Staff

Born in the Netherlands and growing up in a small coastal town, Ab started bird watching at a very young age. Watching and counting birds while migrating along the Dutch coast is one of his favorite activities. Later he started to survey breeding birds in the dunes around his hometown Noordwijk, wrote several reports and advised landowners how to protect the breeding birds.

After graduating with a diploma in Nature and Landscaping, he worked for the Dutch Royal Family for over 15 years.  He got his International Tree Worker Certificate and started his own landscaping company. He also used his climbing skills to help with several research projects, ringing Barn Owls and Tawny Owls.

After travelling and bird watching all over Europe, Ab started to guide small private groups to good birding places in Europe, USA, parts of Africa and Asia, using local bird guides and staying in local places. In his hometown Noordwijk, Ab was a volunteer crew member on a lifeboat  with the Dutch KNRM (Royal Dutch Lifeboat Association) for over 10 years.  He did his training in the Netherlands, Scotland, with the Dutch Coastguard and the Dutch Navy.  He loved to be out on the North Sea in bad weather conditions during SAR operations and training days.
Since 2015, Ab works part-time as a bird guide on Expedition Ships and has made several trips in the Artic and Antarctica.

Anne Dorthe has a Double master’s degree in Environmental Science from University of Copenhagen and University of Vienna. Anne speaks Danish, English and German fluently - together with Norwegian and Swedish on an understandable level. She has been working with tourism since 2007, where she spent the past 5 summers and a winter in Greenland as a destination manager and coordinator on expedition cruises along the Greenland coast. Today she resides in Denmark working as an environmental consultant in Copenhagen

Besides Greenland, Anne Dorthe lived in Greece, Thailand, New Zealand and Austria where either work or her studies on environmental science took her on new adventures – from being an activity and fitness instructor in Thailand to exploring the beautiful nature in New Zealand, and studying the impacts of pesticides in vineyard soils in Austria. Her focus is on contaminated soils and groundwater where remediation measures are the action to secure a cleaner environment towards human health and the ecosystem itself. 

Barbara was born in Austria and has always had a sincere passion for nature and mountaineering. Therefore, the biology study in Innsbruck fit perfectly to her interests. During her bachelor study program, she already worked for several scientific projects on cold ecosystems (Alpine region, Arctic) as well as the tropics (Central America). During this time, she developed a strong passion for the lives of animals, especially invertebrates.

She finished her Master of Science/Zoology with writing a thesis about a water bear species, a tiny resilient multicellular animal, living on the surface of glaciers. 

In 2012 the freshly graduated zoologist entered the world of tourism as a passionate nature guide and ever since joined many expedition cruises in cold regions (Arctic, Antarctica) and warmer climes (South America, Southeast Asia, Australasia, Oceania).

Christophe was born in France and has been passionate about birds since he was a child. After spending five years in Canada studying ecology, Christophe went to Alaska. He lived on the tiny Middleton Island as a research assistant to study the ecology of seabirds. He explores polar and tropical regions since 2007 and joined many cruises from Svalbard to the Russian Far East, from Antarctica to South Georgia, and from Amazonia to the West Indies.

Christophe also worked with birds as a biologist field worker in Morocco, United Arab Emirates and Kazakhstan. Christophe found another way to travel by inventorying collections of birds that have been collected worldwide during the 18 and 19th centuries.

David has had a varied career as a geologist in some of the most remote parts of the world.  He grew up on the edge of the Scottish Highlands, leaving him with a lifelong love of wild places and a serious interest in rock.  He graduated in geology from Glasgow University and joined the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) as a geologist, working on the island of South Georgia for two long field seasons and gaining a PhD from Cambridge for his research. Over the next four years, he worked on projects in Sabah and the New Guinea highlands.

David rejoined BAS as a team leader, doing five more Antarctic expeditions: three in the Antarctic Peninsula and two in the Transantarctic Mountains.  He reached the South Pole, courtesy of the US Navy (but not by ship) and was awarded a Polar Medal in 1987. In the 1990s, he was Chief Geologist of an Arctic research organisation based in Cambridge University. He managed frontier projects across the globe, with personal expeditions to Spitsbergen, Siberia, Sakhalin, Patagonia, and the Falklands. In 1999 took up his present post as professor at the University of Aberdeen, working on projects in Russia, California and Brazil. In his spare time, he reads, dances, and makes and restores furniture.

