Meet our Guides
Meet the fantastic team of guides who bring your SwimTrek experience to life.
Marlys Cappaert
Life before SwimTrek
A very wise professor once advised me to change careers every ten years. It’s a strategy for staying fresh and has another distinct advantage: eventually you will encounter the very best career for your interests and talents. My earliest endeavors were as a taxi-driver, firefighter, sardine packer, and home builder. Later I had longer-term careers as a research plant pathologist and then a software engineer. Throughout, in my spare time, I always had a foot in a lake, a river or a pool. I’ve coached local Masters teams, developed a program for the adult fearful swimmer, and spent time convincing my friends to swim across that next body of water. Eventually I saw my way to SwimTrek, perhaps my final, certainly my favorite career.
Life at SwimTrek
A guide since 2014, I’ve also been working to increase opportunities for SwimTrek in North America. There are two parts to our strategy. One is to work with the marketing team to introduce SwimTrek and open water swimming to a greater audience of North Americans. The other goal is to develop new SwimTrek destinations in the coasts, canyons, and lakes of North America. When I’m not on the road, I work from my remote office in Oregon. Most memorable swim moment There are many, but most recently, I swam Vidösternsimmet, a lake swim in Sweden. It was special for several reasons; Sweden is my ancestral home (where my swimming mother comes from), it was one of my longest swims, I swam with a good friend, and the feed stations had cinnamon buns and coffee! The icy water and dense fog were merely a bonus.
Favourite SwimTrek location or event
Impossible question. Each location has something special or favorite about it. The places we go all offer a way to explore and immerse ourselves in ways that few visitors can. However: the Galapagos is my current favorite. Every day is magic. The diversity and abundance of wildlife are exceptional. Our access to pristine waters that have been only visited by SwimTrekkers is unique. I’ve also found that the people of the Galapagos Islands have an uncommon commitment to conservation and preservation. These folks give me hope for the future of the planet.
Interesting fact about you
I have two conjoined toes—webbed feet!
Why I love working at SwimTrek
The SwimTrek team has a deep passion for creating spectacular adventure opportunities for swimmers. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that? Given the 8-hr time difference between my office and HQ, I miss out on a few of the spontaneous office events. But I’ve always felt included and welcome, and just once in a while, I’ll get up at 4 am, so I can share a coffee.
Jamie Jamison
Swim history before SwimTrek
I am a lifelong swimmer although never competitively as a stand alone sport. I come to swimming from triathlon where I excelled at iron distance triathlons and loved the distance and the freedom of no walls. Be it lakes, rivers, oceans and even a giant fish farm tank once (not recommended!), I love the open water. There’s nothing better than a long open water swim with friends followed by a coffee!
Most memorable swim moment
The start of the Ironman World Championship.
Top swimming tip
When working on your stroke technique, pick 1-2 changes and give yourself adequate time to absorb them. Realize that change is a slow process and don’t get frustrated. Remember that swimming is for fun and not frustration.
Interesting fact about you
Once upon a time, I played bagpipes (poorly) in a pipe band.
John Lester
Swim history before SwimTrek
I have worked at various locations as a diver/superintendent, including the Middle and Far East and took any opportunity to swim in these places, such as Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia. I qualified as an ASA Level 2 coach in 2000 and coached my local swimming club, also giving one to one lessons to adults in open water. I have competed in masters swimming competitions at local, UK and European level. With the growing popularity I qualified as a Level 2 triathlon coach and co founded our local triathlon club, coaching the swimmers in both pool and open water swimming.
Locations guided on
Mallorca, Oman
Most memorable swim moment
Swimming with the seals around the Farne Islands in Northumberland. Crossing the Firth of Forth as part of a Triathlon and winning 4 gold medals in Alicante at the Spanish Open Masters competition.
Top swimming tip
Practice bilateral breathing, it will pay big dividends in both stroke symmetry and the ability to change your rhythm to suit the sea conditions.
Anna Crampin
Swim history before SwimTrek
I started at my local club when I was 8. It was my favourite thing to do and still is. The club was run by a teacher from school and parents and was about friendship and the enjoyment of swimming with a heady mix of competition. I won enough to feel like I was good at something. Important at any age. I started sea swimming as an adult when I moved to Oman. The camaraderie and sheer pleasure of it made it the highlight of my week. I also started swimming at a Masters swimming club under a brilliant coach to refine my technique and get faster. When I moved to the UAE I found my current swimming tribe and continue to sea swim weekly including through the summer months in some of the hottest seas in the world. I’m also the head coach at a swimming academy here, teaching the squads. My personal goal is to swim the Oceanman 10k in Dubai this year.
