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Irmgard Rossie
After receiving her Masters degree in Educational Psychology in the Netherlands, Florence had a long career as a consultant-manager in the field of social affairs. Fluent in french, she is a cosmopolitan with a passion for deserts, history and nomadic people around the globe.
Florence also works on sailing yachts in the Arctic and Antarctica. She was Base Leader at Port Lockroy, a British historical base on the Antarctic Peninsula. Florence has worked in both polar regions since 2012 and she looks forward to sharing her knowledge and unlimited passion for the polar regions with you, especially in the field of history.
Mario is an experienced Historian, Naturalist, Firearms Master and Expedition Leader, who has worked in the polar regions for almost a decade. He attributes his passion for adventure and the natural world to his father, who introduced him to skiing and mountaineering at an early age. Setting his sights sky high, he decided to study Aerospace Engineering, but after graduating his need for adventure and exploration inspired him to take a different path. In 2014, he moved to Longyearbyen in Svalbard to become an Arctic Nature Guide. After attaining his qualification, he guided ski expeditions in the Norwegian archipelago before discovering expedition cruising in 2015. Since then, he has shared his time between the Arctic and Antarctica.
Mario is fully devoted to the best and safest outcome for expeditioners, and relishes seeing them realise their dreams. On expeditions, he encourages everyone to be open to whatever these incredible places offer, and to embrace the fact that not everything is under our control and should be experienced as an adventure, just like the early explorers did.
From 2009-12, British Antarctic Survey appointed her as their first ever woman boating officer in Antarctica, in charge of all waterborne activities at Rothera, then King Edward Point, South Georgia. After three years living and working in the Southern Ocean, she became expedition staff on vessels sailing to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands. A keen adventurer herself, she has climbed Aconcagua in the Andes, Island Peak in the Himalayas and even spent her honeymoon summiting Mount Kenya.
Christophe is an experienced Expedition Leader and guide, who has worked on expedition ships all over the world. While his peers were in school, Christophe was busy gaining a global education travelling the world. Instead of maths or science, nature became his main source of wonderment. He spent an incredible 17 years exploring iconic and remote destinations, gaining invaluable experience in the tourism industry. Most comfortable in the polar regions, he worked as a guide in Finnish Lapland for seven winters and a tour bus guide in Norway for a decade, before discovering expedition cruising in Svalbard. To this day, he considers Svalbard his favourite destination, on account of its incredible diversity of wildlife and landscapes and because it still manages to surprise him.
On expeditions, Christophe encourages expeditioners to forget about any daily program they have been given, and to trust our Expedition Team and let nature decide what will happen. He is particularly skilled at explaining difficult scientific concepts in everyday language, which makes him a passenger favourite and huge asset to your Aurora expedition.
Daniel is an experienced Expedition Guide, Kayak Guide and Naturalist from the Blue Mountains in Australia. He has always been drawn to the beauty of wild places, the extremes of cold and light, and the abundance of life that can be found there. A curiosity for engaging in landscapes both physical and human led him to earn a Bachelor of Arts in History and gain additional qualifications in outdoor recreation, including an Australian national certification in training and assessment.
Isabelle is a marine enthusiast from Cornwall, a part of the UK steeped in maritime tradition. She spent a lot of time on the water as a child and grew to have a deep passion for marine biology and the environment. Her love for the ocean led her to the Arctic, where she worked as a whale watching guide and trained as a commercial sailing skipper.
Alex is an experienced Geologist, Mountaineer and professional Yachtsman who has been working in the polar regions since 2011. While studying for his degree in Natural Sciences, Alex became passionate about Geology because it allowed him to be a detective unravelling the secrets of the past to shed light on the present. Serving as a board member of the Polar Tourism Guides Association and co-founder of the Polar Citizen Science Collective, Alex actively manages operations in challenging environments and conditions. He seeks to empower others to actively participate in scientific exploration, bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and engagement. With an unwavering commitment to discovery and a passion for sharing his expertise, Alex is ready to unveil new horizons and guide fellow adventurers through unforgettable polar expeditions this season.
