Our Boat & Crew | AK Wildlife Cruises

Your Captain CK has vast experience working in the private boat chartering business over the many years of his long-standing career. Throughout this time, he has worked closely with such people as Dame Ellen MacArthur, working as her towboat captain during her record-breaking round-the-world trip. He has also worked alongside a selected team in the “Whitbread Round the World Race”, plus several other cross-Atlantic challenges that finished off at the Lizard Point in Cornwall.

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From both a personal and business point of view, we do our utmost to support all the conservation groups we work closely with and help promote their conservation initiatives.

CK is a dedicated, professional wildlife guide, who understands the complex issues of filming in the natural world.  In the past, he has worked with “The Really Wild Show” and their presenter, Michaela Strachan, filming basking sharks. Furthermore, he has carried out survey work for the WDCS and the RSPB.

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CK was the very first operator in the UK to endorse and sign up for the nationally accredited “WiSe” scheme, as well as being endorsed by the SeaWatch Foundation and the WDCS, ensuring sensitive interaction with all the marine mammals and birds observed during our “safari” excursions.

I’ve had a passion for the conservation of our marine environment since a very young age after being brought up in Cornwall and around the water and boats in Falmouth, seeing all of the diverse wildlife that the Cornish coastlines have to offer. As a result, I have completed my level 2 powerboats license and a course surrounding the identification of seabirds and marine mammals. All these experiences have led to me successfully applying to join Plymouth University to complete a degree in Ocean Science and Marine Conservation, where I’m now in my second year. My current research involves the beginning of my final year project where I will be looking at the effect of marine traffic on the numbers of common dolphins in Falmouth, which will be using the data that you allow us to collect aboard AK Wildlife Cruises!

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I joined the team as a volunteer last year and I have been able to witness some truly amazing sights with by far the most amazing encounter being a collection of different groups of bottlenose dolphins amounting to over 200 in a small area! My aim for this year is to pass on the knowledge that I have around cetaceans to anyone who joins us onboard and promote the education of the conservation needed to a whole host of different communities to protect our vital marine ecosystems!