Welcome to
BrashTalk #33
The Newsletter of the Polar Tourism Guides Association

In this issue:

• Opening Message
• Updates
  • 2026 Polar Field Staff Conference in Lisbon, Portugal
  • Save the Date! Online Antarctic Pre-Season Summit
  • New Training and Assessment Providers
• Scuttlebutt
  • A Request for Guano Happens
  • Virtual Workshop with North Carolina University
  • GUIDE-BEST Event #3
• Guano Happens
  • Stuck in the Mud
• Meet Your Colleague: Sandra Walser
• PTGA Guide Status Updates

 

 

Opening Message

Hope everyone has had a good Arctic season and is getting some time to rest or even preparing for the Antarctic season that’s soon to come. It’s great to be back with the latest issue of the Brash Talk Newsletter. I’ve been hearing a lot of positive feedback from guides in the field who are looking forward to what’s ahead.

A great new addition we’re all excited about is our collaboration with AECO and IAATO for the upcoming 2026 Polar Field Staff Conference in Lisbon, Portugal. We’re looking forward to sharing more details on this soon, so keep an eye on social media for those updates.

Inside this issue, we’ve got some great content lined up and I’d also like to extend a warm welcome to all the new members who’ve joined since our last issue. We’re glad to have you on board! As always, don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s anything else you’d like to see in these newsletters or in the resources we provide.

All the best,
Sarah

 

 

2026 Polar Field Staff Conference
March 23 2026 – March 26 2026
Lisbon, Portugal

We are excited to announce the 2026 Polar Field Staff Conference (PFSC) – a joint event by IAATO and AECO, held in collaboration with the Polar Tourism Guides Association (PTGA).

 

 

On October 20th at 19:00 UTC, the PTGA will be hosting an online Pre-Season Summit before many of us head south towards Antarctica. We have a few ideas, but we want to make sure that this summit event is relevant to guides’ interests, concerns and questions. Please help us out by answering the questions in this form.

Link to the survey here. 

Panelists Will be Announced Closer to the Event Date! 

If you are not able to attend, you can check out the summit recording after the event on the PTGA YouTube Channel.

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New PTGA Training and Assessment Providers

 

We welcome the Expedition Readiness & Safety Academy! 

At Expedition Readiness and Safety Academy (ERSA), we specialize in delivering elite training for individuals and teams operating in remote, unpredictable, and often hazardous environments. Whether you’re a Polar Expedition Provider, Guide, or Maritime Professional operating in polar bear environments (PBE), ERSA equips you with the critical skills needed to lead with confidence and operate safely.

ERSA has an unwavering commitment to realism, structure, and mission-readiness. We train like it matters—because it does. Every course is built to reflect real expedition scenarios, combining theoretical knowledge, hands-on instruction, and tactical decision-making to prepare you for the unpredictable.

ERSA doesn’t believe in one-size-fits-all training. Our team works closely with individual professionals and expedition providers to adapt and tailor our flagship modules into customized, cohesive training packages that meet the unique demands of your operation.

When the stakes are high, preparation is everything.

The ERSA partners have more than 70 years combined experience operating in PBE’s, education and leadership roles, and certified firearm instruction. Our facilities are based near Toronto, Canada, but also have experience running our courses internationally, where it’s most convenient for the client. Link here to their website.

We welcome the International Guiding Institute! 

The International Guiding Institute is based in South Africa, and we focus on a skills and knowledge-based approach to training. Our courses are modular and cover building a knowledge base of the polar regions, Boating skills using both tiller-steered and centre console inflatables, Wilderness First Aid, Rifle handling skills and Operations in polar bear environments. We have an online learning platform to assist you develop your knowledge base, where you can join our community of guides for continual learning opportunities.

Our lead trainer, Claudia Holgate (Senior guide/assessor) has worked as a lecturer and Expedition Leader on ships since 2007 and has an academic and teaching background, including qualifications in Higher Education. She is also a critical care paramedic and an instructor in Advanced medical courses. Nick Bredenkamp is a Senior Polar Guide and professional safari field guide with 5 years Polar experience. To learn more about IGI, please visit their website here.

A Request for Guano Happens!

We need your help to improve our collective expertise! The polar regions are difficult to access for most of us outside of our work time so, reviewing incidents and near misses is one of the most effective ways we can all learn.

We’re asking for submissions of any incidents, accidents, near misses, or challenging situations you’ve experienced. These stories are a vital resource. As our most popular section of this newsletter, “Guano Happens” proves that we all value these lessons.

Please send us your stories so we can all continue to get better at what we do! Share a past event here. All submissions are anonymous and we never identify individuals or companies.

 

Workshop Opportunities with North Carolina State University:

WILDERNESS VALUES OF ANTARCTICA
Date: 23 September 2025
Time: 9:00 AM EDT/GMT-4 AND 5:00 PM EDT/GMT-4 (select one)
Length: 90 minutes

According to stakeholders, what are the most important characteristics that represent the wilderness value of Antarctica, and what are the threats to these characteristics? We seek diverse perspectives, so the more people and industries represented the better! Operators, policy makers, guides, scientists, logistics, and visitors are invited to participate in the workshop. The aim is to capture different stakeholder perspectives to better understand wilderness in Antarctica and its characteristics so that they may be mapped and monitored.

