There’s a certain romanticism attached to being a Zodiac driver and naturalist guide on an expedition cruise ship. Gliding alongside tabular icebergs, watching penguin colonies erupt into life at dawn, or helping guests glimpse breaching humpbacks — it’s the kind of job people dream about. But behind the breathtaking wildlife encounters and remote landings lies a core truth: safety is everything. And that starts with training.
In March 2025, I joined a group of new and returning expedition team members in Dover for a specialist rescue training course hosted by Noble Caledonia. The training was intense, hands-on, and designed to prepare Zodiac drivers for the real risks that come with operating in polar and remote waters. It was also paired with a bespoke Wilderness First Aid course I was leading at the time through the First Aid Training Co-operative — a perfect pairing of safety skills on water and land.
Why Rescue Training Matters
Most guests on expedition cruise ships only see the smooth operation: a seamless Zodiac launch, a confident driver at the helm, and landings that seem effortless. What they don’t see is the razor-sharp situational awareness, the careful passenger distribution in the boat, the continuous risk assessments running through the guide’s mind.
Driving a Zodiac isn’t just about pointing and throttling. In rough conditions, or when things go wrong, your passengers are relying on you to know exactly what to do. That might mean executing a man overboard drill, recovering a person trapped beneath an overturned Zodiac, or stabilising someone injured during a landing until help arrives.
Dover: Training in Controlled Chaos
Our training took place over several days in the waters around Dover Marina. It was cold, blustery, and ideal for simulating the kind of unpredictable conditions we might encounter in the Arctic or Antarctic.
The instructors from Noble Caledonia brought years of practical experience to the sessions, blending theoretical learning with real-life drills. We practised techniques for quickly spotting and retrieving someone who had fallen overboard — not as simple as it sounds when you’re battling wind, current, and an inflatable boat full of nervous passengers.
Then came one of the most critical scenarios: capsize recovery. Picture this — a Zodiac flips in swell or surf, and a guest is trapped beneath the boat. These situations are mercifully rare, but when they do occur, they’re often sudden and chaotic. We worked on managing panic, quickly locating and removing the trapped person, and safely righting the boat.
The physicality of it surprised many of us. You need strength, calmness, and clear communication. But more than that, you need to practise these skills until they become second nature. It’s one thing to know what to do in theory; it’s quite another to do it, cold and soaked, with adrenaline running high.
The Link with Wilderness First Aid
Running alongside the Zodiac training was a bespoke wilderness first aid course I delivered, specifically designed for expedition cruise ship environments. Unlike urban or even remote land-based first aid, this training covered unique scenarios: prolonged casualty care onboard, cold-water shock, immersion hypothermia, and crush injuries from Zodiac landings.
These guides and drivers aren’t just boat handlers or wildlife experts. They are the first responders when something goes wrong — often hours or even days from the nearest hospital.
Bringing both courses together allowed us to simulate full rescue scenarios: a man overboard is recovered but unconscious; a capsized passenger is brought out with suspected spinal trauma. These joined-up drills offered a realistic, integrated look at what teams might face on expedition.
Building Confidence, Not Complacency
The most powerful takeaway from Dover wasn’t fear — it was confidence. Not bravado or overconfidence, but the kind of steady assurance that comes from knowing you’ve trained for the worst. That you know how to keep people calm. That you know how to act when seconds matter.
And with that confidence comes better guest experiences. When your passengers see you acting decisively, they trust you. And when they trust you, they relax — which means they’re far more likely to enjoy the wild, unpredictable beauty of the places we go.
Next Steps and Ongoing Development
This training isn’t a one-off. To remain safe and effective, Zodiac drivers need to refresh their skills regularly. Every expedition team member should know how to communicate clearly with bridge officers, how to read sea states and landing sites, and how to work together during emergencies.
There’s a growing push within the expedition cruise industry to professionalise these roles further — and rightly so. As more travellers venture into remote environments, the responsibility on guides and drivers grows. We’re not just interpreters of landscapes anymore. We’re guardians of safety, facilitators of adventure, and, sometimes, the difference between life and death.
Want to Know More?
If you’re thinking about becoming an expedition guide, or you’re curious about what goes into life on an expedition ship, check out our other blogs on Wee Wild Adventures. We dive into everything from wildlife encounters to what it takes to be a naturalist in the polar regions.
And if you’re a guide or driver looking to upskill, get in touch with First Aid Training Co-operative. Our bespoke courses can be tailored to the expedition cruise industry — because in this line of work, knowing what to do before something goes wrong is what makes all the difference.