Natural explorer :: Lectures: wildlife cruises

WILDLIFE CRUISES

king penguins I have a range of lectures and topics that are based on my experiences as a naturalist and working on 'expedition' cruise ships, and I can do shorter presentations and stories for those daily 'recaps' onboard ship. The themes include:

Cetaceans
Seabirds
Antarctica
Arctic
Seals
Sharks
Coastlines and Geology
Photography
Other subjects

I can also focus a topic on a specific region such as Antarctica, the Arctic, the Atlantic, NW Europe; Iceland; the Indian Ocean, West coast of America and the Southern Ocean.

All my lectures are based on my experiences as a naturalist and guide, including birds, whale watching, seals, reptiles & amphibians, rainforests, marine biology, geology, enhanced by my time as a guide in the rainforest, as a diver, and on expedition cruises as a naturalist, lecturer and zodiac driver.

As a zodiac driver I have experience on cruise ships around the UK, Antatrctica, Arctic, the Indian Ocean and Iceland and I’m a qualified BSAC dive cox/boat handler to RYA level-2 standards (actually a higher standard with the need to drop off/pick up divers) and I am an advanced BSAC diver and a qualified AIDA 2 star (open water) freediver. I also have seaman’s record books registered for the Bahamas and for Liberia.

Familiar with IAATO and AECO guidelines for repsonsible tourism in polar regions.

Rifle handing experience (Svalbard) and training relating to safety in Polar Bear country, with relevant practice at a shooting range in Trondheim, Norway (Trondheim Jeger og Fiskeforening diploma). I've completed the Canadian Firearms Safety Course, and the BASC (British Association for Shooting and Conservation) Rifle Firearms Awareness training course in relation to handling, firing, cleaning and storing rifes and I have handled and fired (accurately) rifles from .17 calibre to .30-06 calibre.

First aid training - St. John Ambulance 'activity' first aid course and BSAC first aid course for divers.

Most crucial of all, I have the experience in the field with plenty of photos, facts, stories and anecdotes to enhance lectures and recaps that are delivered with humour and enthusiasm.

And check out my specific lectures on exploring the rainforest realm, the Frozen realm, and the Ocean realm - and some of my references.

CETACEANS AND WHALE WATCHING

I’ve been whale watching for over 20 years, have lead whale watching trips, and have seen at least 42 species of whales and dolphins, with some great encounters from the mighty Blue Whale to inquistive Humpbacks and curious Orcas to swimming with wild dolphins. As an experienced ships’naturalist I can also interpret charts and coastal/sea bed features to increase the chances of seeing whales and dolphins. I was also involved with SEALIFE: A Complete Guide to the Marine Environment and worked closely with the artist to show dolphins from above - an important idea when looking at bow riding dolphins!

HAVING A WHALE OF A TIME: PART 1 - WHALES

HAVING A WHALE OF A TIME: PART 2 - DOLPHINS

With so many stories and great images whales & dolphins are best done in two (or more!) lectures - but can also be done as one lecture. I can also do a general lecture or have a regional focus (Arctic, N.E. Atlantic, Southern Ocean, NE Pacific, Indian Ocean etc).

Based on my experiences for over 23 years, find out about whales and dolphins and their amazing adaptations, with plenty of photographs. Discover how many litres of milk a Blue Whale calf can drink in a day and how the Blue Whale got the name. And found out about the link between whalers and anti-slavery. I also have many captivating stories, from numerous encounters with Blue Whales, Orcas and Humpbacks, to the ultimate encounter - swimming with Atlantic Spotted Dolphins in the Bahamas.

BIRDS

A keen ‘birder’ since early childhood I have had plenty of time to improve those vital skills in the field, discovering the amazing variety of birds at home and abroad. This has included time as a guide in the Peruvian rainforest (one of the most diverse places on Earth for birds); as a ship’s naturalist on the high seas; on an expedition to study the St. Vincent Parrot in the Caribbean, and travels from the tropics to polar regions (both the Arctic and Antarctica), mountains to deserts, and many other locations.

Seabird lectures are usually done on a regional basis (e.g. Europe, Indian Ocean, NE Pacific, Southern Ocean, tropical Atlantic, Arctic etc.), but I can also do a general lecture. Covering all seabirds in just one lecture can also be a lot to cover and I can focus seperately on oceanic seabirds and then coastal birds if necessary. And I also offer lectures on BRITISH BIRDS and bird identification in general, and hints on how to use binoculars.

THE GREAT OCEAN WANDERS - A LOOK AT OCEANIC SEABIRDS

A look at oceanic seabirds and their amazing adaptations - with plenty of facts, anecdotes, and pictures. Find out how to identify seabirds and how they adapt to their environment. Learn about the Wandering Albatross with the longest wingspan in the world; why oceanic birds don't have to drink freshwater; why gannets are nature’s missiles; and just how far a Manx Shearwater can fly (forget about the Apollo 11 mission to the moon!).

BIRDS AT THE EDGE - A LOOK AT COASTAL BIRDS

A look at the variety of coastal birds and how to identify and appreciate them.

SAVE THE ALBATROSS!

