Rodney has a keen interest in Antarctic history. Reading accounts of early expeditions to Antarctica was the catalyst for his desire to experience the unique region himself. He has a particular interest in Sir Ernest Shackleton and has been to many places associated with him. He has a detailed knowledge of the Heroic Age of Antarctic expeditions and shares his enthusiasm to his audiences with anecdotes and detailed accounts of the hardship the early explores endured.

He is in demand from many organisations for presenting his interesting fact-filled presentations on the Antarctic and for sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm.

Rodney has travelled widely; has appeared on British TV on ‘The Chase’ and thrives on sharing his passion for the Antarctic.

1. The Coldest Place on Earth.
This talk covers some of the geographical aspects of the continent, then onto the early expeditions, including Shackleton, Mawson and some more recent exploits into the region and then a series of pictures on the wildlife and ice. I am fortunate to have been there twice and consequently have a wealth of pictures. I describe myself as ‘not an expert, but passionate about the place.

2. The Antarctic Adventure of Sir Ernest Shackleton
This presentation is about the heroic adventures of one of the world’s greatest ever explorers. It provides an account of the various expeditions that Sir Ernest Shackleton undertook to the Antarctic. He was an inspirational leader; determined to succeed even under the harshest of conditions but was never afraid of admitting defeat, if the welfare of his men was at risk. He led the infamous Endurance Expedition to the Antarctic which resulted in an open boat journey across the most hostile ocean in the world. Shackleton inspired his men like no other explorer of his time.
Shackleton is my personal hero and although I am by no means an expert on his explorations, I will bring his endeavours to life by recounting his exploits through photographs and stories. I have visited the Antarctic twice and have been to South Georgia where he is buried.

3. South Georgia - One of the Remotest Islands on Earth.
South Georgia is often described as the Galapagos of the Southern Hemisphere or the Island on the Edge of the World. It is a fascinating place, as it was a focal point for much of the whaling industry, was fought over during the Falklands War, has more wildlife per square foot than anywhere else on earth and is the final resting place of Sir Ernest Shackleton.
The talk provides an insight to this tiny island that has featured so much in our history and offers an insight to the intrepid travellers who brave some of the roughest seas to see the magnificent wildlife.
Sir Ernest Shackleton’s remarkable journey to and across the island is regarded as one of the greatest ever feats of endurance. The talk will describe the ordeal that he and his men went through.

4. The Life and Times of Captain Scott.
The journey to the South Pole and the tragedy that befell Captain Scott and his men on their return journey is well documented. This talk looks back at the life of Scott, his naval career and previous expedition to the Antarctic region.
The hardships that Scott and his men endured in their quest to reach the pole will be described in detail in this talk and include comparisons between him and other polar explorers of his time.
The story of Scott’s last expedition made the headlines in the national press, but due to the remoteness of the Antarctic and lack of communications it took many months for news to filter back home. This will be demonstrated during the talk by a look at the newspapers of the day.

5. Roald Amundsen - The World's Greatest Polar Explorer.
The race to the South Pole by Captain Scott and Roald Amundsen is well known about, but who was this Norwegian man? What drove him to success and how did he do it?
After his success in getting to the South Pole and back successfully Amundsen was a national hero in his homeland, but was regarded as a cheat by the British, became bankrupt and over time lost his much of his popularity.
This talk discovers the remarkable story of the world’s greatest Polar explorer who not only was the first person to reach the South Pole, but also was the first to transverse the Northwest passage and the first to reach the North Pole.

6. The Falkland Islands - A 'Very' British Place in the South Atlantic Ocean.
Most people have heard of the Falkland Islands; know that they are a long way from the United Kingdom and that a war was fought over them.
This talk concentrates on what it is like to live on the islands that are shared with half a million sheep, tens of thousands of penguins and the biggest colony of Black Browed Albatross in the world. It touches briefly on the conflict but is more a study of the islands; the aftermath of the war and the impact tourism is having on the islands.

7. Douglas Mawson - The Legendary Polar Explorer.
Douglas Mawson was a truly remarkable Polar Explorer who survived the odds. He accompanied Shackleton on the Nimrod Expedition to the Antarctic in 1907. He was the first to climb Mount Erebus and walked to the South Magnetic Pole.
He was invited to join Captain Scott on the Terra Nova Expedition, but instead led his own team to the Antarctic to explore previously unknown territory. It was during this expedition that Mawson ended up walking over one hundred miles on his own, with virtually no food or shelter after his two companions had died.
This talk explores the motivation that drove Mawson to survive the most gruelling trek across the frozen planet and to survive against the odds. He is often overlooked in comparison to the likes of Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton, but his story is one of the greatest survival stories ever told.

8. The Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.
During the period 1897 and 1922 a total of sixteen different expeditions from eight different countries went to the Antarctic continent.
Among the expeditions were the likes of Captain Scott, Ernest Shackleton, Roald Amundsen and Douglas Mawson, but who were the others and what did they achieve?
This talk investigates who led these expeditions, their motives, challenges and achievements and how over this period the continent was explored and mapped. It also looks at the ships, equipment, means of travel across the continent and types of food consumed. It ends by giving a brief comparison to the equipment used in modern times by the people who visit and carry out scientific studies on the great white continent.

9. Passionate about Penguins.
Penguins are adorable birds that are difficult to see in their natural habitat but are easily recognised by their distinct characteristics and feature in many everyday products.
Most penguin breeds are in the coldest places on earth, but there are some colonies that live in warmer climates. My talk will guide you through the different breeds of penguin, their habitats and personalities. We will also look at where these adorable creatures turn up in our daily lives.

10. Sir Edmund Hilary - the World's Most Famous Mountaineer.
Edmund Hilary’s name is synonymous with Mount Everest, as he, along with Tenzing Norgay were the first people to successfully climb the mountain.
After his days of exploration, he devoted his life to helping others, raising millions of pounds to fund health and education programmes in Nepal, plus becoming a diplomatic ambassador for New Zealand.
This talk looks back on the life of the world’s most famous climber, some of the men he climbed with and the many other achievements he achieved during his life, which including reaching both the South and North Poles.

11. Elephant Island - A Survival Story of Epic Proportions.
Elephant Island is famous for its association with Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance expedition.
The island is uninhabitable and had never been set foot on prior to Shackleton’s weary crew arriving on three open lifeboats in 1916. For the next four months twenty-two of the men lived in two upturned lifeboats, while Shackleton and a crew of five attempted to cross the Southern Ocean in the James Caird.
This presentation provides an insight to the island and how the men survived on meagre rations, bitterly cold, wet and windy conditions. Meanwhile Shackleton, having reached safety then had to find a way to rescue his men.
This is a story of heroism, leadership and a belief that help would arrive.

12. The Unsung Heroes of the Heroic Age.
An unsung hero is a person that is often overlooked for their contribution or achievements compared to their better known peers. The Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration is always associated with the likes of Amundsen Scott and Shackleton, but what about all the other men who dedicated their careers and in some cases their lives to exploring the ‘great unknown white continent’.
This presentation concentrates on the unsung heroes, their roles in the discovery, research and defining the odds of survival in the most arduous environment on earth. From men who sacrificed their lives to help others to those that captured the images that we all associate with this period of history. This talk provides an insight to these men and raises their profile to make them recognised as household names.

I am a passionate speaker, delivering up to 40 lectures a year to local organisations in the UK. I have just been a speaker on the Celebrity Eclipse's recent voyage to the Antarctic, February 2024. I was given huge credit for enhancing people's understanding and knowledge of the Antarctic region and history.
The technician, Ben, on the Celebrity Eclipse said to me that in the seven years that he has been doing the job, he had never seen the theatre so full for an Enrichment Speaker. There wasn't a spare seat and there were people standing. I delivered five talks to an estimated audience of over 3,500 people.
Since our return from the trip I had one gentleman phone me and said 'You put the icing on the cake for our entire trip, you brought the entire trip to life, thank you'.

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