Heidi posed some questions to polar expedition expert Richard White, who has spent years at the ends of the earth as a guide, educator and wildlife lover. Richard works for EYOS, a purveyor of luxury yacht cruises to the world’s most coveted and remote places. In the past he’s also guided for Lindblad Expeditions. Richard’s an excellent photographer as well; click here for his Antarctica photo essay. Read Part 2 of our Q&A with Richard.
Connect with him on instagram @richthebirder or richard@eyos-expeditions.com.
QC: Do you have a favorite part of the poles?
Richard: The sub-Antarctic islands — whether places like South Georgia or the islands to the south of New Zealand. There is more biological diversity in those regions, and as wildlife is my main interest, diversity will always be a draw. It’s a perfect day if you get lucky with a great wildlife encounter or great weather and beautiful light.
They are also less visited than the Antarctic Peninsula, so that is an added attraction.
QC: What still makes you gasp in wonder?
Richard: A killer whale surfacing next to a Zodiac…
Killer whale surfaces next to zodiac driven by Richard. * Photo: Sean Todd
QC: How many trips have you taken to Antarctica?
Richard: I have never kept a count of how may trips I have done. In part because there is no simple way to measure. For example, how does a six-week research voyage compare with four 10-day trips? Or five weeks with eight people on a 20-metre sailboat compare with 10 days on a 200-passenger vessel?
All I can tell you is that my first trip was in 1998 as a researcher, my first as a guide in 2003, and I have missed two seasons since 1998.
So probably more than 25…
QC: If you have one golden message for small ship cruise passengers in Antarctica, what is it?
Richard: The one golden message is go. Don’t debate whether it is worth it, just go. And go for as long as you can afford (both in financial and temporal terms), and on as small a vessel as you will feel comfortable.
And then when you are there, seek out your own moments and your own experience. You will be with others, some of whom will be strangers, in close proximity, for days, maybe weeks. But don’t just accept their experience or the shared experience. Make the effort to find some personal space, or with a partner, and try to hold that moment and take in the scale of what you are experiencing.
Gentoo penguins nesting at Neko Harbour, Antarctic Peninsula. * Photo: Richard White
QC: Do you get stir crazy if you’re “home” for more than a month or two?
Richard: No. It is a holiday, I can do my own thing, why would I go crazy? And assuming I can get out and walk in some kind of green space, or open space, then I can be happy anywhere.
Rafflesia plant. * Photo: Richard White
QC: What’s packing like for you? You must be expert by now.
Richard: Packing is easy, yes. A few items of favourite tried and tested gear. And so much relies on an efficient laundry system on board.
QC: Can you imagine not traveling and guiding? Do you want to do it until you can’t physically handle it?
Richard: I don’t have a retirement package, so I guess I will die in the saddle…
QC: “Who” is your favorite kind of passenger? Least favorite?
Richard: There is no simple answer to this, but I will try.
Favourite — engaged. And then the opposite end of that spectrum. Everyone finds their own level of engagement, so it is not that one approach is “right” or “wrong.” I guess another way to answer would be “happy” and “grumpy.” But some people are happy when grumpy, it is their “normal.”
QC: After working for a few months straight, do you want to hide from people?
Richard: It really depends on the people. See above.
QC: How many airline miles do you have?
Richard: Not as many as you might think. I might only fly six times a year with work if I work three times, two-month contracts each time.
QC: If you weren’t doing what you do, what would you be?
Richard: Probably living on an island studying seabirds. And I have a passion for island restoration programmes — getting rid of non-native species to restore island ecology. It can be very effective conservation work, although not cheap. We are all hoping that South Georgia has been cleared of rats through recent efforts by the South Georgia Heritage Trust — this would be a huge result.
Stork-billed Kingfisher in the Hindhede Nature Park. *Photo: Richard White
QC: Besides your college degree, do you have other certifications?
Richard: I have qualifications as a Zodiac driver and in gun handling and first aid.
They are necessary — it is getting harder to find work without the relevant pieces of paper. One of the challenges the industry faces as it grows is finding new talent. Qualifications are one way, but should never replace relevant experience. But it is easy to get caught in a classic Catch 22 where you cannot get one without the other.
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HEIDI SARNA