Most memorable swim moment
My Masters club was part of the school swimming programme at my kids school. Coach asked if I would swim in the school gala to showcase the club and boost the numbers. I said yes because I wanted my daughter to see me swim and feel motivated to swim herself. Other parents were in the stands, my kids’ teachers were organising and I hadn’t been off a starting block in 20 years. I was dreadfully nervous. That day I made all of the 50m qualifying times for the FINA World Masters Championships. A huge surprise!
Top swimming tip
Enjoy every moment in the water. Oh and prescription goggles if you wear glasses - life-changing!
Interesting fact
I’ve climbed Kilimanjaro 10 times.
Telle Maukonen
Swim history before SwimTrek
I've been swimming as long as I can remember, but my obsession with open water swimming really started in 2011 when I went on my first SwimTrek trip to the Greek Cyclades as a guest. Skip to 2013 (via two more SwimTrek LDTs, a Windermere swim, a couple of Channel Relays, and a solo English Channel swim) when I decided to devote my life to swimming and qualified as a swimming teacher and SwimTrek Guide. I am from Finland originally but I've been based in the UK since 1998.
Locations guided on
Croatia (Dalmatian Coast & Kornati Islands); Mallorca (Coaching, LDT, & Short Escape); Greece (Cyclades & Milos); Lakes of Lithuania; River Thames; Durdle Door; Lake Bled & the Slovenian Alps; Baja Peninsula, Mexico; The Maldives; The Galapagos Islands
Most memorable swim moment
The final few arm pulls before scrambling onto a dry boulder at Cap Gris Nez.
Top swimming tip
Think up songs in your head that match the rhythm of your swim, and sing them while you swim, it's good fun and it helps to fight the demons that creep out of the cold and the fatigue. I'm pretty sure it's also a jellyfish deterrent, but the evidence on that is merely anecdotal, and really quite patchy, it may just be my singing that scares them away...
Interesting fact
When I'm not in the water, I'm thinking about it. I was also the first Finnish Woman to swim the English Channel.
Dionne Tatlow
Swim history before SwimTrek
Growing up I always gravitated towards water activities and spent the majority of my summers at the lake, and then taking swimming lessons throughout the winter. I began recreationally lane swimming during my undergraduate degree and then started training with a Masters team in Toronto while in Chiropractic College. During my time in Toronto I completely fell in love with swimming and have since immersed myself in all facets of the sport; from treating swimmers, coaching, organizing a local race, and of course, spending endless hours in the water myself!
Most memorable swim moment
Perhaps my first SwimTrek swim! In the Aeolian Islands we swam along the coast of Vulcano and I couldn’t stop smiling. The scenery was gorgeous, the water was unbelievably blue, and the group was a lot of fun. I got out of the water and the only thing I managed to verbalize was “I’m so happy, just so, so happy!” I said it so much that it became a running joke throughout the trip!
Top swimming tip
One-armed and balance-driven drills are very effective. They do a fantastic job of highlighting and correcting asymmetries in strength and mobility while engaging the core; all of which are very important factors for efficiency and injury prevention.
Interesting fact
I live 236km from the nearest pool, but only 30m from a big, beautiful freshwater lake. It makes for a long winter with a lot of driving, but in the summer I can swim home from work!
Eoin Gleeson
Swim history before SwimTrek
Ennis Swimming and Lifesaving Club, Clare Surf-Lifesaving Club, National Surf-Lifesaving Squad/Team, Swim Teacher, Assistant Lifesaving Instructor, Pool Lifeguard, Beach Lifeguard, IRB Crew/Coxain
Most memorable swim moment
Hard to choose one. One of my first memories of swimming in the ocean would have to be with my whole family including cousins, aunts and uncles. We found a small secluded bay in the Burren, just before Fanore. It was limestone rock right up to the water and limestone mountain behind us. Once we all got in with wetsuits, snorkel and mask equipped, a lone dolphin appeared. As a child I still have this memory of diving down and coming face to face with this huge animal. She came right in and circled around us gently showing affection in a playful manner. We named it Mara. But the dolphin is now known to people as Dusky. We re-visited a number of times, but that first encounter will stay with me.
Top swimming tip
If feeling tired/fatigued, slow your stroke number and increase the length of pull by stretching arms.
