Introducing the exceptional team behind Quixote Expeditions, where each member brings a wealth of experience and passion for exploration to every voyage.
Together, our team is committed to providing unparalleled experiences, fostering a love for the sea, and ensuring every traveler returns home with cherished memories and newfound knowledge.
Co-Founder, Managing Director, Special Projects Captain
Federico, better known as Fede, is the Captain and co-founder of Quixote Expeditions. Fede earns the respect of all who sail with him, gained through his years on the ocean. He grew up four blocks from the beach and at age 12 went to sailing school with his dad.
From there, the family explored the coast of Argentina and Brazil in small sailboats. Fede went to university at the National Maritime College in Argentina and holds a Master’s unlimited license. He gained experience on vessels small and large including sailing solo across the Atlantic. Fede is a member of the Explorers Club, is active in the local yacht club, and sits on various IAATO Committees.
Co-Founder, Operations Director, Speical Projects Expedition Leader
Laura started sailing in Optimists as a child. She has since crewed on tall ships, sailed on geology research vessels, and lived on sailboats for nearly 10 years. She has a background in geological engineering and helped name a fault in Mongolia.
Laura has a passion for sharing her knowledge with others. She does so by leading passengers in the field, as well as doing lots of behind-the-scenes work prior to the season, so that everyone can have the best experience possible once onboard. In addition to her work with Quixote Expeditions, she is also the Chair of multiple committees in IAATO and a member of the Explorers Club, and previously the Chair of the Board of the Polar Citizen Science Collective.
Skipper, Hans Hansson
Julian, originally from Scotland, started his seafaring career as an officer cadet on large cargo vessels traversing the world’s oceans.
Since then, he has sailed all over the world on many different types of vessels, from cruise ships, offshore construction, and ferries to ocean conservation, tours, and logistics around Svalbard. Julian has a passion for nature, particularly the wonders of the oceans, which are so rich and precious in the polar regions.
Skipper, Hans Hansson
Dion has been professionally skippering and crewing on various charter vessels in the Southern Ocean since 2000 (another modest crew member—he was actually born on a sailboat in the Southern Ocean and has navigated these waters since he was a child).
He used to own and operate ‘Hans Hansson’ prior to Quixote Expeditions. Home for Dion, when not sailing, is a remote island farm in the Falkland Islands.
Skipper, Ocean Tramp
Oli has been sailing since he was 10 years old, starting in small dinghies on an inland lake. At university, while studying Sports Science with outdoor activities, he competitively raced dinghies and keelboats.
Later, he raced yachts all over the world, including offshore and ocean races. In North Wales, UK, he works at the national sailing centre as an instructor for sailing, yachting, and power boating, as well as instructing in mountaineering and kayaking.
Skipper and First Mate, Ocean Tramp
Lucas’s lifelong passion for sailing began in Rio de la Plata. He honed his skills on various boats, working as a sailing instructor, delivery crew member, and dedicated racer. At the age of nineteen, he co-skippered his first ocean passage, navigating across the North Atlantic from America to Europe.
His time at sea sparked a deep curiosity for wildlife, conservation, and ecological issues, leading him to pursue studies in Ecology and graduate as a biologist. Since then, he continues to explore the captivating landscapes of Antarctica via sailboat, where he has found the perfect blend of his passions.
Skipper, First and Second Mate, Hans Hansson & Ocean Tramp
Wojciech, who goes by ‘Voy,’ knows every nook and cranny of Antarctica and likes to take some time on every trip to explore another new one. Whenever there’s an opportunity, he’s the first to jump into the zodiac to take guests out exploring.
First Mate, Hans Hansson
Gonzalo grew up in Chile and graduated as a civil engineer. He holds two master’s degrees in management, business, and entrepreneurship. He quickly changed his corporate path for his passions: kayaking, sailing, and outdoor life. He is an avid whitewater kayaker and has paddled most of the known rivers in Chile.
Today, he makes expeditions in deep Patagonia with his sea kayak. He is an animal whisperer and holds an Ocean Captain license from the Chilean Navy. He was a firefighter and paramedic in Chile for more than 20 years.
First and Second Mate, Ocean Tramp & Hans Hansson
Damian loves the sea, sailing, and nature. He started sailing over 20 years ago and loves that he can turn his passion into a profession.
He enjoys getting to know new places and new people, and so far, without a doubt, Antarctica is his favorite place.
