During a recent expedition cruise to the magnificent Scoresby Sund, Greenland, we sat down with expedition guide Charlotte Taplin, who shared her joy of working in the polar regions and the importance of having a passion for your job.
It's the last day of an 8-night expedition cruise in Scoresby Sund, and Ortelius is once again cresting the waves of the Denmark Strait on the voyage back towards the shores of Iceland. Below deck, in the lecture room of the vessel, christened 'the chapel,' Charlotte smiles as she reflects on what has been a memorable trip. "It really has been fantastic," she says. "Everyone is smiling, which is always a good sign!"
Charlotte has just finished giving a lecture about whales, sharing with guests a passion of hers that began when she was still young, exploring her home region of Cornwall, England, an area rich in marine life and a strong maritime history. "I studied wildlife conservation at University," she says. "I started to specialize in marine biology, particularly whale research. And, in that field, Antarctica is almost the summit for anyone interested in marine biology, so it was always my dream to make it there one day."
Whales are often a big draw for guests on an Oceanwide Expeditions trip, with encounters common both in Antarctica and the Arctic. "Sharing that passion with guests really is a joy," Charlotte continues. "Whether it's seeing them up close, or just through lectures on board, I feel so lucky to be able to be so involved with something I love." On this trip to Greenland, one or two humpback whales had been spotted on the journey across the Denmark Strait. While her journey eventually led to her working in Antarctica as an expedition guide, her route was not an immediate one, first working on luxury yachts, and even in Mozambique studying humpback whale migration patterns.
Picture by Charlotte Taplin
"My background is actually originally scuba diving," Charlotte adds. "I worked as a dive master on boats and spent some time working on yachts. Eventually, it connected with Oceanwide. My path has actually been beneficial - many things come in handy from my time on yachts, from knots and driving Zodiacs to general people skills." People skills are integral to an expedition guide and the overall group feeling on board an Oceanwide Expeditions vessel.
"We spend so much time with the guests during the trips, from excursions with them all day and together in the Zodiacs, to eating together and spending time in the bar or other areas of the ship," Charlotte explains. "I really love dining with the guests and just spending time with them - it gives you an opportunity to really get to know people." This idea of shared experience goes both ways, with guides learning from guests just as much as guests learn from guides. "Absolutely," agrees Charlotte. "On these trips, you meet people and have conversations that you perhaps never would at home, and it's so inspiring what we do as guides and what guests do in their lives. I find it fascinating. It really opens up your world."
Picture by Georgina Strange
The perks of being an expedition guide
For many guests, visiting Antarctica or the Arctic is their lifelong dream. For expedition guides, it's their office, their day-to-day. This isn't lost on Charlotte. "I just feel so privileged to be in this position," she says. "It's just such a fun job to get to pilot Zodiacs and explore these locations. For me, it's almost like every day is a school day; you're learning every day, whether it's from a guest, going and finding out yourself, or another guide. I love that aspect - you're learning something new daily."
"For me, a huge part of the excitement comes from the fact that you don't know what's going to happen," she continues enthusiastically. "We're in such unique environments, with such fantastic wildlife, like polar bears, for example, and these landscapes are just so vast and wild, that it's an experience full of unknowns. These places make you feel vulnerable, in a way, and very small. There's something about that feeling that will always draw me back, and once people visit these places, they almost certainly feel the same as I do."
On this trip in particular, the draw of the wilderness had left its mark on guests and guides alike, with several long hikes exploring the rolling tundra and rocky slopes of Scoresby Sund. In particular, a long hike exploring Cape Hofmann Halvø resulted in some fantastic encounters with musk ox and gave guests and guides alike a true sense of immersion in the Arctic wilderness over a full day away from the vessel. "I really think that hike was one of the best I have been involved in," Charlotte agrees. "It was just a bit of everything, from the colors of the vast tundra, the views back across to Rode Fjord and the glaciers and icebergs, to the herds of musk ox. We really felt a part of that landscape, being out there for so long, and just letting the musk ox lead us. It was wonderful and an extraordinary experience."
Picture by Charlotte Taplin
Throughout the trip, the atmosphere on board has been one of continued excitement and enthusiasm, partly driven by the entire expedition team's welcoming and open approach. "Ultimately, we're having fun," explains Charlotte. "I think it's at its best when we're having fun because when we are, it means the guests are having fun. When we have a good team dynamic, we get comments from guests about it, and they are swept up in the enthusiasm. In a way, they're a part of our experience for a short while, and we are part of theirs."
Sharing a passion through inspiring others
But what makes an excellent expedition guide? Is it enough to have a passion for a subject, or do you need in-depth experience in particular specialisms, or storied careers in biology, or polar research? Charlotte takes a moment to answer.
"I think a guide should be someone that listens and is patient with people and understands people's wants and needs," she continues. "My approach really changes depending on the situation, the people, and the vibe. For example, some guests really love it if you talk throughout a Zodiac cruise, describing and informing, while other guests prefer to stay silent and enjoy the quiet moments with wildlife and fantastic scenery."
Picture by Koen Hoekemeijer
"Not everyone in the Zodiac is as interested in the same things, so a good guide should always be able to balance the interests of the entire group." During conversations with other guides, balancing the interests of the guests on board has been a linking theme to the team's approach. "It is so important," agrees Charlotte. "For example, I'm all about wildlife, so I want to give people the best interactions and insight into the wildlife we may or may not see. But, I'm always conscious of other aspects of a cruise or hike on land that interests other guests more, for example, geology, the tundra plants, or glaciers, or the history of the places we find ourselves in."
Above us, an excited chatter can be heard mixed with the continual hum of the Ortelius as she plowed onward through the freezing spray, and a moment later, the voice of the expedition team leader, Florence Kuyper, echoed over the ship's PA system. Earlier that day, we had stopped at Kolbeinsey, a tiny, swiftly eroding skerry in the wild seas of the Denmark Strait. Now, we were approaching the Icelandic island of Grimsey. Eager to get up on deck to see the island emerge from the mist, we wrap up our interview.
As we prepare to venture back upstairs, Charlotte shares how important it is to her to connect with guests and to leave them with a deeper understanding than before. "Of course, ultimately, it's also just a nice feeling to know you're inspiring people," she says with a smile. "When I give a lecture or find myself with guests in a certain location or in front of a certain animal, you can see it on people's faces - it's affecting them. I want guests to take experiences home with them that positively affect their life and perception of the polar world."
"We're all capable of positive change," she concludes. "When people experience these regions for themselves, they really see that."
Picture by Charlotte Taplin