Delphine has always been fond of travels to explore both the wonders of the natural world and the different cultures. During her scientific studies, she grew a definite passion for polar areas. In 1996 she was selected to be in charge of the long term monitoring surveys of albatross, penguins, seals and orcas on remote Crozet Island, also becoming then the first woman to winter over at a French Polar station!

In order to share her passion with the greater audience, Delphine then worked several years as a reporter, with her articles and photographs published in various newspapers and science, nature and travel magazines. She also wrote and hosted a series of Canal Plus TV documentaries in which she revealed the daily life of some of the remotest communities in the world!

Meanwhile Delphine has never ceased since 1998 to visit the Arctic and the Antarctic, leading expeditions for tourists and scientists, sports and events. She also worked as a musher on Svalbard and she is always keen to take you on a sled ride with the

fabulous huskys!

Dorte always had a profound interest in Greenland. She ended up living and working 5 years in Greenland as Personal Assistant for The Governor of Greenland. Together, they visited and worked all around Greenland - from Kap Farvel to Station Nord - from East- to West Greenland.

She was headhunted by the then Prime Minister to work as his Personal Assistant in the Danish Prime Ministry and worked also as PA for the next two Danish Prime Ministers. This job involved among others: Planning, organizing, traveling on official visits worldwide with the Prime Minister and major industry delegations, and facilitating political, economical and cultural issues.

Apart from Greenland, Dorte lived in Switzerland, Kenya and South Africa, as most of her family has lived there since 1940. She worked as project manager at Art Galleries and at the National Museum of Art. She is a lecturer and author, educated systemic and professional coach and owner of Coaching Company, Step2.

Dorte has worked as tour guide for Albatros since 2006, covering destinations from North to South Pole. Experiences from her jobs have made her an expert in always having a plan B and knowing to expect the unexpected – handy tools, also for a tour leader. She is about to be educated as Ranger in South Africa.

Emma (Emmarentia) Hansen was born and raised in the stunning Lowveld area of Mpumalanga, South Africa, adjacent to Kruger National Park.

Growing up on a farm, wildlife, animals and nature have always played an integral part in her life. After a chance cruise in 1998, she switched careers and literally ran away to sea. Moving to Durban, where she

completed her commercial skipper’s ticket, she joined the large cruise liners operating in the Indian Ocean, as a Zodiac driver. In 2007, her move to ‘Small Ship Cruising’ as an Assistant Expedition Leader greatly

enlarged her geographical knowledge base and she is now a veteran of the globe, including the polar regions. “No matter how many times you visit, the polar trips knock you out. The fabulous scale of the Norwegian

landscape and the 24-hour daylight are like another world. In the Antarctic you see this amazing contrast between the bumbling behaviour of seals and penguins on land, versus their sheer grace in the water. You are surrounded by a landscape made entirely of water in liquid and solid forms and you are amazed at how beautiful that can be.”

“People often ask, ‘What’s your favourite destination?’ and that’s difficult. My answer is that there are three “g’s” - and then a fourth. There’s the gang (of staff), the guests and the geography. It’s my job to create the chemistry so all three coalesce, and when that happens then wherever we are, is great.”

George is an English ecologist with a lifelong passion for birds. Prior to joining the Albatros team, he worked as a guide in the Scottish Highlands leading groups on a variety of tours centered on wildlife watching and walking.

Alongside guiding, George’s training in conservation and ecology has taken him on research expeditions across the world including trips to the Amazon jungle, New Zealand’s uninhabited islands and sub-Saharan Africa. Some of his most recent work has involved studying the ecology of free-ranging dogs in remote sections of Chad and Ethiopia. From these trips, his best wildlife encounter was spotting a snow leopard and her cub hunting high in the Himalayas.

In 2017 George was awarded a PhD from the University of Exeter in Cornwall, UK. His thesis explored the management of predatory animals and the conservation conflicts this creates. Most recently, George has moved to Southern Chile where he is busy exploring is new home’s amazing flora and fauna. Of particular focus are the incredible seabirds of the South Pacific!

Gregers has 25 years of experience as an airline pilot, including a year stationed at Thule Airbase, located on Greenland’s northwest coastline. He is fluent in Danish and English.  He shares a deep fascination for the Arctic region’s people, spectacular nature, wildlife and the old polar explorers.

In 2014, Gregers was funded by the Danish Ministry of Education to write a book for Danish schoolchildren about Greenland and the Arctic. These interests and his desire to better understand the Arctic and Antarctic, inspired Gregers to open a polar school for Danish schoolchildren. Through this program, he travels Denmark, visiting schools and sharing his innovative education about our polar regions. Gregers has traversed Greenland on skis and together with his friend, they were the first Danes to walk on skis to the South Pole.

I was born in Kyushu, Japan. I majored in the Faculty of Geo Environmental Science at university. Natural geography major course (meteorology, topography, astronomy, Geology, Glaciology, Seismology, Regional Geography, Hydrology, Vegetation Geology). I went to research fields in Japan and fields around the world.

In Iceland, I did research on volcanic topography and glacier topography. In Greenland, I did research on glacier topography & geology and settlement geography.

I need mountain climbing technology to investigate mountain glaciers, so I belonged to the Tokyo Mountains Alliance to learn about mountain climbing technology. I climbed Mont Blanc, Kilimanjaro, McKinley and Aconcagua, the highest peaks of the five major continents.

Taking advantage of the above experience and knowledge, I have been a tour agent for travel agents as a mountain nature guide for around 25

years through the four seasons.

In addition, I am currently a part-time lecturer at three universities and elementary and junior high schools.

I listen to the message from nature and lecture that it coexists with nature. I will use the experience and knowledge to the participating customers, we will do the best hospitality to get the impression and satisfaction.

Professor James Floyd is a professional geologist and spent most of his career with the British Geological Survey (BGS) in Edinburgh, where he was the District Geologist for the South of Scotland (Borders and Dumfries & Galloway). He retired from the BGS in 2008 and has since worked as a geological consultant and freelance science and maritime history lecturer on cruise and expedition ships.

A graduate of Glasgow (BSc), Heriot-Watt (MSc) and St Andrews (PhD) Universities, James has wide experience of the geology of many parts of the world, including the Arctic and Antarctic.

In 2007 he was awarded an honorary professorship in the School of the Built Environment at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, for his research on architectural conservation, includingwork in Valletta with Heritage Malta.

As an earth scientist, James is particularly fascinated with the way in which geology and the environment has influenced the history and development of human cultures, settlements and societies. In addition to communicating popular science, expedition cruising allows him to share his other passions of modern naval, maritime and polar exploration history and travel.

Holding a mechanical engineering degree from Tongji University in Shanghai, Jianxi worked for seven years at the Polar Research Institute of China as an Antarctic mechanical equipment manager. Meanwhile, he joined the Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition four times, including a winter stay at the Great Wall Station in 2005/06; joining the traverse team to Dome A in 2007/08; building the highest Antarctic research station – Kunlun Station on Dome A in 2008/09; and leading another team to Dome A as the chief mechanical engineer and second station leader in 2010/11.

Now, Jianxi Cao has worked as a guide in the Arctic and Antarctica for 3 years. In his spare time, he has especial interest for History, Glaciology, Geology.

Kevin Burke was born in Baffin Island in Canada’s arctic.
He spent his childhood in variouslocations in northern Canada, settling in Churchill, Manitoba, on the western shore of Hudson Bay.
Churchill is known as the polar bear capital of the world where Kevin has worked for 32 years as a tour guide/bear guard.

Kevin has worked on several cruises in the Arctic and Antarctic in many capacities from expedition leader to lead zodiac driver.

Born and raised in Greenland, Laali left for college to study service and tourism at Cold College in Odense, Denmark. She has worked in the tourism industry for 10 years, in Greenland during summer seasons as an Arctic guide and spends much of her winter months traveling abroad for work and pleasure.

She has worked as a lead guide, as a coordinator for over 20 guides and manages boat and helicopter logistics. Laali has both worked on land as the responsible for coordinating shoreside activities for cruise ships, and on board of three different cruise ships sailing in East, South and West Greenland and have been through Northwest passage.

Laali enjoys exploring the world and spends much of her free time traveling and working internationally, often as a guide/translator in South Africa as well as in Greece. As sports and fitness have always been a big part of Laali´s life, she is also a certificated fitness instructor, personal trainer and nutritionist.

An experienced Naturalist and Field Biologist originally from the coast of Denmark’s Wadden Sea, Lars has a Masters in Landscape Planning and a prolific background in science and exploration. A multitude of opportunities have allowed him to pursue his passion for birds, as well as for marine mammals and plant life. His scientific research positions have included time as biologist managing a field station, conducting marine mammal surveys by ship and air and counting caribou by snow mobile. He has also conducted raptor migration studies and even spent 5 years as a scientist in Greenland.

Lars is fluent in Danish, English and some German, and has worked as a field staff manager, expedition leader, naturalist and Zodiac driver one expedition cruises throughout the cold waters of Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, the Bering Sea, the Gulf of Alaska, Antarctica and the South Pacific’s sub-Antarctica Islands. Other expeditions have led him to Southeast Asia, Central America and the West Indies. During his spare time, Lars is also an avid photographer. 

• A National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter, Mayumi was born and educated in Hokkaido, Japan. Since 2009, Mayumi has been traveling extensively throughout Japan from Hokkaido to Okinawa with clients ranging from BBC Radio to groups and families.

Her interests include Japanese Literature, film, and contemporary Japanese culture. She enjoys cross-cultural experiences and particularly enjoys explaining her own culture to others. She is self-confident in a multicultural environment, organized, attentive to detail and customer needs.

Mike’s interest in geology began at the early age of 12, and now he has amounted over 20 years of experience working in what he’s most passionate about: Rocks and fossils, which he has also collected from the early days. Mike has been employed as a Petroleum Geologist for the past 20 years, resolving problems of finding and extracting hydrocarbons from highly varied rocks beneath the seas to the East and West of the British Isles.

More recently, Mike has been working as a guest lecturer at Aberdeen University in the UK teaching Engineers about Petroleum Geology, and likes to take field trips to locations around the world where he can study rocks of many types, ages and settings. In his free time, he also enjoys looking for new specimens and sharing his geologist knowledge with his 4 year old son, who has caught the bug and declared himself a paleontologist.

Peter Croal is an exploration geologist and has been working in International Development for 35 years. He will be the Geologist in Residence on Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada for the summer of 2018. Of particular interest to Peter is how climate change is affecting developing countries, and how the knowledge of Indigenous Peoples can be better used and respected by business and governments to solve development challenges.

His work has taken him to over 40 developing countries, which has provided him with a wide range of poverty/environment experiences. Peter and his family had the wonderful opportunity of living in Namibia for 2 years to develop and manage a project that would help the poor of southern African countries. Peter started his career prospecting for uranium, zinc, silver, petroleum, peat and groundwater in Canada. Peter also spent 15 years as a wilderness canoe guide for Nature Ontario.  He has been to the Arctic many times, and has been a guide for Arctic voyages for 6 years. In his spare time, Peter enjoys photography and fiddle and anything involving outdoor activities.

Originally from Alghero, Sardinia, Renato now calls the grey skies of London his home, but often heads to cooler places to pursue his passion: Nature Photography.
Specializing in wildlife and Nature Photography, Renato has visited over 70 countries and been commissioned for newspapers, magazines, tour operators and tourist boards… even leading specialist photographic tours to a number of destinations around the planet.

Award-winning photographer and regular contributor to the BBC, Renato has been featured in a number of international contests, such as the National Geographic Traveller Grand Prize winner 2018, International Nature and Bird Contest winner 2017 and 2018, GDT - European Photographer of the Year 2017, Top LATA Published Photographer of the Year 2016 and 2017, Wanderlust Photographer of the Year in 2017, Bird Photographer of the Year 2015 and 2018 among others. 