The workshop will be on Tuesday, 23 September and there will be two 90-minutes sessions to accommodate different time zones; please only sign up for ONE session (they will be the exact same agenda).

For more information and to register, please click here.
If you or any of the members have any questions, please email Courtney here by email.

 

 

GUIDE-BEST Project
3rd Online Sharing Event
Date: 21 October 2025
Time: 20:00 UTC

The GUIDE-BEST project invites all tour guides / ELs / AELs with experience in Antarctica to its 3rd online sharing event. On 21 October at 20:00 UTC, researchers will present their ongoing work and invite tour guides to engage in a conversation about Antarctic tourism. We will discuss tour guides’ motivations to work in the industry and whether they feel they can positively impact tourists’ pro-environmental behaviour. We will also present research with tour guides who have decided to quit guiding in Antarctica, along with their reasons. The sharing event will finish with an interactive session on research gaps we have so far been missing. If you have questions about the event, please write to Zdenka here. No registration required. Come and make your voice heard in research!

Zoom Meeting Link here
Meeting ID: 634 6969 2839
Passcode: =r1uV2#C

Guano Happens

Stuck in the mud

This edition’s Guano is a reflection on a minor near-miss several years ago in the Arctic with a common theme we can all consider during our Arctic operations. Note: the guide had not been to this location before.

Guide Narrative

We were at a landing when the Expedition Leader instructed two of us to go out and scout for polar bears. I was excited about the mission. My colleague and I each went in separate boats; I was the designated firearm handler for the excursion.

We drove around the perimeter of a nearby island and found a bear relaxing on the small island. We maintained an appropriate distance and informed the EL that we had found a bear. 

There was a shallow area on the north side of the island, and the bear was currently on the south side. At this stage in the day, the tide was dropping.

The sighting was uneventful; the bear continued to rest and remain undisturbed. Eventually, it got up to walk away and headed to the northern side of the island. The EL radioed asking if I could maintain distance but drive slowly to the north side and keep an eye on the bear. The guests were now heading back to the ship as the excursion was ending.

I headed around to the north and in the murky low tide water found myself stuck in the mud. There were no issues with comms despite being on the back side of the island and I made a call to the EL and informed them that I was stuck and to please have a safety zodiac kept not too far away to keep an eye on me. I was going to need to get out of this on my own.

I tried reverse in shallow drive, but the engine was too far out of the water to get any purchase.  

The bear had become curious about my predicament, likely due to the noise of the engine as I tried to gain some purchase. I was thinking to myself, ‘Why didn’t I speak up and mention this shallow ground?’

I tried pushing with the boat hook – no luck. I tried maneuvering in all directions; my engine was loud. The bear became extremely curious and was now walking fast down to the shoreline to take a closer look.

Eventually, I managed to find a small channel of slightly deeper water for the keel and could head to deeper water. The bear moved on and I was free and driving back to the ship.

I discussed it with the EL and explained that I wished I had spoken up and disclosed that I knew this area was shallow from earlier reconnaissance and I should have voiced this concern when asked to go there.

Review

There is no doubt that many of us have driven into murky, shallow water and found ourselves stuck for a while. Having an inquisitive bear adds a little zest to the ‘what if’ scenario that didn’t eventuate but…….

This is a minor near-miss but a good reminder that ‘constant vigilance – constantly’, is our best safety management tool in ambiguous changing environments.

Constant vigilance doesn’t just mean watching and sensing the environment around us, but also means constantly reviewing your own judgments and pattern recognition after any event. In this case, the guide did what a guide is supposed to do – they solved a novel problem they didn’t have much experience with and got themselves out of the mud. The most important part of this narrative is that the guide recognized, after the fact, that they could have done more to disclose the known issue and build a plan or support system to mitigate any risk.

Meet Your Colleague: Sandra Walser

A historian by training, Sandra has been guiding in the polar regions since 2009, sharing her passion for bringing the past to life and for photography. She wrote a widely praised book on pioneering tourists who cruised Spitsbergen in the late 19th century. She calls Switzerland home when not at sea.

PTGA: Tell us how you got to be where you are working in the polar regions.

Sandra: My fascination with the polar world began in kindergarten, sparked by a story book about two siblings in Lapland. I often played “polar explorer,” but life first took me elsewhere: I studied history and film science, though the pull of snow and ice never left me. After completing my master’s thesis, I rewarded myself with a trip to Greenland—where I caught the polar fever that eventually led to a career change. I started joining a few expedition cruises a year as a photographer, a role that allowed me to learn and grow. These days I work as an Expedition Leader, Assistant Expedition Leader, and history presenter on ships with 12 to 100 guests for Antarctica21, Natural World Safaris, and Secret Atlas. I also consult year-round for Antarctica21.

