Finance
jane newman
With nearly three decades of experience in the travel industry, Jane’s roles have ranged from travel adventure specialist to crafting bespoke itineraries for schools, junior sports teams and nonprofit organisations. For the past eight years, Jane has been an invaluable member of the SSV team, where she has inspired countless travellers to explore the world’s hidden gems by kayak. Jane has travelled extensively and nominates SSV’s Tropical Island Dreaming sea kayak trip in Fiji as a highlight. Recently transitioning to a new role in the accounts department, Jane remains a vibrant and enthusiastic presence at SSV.
Office and Marketing Assistant
donna johnston
Donna brings a unique blend of skills to her role as Office/Marketing Assistant at SSV. She handles a wide range of tasks, providing essential support to the management team. Outside of the office, Donna enjoys traveling, capturing stunning moments through her lens, and spending quality time with her family on their boat. Donna’s passion is photography, having studied at the New York Institute of Photography while living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Then came seven years spent living internationally between the USA and the United Kingdom. Back in Australia, Donna has her own photography business based on Sydney’s northern beaches.