Learn about the fascinating life history of the Wandering Albatross that can live for 60+ years and mate for life. Find out how it wanders the seas and how, with many other albatross and seabirds, it is threatened with extinction due to the impact of long lining - and what we can do to prevent this.

ANTARCTICA

With my experience of expedition cruising in polar regions I have a broad range of topics including seabirds, penguins, seals, whales & dolphins and polar ecology - as well as the close link betwen polar exploration and the exploitation of wildlife. Apart from specific lectures on seabirds, seals and cetaceans, I have a range of lectures including:

PENGUIN POWER!

With plenty of images I can talk about everyone’s favourite - penguins - from majestic King Penguins to cute Adelie Penguins and curious Gentoo penguin chicks to the amazing life of the Emperor Penguin. Learn about the life history of these fascinating birds - and why the Victorians got it wrong when they assumed these flightless birds were ‘primitive’!

EXPLORING ANTARCTICA.

Explore the breathtaking scenery of the Antarctic Peninsula with mountains, icebergs, glaciers and stunning wildlife spectacles. Learn about curious penguins, great whales, bossy fur seals, bizarre icefish, and belching elephant seals. And find out about the history and the role of sealers and whalers - and learn about the new arrivals, the eco-tourist. With music to add to the atmosphere of the slides.

SURVIVING THE BIG FREEZE.

Learn about the ecology of Antarctica and how life adapts, the Southern Ocean as the plankton powerhouse, and why we are in an ice age (just in a warmer period!). Includes musical sequences with great scenery and wildlife.

PELTS, BLUBBER & EGGS - THE EXPLORATION OF ANTARCTICA

Antarctic wildlife has had an intimate link with man’s urge to discover Antarctica, past and present. Find out about Cook’s legacy to the sealers, the link between whalers and the heroic age, and our impact in the 20th century and the future.

‘ACCESSIBLE ANTARCTICA’ - THE WILDLIFE OF SOUTH GEORGIA.

Learn about the wealth of wildlife of South Georgia with accessible seas that abound in krill with the majestic Wandering Albatross, playful fur seal pups, and spectacular King Penguin colonies - one of the greatest wildlife spectacles.

SOUTH ATLANTIC SAFARI

Learn about the wildlife that abounds in and around the Falklands in the South Atlantic. It has a wide range of birds and it is the best place in the World to see Rockhopper Penguins and the Striated Caracara or Johnny Rook, and an ideal location to see the South American Sea Lion and a variety of dolphins.

POLES APART!

Comparing the Antarctic with the Arctic and locations like Svalbard - literally poles apart!

SEALS

I have seen a wide range of seals including some great encounters diving with seals, as well encounters with hunting Leopard Seal. I can give a general lecture or one with a regional theme (from the UK to Antarctica, and the Arctic).

SEALS SEA WOLVES AND SELKIES

Find out about the seals of the world and the adaptations to the marine world. Find out about the double life of the Leopard Seal; the sex life of a bull elephant seal (belching and fighting); playful sea lions and fur seals; how deep seals can dive to; how Arctic seals avoid the Polar Bear; and the legend of the Selkies! Also learn about the classification of seals and what is accurate - ’sea lion’ or ’sea wolf’ - and why it helps to explain why Grey Seals are so curious, and sea-lions so playful!

SHARKS

I am a founder member of the Shark trust and I have encountered (and even swam with) a wide range of sharks.

SAVE OUR SHARKS!

Find out why sharks are so unique with some really incredible adaptations, why you should appreciate them, the threats they face, and the important work of the Shark Trust. They are not the man-eating monsters of myth and I will dispel some of the myths and explain why many other animals harm far more people than sharks, including dogs! Learn of my encounters with sharks, from the Basking Shark, to shark feeds in the Bahamas, to rubbing noses with a Blue Shark!

COASTLINES AND GEOLOGY

With a degree specialising in ecology, a Masters in Oceanography, and a fascination in Geography, I always try to link the appreciation of wildlife with Geography and Geology. I am also a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society.

THE GREAT BRITISH COASTLINE

A celebration of the British coastline and the wildlife - with varied geology and the length of the coastline it is one of the most diverse coastlines in the World.

THE DAY THE EARTH CRACKED!

A fun and fascinating look at geology and the formation of our coastlines, the ocean floor, and plate tectonics. With plenty of pictures to show just how interesting geology can be - with fascinating ways to look at the age and the size of the Earth, and why Britain, and Svalbard, has such a diverse coastline.

ICELAND - LAND OF ICE AND FIRE!

A look at the amazing geology and widlife of this very ’young’ island.

LIFE ON THE OCEAN WAVE

A look at the ecology of the oceans, some of the amazing adaptions, and some of the bizarre form

THE LAND OF ICE AND PEAKS

A look at the geology and landscape of Svalbard.

PHOTOGRAPHY

OH WHAT A PICTURE! - HOW TO TAKE BETTER PICTURES.

Digital cameras have made photography accessible to all. Learn how to take better pictures as a traveller and wildlife enthusiast, to look after your camera, some of the tricks to use - and the pitfalls to avoid! Includes lots of my favourite pictures (including one highly recommended in the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year competiton) - and some of my mistakes!