BEN WALLIS
Owner / Skipper
In 1997 at age 18, Ben began sailing with his father as crew on yachts in Antarctica. Since then he has worked up to skippering 75-foot Australis. He worked alongside his father to develop the company, Ocean Expeditions, which Ben now solely operates solely in both the Arctic and Antarctic Polar Regions.
Ben spends roughly eight months onboard the yacht as skipper and the rest of the year is spent running Ocean Expeditions logistics side of things.
- RYA Ocean Yachtmaster, commercially endorsed
- STCW 2010 including Personal Survival Techniques, Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting, Personal Safety and
- Responsibilities, Elementary First Aid, Proficiency in Security Awareness
- FREC3 medical training
- PADI Open Water diver
- Voyages to Antarctica – since 1997
- Voyages to South Georgia – since 2000
- 2 Sydney to Hobart Races
- Voyages in Greenland – since 2008
- Voyages in Canada – since 2008
- 2 Voyages to Ross Sea
- 2 Macquarie Island
- 2 New Zealand Sub-Antarctic
- Full length trip of the Chilean Channels from Ushuaia to Valdivia.
- Diego Ramirez & Ildefonso Islands – since 2000
- Cape Horn & the Beagle Canal – since 1997
- Darwin – Northern Australia to Lakes Entrance – Victoria – 2003
- Sailing in Tahiti / Society Islands
DAVE ROBERTS
Crew / Skipper
Since 2010 Dave has been working in the challenging environment of the South Atlantic including the Antarctic Peninsula, and the surrounding Sub-Antarctic islands and regions. From 2020 through to 2023 seasons, despite the global pandemic and heavily restricted global travel, he joined Australis as first mate for two projects: one working with AppleTV filming around the Sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, involving supporting land based, drones and stabilised camera teams; the other filming orca with Disney+ in Marguerite Bay assisting divers, drones and stabilised camera teams. Then with Disney+ filming fin whale aggregations involving supporting divers, drones and stabilised camera teams; the other supporting the Turkish Antarctic programme, heading to Marguerite Bay to service scientific instruments on Horseshoe Island.
- RYA Ocean Yachtmaster, commercially endorsed
- STCW 2010 including Personal Survival Techniques, Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting, Personal Safety and Responsibilities, Elementary First Aid, Proficiency in Security Awareness
- FREC3 medical training
- PADI Open Water diver
- Voyages to Antarctica – since 2010
- Voyages to South Georgia – since 2010
- Cape Horn & the Beagle Canal – since 2002
- England – since ever
MAGNUS O’GRADY
Crew / Skipper
Magnus has lived on and off boats for his entire life, spending most of his time in high latitudes and around the rugged coast of New Zealand. He first sailed south with his father at the age of thirteen where they cruised extensively through South Georgia, Antarctica and the Chilean fjords. Then later headed north to Canada – Newfoundland, Labrador. Since late 2007 he has worked on several charter vessels operating in the Antarctic and sub-antartic areas.
His navigational experience and wealth of knowledge exceeds his years. Combined with his ability to fix almost anything Magnus is an invaluable set of hands to have around.
- RYA/MCA – Yachtmaster – Commercially endorsed
- New Zealand Radio Operator’s Certificate
- Maritime New Zealand – First Aid Certificate
- Maritime New Zealand – Personal safety & social responsibilities
- Maritime New Zealand – Personal survival techniques
- Maritime New Zealand – STCW
- Working towards a masters degree in the southern ocean school of hard knocks Certificate.
- Voyages to Antarctica – since 2007
- Voyages to South Georgia – since 2002
- Voyages in Eastern Canadian Arctic – since 2005
- Voyages in South Pacific – since 1994
- Cape Horn & the Beagle Canal – since 2002
- New Zealand – since ever
ALICE READE
Crew
Grew up on the coast of Aotearoa New Zealand with a love for the ocean and exploration. She discovered sailing my teens and between studying architecture, took any opportunity to get out on the water and learn. From crewing on Youth Development Sailing Vessels in NZ and Tall Ships in Europe to club racing and trips to NZ’s sub-Antarctic Islands. She loves to take a sketch book with her to capture and share these places when she gets the chance.
- Masters of Architecture
- PADI Open Water Dive Ticket
- NZ Firearms License
- NZ Drivers License
- Keel Boat Racing crew, Wellington, New Zealand, May 2021 – Current
- Evohe, 25m Ketch, Dunedin, Bluff, Auckland Islands and Antipodes Islands. December 2022 – Current
- Tucker Thompson, 26m Top Sail Schooner – Bay of Islands, New Zealand, 2021 – Current.
- Blue Clipper, 32m Three Masted Schooner, Iceland-Scotland-Norway-Sweden-Denmark-England-Spain-Portugal. June – November 2019 Season.
- Spirit of New Zealand, 37.5m Barquentine, New Zealand, 2017 – Current.
