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Expedition Team
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On all expeditions you’ll find a team of experts travelling with you, all selected for their knowledge and practical experience in fields like botany, marine biology, anthropology and history. You are not only invited to enjoy their informative and entertaining presentations in the Cosmos Lecture Theatre and Leda Lounge; you might venture ashore with them or reflect on the day’s shared highlights over a drink before dinner.

Below are some members of Orion's Expedition Team, please note that the expedition teams may vary for each voyage.

Expedition Team Members

 
 Justin Friend

Justin was born and raised in Cairns, in Far-North Queensland, and has been employed in the tourism industry all his working life. After working as an adventure travel guide for various companies in Australia, New Zealand and Jamaica, he studied Interpretive Tourism and settled into working in marine tourism on the Great Barrier Reef and at various islands and locations along the coast. He has also completed a number of maritime training courses in safety, navigation and seamanship, and has an open Coxswains certificate.

Having discovered his career path early, Justin began working as an Expedition Leader and Trip Director for overnight expedition cruises on the Great Barrier Reef, in the Northern Territory and West Australia’s Kimberley Region. Joining Orion on the inaugural cruise from Tahiti to Sydney in March 2005, Justin has been instrumental in developing the expedition side of Orion’s cruises, spending the first year of operations aboard the vessel as Expedition Leader on the Great Barrier Reef, in the Kimberley and Tasmania, and more recently, in a shoreside development and planning role as Expedition Program Coordinator.
 
Justin has long been intrigued by the history, culture and natural beauty of Australia’s nearby neighbour, Papua New Guinea, and has spent much of his spare time in the last 10 years exploring the remote and virtually untouched regions of this unique country. Justin has been ‘adopted’ by several Papua New Guinean families in different villages, including in the Sepik River area and the Trobriand Islands, where he is considered a local and has been allowed to participate in several sacred ceremonies that are not usually open to outsiders.

When not on board Orion Justin travels around the globe “scouting” for unique destinations and experiences to enhance Orion Expedition Cruises’ future voyages.
 
Andrew Marshall

Andrew joins us with expedition cruising experience in Greenland, Alaska, Antarctica, the Sub Antarctic Islands of New Zealand and Australia, Polynesia, Micronesia, Melanesia, Indonesia, South East Asia and Australia’s Kimberley region. Andrew has also skippered whale watching and dolphin swimming vessels in New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii and British Columbia, and has worked as a dive guide on a “liveaboard” in the Red Sea.

His qualifications range from a Bachelors degree in Zoology and a postgraduate diploma in Tourism Management and Marine Science through to a postgraduate diploma in Natural History Filmmaking and Communication.

Andrew’s documentary filmmaking projects are internationally recognised, with his films having featured at several film festivals including the Green Film Festival in South Korea, Ecovision in Italy, and the Tokyo Environmental Film Festival in Japan.

He is an accomplished and entertaining lecturer who loves marine adventure activities such as diving, surfing and sailing. The refitting of a 30 foot steel sloop over the last three years is also a passion of Andrew’s.

Andrew is the founder of Ocean International, an entity primarily created to facilitate the development and deployment of a dedicated filming expedition vessel.  

Andrew is looking forward to sharing his knowledge with Orion guests.
Darrin Bennett
Darrin has been an Expedition Team member during Orion’s New Zealand programs since 2008, so he has first hand knowledge of the land of the long white cloud. Darrin joined Orion Expedition Cruises in 2005 and has experienced most of our exciting destinations, including Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, West Timor, Indonesia, Tasmania and, of course, the Kimberley. In addition, Darrin completed his first Antarctic assignment as a Zodiac Driver with Orion’s Antarctic Expedition Team in January 2007.

Darrin spent over 15 years working in Lands, Parks and Wildlife Management in the Northern Territory. To gain this extensive expertise, Darrin started as a volunteer whilst still at high school and continued to build his career through various posts, including as Surveillance Officer responsible for protecting and interpreting Aboriginal Art sites at Ubirr Rock – retelling the stories of the art and the people who created it – to District Ranger in the East Alligator District of Kakadu National Park, where he liaised with the local Buntij Aboriginal people and provided guided talks about their art sites.