Samuel hails from Quebec City, Canada. He has an education on Electromechanical automated system, and speaks fluent French, English and some Spanish.

At a young age he discovered his interest for videography and photography over there making snowboard videos. A couple of years later, Sam found himself on a cruise ship headed for Hawaii working as a Videographer. This gave him the opportunity to sail the 7 seas, quench his thirst of seeing the world and film it. He eventually moved to the realm of expedition cruising and ended up as a video chronicler filming polar bears and Walruses in Svalbard on a Russian ship much to his amazement. The videography slowly took a secondary role and Samuel’s work as a naturalist and expedition guide began taking all the space.

Over the years Sam has worn many hats on various vessels, from looking after the zodiac fleet to being camping master and photography lecturer. When on land, he is involved in the renewable energy sector. Sam is one of the few people to ever skateboard in Antarctica. On his free time, Sam can be found on his sailboat, the m/v Monsieur Tranquille, on the majestic St-Lawrence river of Quebec, Canada.

Sara is a Danish geologist who’s rappelled down into an active volcano in Vanuatu and hiked to the very top of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. She’s been nose to snout with a polar bear during her mineral exploration activities in Greenland and been far down underground digging for crystals in Slovenia.

Most of the year she spends exploring the world of rocks under the microscope discovering sources of building materials used for ancient castles and churches. In her spare time, you can find her in the forest on the mountain bike, doing walking tours around Copenhagenshowing rocks used for facades and pathways, or out somewhere on a mountain on foot or snowboard.

Shannon was born and raised in the Canadian prairies. After completing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2011, Shannon migrated west to Vancouver Island. Here her love for the ocean flourished. While traveling overseas Shannon had the opportunity to work as a nature guide and kayak guide in Milford Sound New Zealand; thus beginning the career change from nursing to guiding. She now spends her summers leading kayak expeditions on the west coast of Vancouver Island, traveling in the shoulder seasons and occasionally working as a travel nurse. In her spare time she enjoys scuba diving, teaching yoga and embarking on personal kayak expeditions; most recently a 730 nautical mile circumnavigation of Vancouver Island.

Born and raised in Alaska, where she currently resides. Shelli is a Master in Sea Kayaking, Zodiac Driver, Marine Biologist and Polar Naturalist, who has also been a wilderness leader since 1997 and an expedition guide in both Antarctica and Arctic since 2007. Shelli is a native English speaker, can understand Flemish as well as some German and Spanish. 

Shelli has participated in many observational studies in Northern Pacific, North Atlantic / Arctic and Antarctic waters as well as in several research groups, primarily studying the identification and biology of humpback and gray whales. Her passion for spending time in the Polar Regions extends to learning about changing environments, ice, glaciers and evolving distribution of wildlife. When not guiding, Shelli is also an accomplished artist with several exhibitions under her belt and an illustrated bird book publication.

Growing up among dramatic landscapes of World Heritage Cradle Mountain in Tasmania well fostered Steve’s innate passion for pure, untouched wilderness. His particular interest is in Earths more extreme environments & the subtle & spectacular adaptations of wildlife that carve out their existence in such places.

Desire to discover further shores, led to extended expeditions throughout the Himalaya & Tibet, South American Andes & Galapagos, Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, traversing New Zealand’s Southern Alps & a European journey from Sicily to Arctic Norway. After a rewarding year teaching English in Indonesia & exploring her islands, Steve returned to Australia to complete formal studies in wildlife ecology, turning love of shared nature experiences into his profession, based in Tasmania’s unique wilderness.

Further interest in Aboriginal cultures & tropical ecosystems drew Steve to several years leading overland adventures in Australia’s rugged Kimberley & Kakadu National Parks, & as naturalist on coastal expeditions, exploring crocodile infested mangroves & lush ancient rainforests from Borneo to Madagascar & colorful coral reefs as far afield as Aldabra Atoll & Papua New Guinea.

With one eye firmly fixed on the horizon & returning to his native Southern Ocean, Steve’s extensive exploration of Tasmania’s offshore islands naturally grew into his passion for the wild circumpolar oases of Sub-Antarctic Islands & the spectacular beauty of Antarctica. Finding a mirror image of exotic destinations in the Northern Hemisphere, he’s explored Arctic’s Russian Far East, Alaska, Northwest Passage, Greenland & the many island jewels that link them - as an enthusiastic naturalist on various expeditions.

