Our staff

Ali Liddle grew up in the north of England where, after leaving school, she qualified as a primary school teacher.

After working in a rural school in Cumbria, she traveled Australia and New Zealand, taking a job as a teacher in the Falkland Islands, living on remote farms and teaching children at home.

A year later, she spent nine months overwintering on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, where she served as a post mistress.

Returning to the Falkland Islands again, Ali continued to teach, taking a job at the primary school in Stanley and staying there for the next 15 years.

A subsequent job with Falklands Conservation allowed her to complete a project in environmental education, developing curriculum resources. This led to work as a local tour guide.

Ali has been with Oceanwide Expeditions since 2010, working as a guide, lecturer, and expedition leader in Antarctica and the Arctic. She loves sharing her passion for the polar regions, especially the sub-Antarctic.

Ernesto Barria was born in Santiago, Chile, into a family with strong bonds to the sea: His father, grandfather, and several uncles all share a love of the ocean.

A beach guard by the age of 16, Ernesto’s favorite sport when he was young was swimming. When he finished high school, he moved to Puerto Montt, one of the most important ports in Chile. There he started his studies to become a merchant marine officer.

By his graduation in 1991, he’d already begun to sail on different vessels around Puerto Montt.

Ernesto became first officer of Antarctic Dream in 2005, beginning by navigating in Antarctica and later the Arctic. In 2011 he obtained the rank of captain, and in 2015 he was chosen as the best officer of the Chilean merchant navy.

Ernesto became a captain for Oceanwide Expeditions on Ortelius in 2013.

When he’s not working, Ernesto loves to travel around Chile with his family. He enjoys scuba diving, swimming, cycling, and photography, which has become his favorite hobby.