Prior to joining the Orion Expedition Team, Darrin worked at the El Questro Wilderness Park in Western Australia, where he fulfilled the role of Ecotourism Officer and Guide before a life at sea aboard Orion beckoned.

In his role as the Expedition Team Leader aboard Orion, Darrin’s duties are diverse; from leading guests on exploratory walks ashore to coordinating the Zodiac excursions from Orion’s stern marina platform. He also directs the informative debriefing each evening that features the day’s activities with the Expedition Team. 
Michael Fogg
Mick commenced working for Orion Expeditions Cruises in 2006 and has extensive experience as an Orion Expedition Leader on our ‘a path less travelled’ itineraries.

With two degrees in Marine Biology, Mick has over 20 years experience in research and in educating the general public on the myriad wonders of the tropics.
Mick’s maritime qualifications have enabled him to experience a variety of roles onboard other vessels, including as a Skipper, Engineer, First Mate and Expedition Leader. However, he gains the most satisfaction from enlightening people about the wonders of the natural world.
Mick graduated from James Cook University with majors in Marine Biology, Marine Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Geographic Information Systems and for the next ten years Mick worked in a number of different roles for James Cook University; as an associate lecturer, Field Technician and Research Assistant, spending time onboard the University’s Research Vessel the R.V. James Kirby. Mick has always enjoyed the practical and field sides of Marine research and this culminated with him managing the University’s field research station at Orpheus Island for five years.

He still lectures to visiting students and operates intensive courses for international student groups from his base in Cairns. Guests who have sailed with Orion previously will tell you that Mick is a very entertaining and informative lecturer, who will literally take you on an under sea journey of discovery.
In his role as the Expedition Team Leader aboard Orion, Mick’s duties are diverse; from leading guests on exploratory walks ashore to coordinating the Zodiac excursions from Orion’s stern marina platform. Mick also directs the informative debriefing each evening that features the day’s activities with the Expedition Team.
Mark Watson
Mark joined the Orion Expedition Team in 2007 with a wealth of knowledge and experience accumulated from living and working throughout the wilderness of Australia. Since that time Mark has gained experience as an Expedition Team member on most of Orion’s destinations including the Kimberley.

From Cooktown in Queensland where Mark excelled as an Adventure Trip Tour Guide at Bloomfield Lodge to the Kimberley region, Mark has enviously meshed his passion for the wilderness with his career.

Most notable of his many adventures in the Kimberley region was as Tour and Fishing Guide at one of the most remote corners of the Kimberley; Faraway Bay Bush Camp, where for 10 years Mark held the position of seasonal Senior Ranger/Tour and Fishing Guide at El Questro Wilderness Park.

Mark enjoys all outdoor activities, including scuba diving, bush walking and fishing.
  Mark (Harry) Christiensen            
Mark first joined Orion in late 2005 and has since been an integral member of our Expedition Team.

Mark is a Marine Biologist by trade. For 14 years he worked within the Tourism Industry providing educational programs to visitors in the Torres Strait, Great Barrier Reef and Kimberley regions.

He also worked for many years on the exclusive Lizard Island in Queensland, Australia and was responsible for bringing the diversity and fragile nature of the reef to the Island guests’ attention. It was here Mark started producing a series of nature-based newsletters as well compiling educational programs on the Island’s flora.

Mark was called to help establish Poruma Island Resort on Coconut Island, a tiny coral cay in the Torres Strait. This island was seen as the most viable option for creating employment for the Torres Strait Islanders and Mark was responsible for recruiting and training the local Indigenous people to work at the resort.

Mark also has extensive experience in the Kimberley region, where he worked as a guide and as an Expedition Leader for several seasons.

Mark will share with Orion guests his vast knowledge and passion for the natural environment and its inhabitants.