Rodrigo Olson
OCEANOGRAPHER
Rodrigo has a degree in Oceanography from the University of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico and continued his studies in Scripps Oceanographic Centre, La Joya, California.
PUBLISHED WORK
Rodrigo discovered a new species of shrimp 'Eualus subtilis' at a young age. His paper was published with much critical acclaim.
The Southwestern Naturalist
Vol. 29, No. 1 (Mar. 23, 1984), pp. 59-71
Published by: Southwestern Association of Naturalists
DOI: 10.2307/3670770
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3670770
Systematic Distribution and Ecology of Coastal Shrimps in Bahia Todos Santos, Baja California, Mexico (1982)
OCEAN YACHTMASTER
Mar 2021 - current
Captain, M/Y Blue Guitar,
Camper Nicholson 103'
2016 - 2020
Captain, S/Y Crazy Horse, Oyster 72'
Maintenance and upkeep of vessel
Nov 2017
Captain, S/Y Interlude, Shannon 51' ketch
Researching whales & dolphins, Baja California, Mexico
Sea of Cortez
1000 n.m. logged
Aug 2016
R/V Alguita. 50' custom catamaran
Long Beach - Ensenada (Mexico) then San Diego
Re-fit in San Diego CA, USA
Aug 2016
Captain. O.R.V Alguita
50' research catamaran
Researching plastics in Bahia Todos Santos, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
300 n.m. logged
July 2016
Captain, S/Y Crazy Horse. 72' Oyster sloop
Delivery from Palma to Gibraltar
500 n.m. logged
Nov 2015 - Jan 2016
Captain, S/Y Emmaline. 106ft HJB Custom Sloop.
Palma to Antigua
Aug 2015
Captain, R/V Song of the Whale, 72' custom steel sloop
Researching whales off west coast of Ireland
1.600 n.m. logged
Mar 2008 - Dec 2014
Co-Director of Custom Discovery
Researching whales and dolphins, conservation and education.
Organising expeditions worldwide
July 2014
Captain, R/V Sea Dragon. 72' ex-BT Challenge sailing boat
Iceland to Faroe Islands to Sweden
Researching whales and dolphins
2,000 n.m. logged
Nov 2013 - May 2014
Captain, S/V Blue Ox, 59' Outremer Performance Catamaran
Building, commissioning and preparing vessel for trans-Atlantic passage
La Grande Motte, France to Bermuda Island
4,500 n.m. logged
July 2013
Relief Captain, R/V Song of the Whale, 72' custom steel sloop
Researching whales in Mediterranean Sea
1.000 n.m. logged
Feb 2012
Captain, S/Y Interlude. 57' Bristol ketch
Filming whales and dolphins in Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico
600 n.m. logged
Apr - Jul 2012
Captain, R.V. Sea Dragon. 72' ex-BT Challenge sailing boat
Researching plastics in the Western North Pacific
Marshall Islands to Japan, then onto Hawaii
7,500 n.m. logged
2011
Developing Custom Discovery with partner Belinda Braithwaite
Filming for research and conservation organisations
Expedition : Outer Hebrides, Scotland, filming whales & basking sharks
Expedition : Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico, filming whales
2010
Captain, S/Y Vesper. Swan 77' sailing yacht
Re-fit in Palma, Mallorca, Spain
Jan 2010
Captain, S/Y Sapphire. 86’ ketch built by Belliure.
Delivery Marseilles, France to Bizerte, Tunisia.
500 n.m. logged.
June - Oct 2009
Captain, Vaka Project. Building, commissioning and sailing seven traditional
ocean-going Polynesian Canoes. 72ft custom built. Training Captains and Crew.
New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji. Plus filming Humpback Whales in Vavau, Tonga.
June 2009
Captain, S/Y Mascotte, 60’ 1904 Bristol Pilot Cutter,
Filming whales and dolphins in Hebrides.
Feb 2009
Relief Captain, M/V Askari, 104’ Expedition Yacht, Moorea, Tahiti, French Polynesia
Jan 2009
Captain, S/Y Balaena
Researching and filming Sperm Whales in the Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico
Sept,Oct,Nov 2008
Captain, S/V Vaquita Express,
Researching critically endangered Vaquita porpoise population
in Upper Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico
Jul 2008 - Aug 2008
Captain, M/V Askari, 104’ Expedition Yacht. Tuamotus, Society Islands,
French Polynesia
April 2008
Expedition Leader, S/Y Carl Linne. 106ft HJB Custom Sloop.
Free-diving & photographing Humpback Whales in Silver Banks, Dominican Republic.
June 2004 - Dec 2007
Captain, S/Y Christoffels LIghthouse, 106ft Custom sloop, HJB
Bermuda, E Coast USA, E Coast Canada including Labrador, Newfoundland,
Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, The Bahamas & Cuba, Antigua, West Indies
April / May 2004
Delivery S/Y Ipanema, 115ft Custom Frers sloop.
From Antigua to Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
3500 n.m. logged.
Feb 2004
Captain, S/Y Silurian 60ft ketch Hebrides, Scotland.
Researching whales & dolphins
Oct - Nov 2003
Captain S/Y Silurian, 60ft ketch, Hebrides, Scotland.
Researching whales & dolphins
Sept 2003
Delivery S/Y Visione, 147ft Baltic sloop, Gibraltar to Bermuda.
