Heidi and Ted posed more questions to polar expedition guide Richard White, an expert who has spent years at the ends of the earth as a guide, educator and wildlife lover. Currently 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 a sampling of his Antarctica photos. Read Part 1 of our Q & A with Richard.
Connect with Richard on instagram @richthebirder or richard
QC: Tourism is your bread and butter (and ours too), but do you have reservations sometimes about too many people ruining the world’s pristine places?
Richard: I don’t worry about people ruining the world’s pristine places. That happened long before I was born. I don’t believe that any part of the world that I have been to is pristine.
For example, those of us visiting Antarctica will never know what the Southern Ocean looked like before commercial whaling wiped out the vast majority of large whales in the region. Numbers have recovered, and we get some great whale watching opportunities during our trips, but it is only a shadow of what was once there and certainly not pristine.
But I do worry about the loss of wilderness, but that is another question and a longer and more difficult answer.
Richard photographing a diving whale in Antarctica. * Photo: Kristin Braisted
QC: How do you justify tourism?
Richard: I didn’t know that I had to justify tourism. It was around before I started working in the industry and will be there long after I retire (or die, whichever comes first). And if I stopped working in the industry because there was some part of it that made me unhappy, the industry would not grind to a halt.
I do think it is important that people are given the rare and special opportunity to experience wilderness areas at least once in their lifetime; and the polar regions offer that chance on a grand scale. The experience of wilderness changes people. It makes us aware of our insignificance in the bigger picture. And at the same time, I hope the experience will help people to appreciate and value such places, and that the remaining wilderness areas should be protected.
That would be my justification for introducing people to the polar regions through tourism.
QC: If you come across a passenger who likes to go off on his/her own when ashore, how do you deal with this if it’s not allowed at a particular landing?
Richard: If it is not allowed, then it is not allowed. I don’t bend rules for individuals. If there is an option, I might choose not to make that landing. But if there is no option, then it simply needs to be a conversation that explains the circumstances of that location and the reason why no solo wandering is allowed.
A lone visitor exploring Neko Harbour in Antarctica. * Photo: Richard White
QC: And if it is permitted to go off one’s own, do you have a set of guidelines or safety warnings depending on the animal life or ice and snow conditions at a particular site?
Richard: Yes. On a site-by-site, day-by-day basis. And it will also depend on the person. As you can understand, it is complicated.
QC: Are there new landing sites in Antarctica that you would suggest to add to an itinerary that would offer something different, and to avoid crowding at exiting popular landings?
Richard: Every Expedition Leader has “new” or “alternative” landing sites in mind. This is not just about avoiding crowding, but may also provide added diversity of experience whether in terms of landscape or wildlife.
These sites also serve their purpose when primary sites may be blocked by ice, or blown out by weather.
In some cases we might like to think of these as “secret,” or known only to a few. But in reality, there is little out there that is not known by the wider community.
But there are good reasons that existing landings are popular, and as an industry we need to be able to share access to these and “play well together.” Until now this has generally worked well, but it is likely to be a greater challenge in the future.
Orne Harbour Antarctica. * Photo: Richard White
QC: What are some of your non-technical guidelines when photographing the wildlife — i.e. creating interesting still photographs?
Richard: The simplest and I think the best, is to get down to the same level as the subject, i.e. shoot penguins at eye level, not just the top of their heads.
And second do not always aim for close up portrait shots — go wide. Try to place the subject in the environment. It is not as easy, but very satisfying when it works well.
Curious Adelie penguin. * Photo: Richard White
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