Steve Hamilton your Skipper, a 5th generation local and descendant of early French and Scottish settlers grew up on a sheep farm alongside Akaroa Harbour and has intimate knowledge of the harbour and surrounding area.
Starting out at a young age, boating and fishing in and around Akaroa Harbour with his family ensured Steve grew to love the ocean environment.
He and his brother also enjoyed trekking down the farm to collect Mussels and Paua off the rocks. The steep walk back up the hill carrying the catch of the day was a tough task with many rest stops for little legs.
Steve has worked for several years in dolphin swimming starting with his father as a guide where he gained his skippers licence and then went on to work for Black Cat as a swim boat skipper gaining his next level of licence and a lot more experience. He has also had experience on a local Cray fishing and Groper fishing boat which was a very interesting time and still sometimes joins them for some great rod fishing action.
In Steve's spare time he is an avid free diver and father enjoying time with his son Blake who arrived in May 2014.Of course Steve thinks he is just the most handsome son anyone ever had and loves spending time with him.But he can't wait until he's old enough to go free diving and fishing.
Kerstin, Steve's wife and partner is originally from the Allgaeu in Bavarian Germany.
Kerstin travelled to N.Z in 2007 on a working holiday experience. She began working as co-manager in the backpackers that Steve was running on the family farm where the dolphin trips were running from.
They became friends and the rest, as they say is history…
Kerstin has also worked for other Akaroa tour companies Black Cat, Akaroa Dolphins and is at the moment very busy taking care of their son Blake, managing ecoSEAker and playing the flute in her spare time.
You will probably speak to her when you make your phone bookings.