Expedition
Learn about our expedition
A voyage like no other, from Norway to Canada through the Northwest Passage. Our mission: to raise awareness of the 6 Planetary Tipping Points in the Arctic and document the impact of climate change on this remote wilderness.
The Northwest Passage
A passage that was once impossible is now increasingly navigable, as Arctic summer sea ice has rapidly declined with climate change. Our journey will bear witness to the extreme and catastrophic changes being wrought on this critical region.
The Arctic is home to 4 million people, including 40 different Indigenous Peoples. Unique wildlife has adapted to thrive in these extreme conditions, such as majestic polar bears, narwhals (the unicorn of the sea), and beluga whales. Arctic sea ice decline - amongst other impacts of climate change - have profound consequences for the people and animals that rely on the ice.Scientists predict we only have less than 6 years to limit global warming to below 1.5°C. It is vital that we act now.
Sea birds Ilulissat Icefjord, Disko Bay, Greenland. 
4X
The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the rest of the world - and is now 3°C warmer than it was in 1980.
abel
tasman
For hundreds of years, explorers have sought to find a passage from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean through the Arctic. The lost expedition of Franklin and his 129 men on The Terror in 1845 continues to fascinate many, even today. The quest was not fulfilled until 1905 when Roald Amundsen succeeded with six men in a 70ft herring boat. It took him 3 years.
The Abel Tasman has an impressive history of traversing some of the worlds most remote places - including Antarctica, Greenland, Norway - and has proven herself worthy in every condition. She will sail with the colours of the climate stripes to raise awareness of our warming planet and its impact on the Arctic.
Less than 40 sailing yachts have ever sailed through the Northwest Passage. Our crew will traverse the route on the Abel Tasman - a tough 75-ft steel-hulled Bermuda Schooner.
Johan
Rockström
Expedition Patron & Science Adviser
Johan Rockström is a Swedish scientist who is internationally recognised for his work on global sustainability issues. He led the renowned team of scientists who first proposed the Planetary Boundaries framework in 2009. He is the joint Director of Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in Germany, and Professor in Earth System Science at the University of Potsdam.
The Crew
Team of world-
class explorers
Aboard the Abel Tasman, a crew of explorers and adventurers - including award-winning filmmakers and sound designer, paragliders and divers, young scientists and storytellers - all united by a shared mission.
Keith
Tuffley
Expedition Leader
Keith has enjoyed being an investment banker, impact investor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist – as Global Chairman of Energy Transition & Sustainability at Citi, and Head of Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs Australia; the founder of Neuw Ventures and Grand Tours Project; the CEO of The B Team, a global NGO focused on Climate Action and Sustainability leadership; and a founding board member of The Villars Institute and the Australian Climate Leaders Coalition.
He is also a passionate explorer, mountaineer, skier, cyclist, and sailor. In 2016, he became the first person to complete an unsupported cycling expedition on a new route to the South Pole, having skied to the North Pole earlier in the year. He was the first person to cycle the three Grand Tours (Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a España) on the same day as each race in the same season. His yacht, the “Abel Tasman”, takes scientists and adventurers to remote destinations for research and exploration, and to promote the need for a healthy ocean. This Northwest Passage Expedition fulfils one of Keith’s life-long dreams.
Sylvestre
Campe
Film Director
Between the ages of 1 and 18, Sylvestre sailed around the world with his family, circumnavigating the globe several times. His father Joachim Campe's documentaries of his family sailing the seven seas enchanted and inspired audiences in Germany. In the course of these formative years, Sylvestre perfected his skills in all aspects of filmmaking, navigation and survival in extreme conditions. During the same period, he also developed a deep appreciation for the sublime beauty and the mystical grandeur of our planet.
Upon graduating from Rhode Island School of Design, Sylvestre completed his first feature film at the age of 22, documenting a successful scaling of Lhotse Shar - one of the most formidable peaks of the Himalayas. During the decades that followed, Sylvestre has directed, produced, and filmed over 50 feature-length films and numerous award-winning series. He is driven by a sense of awe inspired in him by natural wonders and by the manner in which remote cultures interact with nature. This sense of celebration and wonderment in his films communicates to audiences in intangible, yet powerful, ways.
Karina
Oliani
Expedition Doctor, mountaineer
Karina Oliani has always been passionate about nature and challenges. She has travelled to more than 100 countries in a huge variety of roles: from professional multi-sport athlete and specialist doctor, to helicopter pilot and climate activist. As the first South American doctor to specialise in wilderness medicine, Karina has coordinated humanitarian work in remote countries all over the world - including Nepal, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Fiji, Venezuela, and many places in Brazil. Director and owner of Pitaya Films for the past 15 years, she also produces and hosts shows for the biggest television networks in Brazil and South America.
In 2013 she was the youngest Brazilian woman to summit Mount Everest (via the South Face). In 2017 she repeated the feat, but this time up the North Face, making her the first Brazilian to conquer the mountain from both sides. In 2019 she summited K2 - the most technical and difficult of all the 8,000m peaks.