Deck Hand & First Mate, Ocean Tramp
Laura started sailing when she was 16, taking part in the Tall Ships Races. From then on, she was hooked. While at university getting her maths and philosophy degree, she worked hard to get her sailing qualifications. Since she left university, she’s been working as a sailor ever since.
She’s sailed on vessels all over the world, in all different shapes and sizes, from 30-foot yachts to big square riggers. When not doing expedition sailing, she has spent a lot of her time working in the UK, skippering 70-foot sail training boats which use sailing as a tool for youth work with disadvantaged young people.
Expedition Leader, Hans Hansson
Alex has worked as a polar guide for over a decade, much of that time on the Antarctic Peninsula.
He comes from a background in science (PhD in geology from Cambridge, but he’s too modest) and he co-founded a charity (Polar Citizen Science Collective), which uses tourism vessels as platforms for science.
Expedition Leader, Hans Hansson
After a 10-year career in geology that included two degrees, instructing at the University of Vermont, and working for the Quebec Ministry of Resources and the Canadian Geological Survey in Nova Scotia, Hugh packed his belongings and traveled north to Alaska, where he has lived since 1992. Upon arriving in Alaska, he went to work at a lodge in Denali National Park and started a career in freelance photography.
Hugh’s background in guiding and photography led him to start his own business in 1998, guiding natural history, birding, and photography tours in Alaska. Also in 1998, he made his first trip south to Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falklands and has returned every year since to work as a naturalist, zodiac driver, and photography guide. His passions are the polar regions, but Hugh loves the natural world in general and works between Alaska, Antarctica, the Galapagos, and many places in between.
Guide, Ocean Tramp
Chef, Hans Hansson and Ocean Tramp
Angelica goes by Scotti. She considers herself just ‘your average Canadian.’
Scotti has a love for cooking, traveling, art, and sailing. When she’s not out on the water cooking for her crew, she’s either experimenting with new baking ideas or drawing comics of the things she loves.
Chef, Hans Hansson
He was born in the province of Buenos Aires, and at 18 years old, he decided to head south in search of the mountains and navigation.
Now he is 27 years old and is passionately dedicated to photography and cooking. In his free time, he enjoys ice climbing, skiing, diving, and sailing. He loves to share his travels and photography with others. In 2023, he discovered Antarctica for the first time and decided that this is where he wanted to spend all his summers.
Chef, Ocean Tramp
Leandro is a pretty chill and calm guy who loves adventure and the outdoors.
He lives in the mountains of Patagonia when not sailing and tries to go paragliding whenever he can. He enjoys the challenge of creating meals in a small sailboat and keeping the crew and passengers happy.
Engineer, Hans Hansson
After studying marine engineering in Cape Town, he worked with Sea Shepherd Global for 9 years. After being part of the Antarctic crew in 2023, he has always wanted to return to Antarctica. He’s super excited to be part of the team and show off the best of Antarctica.
Engineer, Hans Hansson
Ernesto was born in a suburb of Buenos Aires, but once he went to the National Fishing School in Mar del Plata, on the coast, he’s never left.
He earned a degree in naval engineering and, over his career, he’s worked on many different types of vessels.
Deck Hand & Second Mate, Hans Hansson & Ocean Tramp
Daniel is a passionate sailor and naval architect. He started sailing at eleven and can still remember the powerful drive of the wind and water that he felt the first time he set foot on a small boat.
This passion for the ocean has taken him to the most remote and beautiful oceans of the world in search of knowledge, happiness, and adventure.
Deck Hand, Ocean Tramp & Hans Hansson
Matias first started sailing before he could remember as his family sailed down the west coast of Africa. He grew up near the ocean in Gabon and has continued to always stay on the water. Recently, he crossed the Atlantic and explored the Greek islands on a sailboat.
For Matias, traveling is an opening into nature, wildlife, and local cultures. He has lived on three continents and speaks five languages. He also holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering, which he likes to use practically in solving any problems that pop up onboard.
Second Mate, Hans Hansson
Joanne has been sailing professionally for 12 years on diving boats, rig supply vessels, tall ships, expedition vessels, tugs, and NGO vessels worldwide.
A keen swimmer, photographer, scuba diver, and animal lover, Joanne is based in the UK but spends most of the year at sea.
Stewardess, Hans Hansson
Since studying animal welfare at Plymouth University, Becky has been involved with a variety of citizen science projects from monitoring microscopic phytoplankton to identifying and cataloguing the giants of the ocean – whales. She is an experienced crew member having spent over seven years working as a deckhand and guide on whale watching vessels around the globe including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Fun fact: She once met David Attenborough – whilst dressed as a gorilla.
