CHALLENGE....ACCEPTED
Walk to the South Pole - Check
On December 2022, I embarked on a 70-mile trek to the South Pole alongside polar pioneer Robert Swan OBE, on his #UNDAUNTED expedition. The aim? To highlight the fragility of Antarctica and support his 2041 foundation – a 50-year mission to preserve Antarctica as a natural reserve for science and peace.
Back from the trip of a lifetime, I’m ready to share my stories and experiences from the ice. Let them be your motivation to take climate action, big or small, and preserve our planet
Look back at my journey on Instagram
Why I took on this challenge?
Back in the March 2022 ClimateForce project, SES provided satellite capacity to the Ocean Victory vessel for 160+ Antarctic Ambassadors. I was the designated satellite engineer on-board.
Then and there – I got to experience this magical continent first hand and was utterly committed to protecting it. After all, I have a seven-year-old son. Doesn’t he – doesn’t his entire generation - have the right to grow up in a flourishing world of adventure? If that means stepping out of my comfort zone and overcoming challenges I never even dreamed of, bring it on. And, yes, there it is. Challenge accepted.
Walking to the South Pole was just the first challenge. Getting my story to everybody is next. I walked the walk. Now let’s talk the talk.
It’s now. Or never.
Look to the right and you will see that global warming is real. It’s here and we are all suffering from the effect. One example, Antarctic ice loss means hotter weather and higher sea level, leading to frequent extreme weather phenomenon like flooding and storms. What's more, this damages crop which then disrupts the global food chain.
That’s why I’m eager to walk you through my journey and so you too, can appreciate Antarctica and together, we can take climate actions to preserve it. If we don't face up to the challenge today, we never will.
1.2 trillion tons of ice mass lost per year
The Sea level has risen by 21-24 centimeters since 1880
Earth is 1° Celsius hotter now than in 1880, 1 degree away from the tipping point
Antarctic sea ice shrank to 1.9 million square kilometers, the lowest since satellite records began in 1979
Let the sharing begin
BBC News Feature
Sharing my story with BBC Look North's 2 million weekly audience
#ChallengeAccepted Podcas
Antarctica Revisited: Trek to the South Pole #ChallengeAccepted
Another chance to share my experience for Mission #UNDAUNTED with SES' Satellite Stories podcast! Join our conversation and learn about my preparation for extreme temperatures, tough conditions of survival, as well as some interesting facts! In addition, I talked about twists and turns in working with explorer Robert Swan OBE on his next expedition.
Click on the badges to the left to listen to the 2 -part series
SES Sales Kick Off 2023
Persuasion, ownership, and commitment
Before 350+ people from SES, Robert and I shared our stories on the ice, both the highs and lows. Our takeaway? While our journey is driven by methodical and precise preparation, what got us through was the ability to get people on-board, ownership of the challenges along the way, commitment to the end goal, and ultimately our passion for what we do.