As far back as 1998 Sven Voege sailed in a small 13m-steel sailboat to Antarctica. Pure adventure. He returned every year, out of sheer excitement and enthusiasm.  For the ice, the fabulous landscapes, wildlife and the possibilities to make his own discoveries of historical traces!  More than 65 trips to the Arctic and Antarctica followed. 

 For twenty years, Sven has been lecturing at a symposium of the United Nations in Hamburg, the Junior Zoo-Universität Berlin, in the "Winter Magic" - a 14-day urban Christmas event in Mannheim - and in the two zoos in the German capital Berlin.

Later he sold his small construction company and then left the Safety Service in the German Federal Police for a life at sea. Since 2013 he has been working on expedition ships as a lecturer and Zodiac driver. With the non-profit International association Polarworld e.V. he organizes entertaining projects with schools and is constantly looking for interested teachers and schools.

Thomas is an Australian of Bavarian origin. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, London and also a Fellow of The International Centre of Excellence in Tourism & Hospitality Education. He has audited hotel and tourism schools in Austria, China, Dubai, Fiji, Holland, the Philippines and Thailand. His Ph.D. thesis dissertation investigated commercial tourism in Antarctica (1991-1998). Later, it was published as a book entitled, Tourism in the Antarctic: Opportunities, Constraints and Future Prospects. Thomas also filmed and produced, Voyage to Antarctica.

Thomas has travelled extensively in some 75 countries and on all continents. Since his first voyage in 1994, he has visited Antarctica on 35 occasions as a guide, historian, naturalist, presenter, researcher, photographer, and Zodiac driver.  In the 90s, Thomas was lecturer, senior lecturer and Associate Professor in tourism at Victoria University in Melbourne. From 1999 to 2012, he was Assistant Professor of tourism in the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Today, he is an Adjunct Professor in Sustainable Tourism at Central Queensland University.

Thomas and his wife, Lina, are the owners of a large rainforest property in tropical Mission Beach, Far North Queensland, Australia where they have established the Mission Beach Butterfly Garden.

Ursula grew up in Switzerland where she enjoyed the outdoors and developed a strong interest in nature, animals and conservation. She has an MSc in Marine Mammal Science, from the University of St. Antdrews, Scotland. Ursula speaks fluent English, Swiss German and German as well as French (proficient). After obtaining her teacher’s degree for craftwork she travelled to Canada where her dream of her childhood came true and changed her life; she met whales and dolphins in the wild. She then joined the research organisation ORES and dedicated the next 20 years to the study of baleen whales and, just as importantly, to share the knowledge gained with people of all ages.

Her focus became the little known but highly fascinating common minke whale. The research focused on the habitat use, behaviours, feeding strategies and photo-identification. During thousands of hours in her zodiac she was able to unfold unique in-depth insights into their lives, their tricks to outsmart the prey as well as their individuality and curiosity. She loves to share her fascination and enthusiasm on-site and during lectures to raise environmental awareness and action. Ursula has worked as a tourist guide, lecturer and zodiac driver in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Antarctica.
During cruises she will be on the lookout for marine wildlife and always happy to talk and explain. When at home she produces life-sized animals for schools and environmental education.

Wan began his career as an Outdoor Planner in Taiwan, arranging hiking, cycling and diving tours. He has gone to Everest Base Camp twice and luckily survived the severe earthquake in 2015. Wan is skilled in activity preparation, trekking, diving, canoeing, and has previous experience as a Super Capacity R&D Assistant Engineer, English Speaking Tour Guide and Outdoor Development Independent Contractor.

Now, he focuses on outdoor education programs such as LNT and sea kayak in Taiwan and is ready to share the beauty of Antarctica with young explorers in Pacific Asia. He currently works as an Expedition Guide and Language Interpreter for Albatros Expeditions on both Arctic and Antarctic expedition voyages. In addition, he brings small groups to China, Nepal, Alaska and Canada for various outdoor programs.