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This edition of Guano Happens is a good reminder pre-Antarctic that being hurried and tired in the polar environment can quickly lead to incidents with serious consequences due to location. If you find yourself in this state treat it as an instant red-flag that extra caution and consideration should be taken as you go about operations. It also highlights that vessel operations (crane driving) will have strict rules and regulations surrounding them and that to try to speed up a process without prior and specific consultation can be fraught.

Narrative

Returning from collecting campers from Portal Point, I was driving a staff boat with 3-4 team members on board. Because of ice the ship was positioned a couple of miles from the site and we had a long way to go to the next landing site. I was EL and I was feeling rushed. Mine was the last boat returning to the vessel and a crane hook was hanging a little higher than head height about 20m aft of the sidegate. On this vessel the last boat is always lifted from the side gate, but this time the hook was hanging out further than I’d seen before in this operation.

Tired and in a hurry, and assuming the crane driver would just swing the hook to the side gate so that he could lift it, I drove under the crane, grabbed the hook with my spare hand and continued to the side gate. As the crane driver saw me grab the hook he lowered it to knee height so that I could connect it to the strops, but didn’t swing the boom to bring it over to the side gate as I was expecting.

On reaching the side gate I realised that I’d made a mistake as the cable came tight and I wasn’t able to hold on to it anymore. I shifted the engine into reverse gear but it was too late and I lost hold of the hook at the same time as I heard a cry of surprise from the crane driver who had realised what I was doing. The hook swung far back behind us, with the Zodiac now following it in reverse. I realised that by going into reverse I’d compounded the error considerably. I shifted back into forward gear but it was too late and we had the heavy hook swinging back toward us like wrecking-ball – and even worse it was now at chest height for those sitting in the boat.  

I had towed the hook so far forwards that the length of the swing was quite long, and I had since reversed far enough that we were approaching the point of mid-swing where it would be at its fastest. It was clear that the hook was going to swing clear through the boat or, at best, would hit the transom, and it was going easily fast enough to crack a skull, and there was now no time to manoeuvre out of the way.

Fortunately [very (ed)], the crane driver had seen what was happening and dumped the cable, dropping the hook into the sea and arresting its swing. With relief I drove back to the side gate and waited for the hook to be brought to me as I should have done originally.

Review

This near-miss seems mostly attributable to the guides mental state at the time and some Familiarity heuristics that were incorrect. The guide is a very experienced and qualified Expedition Leader and this appears out-of-character. The contributor even headed their email with ‘the dumbest thing I’ve ever done’.

As per the introduction – any time you know you are tired or pressured is a good time to really tune into your situational awareness and do things with real purpose, agency and understanding.

It was very fortunate the crane operator was watching closely and could read the situation. As we all know, even minor injuries in Antarctica can de-rail a trip and end in medevac. We need to manage safety with this in mind all of the time.

Meet your Colleague: Sara Rodríguez Ramallo

Sara has been guiding in the polar regions for 7 years and on expedition ships for 3 years. She was raised in Tenerife, the Canary Islands and now lives in Raufarhöfn, the northernmost tip of Iceland since 2022. Although the majority of the year is spent on expedition ships, Sara does incredible work in the field of science, where she contributes to a better understanding of killer whale ecology and the oceanic migrations of eels. She has guided in Iceland since 2017 on land, ice and sea with a focus on marine mammals and seabirds. Sara is a certified PTGA Polar Guide.

PTGA: Tell us how you got to be where you are?

Spending my childhood immersed in the rock pools of the Canary Islands, I was hooked on wildlife, the ocean and the idea of exploring. A degree in marine biology was the logical next step, followed by studies in beaked whales and pilot whales, months at sea monitoring by-catch on fishing vessels in West Africa, tracking eels in the Azores, bringing guests up glaciers and guiding whale watching in Iceland. The thirst for adventure was real and discovering that the role of an expedition guide on polar cruises existed, was a true breakthrough in my career direction. It’s a way to put all my favourite things together (ship-life, exploration, guiding and nature) and I believe it brings out the best in me!

PTGA: You work in the field as a scientist as well. Could you share how that work is different from work on expedition ships in the polar regions?