Fleet General Maintenance and Shore Support
Cristian is originally from Trevelin, in Chubut, in the middle of Patagonia, but he now calls Ushuaia home. He is a master of all trades and interests. He likes to explore, create, and live in the moment. He is curious and self-taught, enjoying hobbies ranging from photography to nearly any outdoor sport. He is always in a good mood, a good cook, and an excellent carpenter. He lives life and enjoys it as if there were no tomorrow.
Logistics & Shore Support
Sebastian is Quixote’s expedition logistics coordinator in Stanley, helping with all shore support and logistics while the vessel is in port.
He is also a very skilled handyman who can fix most things, and in his free time, he loves the outdoors, fishing, and showing tourists around.
Fleet Carpenter
Born in Tucumán, Esteban Lobo now resides in Ushuaia. He studied photography in Buenos Aires and worked for many years as an interior photographer. Although he first encountered woodworking at a young age, building birdhouses and toys, it wasn’t until his return to Ushuaia that he pursued formal training and began taking the craft seriously.
In addition to his carpentry work, Esteban has contributed as a carpenter on numerous films and commercials shot in Tierra del Fuego.
In his free time, he enjoys camping, hiking, fishing, and sailing.
Bookings and travel assistant
I am a freediving instructor (AIDA) and a diving guide (PADI). Additionally, I trained as an underwater visual artist at the National University of Fine Arts and I am actively involved in artistic and conservation projects through the Oceanar organization.
From 2009 to 2022, I traveled across Oceania, Asia, Africa, and Latin America, participating in various expeditions. In 2019, I was part of the Arctic expedition with Northern Explorers. I also traveled to Antarctica aboard the Ocean Tramp in 2018 and on an expedition cruise in 2024. I explored the Mitre Peninsula onboard the sailboat Ksar in 2022 and the Fuegian channels onboard the sailboat Pic La Lune in 2024.
Currently, I handle the bookings and travel assistant with the Quixote team.
Marketing and Web Development, Quixote Expeditions
I’m Nicolás Lobato, specializing in marketing and web development at Quixote Expeditions, based in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.
With over 12 years of experience in tourism marketing and communication, my focus is on showcasing Quixote’s unique brand and connecting it with travelers from around the world who seek to experience Antarctica in a truly exceptional way aboard our vessels.
Marketing
Self-taught and passionate about nature, Daniel was born in Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, and currently lives in Catamarca, Argentina. There, he combines his love for the natural environment with his work in digital marketing.
In his role at Dale Click, a digital marketing agency, Daniel manages Quixote Expeditions’ social media and graphic design, aiming to capture the essence of each expedition and reflect Quixote’s deep connection with Antarctica and its rich ecosystem. In addition to his marketing experience, he enjoys photography and birdwatching.
Committed to environmental protection, he promotes practices that minimize impacts in his community, focusing on local biodiversity conservation.
Marketing
As the Marketing Coordinator at Quixote, I oversee the coordination of our campaigns, manage website updates, and optimize our presence on Google to ensure our unique Antarctic expeditions reach the right audience.
Having personally experienced the wonders of Antarctica through Quixote, I am deeply committed to sharing this life-changing journey with others. My goal is not only to inspire curiosity and adventure but also to foster a greater sense of responsibility in preserving our planet for future generations.
Marketing agency, Ushuaia and Barcelona
For more than one year, based in Ushuaia and Barcelona, Dale Click MKT has provided solutions in marketing, web development, and brand design.
They collaborate with Quixote Expeditions by providing brand positioning on the internet, defining strategies for social networks to help more people get to know them, and developing their website.
The team that supports Quixote includes Daniel, Evelyn, Nadia, Camila, Jesica, Ludmila, and Nicolás.
The fantastic team at Shackleton’s Way takes care of our passengers as they go through Punta Arenas. They have an eye for detail and a passion for quality service. They are a great help in making things go smoothly, especially when things don’t go as planned.
The team: Standing (left to right): Ninoska Ojeda, Siegrid Hechenleitner, Victor Calbucheo, Branko Seated (left to right): Adolfo Patiño, Katica Stipetic, Dania Alvarez, Laura Ivelich, Milenko Buljan, Macarena Henriquez.
Please fill out the form, and we’ll be delighted to have you join our next trip. We look forward to seeing you!
