Our people
It is our people which makes the Trust so special. Our crew not only look after the young people on their voyages, giving them an experience of a lifetime, but also during summer, share their enthusiasm and passion for the work we do with our tourism guests. Behind the scenes there are our Trustees and a small group of people (who are mostly part time) that keep the organisation ticking over. Most of them are multi-skilled, picking up what needs to be done as and when required. All of us are united in our respect for the ship and how she has the ability to change lives.
He aha te mea nui o te ao
What is the most important thing in the world?
He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata
It is the people, it is the people, it is the people
Tim Grant
Senior Master and Bosun
Tim (aka Sticke) is Bay of Islands born and bred having lived most of his life in Russell Kororareka. Educated at Bay College his career has involved being a Department of Conservation ranger, pest trapper, driving the White Ferry Waimarie, and many other varied activities. He is a keen surfer and often found at beach when the waves are up. He has been with the Trust for four years and has taken on the role of Bosun, looking after the ship’s maintenance needs.
Eloise Goodison
Deckhand
Eloise is our newest deckhand, joining the Trust in November 2016. She attended Whangarei Girls High School and first came on board in 2009 on a Youth Development Voyage, and then again in 2010. Her experience during the voyage led her to think about a future career in outdoor education, and she attended Ara Polytechnic in Canterbury where she completed her Batchelor of Sustainability and Outdoor Education. As a former trainee herself, she is looking forward to being part of assisting other young people fulfill their potential on our youth development voyages.
Sophie Camplin
Youth Programmes Manager
Sophie job-shares our youth programmes with Pauline, and looks after the admin side of the youth development voyages. A young mother of two girls, Sophie started her career with the R. Tucker Thompson as Deckhand. She then progressed to Master, where she was responsible for being skipper for tourism sailings as well as the youth development voyages. She therefore knows the ship and how the Trust operates extremely well. With two young daughters to look after, Sophie works mostly from home, juggling a number of roles to ensure that berths are filled with the right type of students on any given voyage.
Stuart Birnie
Relief skipper
Stuart joined the R. Tucker Thompson Sail Training Trust in November 2016 with a particular focus on our youth voyages and developing our programmes. He has decided to return to Auckland and acts as relief skipper occasionally.
Chynna Hanney
Deckhand
A graduate of Northtec’s tourism & Adventure course, Chynna joins us with a background of working on the water. She has worked on dolphin boats in Australia, volunteer work with the Department of Conservation and loves to kayak, tramp and fish generally. She also has had experience in animal husbandry and farming generally and is always seen with a smile on her face. She loves sharing the Bay of Islands with our guests as well as helping our sail trainees experience our wonderful maritime environment.
Pauline Moretti
Youth Programmes
Pauline job shares the youth programmes role with Sophie, responsible for liaising with schools and community groups explaining how our youth development voyages help students to make positive changes in their lives. She’s had wide and varied career in a number of roles but is above all an educator. She has taught Outdoor Education,Tourism and been Project Island Song’s Educator on their Floating Classroom. She’s also worked with the Department of Conservation in a number of community liaison roles as well as run her own adventure kayaking business. Pauline is also a very experienced sailor having spent three years sailing from Borneo to the Caribbean via Cape of Good Hope on board junk rigged yacht, Zebedee.
Kyra Crouzat
Sales & Operations Manager
Kyra hails originally from France but is a Canadian citizen and is now a New Zealand resident. She and her husband sailed here on board their yacht Nyon in 2013 and have put down anchor here in the Bay of Islands ever since. Like most of us, Kyra is capable of turning her hand to most tasks, a “Jill of all Trades” and has now stepped up to a management role as Sales & Operations Manager. She’s a creative individual, artist and writer and she has been with us on a part time basis since 2015 and full time from 1 August 2018. Her hashtag is #lifeonagypsyboat.
Sarianna Crook
Relief Skipper
Sarianna is a Northland girl, born and bred in Whangarei. She joined the Trust at the end of March 2016, taking her command in June 2016. Sarianna has spent much of her life on the water, attending the Whangarei Young Mariners and then Sea Scouts at a young age. She headed to Tauranga for study but the lure of the sea was too strong, so she spent 2 years as a Cadet on the Spirit of New Zealand where she did her seatime training. She has spent 5 months sailing offshore on board the Robert C Seamans and prior to joining the Trust was working at Fullers in Auckland. She has done 18 months as master in training and is taking a break for a period while she renovates her new home.
