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Our Team

Albatross Encounter has two full time skippers who also act as tour guides.

KAIKŌURA

Albatross Encounter Staff

Albatross Encounter has two full time skippers who also act as tour guides. Both skippers have a wealth of knowledge on the Kaikoura district and the pelagic sea birds which visit the area. They also share a passion for all oceanic wildlife that they encounter whilst leading Albatross Encounter tours.

Your skippers & guides

Read more on Gary Melville

Gary Melville

Skipper

Gary Melville

Skipper

Gary Melville

Gary or "Gazza" (as he is locally known) is one of our most experienced and longest serving skippers. He has worked for Encounter Kaikoura since 1998 and brings with him a wealth of pelagic seabird experience with 25 years of fishing in the Kaikoura area.

His adventures have taken him all around the world including a circumnavigation of   Antarctica, South America and South Africa, certainly well travelled!!! His favourite places include South Georgia, South Thule and of course Kaikoura.

Gary has been skippering on our Albatross Encounter since its inception. When he’s not taking people out to see the albatross, he likes to spend time nurturing his garden and using his organic vegetable patch to create culinary masterpieces in his kitchen.

Read more on Tracy Cooper

Tracy Cooper

Skipper & Guide

Tracy Cooper

Skipper & Guide

Tracy Cooper

Tracy Cooper started out with Encounter Kaikoura in 2005 as guide on our dolphin boats and in 2011 she successfully gained her Commercial Launchmasters Certificate and now shares the skippering on Encounter II our birdwatching vessel. Tracy has a degree in Environmental Science and has worked on research projects around the world including the Falkland Islands, Borneo and Hong Kong. During her free time she likes the challenges of exploring the outdoors with weekends away spent climbing mountains and tramping. Tracy also enjoys travelling and has hitch-hiked through the Amazon with Antarctica standing out as her favourite place.

Encounter Café Team

Read more on Pete

Pete

Head Chef

Pete

Head Chef

Pete

Read more on Lena

Lena

Chef

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Chef

Lena

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Nico

Chef

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Chef

Nico

Read more on Carl

Carl

Chef

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Chef

Carl

Read more on Sariah

Sariah

Cook

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Cook

Sariah

Read more on Bridget

Bridget

Baker

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Baker

Bridget

Read more on Wei Yee

Wei Yee

Kitchen Assistant

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Kitchen Assistant

Wei Yee

Read more on Videa

Videa

General Hand

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General Hand

Videa

Read more on Melissa

Melissa

Kitchen Hand

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Kitchen Hand

Melissa

Read more on Amelia

Amelia

Student Team Member

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Student Team Member

Amelia

Read more on Nathalie

Nathalie

FOH Team Leader

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FOH Team Leader

Nathalie

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Kylie

FOH Team Leader

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FOH Team Leader

Kylie

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Sam

FOH Team Member

Sam

FOH Team Member

Sam

Syriely

FOH Shift Leader

FOH Shift Leader

Syriely

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Summer

FOH Team Member

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FOH Team Member

Summer

Rob

FOH Team Member

FOH Team Member

Rob

Read more on Grace

Grace

Student Team Member

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Student Team Member

Grace

Read more on Mia Rose

Mia Rose

Student Team Member

Mia

Student Team Member

Mia Rose

Guadalupe

FOH Team Member

FOH Team Member

Guadalupe

Suzy

FOH Team Member

FOH Team Member

Suzy

Read more on Simona

Simona

FOH Team Member

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FOH Team Member

Simona

Customer Service Team

Read more on Leigh

Leigh

Reservations Supervisor & Guide

Leigh

Reservations Supervisor & Guide

Leigh

Read more on Joanna

Joanna

Customer Service Supervisor

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Customer Service Supervisor

Joanna

Read more on Alicja

Alicja

Customer Service & Cafe

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Customer Service & Cafe

Alicja

Read more on Mawhi

Mawhi

Customer Service Team Member

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Customer Service Team Member

Mawhi

Read more on Huifang

Huifang

Customer Service & Cafe

Huifang

Customer Service & Cafe

Huifang

Read more on Lesley

Lesley

Retail Manager

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Retail Manager

Lesley

Read more on Heather

Heather

Retail Superstar

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Retail Superstar

Heather