Geoff Somers, one of the world’s most accomplished Polar travellers, will be visiting the Kennel Club on 22nd November to share tales of his adventures, including the 1990 International Trans Antarctica Expedition.
In 1988, Geoff completed the longest unsupported Arctic journey by travelling 1,400 miles (2,000km) by dog sled from south to north across the Greenland ice sheet. Shortly after, he and an international team became the first and only people to traverse the entire Antarctic continent by its greatest axis. The journey spanned almost 4,000 miles (6,200km) and took seven months to complete. Throughout both of these journeys, Geoff was responsible for the logistics and drove the lead team of sled dogs.
During this presentation, Geoff will describe his unprecedented journey across Antarctica which included him and his team of five men from different countries and cultures, plus their hardy and faithful animals, weathering temperatures as low as minus 50° Celsius.
The talk complements the current exhibition in the Kennel Club Art Gallery, Canine Trailblazers: Dogs in Exploration, a display of artwork, photography and other items of interest which celebrates some of the dogs involved in famous explorations over the last three centuries. The exhibition begins with Captain James Cook’s pioneering voyage, walks through the adventures of American explorers Lewis and Clark and takes a detour to the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration before landing with the canine cosmonauts of the Soviet Space Race.
The special one-off event will be held at the Kennel Club in London from 11.30am and refreshments will be served upon arrival. Tickets cost £15, and Kennel Club members and associates can receive a discount. Places are limited so tickets must be booked in advance. To buy a ticket, please email the art gallery or 020 7518 1064.