Visible crew/equipment: When Ned and Zissou are arguing and walking through the boat, they pass in front of a picture where the reflection shows a completely different camera set up from the documentary crew, with two grips wheeling a dolly.
Continuity mistake: During the shoot out with the pirates on their secret island, Team Zissous' firearms change from Glocks 21's to Beretta 92FSs'. When the members are holding the guns without firing, they are in fact Glocks. Any scene where they are actually shooting, they are holding Berettas.
Alistair Hennessey: Is this my espresso machine? Wh-what is-h-how did you get my espresso machine?
Bill Ubell: Well... uh... we fuckin' stole it, man.
More trivia for The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou