Rodney Paul

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.

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.

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.

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.

‘The Coldest Place on Earth’ 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.