Wayne Karauria
Deckhand
Wayne joined the Trust as a trainee in December 2012 and is our longest serving deckhand. Of Ngati Porou descent, he hails from Gisborne. He has previously worked on fishing boats but prefers living in the winterless north as going to sea is much warmer than in the southern ocean. He has earned the respect of many sail trainees who have benefited from his care; he is a mean cook with boil up corned beef and roast pork as his signature dishes.
Ethan King
Volunteer/casual deckhand
Ethan first joined us on a youth voyage in 2015 and decided that he wanted to volunteer over summer. During the 2015-16 summer season, he spent the majority of his weekends and a large portion of his school holidays helping out. This effort earned him the Tucker Lewis Award for volunteers in 2016. For the 2016-17 tourism season, Ethan is again volunteering but on a number occasions when the ship is busy, he is now being paid for his efforts. As one of our trainees he is ideally placed to explain to our passengers how the Trust benefits the young people of the area. Read more about his story in our 2015-16 Annual Report.
Jane Hindle
Executive Trustee
Jane has been involved with the R. Tucker Thompson since 1998, initially as a business mentor to Russell Harris when he owned the ship. When she moved to Russell in 2000, she continued working with him assisting with administrative and business management functions. In 2006, she helped Russell transfer the ship into a Trust, and since then has been the Executive Trustee, a title which really means means keeping the ship afloat financially. She has sailed on board for a number of offshore voyages, in 2002 and 2005 down the West coast of Canada and USA and in 2006 from Rarotonga to Tonga.
Mike Daniel
Chair
Former stockbroker and merchant banker, he has held Directorships with Force Corporation Ltd, Northland Health Ltd, Northpower Limited, SKYCITY Leisure Limited, Elders Norstock Limited (Chair) and former Chair Northland Port Corporation Limited. Chairman of Airwork Holdings Limited, N3 Limited and FMCTV Limited He is a keen surfer and enjoys golf
Kelly Yakas
Trustee
Of Ngapuhi and Te Arawa descent, Kelly is focused on strengthening whanau and community. Responsible for the Early Learning Ministry of Education Project she established Te Kohekohe Drop in Centre for families with babies and young children. She has previously managed Foundation for Youth Development Programmes, Kiwi Can, Stars and is currently a mentor for the HYPE Youth Advisory Group in Kaikohe. Kelly has a legal background, and is also working for claimant groups to the Waitangi Tribunal Te Paparahi o Te Raki District Inquiry. Dedicated mother of two, she is Chair of Kaikohe West School Board of Trustees, and a Les Mills aerobics instructor.
Russell Harris
Trustee
Farmer, crop sprayer, ship and aircraft builder. With Tod Thompson, original builder, former owner and master of the R. Tucker Thompson before transferring the ship into the Trust. Holds Coastal Master’s certification, having sailed the R. Tucker Thompson around the world and in circumnavigation of the Pacific. Sailed to Mururoa with peace flotilla in 1995.
Bronwyn Hunt
Trustee
Bronwyn is of Te Rarawa, Ngapuhi and Te Roroa descent. She is the Principal Advisor, Strategy and Policy with Te Runanga o Te Rarawa, primarily responsible for Treaty Settlement claims, environmental matters, Iwi and Hapu planning. Community positions include Director with CBEC, Deputy Chair and Reconnecting Northland Steering group. An avid gardener and keen sailor Bronwyn is also a proud nana to three grandchildren.
John Duder
Trustee
Yachtsman, civil consulting engineer, former company director. Extensive sail training experience both on the water and as a Trustee Spirit of Adventure 1975-2006. Resident of Devonport, former President of the Devonport Yacht Club, former member of the Auckland Museum Trust Board & the Devonport Community Board.
Mike Simm
Trustee
Experienced company director/trustee. Chair of Northland Youth Development Trust and former Deputy Chair of Top Energy. Former Executive Director Fullers Bay of Islands, member NZ Tourism Board, Chair of Enterprise Northland and Destination Northland. Kerikeri resident.
Kim Borgstrom
Trustee
Kim has more than 70,000 miles of ocean watch keeping experience on sailing ships including Bounty, Soren Larsen and Rainbow Warrior. Involved with the R Tucker Thompson since 1985, he sailed aboard for the circumnavigation. In 1987-1988 and skippered the ship to the Pacific Islands in 1993. He now operates his own sailing tourism business based in the Bay of Islands. Resident in Opua.