Antarctic explorer set for Swansea talk

June 26, 2012 - PRLog -- An Antarctic adventurer is giving a talk in Swansea this week.

Travel writer John Harrison, who’s visited Antarctica over 40 times in the last 12 years, will be at the Dylan Thomas Centre on Wednesday June 27 from 7.30pm.

Swansea Council has arranged the visit.

John will talk about the motivations, stories and experiences of Antarctic explorers. His talk will be brought to life with photography and atmospheric sounds from the South Pole.

One of John’s previous books, Where the Earth Ends, was a Sunday Times book of the week.

Jo Furber, Swansea Council’s Literature Officer, said: “John has many years of experience of exploring this cold and icy expanse.

“He will bring a unique blend of scholarship, humour and experience on Antarctic land and water to a selection of highly readable accounts of the merchantmen, navy men, sealers, whalers and aviators who, with scientists and adventurers, drew the first ghostly maps of the white continent.”

John said: “My first motivation to visit Antarctica was the chance to see such a remote place, and now I often return there because of the sense I get of a world before man.  

“That still thrills me about Antarctica. The environment there offers the chance to see wildlife that isn't afraid of you or, in the case of killer whales and leopard seals, creatures that are sizing you up as a possible meal.

“I once sat on a beach in Antarctica and a 'baby' elephant seal, weighing 150 pounds, sat in my lap because I was the nearest thing to a mother seal in the area.

“My friends say that’s an easily-made mistake, but it took a bit of shaking off!”

Tickets for the event are £7, £4.60 for concessions or £2.40 under Swansea Council’s Passport to Leisure scheme.

Have a look at http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/dylanthomas or call 01792 463980 to get tickets or find out more information.