3350 miles logged
Aug 2003
Relief Captain S/Y Foftein, 85ft Royal Huisman, custom aluminium ketch,
Mediterranean Sea.
Underwater filming of whales & dolphins
June 2003
Captain S/Y Windchaser, 45ft catamaran.
Organised expedition to observe and photograph
Atlantic spotted dolphins in Bahama Islands.
Oct 2000 - May 2003
Captain R/V Odyssey, 93ft steel ketch,
Researching whales and dolphins
Papua New Guinea, Australia, across Indian Ocean
(Cocos Keeling Islands, Chagos, Seychelles, Maldives, Sri Lanka).
15,000 n.m. logged.
June - Oct 2000
Rebuild and commissioning S/Y Serenade, 62ft N.S. Potter wooden sloop.
Delivery from Camden ME, to Mystic CT, USA
550 n.m. logged.
May 2000
Delivery S/Y Diogenes, J44, Camden ME to NY, USA
400 n.m. logged
March - May 2000
Recommissioning S/Y Sumurun, Fife ketch, for summer 2000 season,
Camden ME, USA
April - May 1999
Delivery S/Y Ipanema, 96ft motor sailor,
Antigua WI, to Palma de Mallorca, Spain
4500 n.m. logged
Feb - March 1999
Maintenance, repairs & haul-out,
S/Y Foftein, Royal Huisman 85ft Custom aluminium ketch,
Antigua WI.
Aug 1998 - Jan 1999
Captain S/Y White Wings, 76 W-Class cold-moulded sloop.
Supervision of its construction and commissioning (launched Sept 1998)
Maine USA Delivery to Caribbean via Florida.
3350 miles logged
May - July 1998
Rigger, Wayfarer Marine Co., Camden, ME, USA
Rigging, tuning and repairs on all types of rigs.
March - April 1998
Delivery S/Y Le Maripier V, Swan 65,
Majuro, Marshall Islands to Tarawa, Kiribati, Micronesia
580 n.m. logged
Jan 1996 - Feb 1998
Captain S/Y Foftein, Royal Huisman, 85ft Custom aluminium ketch.
Eastern Canada, NE coast USA, Bermuda, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos,
Dominican Republic and Caribbean.
Including filming and diving with whales and dolphins
20,000 n.m. logged
Nov - Dec 1995
Delivery S/Y Serenity of Sea, Jongert 22m,
Westbrook, CT, USA to Antigua, WI
2000 n.m. logged
April - June 1995
Captain S/Y Pursi, Swan 41,
Re-commissioning and delivery from Antigua, WI to Camden ME, USA
2000 n.m. logged
Nov 1994 - Jan 1995
Installation of new carbon-fibre mast on S/Y Le Marpier V, Swan 65,
San Diego, CA
Delivery to Acapulco, Mexico
1200 n.m. logged
Nov 1992 - Oct 1994
Captain S/Y Talina Swan 65,
Caribbean, Bermuda NE Coast USA and Eastern Canada
20,000 n.m. logged
April 1991 - Oct 1992
Captain S/Y Saida Swan 65,
Caribbean, NE coast, USA, Central America, west coast of Mexico and USA including a re-fit in Camden ME, USA
20,000 n.m. logged
Dec 1990 - March 1991
Relief Captain S/Y Le Maripier V, Swan 651,
Honduras, Guatemala and Belize, Caribbean Sea
500 n.m. logged
Nov 1987 - Oct 1990
Captain S/Y Talina Swan 65,
Caribbean, Bermuda, NE Coast USA, Eastern Canada, Transatlantic,
Western Europe, including 2 major refits in USA
30,000 n.m. logged
Aug - Nov 1987
First Mate S/Y Pegasus 92 Custom sloop.
Delivery from Seattle WA, USA to Virgin Islands, West Indies.
6000 n.m. logged
June 1986 - Aug 1987
Sailing instructor and boat deliveries in Puget Sound, USA
and British Columbia, Canada
June 1986 - Aug 1987
Sailing instructor and boat deliveries in Puget Sound, USA
and British Columbia, Canada
Dec 1982 - Feb 1986
First Mate S/Y Le Maripier IV, Swan 57, during Pacific voyage
Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia, west coast USA, west coast of Mexico,
Central America and Caribbean
30,000 n.m. logged
July - Aug 1982
Refit S/Y Cassandra, 47ft Formosa ketch for Offshore Voyage,
Seattle WA, USA
Sept 1976 - April 1982
Instructor: Skin & Scuba diving, Swimming & Life Saving
at Marine Science School, UABC, Ensenada, Mexico
Further Info:
Languages : Spanish, English, French & some German
Full International Driving License
STCW95
Eng 1
Offshore Yachtmaster, RYA, Hamble UK
Ocean Yachtmaster, RYA, Hamble UK
Sea Survival, Class IV, MCA, UKSA, Isle of Wight UK
MSc in Marine Ecology at UABC, Ensenada, Mexico
BSc in Oceanography at UABC, Ensenada, Mexico
Celestial Navigation & Marine Weather Courses, Seattle WA, USA
Advanced Diving Certification, NAUI, Scripps, La Jolla, San Diego CA, USA
Ocean Lifeguard Certification, San Diego, CA, USA
Scuba & Skin Diving Certification, Ensenada, Mexico
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