Lelia has worked and lived for 10 years in front of the breathtaking view of the Perito Moreno Glacier, in Southern Patagonia. There she is dedicated to high quality tourism, providing guests with a unique experience in close contact with nature. She loves sharing her wide knowledge and love of the National Park and surrounding areas with passion.
She takes great delight in working outdoors and helping others to enjoy and discover nature, especially if it is about South America! Lelia will make you feel and live the culture of any place she visits, tasting new flavours, admiring landscape and nature. At the same time she will provide you with cultural tips and information that will make all the difference in your trip. She will definitely guide you to make the most out of your destination.
Tasmin spent her youth working in remote wilderness lodges all around Canada, heli and cat skiing lodges in the mountains, remote fishing lodges on northern lakes and eco lodges on the coast. She was inspired to start her careers in the polar regions because she loves spending time in nature in the wilderness, and she was obsessed with Pingu as a young child.
On a professional level, working and living in the polar regions for half the year is a dream, to do something for work that she truly loves feels like a big accomplishment. Tasmin is deeply passionate about increasing expeditioners understanding of wildlife and the natural habitat around us.
Elena's penchant for adventure began at a young age while reading tales of polar explorers such as William Scoresby and Ernest Shackleton. The pull to the wild and unknown has taken hold ever since. Between various levels of academic education, she has directed her energies towards developing her skills and knowledge of the great outdoors.
An avid outdoor enthusiast, her primary pastimes include skiing, climbing, hiking and mountaineering. Born and raised in the pacific northwest of the United States, Elena grew up enjoying the various mountain ranges her home area has to offer. She has worked asa ski instructor and Wilderness First Responder in the Cascade and Olympic mountains.
After receiving her B.A. in Politics and Spanish, Elena backpacked 4000kms across the United States, starting at the Mexican border and finishing in Canada. Other favourite trips include a two-month backpacking trip through Patagonia and tramping through the hut-systems in New Zealand.
Kerry embarked on a transformative journey after university, spending 8 years exploring Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. During this time, Kerry worked on yachts in the Caribbean and sailed across the vast expanses of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It was through these experiences that Kerry became impassioned about 'ecotourism', recognising both the delicate balance needed to tread lightly on the environment and the potential for tourism to create positive change.
As the founder of a consultancy focused on sustainable tourism, Kerry successfully raised awareness within the industry, media, and among travellers worldwide. Kerry also made significant contributions to responsible travel literature by authoring Lonely Planet's pioneering book on the subject. Additionally, Kerry undertook a challenging expedition, sailing a 15-meter ketch with five companions from Ushuaia to South Georgia and back via Cape Horn.
Justine grew up in one of the most picturesque and remote countries in the world, New Zealand. From a young age, she spent time skiing on nearby Mt Ruapehu or family holidays to the dramatically scenic Cape Palliser, the southernmost point of the North Island.
Rosie has managed to combine her passion for nature with a successful career in the health industry. A lifelong fascination with the ocean led her to study Biological Sciences with Honours in Marine Ecology. She then studied Physiotherapy and spent 15 years rehabilitating people from serious illnesses. During this time, she kept her passion for the ocean alive by working on weekends as a divemaster, organising diving trips and educating people about the marine environment. When Australia was ravaged by bushfires in 2020, she retrained as a wildlife carer, rehabilitating native animals.
Anne arrived from Norway to Australia in 1987 and after a few years of doing odd jobs such as working in racing stables, cafes and a taxi-radio room, she began a job in travel at an agency specialising in Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland, Russia, the Baltic's and Antarctica. Anne soon realized this was the perfect job for her and stayed there for 12 years. During this time she travelled extensively through Scandinavia as well as trips to Iceland, Greenland and Antarctica. Highlights (apart from any trip to Norway of course) was a two-week cruise to Antarctica from Puerto Mondt to Ushuaia and an eight-day cruise to Greenland around Disco Bay on the west coast.
After taking a break from working life to look after her fantastic son Olav and beloved dogs/pets, she joined Aurora Expeditions in the Sydney office and loved working across their products. But before too long, Norway was calling Anne home and she is thrilled to still be involved with Aurora and assisting with all things Arctic and beyond.
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