Penzy Dinsdale - Adventure-First Photographer, Expedition Medic & Antarctic Guide

December 5, 2025

Armadillo Merino® Champion: Penzy Dinsdale

Penzy Dinsdale lives by a simple rule: adventure comes first. Work, logistics, and life admin all fall in line behind the next journey, the next wild coastline, the next frozen horizon. What started as weekend tramping trips during university has evolved into a life built entirely around exploration.

Penzy has turned her love for wild places into a lifestyle that moves between ship decks, mountain passes, and the occasional hospital shift squeezed in to fund the next expedition. Her camera is always with her - sometimes two of them - capturing moments of spontaneity, wildlife, and the kind of light that lasts only a split second.

This season she returns to Antarctica for her third year on expedition ships, but for the first time, she’ll also venture to the Falkland Islands and South Georgia - a dream she’s held since her earliest days on the ice. With her Armadillo Merino® layers packed and ready, Penzy is stepping into another stretch of months shaped by cold winds, long sea days, penguin colonies, and the unpredictable magic that defines the polar world.

Meet Penzy

Tell us a bit about yourself - how did adventure become the centre of your life?

I’ve essentially chosen to live a lifestyle where adventure comes first. Everything can be an adventure - it doesn’t have to be huge or extreme. For some people, an adventure is just a walk down the street, and that’s totally fine. But for me, planning the next mission is always the priority, then I work out how to support it around that.

I started tramping at university and joined the Otago Tramping Club in my first semester. For nine years, almost every weekend was spent exploring. Since then, it’s become a lot harder to balance with work, but I still try to make sure I never look up one day and realise it’s been three years since my last adventure.

Expedition Medicine & Life on the Ice

You’re also a doctor - how does that integrate with everything you do?

I’m working toward rural hospital medicine, but it’s definitely a slow burn because my adventures keep getting in the way - and I’m okay with that. I do small contracts, some expedition medical work, and occasional hospital rotations. Most expedition medical roles aren’t paid, so you often end up working traditional jobs to fund the expedition jobs.

But I’m getting there. This season I’ll be working as a first-aid responder on Antarctic cruise ships. After that I have alpine guide training, some hospital placements, and then more backcountry missions in Fiordland. It’s chaotic, but it’s fun.

What’s a typical day in Antarctica?

Every day looks different. We might have long, rough sea days, or we’re out twice a day in small boats exploring glaciers, landing sites, and penguin colonies. Once you’re off the ship, you can’t go back easily, so you have to be layered for every possible weather scenario.

We follow strict protocols: nothing can touch the ground except boots because of the bird-flu risk. So you can’t sit, kneel, or put gear down. You also carry emergency supplies - if weather turns, you might be stuck ashore with up to 100 people and need to be ready.

And then there’s the fun stuff: polar plunges, camping in bivvy bags, zodiac cruising, watching whales, spotting orca when you’re lucky. Antarctica is wild in the best way.

Photography in Harsh Environments

Where did your love of photography begin?

Honestly, before phones even had cameras. I saved up for my first DSLR at uni and carried it everywhere. Now I shoot on a Sony mirrorless, and I still always take at least one proper camera - often two. My last one was stolen, but before that it survived an 85-day traverse of the Southern Alps.

What’s the hardest part of shooting in these environments?

The spontaneity. Magic light lasts a second, and you might not be ready. Changing lenses is hard in the cold, batteries die fast, and saltwater or snow can kill a camera quickly. So you make decisions before you head out - what lens to commit to, how to protect your gear, what shots you hope to capture but might need to be flexible about.

This season I’ve added an Insta360 for underwater work. Some guests got incredible underwater footage last year - I was jealous. So now I’m prepared!

Connection to Natural Fibres

How do you feel about natural fibres vs synthetics?

Merino has always been the gold standard, but as a student it was often expensive. Over the years, I’ve used merino and bamboo for specific pieces, plastic-based fabrics just don’t perform the same, especially in heat or multi-day wear.

Natural fibres smell less, last longer between washes, and feel better on the skin. And honestly, we need to move away from purely plastic-based clothing. It’s not sustainable, and it doesn’t break down.

How will Armadillo Merino® fit into your upcoming season?

I’ve already been wearing the t-shirt, and it’s great - comfortable, breathable, and just nicer than synthetics. On the ship and especially ashore, temperatures swing fast. You need versatile layers that manage heat, cold, and sweat, and also keep performing even when you can’t wash them often.

For Antarctica and South Georgia - places where you need warmth, reliability, and no melting synthetics near heat sources - natural fibers make a huge difference. I’m really looking forward to putting the Iona, Rhea, and the Kojak beanie to the test.

What’s Next?

Across the next two months, Penzy will move from a wilderness medicine conference in Tasmania to 38 days at sea, followed by rural hospital work in Australia, backcountry expeditions in Fiordland, alpine guide training, and even volunteer conservation work on a remote island.

Adventure isn’t a hobby for her - it’s the entire structure of her life. And as she heads south again, through windswept islands and icy channels, she carries the same things that have guided her since those first tramping club weekends: curiosity, resilience, and a deep love of wild places.