Kester
Haynes
Paramotor Adventurer
Kester is the world’s most accomplished paraglider and paramotor pilot. During the past 20 years, he has fulfilled many of his dreams by combining exploration with a passion for innovation and adventure - using light aircraft, 4x4's, motorbikes, paramotors, ground-effect crafts, electric mountain bikes, jet boards, and kayaks. His adventures have taken him to deserts, forests, mountains, volcanoes, and islands on different continents around the world, soaking up the landscapes, the wonders, the culture, and the people that inhabit these often remote and wild locations.
The fabled Northwest Passage has sparked his interest. He appreciates the new challenge and new skills required - and the chance to work with former colleagues in the field of videography, paramotoring, and sailing. He has never worked in these cold climates - but is relishing the opportunity. Both Kester and Sylvestre will explore and document the Arctic landscape through the unique perspective that only paramotors can provide. Being one of the UK's most experienced paramotor pilots, Kester will be in charge of equipment and flight safety.
Isak
Rockström
Skipper
Isak is an accomplished northern-latitude sailor and adventurer, and skipper of the Abel Tasman. After completing this expedition, he will become the youngest-ever skipper to sail the Northwest Passage.
Since childhood, Isak has been deeply engaged in sailing and seafaring. When sailing, both Isak and Alex have always preferred to compete as a team - few sailors have spent as many hours at sea. Together, their unique intuitive understanding of one another is their greatest strength when undertaking challenging voyages. The son of renowned climate scientist, Johan Rockström, Isak is following in his fathers footsteps by studying climate science at the University of Bergen in Norway.
Alex
Rockström
First Mate
Like his brother, Alex is also an accomplished northern-latitude sailor, skier, and all-round adventurer, and has crewed on the Abel Tasman on many of her previous expeditions. Once Alex started exploring the Baltic Sea at a young age, his lifelong dream (and that of his brothers) was to sail the world.
Alex is also a climate science student at the University of Bergen in Norway. And Alex and his brother’s maritime journey is not just about sailing - it has become a story of dedication, shared experiences, and a deep commitment to understanding the complexities of the ocean.
Clėo
Campe
Field Producer
Cléo Campe is a Brazilian-German production manager, passionate about the outdoors, adventure, and most importantly, storytelling. Before moving to Germany to study at the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, she worked on several documentary television series for the Brazilian TV channel Canal OFF/GLOBO. She has produced and shot in remote locations in Antarctica, Oman, and Patagonia.
Having worked in fiction, animation, and VR films, Clėo considers herself an eclectic person. But documentary filmmaking remains her passion. So far in her career, she made it a point to gather experience in pre-production, on-location production, and post-production. Quickly she realised that her greatest strengths lie in working in a team faced with challenging environments. Cleo is a keen sailor, so making this passage with her father is a special opportunity.
Sebastian
Sánchez
Sound Recorder
Sebastian Sánchez is a Mexican-German Academy Award-winning sound designer, composer, and mixer. His passion is the discovery and modification of new sounds to use to uniquely enhance films, pushing them to the next level. Following his studies at the KONRAD WOLF film academy in Germany, he has amassed extensive experience in the audio field. With involvement in over 100 projects encompassing broadcast series, cinema, advertising, and music production, he has made his mark across many diverse genres.
His work has spanned all facets of sound production. His contributions encompass set-recording, sound editing, sound design, composition, recording, and mixing. This comprehensive engagement equips him with a profound understanding of the recording aspect necessary to effectively convey the director’s vision and the desired atmosphere for audiences.
Ramon
Gonçalves
Cameraman
Ramon is a Brazilian photographer and filmmaker with over 20 years of experience in the audiovisual field. Specialising in cinematography, he excels as a camera operator, focus puller, and expert in image stabilisation and drone operation. With a keen eye for visual storytelling, Ramon is known for his technical expertise in formatting and project solutions, and has worked on productions including The Beekeeper, Snow White, and Big Mood.
Rakel
Thorell
Crew Member
Rakel is an experienced crew member of the Abel Tasman, where she has spent several nautical miles aboard together with Isak and Alex. Alongside sailing she is also a keen skier and rock climber and a great enthusiast of nature and the outdoors. She is currently a student in Economics at Lund University in Sweden and takes a particular interest in blue economics and how economic tools and frameworks can be applied to promote a more sustainable management of our ocean and marine resources.
Meg
O'Hara
Artist
Meg O'Hara is an artist and environmentalist, based in Whistler, British Columbia. Her work highlights the importance of ocean conservation in the polar and sub-polar regions, with the aim of inspiring others to seek adventure in nature and reflect on their role in preserving it. In 2022, Meg was the Artist-in-Residence on the Polar Prince during an Atlantic Expedition with the SOI Foundation, and was also selected for an expedition to Antarctica to explore the impact of climate change in the region. In 2023, she was the inaugural Artist-in-Residence at the Canadian Ice Core Lab with glaciologist and National Geographic Explorer Dr. Alison Criscitiello. She was a Featured Artist for Ocean Week in 2023, and this year, she embarked on an ‘Icelandic Odyssey’ as the newly announced Baffin ambassador.
Gustavo
Gama Rodrigues
Executive Producer
Gustavo is an Emmy Award-nominated Producer, specialising in adventure filmmaking. As well as producing The Amazing Race for CBS for 17 seasons, his work covers a huge variety of documentary series for broadcasters around the world - from Red Bull Media to Nat Geo, BBC, HBA and Globo.
