Sir Robert Swan

Sir Robert Swan is our expedition leader. This posting will provide background on his life and what inspired his passion for the Antarctic. I have obtained permission to use this material which is found in Robert Swan, The Journey So Far.

Robert Charles Swan was born on July 28, 1956. His interest in polar exploration began at school in England where, at the age of eleven, he became inspired by the 'Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration' (1895-1917) and the race to the South Pole between Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton and Roald Amundsen. It was Scott’s tragic final journey to the South Pole that inspired his commitment to follow ‘In the Footsteps of Scott’ to the South Pole.

The dream became a reality when in 1979 Robert began to raise the necessary funds to reach the Pole. It took Swan five years of planning and fundraising to reach the $5 million he needed for the expedition. He procured a ship, the ‘Southern Quest’, and convinced 25 people to give up three years of their lives to implement the project. During that time Robert lived in a warehouse in London whilst signing up some 2,000 sponsors and assembled a team that included Roger Mear and Gareth Wood as his fellow walkers to the Pole. The ‘Southern Quest’ set sail on the 3rd November 1984 to travel the 14,842 nautical miles to Antarctica, stopping in Lyttleton, New Zealand to meet Bill Burton who at 96 was the last surviving member of Scott’s expedition of 1912.

The Antarctic winter was spent at their ‘Jack Hayward’ base with colleagues John Tolson and Dr Michael Stroud. When winter passed Robert Swan, Roger Mear and Gareth Wood set out to walk the 900 miles to the South Pole. On the 11th January 1986, after 70 days without the aid of any radio communications or back-up support and having each hauled 350 lb sledges, they stood at the South Geographical pole. They had achieved the longest unassisted march ever made in history.

Commentary:

Our goals and dreams are often rooted within us from our youth. Robert Swan looks no different than any other 11 year old student (except for maybe the tie). As parents, educators, leaders and mentors, a sacred trust has been granted - to teach and instill confidence in those who look to us for guidence. If we do not help nurture those dreams, they risk becoming unfulfilled. Accomplished goals and dreams are our reality and define who we are and what we become. We help determine what impression those under our stewardship leave on this world.