Explore 2015

Explore! is the annual expedition and fieldwork planning seminar held over a weekend every November at the Royal Geographical Society in London. It brings together experts from a wide range of fields to share projects past and present, network, spark ideas, inspire and inform. There are panels that specialise in travel across deserts or the polar regions, sessions that are dedicated to travel by cycle or by vehicle, lectures on medical health, risk assessment and nutrition, as well as workshops on elements such as writing, filming and field research.

My first Explore! was more than a decade ago and every time I am invited back to speak or sit on a panel, I come away invigorated to start work on a new project. It is also pretty much the only occasion that brings together many of us expedition-types, so it is a much-valued opportunity to catch up with friends old and new.

This year, as well as sitting on the Polar Panel with Ben Saunders (awesome to hear from him about his recent epic across Antarctica), we were also both asked to be a 'dragon' on an expedition-dragon's den alongside Emily Penn, Neil Laughton, James Borrell, Dave Cornthwaite and Andrew Harper. Lots of fun and, I hope, a useful session for those that presented. See! We're not so scary!!

Krasnoyarsk, Siberia

I was in Krasnoyarsk, one of the largest Siberian cities, for a little while this month and took the opportunity to visit the Regional Museum which has one of the best ethnographic collections in Siberia. There were some good displays on a variety of the ethnic groups across Arctic Asia including Yakut, Ents, Evenki, Dolgan and Ket, with a special section dedicated to shaman.

I was particularly interested because I have been invited to guest curate a brand new exhibition about Arctic peoples that will be based around the Pole of Cold expedition. The new exhibition is due to open in late 2016 but the development work has already begun. I see myself as a story-teller, so this new creative challenge feels like a wonderful new extension of that. Whether through books, talks or exhibitions, it is sharing stories in brilliant new ways that I find exciting. 

Women of the Year lunch 2015

Yesterday I was invited to join the 2015 Women of the Year lunch - an annual event held by the Women of the Year Foundation to highlight the achievements and struggles of women in all sections of society and across all industries.

The room was full of so many incredible women, all of whom have excelled in their own fields, such as Wing Commander Nikki Thomas (first woman to command an RAF fast jet squadron), politician Shirley Williams, actress Nicole Kidman, Reverend Libby Lane (first female Church of England bishop) and, one of my personal heroines, Joy Lofthouse who flew Spitfires during WWII.

Among the award winners was Dame Stephanie Shirley who started her own software company in 1962 which became a vast concern valued at £1.2 billion by the time she retired. Calling herself 'Steve' at first in order to be taken seriously, she made a point of only employing women in her company - right up until the Gender Equlity Act of 1975 forced her to do otherwise.

But the story that struck me most was that of another award winner, Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell. In 1967 she discovered a new type of star - a Pulsar - but despite the importance of this discovery it was her male colleagues that were awarded Nobel Prizes. In her acceptance speech she said, 'The world is unfair but it is how we respond to that unfairness that is important.'

Chasing the Lights to Greenland

It didn't take me long to get back on the sea. This time aboard the M/V Sea Spirit as it sailed from northern Iceland to East Greenland and back. I was on board as a lecturer talking about aurora, vikings and polar exploration as we nudged through close pack ice in the Franz Josef Fjord and Scoresby Sund fjord systems - some of the biggest by area in the world.

Summer at the North Pole!

I've just returned from a summer on board the 50-Let-Pobedy (50 Years of Victory), a Russian nuclear powered icebreaker and the most powerful icebreaker in the world. We made four trips across the Arctic Ocean to the North Pole from Murmansk. The ship will now return to its normal icebreaking duties, keeping shipping moving along the north-east passage throughout the winter.

The world's icebreaker fleet will only grow in importance in the decades to come, so I valued the opportunity to experience what they do for myself. I was also fortunate to take part in a new Arctic Ocean Sea Ice Research Project run by Alex Cowan and Lauren Farmer (www.polarcollective.org) which has the potential to set a new and important standard practice for Citizen Science in the Arctic.

Images and film clips from the journey are shared on my Facebook page if you would like to take a look.

Investiture at Buckingham Palace

An incredible day with my family at Buckingham Palace in London to receive HM The Queen's Polar Medal and an MBE for services to Polar Exploration. I felt both incredibly proud and extremely humble to be surrounded by so many people who have done such amazing things.

The investiture was carried out by HRH Prince Charles and I found the day surprisingly emotional. Huge thanks to everyone who nominated me. I am one very happy Polar Explorer!

'Call of the White' film on DVD

Back in 2011 we made a film about the 2009 Kaspersky Lab Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition. The film was a finalist in the 2011 Banff Mountain Film Festival and made the official selection at a number of other film festivals around the world. It has been broadcast in 5 countries and is now available on DVD. If you would like a copy please order one through the shop.