Seb Coulthard FRGS - Company Director, Expedition Leader.
Seb Coulthard is based in Worcestershire, UK and has a professional background in aerospace engineering and helicopter flightdeck operations. Seb worked for 15 years at the sharp end of Royal Navy aviation with previous postings spanning half the globe, including very inhospitable locations such as, the Southern Ocean, the safe quadrant of developing hurricanes in the Caribbean, and mined areas surrounding the Shatt al-Arab waterway in Southern Iraq.
Since 2016, Seb has been working as an expedition leader and guide on small tourism ships frequenting Antarctica, the Arctic, Alaska, Northwest Passage, West Greenland, Iceland and Svalbard. He has also guided in warmer climates during expeditions to Polynesia, Melanesia, Patagonia, East Africa, and the Middle East.
With a passion for history, adventure and the great outdoors, Seb enjoys instructing individuals and groups in all-weather powerboat driving, wildlife awareness, first aid and cultural heritage interpretation. Seb has amassed a wide range of experience including preparation of individuals for ski-mountaineering, polar expeditions, remote helicopter landing operations and submersible operations in Antarctica. Seb also specializes in GSGSSI / UK FCO ship-based expedition permit applications, insurance advice, equipment selection/modification/manufacture, risk assessment and environmental impact assessments.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Seb returned to his core specialization as an aeronautical engineer training RAF servicemen and women in the technical aspects of hydraulic systems aboard fast-jets, medium and heavy lift aircraft. When Britain lifted restrictions on international shipping, Seb returned to the cruising industry as a consultant for new build expedition ships - combining engineering knowledge, operational management and business development. In August 2022, Seb qualified as submersible pilot on the U-Boat Worx Cruise Sub 7-300, a seven seat manned submersible for commercial operations.
"Don't let you dreams be dreams, life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all. Travel makes you modest, you will discover the small place you occupy in the world".
All images copyright of Seb Coulthard/Shackleton Legacy Ltd