Our staff

Pippa has worked as a marine guide and skipper for 10 years, primarily in Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, and the polar regions.

A marine scientist specialising in marine mammal research and conservation, she splits her time between the hemispheres and loves showing the public the marine world and all it has to offer.

Growing up on the coast of the incredible Moray Firth sparked in Pippa a love for the marine world and its inhabitants. She spent every spare minute in, on, or under the water, and her professional life reflected this love from a young age. She became an instructor in various marine disciplines, studying marine biology at universities in Scotland and Australia.

Upon completion of her degree, Pippa worked as a marine mammal observer, scientific diver, and research assistant on various research projects. She has worked in photo ID, migration, distribution, and behavioural studies on a range of marine mammals, developing a keen interest in marine mammal conservation through outreach and research.

After working in the Ross Sea region of Antarctica as a research assistant, she fell in love with Antarctica. Pippa now works as a full-time guide and assistant expedition leader in the Arctic and Antarctica. Between seasons, she still finds time to work on research projects.

Jonny Baird grew up in the small village of Taynuilt near Oban on Scotland’s west coast, where he first discovered his passion for climbing and skiing. He is now based in the French Alps near the Chamonix Valley and has worked as an IFMGA-certified Mountain Guide since 2005.

Since 2017, Jonny has worked regularly as a mountaineering guide aboard the Oceanwide expedition ship Ortelius and as Lead Mountain Guide aboard Hondius on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Over the years, his deep appreciation for the Antarctic has grown—not only for its mountaineering potential but also for its unique and abundant wildlife.

In winter, Jonny primarily guides ski mountaineering trips across France, Italy, and Switzerland, with regular expeditions further afield. His Arctic guiding experience includes trips to Arctic Norway (Lofoten Islands, Kvaløya, Tromsø, and Arnøya), Greenland, and Iceland’s Troll Peninsula.

During the summer months, Jonny focuses on alpine climbing, mountaineering, and rock climbing, sharing more than 35 years of personal climbing experience with his clients. His climbing has taken him around the world, including the European Alps, Kyrgyzstan, Peru, Canada, the U.S., Morocco, New Zealand, Australia, and of course Scotland, where it all began.

Beyond guiding, Jonny has worked in mountain safety for television, film, and photography projects. He is the co-author of a ski touring guidebook and has contributed to several online publications.

Jonny is a member of the Syndicat National des Guides de Montagne (SNGM), the French national mountain guiding association. Over the years, he has climbed, skied, and guided on every continent.

Arthur Yakovlev was born in Petrozavodsk, the capital and largest city of the Republic of Karelia, in northwestern Russia.

At the age of 15, he started training at the Maritime College in Petrozavodsk, where he graduated in 1999. At 18 he began his career as a seaman on a dry cargo vessel.

One year later, he was promoted as third officer on the same type of vessel, and later as second officer, working on various cargo vessels until 2007.

That same year, Arthur began work as a second officer on the passenger vessel Marina Cvetaeva, now Ortelius. As of 2008 he has worked for Oceanwide Expeditions, and in 2019 became a captain on Plancius.

Arthur never dreamed that most of his career would be spent in the polar waters, but he considers this his destiny and would not have it any other way.

He is married and has a son, and during vacation he enjoys spending most of his time with his family, while also traveling and enjoying nature.