A few words about the principals and senior staff at Shearwater:


Peter Kingsmill
President, Shearwater River Cruises
Peter serves as Harbour Captain and Manager of Operations. He has been active in a variety of roles in the tourism and marine industries, both nationally and locally, working extensively with the Canadian Tourism Commission between 2000 and 2008, as one of the founders of the Redberry Lake (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserve, and as Mayor of his home community (Hafford) since 2006. He was awarded the Governor General of Canada's Conservation Award in 1992. Peter is also Vice President of Shearwater Marine Services Ltd.

Valerie Kingsmill
VP and Director of Catering & Sales
British-born and Australia-raised, Valerie brings over thirty years of restaurant and service industry experience to Shearwater. In the 1980s she was the creative brains behind the small, but nationally recognized, tea-room franchise "Emmett's Tea Room" based at Ruddell, where the croissant-based full-course-meal menu was featured in Where to Eat in Canada for nine straight years. Valerie is Shearwater's "voice on the telephone" when clients call to book tours and dinner cruises.


Mike Steckhan
President, Shearwater Marine Services 
Saskatchewan-born and raised, Mike spent 25 years with the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve, from which he retired in 2011 with the rank of Chief Petty Officer. He earned a commendation for his work during the Manitoba floods (1997) and is a qualified chief engineer for minor warships as well as Senior NCO of Naval Port Security units.




                    
Tamara Sowellu
Senior Captain, Meewasin Queen 
Tamara, who was born and schooled in Saskatoon, joined Shearwater River Cruises as Captain in the spring of 2009. Her experience as a captain, tourist guide and boat operator is extensive, in particular in the sport and professional diving industry in the United States where she is a top-certified deep-dive specialist, a Master Diver, and an instructor. Tamara also has a Shamanic Healing practice in Saskatoon.








Megan Dukart
Senior Steward & Master-in-Training
Megan joined Shearwater River Cruises as a Steward in 2009. She is a qualified massage therapist practising in Saskatoon. She brings energy and intelligence to whatever she undertakes, and Shearwater has been privileged to have her serve the river boats and their passengers as Chief Steward since 2009. In the summer of 2010, Megan took every opportunity to gain sea time and train to be certified as a Master so she can operate as first officer on the riverboats.  






Meghan Ruedger
Senior Wharfrat and Food Services Coordinator
At Shearwater, the "Wharfrat" handles dockside deliveries, passenger information and ticket sales. As Senior Wharfrat, Meghan handles all that and more, doubling as Steward, Cook, and ship maintenance hand. Meghan is a Production Assistant in the film industry during the off-season, having put in several years with Saskatchewan-produced TV series Wapos Bay and Rabbit Fall. Meghan is developing a new career as a restauranteur in Hafford, where she and her sister will be opening a bakery and sandwich shop in early 2012. She joined Shearwater in 2009.

 
Calvin and Sarah LaFreniere
Mechanical and Operations
Sarah is Peter and Valerie's youngest daughter and a Director of the company. She has, to some extent, followed in the footsteps of her great grandfather Admiral Sir Charles Kingsmill (founder of the Canadian Navy in 1910). Sarah spent four years as an HMCS Jervis Bay Cadet (at Saskatoon's HMCS Unicorn) and finished her last year as a staff sailing instructor at Fort Qu'Apelle and represented Saskatchewan sailing as a "Skip" in the Western Canada Summer Games. She serves as Shearwater's rigger during launch and dry-docking procedures and is the company's bookkeeper. Her husband Calvin is often the company's go-to equipment mechanic. Together Sarah and Calvin and their children raise cattle and grain on the third-generation LaFreniere family farm at Mayfair, north west of Saskatoon.