The main difference (and it’s a big one) is the fact that there are no guests! Apart from that, there are a lot of similarities: the work is team-based, physically demanding and highly dependent on the weather. It pushes your body, mind and problem-solving skills, but the rewards are amazing.

PTGA: You started assessments as soon as you started working in the polar regions. Could you share what the assessment process was like as a new expedition guide?

As a new guide in the industry, the assessment process seemed intimidating at first, especially being new to the company, expedition cruises and some of the regions we were visiting. It’s a lot to soak in! However, that feeling went away very quickly when I realised how supportive everyone was during the process. I had the privilege of working closely with not one but several assessors and staff trainers who are some of the best people in the industry, and they all created a very comfortable and safe environment for the new guides to develop. Joining the assessment process was a great decision!

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

– I believe that situational awareness is one of the most important tools out there, regardless of your level of technical skills and years of experience.

– Be kind – to others and to yourself

– Be yourself! Diversity is a great ingredient on any team

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

In a time when the offer of ships and itineraries is growing all the time, the industry will have to find a balance between that growth and preserving and protecting these delicate regions we work on. It will be also important to keep an open mind and be ready to adapt when sudden changes happen as we have seen in recent years (HPAI, stricter local regulations, etc)

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

I would tell my younger self that working in remote places like Antarctica is not as unreachable as it might seem – Be more confident in yourself and your skillset. Also, go get that boat driving course right away!

PTGA: What are your career goals in the industry?

At the moment I am focused on continuing to develop in my guiding-lecturing position (including the next steps to become a senior polar guide). I feel that the more I know, the more I know that I don’t know (if that makes sense), so there is constant learning to be done. Looking at the future, I keep an open mind, but I would love to follow the footsteps of those people that welcomed me into the industry, and become more involved in training and development of new guides.

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

After staring at this question for a long time, looking back at so many incredible places and moments, I’m going to choose South Georgia Island. Every day there is magic in some way: the rugged terrain, the colours, the light, the wildlife, and that feeling of “I can’t believe I’m here right now”. I appreciate it as a wildlife haven and a prime location for conservation in many ways. On top of that, South Georgia is a region that can easily throw technical challenges to us visitors, and I love that feeling we get after a successful day when we had to push our skills a little bit, and the team works together to put up a great operation.

PTGA: Who is your favourite creature and why?

That’s a very difficult one to answer. There are so many creatures that I absolutely love! But if I really have to choose only one, that would be the Atlantic puffin. I have so many beautiful memories around them- so many summer memories watching them around Iceland, midnight sun evenings by their colonies, handling them in the field, and thousands of photos! And yet, even though I have got to know them quite well, they never get boring or cease to surprise me.

PTGA: Who is your favourite polar explorer? 

Felicity Aston. After visiting Vigur Island (West Iceland) numerous times before, I was finally able to meet Felicity there this summer. She is a lovely, down-to earth and welcoming person. Of course I admire her polar expeditions, but more than anything, I appreciate the conservation work that her and her family are doing in Vigur Island and its surroundings – their little island is a sanctuary for wildlife like Atlantic puffins, black guillemots and artic terns and they contribute to research and education as well. Her books Alone in Antarctica and Call of the White are great reads and full of inspiration!

PTGA: Thanks for sharing your story, Sara! 

PTGA Members – 626
Congratulations to our New Status Guides and Assessors:
Senior Polar Guides – 265
Polar Guides – 231
Polar Guide (Aspirant) – 53
Provisional and Full Assessors – 60
Senior Assessors – 5

Polar Guides: Alexandra Nemeth, Jeff Bullied, Kristan Gillies, Linda Steutel, Melina Pelzmajer
Senior Polar Guides: Alberto Ojembarrena, Laura Mony, Monica Fuentes, Matt Burnaby, Sarah Keenan
Provisional Assessors: Andres Politzer, Bernabe Urtubey, Jeff Nagel, Laura Mony, Matt Burnaby, Rupert Krapp, Sarah Keenan, Terence Christan, Veronica Ibañez, Willie Parra, Zibo Ding
Senior Assessors: Karin Lundstrom, Sarah Merusi

Be your best guide. See you next time.