Our crew consists of a Coast Guard licensed captain, a professional cook, a trained deck hand and an expert naturalist. This team brings knowledge gained from years exploring the coast, training in marine biology, education, ornithology, fisheries biology, native arts and culture.
Meet us — The Snowgoose Crew
Dan Liden
Skipper – Owner
A graduate of Environmental Education, Dan has interpreted the environment as a naturalist in Baja, Maine, Puget Sound, and Alaska for 14 years. With his teaching endorsement, he has brought his experiences into the public schools as a math and science teacher. He continues his love of the outdoors by working part time on the Snow Goose as a marine science educator in the fall and spring and as a captain in the summer in Alaska.
Paul Brown
Skipper
Paul took an interest in the sea when he landed a job as a deckhand on a tour boat in Alaska as a teenager. He has been exploring the Alaska's waters ever since. During the busy summer tour season up north, Paul lives in the wheelhouse of the Snow Goose where he navigates the Alaska expeditions with his knowledge and enthusiasm for the landscape. In the winter, he is highly involved with shipboard maintenance and the education programs.
Mikkel Hong
Cook
Mikkel Hong-loves to cook and loves Alaska! Whether he is whipping up pizzas from scratch and finishing them on the grill or leading a hike to a hot springs, Mikkel is a cheerful, enthusiastic, and helpful presence on the boat. He never ceased to be amazed at the plentiful salmon, halibut, and crab that SE Alaska has to offer. In his winter life, he is studying to become a middle-school social studies teacher.
Maggy Witecki
Naturalist
Inspiring teacher in the Snow Goose Marine education program for over 7 years, she has a biology degree and specializes in the mysteries of the intertidal zone creatures. She knows the special places to explore in Southeast Alaska by skiff, kayak or on foot.
Jon Roy
First Mate
Jon Roy was born and raised in the Berkshires of Massachusetts and moved to the Northwest in 2004 to be closer to big mountains and deep snow. When the snow is not flying, Jon works aboard the Snow Goose as an avid deckhand. His time spent in Alaska allowed him to discover the secret spots that few get to see and experience. He knows all the details of the Snow Goose that make her operate smoothly and is always ready for an adventure.
Sarah Hardee
Naturalist
Sarah is currently working towards her MS in Marine and Estuarine Science from Western Washington University. She has found it rewarding to bridge the gap between science and education and spent a year in a middle school classroom as a visiting guest scientist. She has always loved the outdoors and has made a career out of studying nature and getting other people excited about the natural world around them. After graduating from Whitman, Sarah worked in southern California as a science instructor at a non-profit marine institute teaching kids and adults. She has spent several summers working as a naturalist and a kayak guide in the San Juan Islands and now recently has begun exploring the exciting ecosystems of southeast Alaska.
Sarah Speath
Cook
Sarah has a passion for a sense of place and the northwest, and through food this has led her to careers om cooking on charter boats in SE Alaska for the last 15 years and owning a bakery at the early age of 18. Sarah also holds a masters degree in Coastal Zone Management from the University of Washington and a BA in Biology from Western Washington University. When she is not in the gallery baking a fresh batch of bread to go with halibut soup, or kayaking up to a glacier, she is the conservation director of Jefferson Land Trust, located in Port Townsend, Washington, where she resides with her husband Tom and sons Cougar, Will and Flynn.
Hans Bruning
Naturalist
I have been enamored with the state of Alaska since my first visit in '91. Having spent at least some of most of the summers working as a guide/naturalist/captain since then, my love and appreciation for the beauty and pristine nature of Alaska has blossomed over the years. I am constantly in awe of the interactions of the Southeast Alaska ecosystems. It's definitely a case of my appreciation growing along with my comprehension of the intricate relationships of this amazingly rich and complex environment.
Living on the coast in Santa Cruz, CA, I am currently working as a mate on the R/V Fulmar, the research vessel for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Cordell Bank N.M.S. and the Farallon Islands N.M.S. When not working I can be found surfing, kayaking, mountain-biking, hiking, snorkeling and birding somewhere on the planet.