Interesting fact
The earth's surface is covered by roughly 70% of ocean. We as humans we have only explored or seen 5% of these vast expanses of water. Let's get exploring!
Francesco Cavaliere
Swim history before SwimTrek
I am a PE teacher and I was teaching at the University in Chieti up until 2014. I am currently a swim coach and lifeguard and I work for SS.Lazio Nuoto in Rome. I am the President and founder of ASD Swimtrekking, this year completing 20 years of activity. I have been a swimmer since I was 4 years old but I never loved to swim in pools and fresh water and I retired from the pool at 14 years old. My passion was to swim in the sea, looking to explore, and when I was an early teenager I loved to swim with my friends in the blue sea of the Eolian Islands with a mask and snorkel. At 15 I completed my first circumnavigation of Panarea and from that moment every summer was the opportunity to explore to sea beauty swimming round the islands. My first big challenge was in 1993 when I completed a 150 km coastal of all the Emerald Coast in Sardinia in 13 days. From summer 1994 to summer 2005 I completed the swim of all the Italian minor islands (all the Italian islands apart from Sicily and Sardinia) for a total of 44 islands as a solo swimmer with no boat support. In the winter of 2005 I swam around 10 island in the huge archipelago of Los Roques in Venezuela and in 2006 I swam around the island of Ithaca in Greece. I have also completed the swim of the San Bernardo archipelago in Colombia in winter 2014 and the coastal swims in the Galapagos archipelago in winter 2015.
Locations guided on
I have been guiding for Swimtrek in Sardinia since the start of that trip and as well the Aegadian islands and the Aeolian islands. This year I will also be guiding the Tremiti islands.
Most memorable swim moment
The most memorable moment was when I was swimming around Stromboli island in 1996 and there was a lava eruption combined with a thunderstorm. It was an incredible to swim in such conditions and an unforgettable scenery to experience.
Top swimming tip
Swim with a kickboard in one hand. Pull and when you enter, aim the hand for the corner of the board and reach out under the side of the board instead of for the center. This can correct some of the common mistakes of moving the hands across the body on the reach after entry.
Interesting fact
I love the sea, and swimming is an opportunity to explore marine life in a very unique way and to feel part of it.
Giulia Negrini
Swim history before SwimTrek:
I come from a little town in the Italian Alps and, despite growing up in the mountains, I've taken up swimming since a young age and grew up being a professional swimmer. I swam competitively for over 10 years, taking part in National and International events in Italy and Europe.
At the age of 21, I had to put my swimming career aside so I decided to move abroad, in search of new adventures and simply to discover what other beautiful things there are outside a swimming pool. Since then, I've been traveling non-stop to study and work and lived in quite a few countries: Sweden, Denmark, France, New Zealand, Japan, and the UK. Now I'm finally back home in Italy for the first time in 6 years and it's quite nice to enjoy the good food again!
Locations guided on:
Emerald Coast Sardinia, Tremiti Islands
Most memorable swim moments:
In the pool: my best swim moment in the pool was when I won the gold medal at the Italian Championships in Rome, with the 4*100 medley relay. I was the backstroker in the team. I remember crying from joy for the whole 5 hours drive home after the race!
In the sea: swimming at twilight in the Emerald coast of Sardinia and watching the sunset from the water...
Best swimming tips:
Swimming is a sport of silence and imagination. Get in the water, feel its lightness. Breathe, glide and swim until the music of the water overcomes the rumor of your thoughts.
Interesting facts about myself:
When I am not in the water, I am always looking for a mountain to climb. I like the view of the sea from a mountain top.
Graham Buckley
Swim History before SwimTrek
Growing up by the sea, I’ve been in the water since a young age. I joined my local lifesaving club while at school, from which swimming and lifesaving became a big part of my life. I spent several years working as a beach lifeguard in Brighton, both on the beach and a patrol boat, and then as a Seafront Officer – managing and training lifeguards and working all year round on the seafront. I also worked for a while at SwimTrek HQ, so am pleased to be returning as a guide in SE Asia!
Locations Guided On
Tenerife, Portugal, Tremiti Islands, Lithuania, Croatia, Vietnam (soon!)
Most Memorable Swim Moment
Probably completing a channel relay swim with the SwimTrek office team back in 2016… and the many hours of winter swimming to prepare for it.
Top Swimming Tip
Make sure you understand what the water is doing and the environment you are getting in before you go in – to both keep you safe and to help you plan.
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