PTGA: You have also worked in various professional careers that are not polar tourism. Could you share how that work is different from guiding in the polar regions?

Sandra: For about 10 years, whenever I was at home, I worked in regular office jobs—marketing and event management in the film industry, and also in a state archive filing historical documents. I enjoyed the contrast between desk work and guiding outdoors, and I believe each “world” offers lessons for the other. At the same time, I often felt torn between the two, At the same time, I often felt torn between the two, dealing with a lot of coordination and having to justify my “outside the box” way of working. That’s when I decided to focus on polar guiding and consulting, even though it meant moving away from earning strong Swiss francs and giving up some financial stability.

PTGA: You recently became a PTGA Assessor this past year, what has that been like transitioning from being a fellow Senior Polar Guide to assessing your peers?

Sandra: Becoming a PTGA Assessor has been such a rewarding experience. It meant refamiliarizing myself with the entire syllabus, but even more valuable has been realizing there are often many ways to reach the same outcome. In that sense, you can learn from the candidates and grow as a guide. The pre-contract meeting is crucial though. It sets the scene for the relationship with your fellow guide while being assessor and candidate, establishing a framework that avoids blurring the boundaries between professional assessment and personal friendship.

PTGA: What lessons have you found important to pass on to new guides working alongside you?

Sandra: Certification is important, but having the paperwork alone doesn’t make you a guide. The real growth comes from embracing every opportunity to gain experience and learning by observing others. Stay curious, never rest on your achievements, and be willing to reinvent yourself—even as a senior guide. Also, safety is always key: don’t overestimate your abilities, and speak up if a task doesn’t sit well with you. And if your leaders don’t respect your ‘no,’ it’s the leadership you should question, not yourself.

PTGA: What do you see as the biggest challenges to the polar tourism industry over the next five years?

Sandra: In my opinion, the biggest challenge is the rapid growth of the industry and its shift—from, if I may say, ‘adventure’ toward ‘comfort.’ I truly hope solutions can be found to limit ship and passenger numbers, allowing for itineraries that are more flexible, responsive to weather and wildlife conditions, and sustainable—minimizing environmental impact while giving guests a deeper, more meaningful experience.

PTGA: What advice would you give your younger self about a career in this industry?

Sandra: Follow your passion, trust your talents and your gut feeling. Don’t accept contracts that don’t feel right—whether they’re too long or simply not a good fit—just because you think they’ll lead somewhere. The right opportunities will come. Stay open to the unexpected, and make sure to take good care of yourself along the way.

PTGA: What is your favourite place in the polar regions and why?

Sandra: That’s such a tough question! My favourite place is usually wherever I am in the moment. If I had just one more left to go, I’d probably choose Northeast Greenland in early September. The scale of the landscape is almost beyond imagination, and at that time of year the light and autumn colours make it even more magical. What fascinates me just as much is the long human history that lies hidden there—you only notice it if you know what to look for, but once you do, it adds another layer of depth to the experience.

PTGA: Who is your favourite polar explorer and why?

Sandra: That’s a tough one! Rather than choosing a single explorer, let me pick an expedition: Salomon August Andrée’s failed attempt to reach the North Pole in 1897 by gas balloon from Spitsbergen. It was probably the most daring and foolhardy polar venture of its time—full of drama, mystery, and even a touch of romance. And one of my favourite polar nonfiction books was written about it too: The Expedition by Bea Uusma. I highly recommend it!

PTGA: This was great! Thanks so much for sharing your insights with us, Sandra!

You can find a list of our PTGA Accredited Providers here, PTGA Affiliate Members here, and our PTGA Training and Assessment Providers here.

PTGA Members – 664

Senior Polar Guides – 287

Polar Guides – 269

Polar Guide (Aspirant) – 88

Provisional and Full Assessors – 66

Senior Assessors – 6

Congratulations to our New Status Guides:

Senior Polar Guides: Bill Davis, Andres Pollitzer

Polar Guides: Erin Scott, Isabel Rodriguez Caso, Jesica Tobke, Kate Howell, Kelsey Camacho, Miroljub Medved, Scott Sinton, Vicky Inglis

Polar Guide (Aspirant): Aliza Lamm, Arnab Rai, Basundhara Basundhara, Carlos Montero, Devan Rouse, Elia Lauzon, Fher Schnack, Frances Pothecary, Francisco Gomez, Gareth Wheeler, Hayley Charlton-Howard, Ivan Klochkov, Jeremiah Psiropoulos, Jorge (Andres) Miraglia, Josh Coates, Keirron Tastagh, Kelly Mulligan, Kimberly Galvez, Larissa Borrelli, Luis Antonio Duarte Soto, Magdalena Swieka, Martin Schoo, Mei Lu, Melih Recber, Meriton Sinani, Olivia Dellow, Ollivia Fidley, Paul Klym, Rogier Gruys, Thomas Howitt, Zamira Lizarazo, Zofia Warchalowska

Be your best guide. See you next time.