Our next featured crew member is Gonzalo Alfaro Hoeneisen, a lifelong sailor and kayaker who serves as First Mate on the Hans Hansson.
About Gonzalo
Gonzalo’s life has always been closely tied to the water. He grew up in Chile in a family immersed in sailing, learning to sail dinghies at the age of four and racing through his early years. While his classmates played traditional sports, Gonzalo spent time learning nearly every watersport possible, including windsurfing, scuba diving, and whitewater kayaking. He eventually began paddling Class V rapids across Patagonia and has since navigated most of Chile’s rivers and waterfalls.
He later trained as a civil engineer, earned two MBA degrees in Chile and the United States, and spent nearly two decades working in renewable energy and sustainable construction in Chile and Seattle. Throughout those years, sailing remained a constant. He sailed extensively around the Pacific Northwest and later through Chile’s southern channels, where he earned his Ocean Captain license from the Chilean Navy. Alongside his professional career, Gonzalo volunteered as a firefighter and paramedic in Concepción for 22 years, responding to major emergencies including Chile’s 8.8 magnitude earthquake and tsunami in 2010. He says that these experiences shaped his calm, methodical approach to challenging situations on the water.
Spending time sailing in Patagonia made Gonzalo rethink his career. He realized he wanted work that felt engaging, not just a continuation of the same routine. This shift led him to work on sailboats and cruise ships in Antarctica, and eventually to 60 South, where he has spent over three years sharing his sailing expertise and guiding expeditions in the Southern Ocean.
Work and Memories with 60 South
Gonzalo serves as First Mate aboard the Hans Hansson. He helps run all operations on board and oversee land excursions, from operating the crane to driving the zodiacs. He enjoys the dynamic nature of the role, especially leading zodiac outings and exploring on shore with passengers. Gonzalo also values the connections he makes on every trip while meeting people from many different backgrounds. For him, bringing passengers to Antarctica is important because experiencing its pristine environment firsthand helps them understand why it must be protected.
While every day brings adventure, life at sea for extended periods also comes with its challenges. This season, Gonzalo spent three months aboard the ship and says the hardest part is being far from home if something happens with family, though staying connected online helps. Even so, every day in Antarctica offers its own rewards, from watching the morning light hit the peninsula to spotting whales beneath the boat. Seeing wildlife in such remote places never grows old, and Gonzalo says he will carry these experiences with him for a lifetime.
Personal Projects and Interests
When he’s off the boat, Gonzalo stays close to the water around his home in Chile’s Lake District. He lives beside a river where he whitewater kayaks with friends in the summer. In the winter, he enjoys solo sea kayaking trips through the mountain lakes and camping in the snow, where the quiet gives him access to unique wildlife, including pumas and pudús, the world’s smallest deer. On one trip, he even watched a pudú swim past his kayak! Each journey through Patagonia leaves a lasting impression and offers valuable time for reflection and solitude.
When he’s not kayaking, Gonzalo keeps busy caring for his two cats and Labrador and preparing his home for winter, which includes preserving blueberries from more than 100 bushes on his land. He also works as a consultant, writing business plans for the tourism industry. He describes this seasonal rhythm as the perfect balance between time in Antarctica, time at home, and time for personal adventures.
Looking ahead, Gonzalo hopes to one day own his own sailboat and explore the Chilean channels at his own pace. That future would combine Antarctic expeditions, life at home, and sailing in Patagonia with a kayak on board, Starlink to stay connected, and his cats along as crewmates.
Whether in Antarctica or at home, Gonzalo’s love for adventure and experience enriches every expedition. We’re grateful to work alongside him and look forward to many more journeys together!
