Meet the Crew
Travel in good company is an important part of every journey. Our passionate and friendly crew are great companions for exploring the North.
Höskuldur Jónsson
Captain
Höskuldur is the expedition leader and main captain of Schooner Opal. He has tremendous experience in the Arctic, you would hardly find anyone more seasoned with the coast of East Greenland. Höskuldur’s passion for the outdoors and exploration of new corners of the Arctic is evident, driving his commitment to providing authentic experiences for all adventurers aboard Schooner Opal.
Lucía Merino
Guide / Deckhand
Lucía started sailing at the age of 8! She has been working as an oceanographer and wildlife guide for the last decade. She has also been involved in different research projects related to cetaceans, such as the Orca population in the Strait of Gibraltar. Her biggest dream is to cross the Pacific Ocean.
Heimir Harðarson
Captain
In 2013, Heimir searched for an expedition ship to add to the North Sailing’s fleet, found Opal and the rest is history. They immediately caught each other’s eye, and since then, Heimir has hardly missed a single voyage onboard Opal. Heimir is a true soul explorer, a knowledgeable and experienced expedition leader with a great sense of humour. Heimir is one of the founders of North Sailing and has worked on the sea for more than 25 years, mainly as a captain of beautiful ocean-going wooden vessels.
Belén García Ovide
Guide / Deckhand
Belén is a marine biologist, wildlife guide and experienced sailor. She has worked on several tall wooden ships where she learnt unique and historical methods of sailing. She has been involved in different research projects in the fields of marine acoustics, noise and effects on marine mammals, bio tourism and participatory science. Belén is also the founder of Ocean Missions.
Arnþór Þórsteinsson
Chef
Renaissance man in Icelandic style. Arnþór is known as an IT teacher, farmer, pop-up chef, actor and musician. His biggest dream is to open a beetroot farm in Iceland. Arnþór has a passion for cooking and strives to cook sustainably.
Sigríður Ólafsdóttir
First mate / Captain
Sigga is a passionate outdoor enthusiast with a deep love for sailing. In addition to her role as Opal’s first mate and captain, she is a teacher at Nautical School of Iceland. She teaches navigation, rules of the sea, simulator and environmental protection of the sea. She is also an organizer of sailing events and beach cleanups, just to list a few of her many activities. Sigga is also a pioneer and leader in female sailing in Iceland, empowering women to participate in sailing and bringing awareness to ocean conservation.
Arnar Freyr Birkisson
First mate / Captain
Born and raised in the north of Iceland, Arnar has been connected to the sea from a very young age. With good humour and great craftsman skills, he is a fantastic guy to have on board.
Aðalgeir Bjarnason
Captain
Alli is a local – born and raised by the harbour in Húsavík and out on Skjálfandi Bay. He is a skilled captain with great experience in sailing fishing vessels around Iceland. For the last decade, he has worked on whale watching boats out of Húsavík and sailing Opal both in Iceland and Greenland.
Interested in joining the crew?
We are always looking for a talent to join our passionate team. We would love to hear from you if you are interested.