Explorer of the month: Bert Poffe

Ever wanted to know how to become an explorer? Or how your contemporaries do all the things they do (and get away with it)?

Each month Explorers Connect interviews one of its members to find out everything you need to know. This month: have you ever thought there was more to exploration than being the biggest, fastest or first? BERT POFFE.

What are you working on right now?

Within days we are leaving for Lapland, in Arctic Finland for our Inari Canoeing and Hiking Expedition 2012. The last few weeks before departure are always hectic and nerve wracking. The physical preparation is done. Our Ally foldable canoe and the rest of the gear are already on-site in Ivalo, so everything should be fine. But, just in case, you go over and over the preparations list again, you check, double and triple check, killing time and nerves. We'll be on the water on September the 10th, until than we try to be as Zen as possible. It's not unlike the days after an expedition where you need some time to cool off and come up with the next one. Of course I have about a 1000 more ideas, only time will tell whats going to be next.

How did you become an explorer?

I think I've always been one. As a kid I imagined myself being an explorer and a nomad, travelling from one place to another, and I basically never stopped doing that. I was always strolling in the woods, building campsites and exploring, very much convinced that I was discovering one or other faraway wilderness. I have always been interested in First Nations and aboriginal people and their skills and knowledge of the land and the remote and wild places they live in. I like to get out of my comfort zone and learn how to live in wild and sometimes harsh places and climates. So little by little you go on trips and adventures and you go learning from former experiences, step by step the trips become longer and the challenges become sometimes bigger.

Why do you do it?

I like to spend time in the wilderness, in inspiring places, and places where one has to learn to adapt. It makes you humble, seeing things from a different perspective. Getting out of your comfort zone teaches you lots about yourself.

What scares you the most?

Once I am out there I'm quite laid back, but organising can often become quite stressy. Every time you aim for a new adventure you know getting it all organised will be the toughest part of the story.

What is your greatest moment so far?

The greatest moment is again and again, the very moment your realise that your next expedition gets a go and that it will happen for sure. Your next expedition is always the most important one.

What's the most dangerous situation you've ever been in?

A far too long day-hike in Belgium. At 22 below zero, although we were less than 10 kilometres from the nearest road, a snowstorm made progress almost impossible. Then hypothermia took hold of my hiking buddy. The thin ice on certain lakes when we did the Algonquin Winter Crossing 2006 was another challenge I still remember.

What makes you smile?

Seeing my kids - or other people's kids - enjoying a hike or a canoe trip, or running barefoot around a camp site. What are the biggest obstacles to expedition success? To me an expedition is a success when my explorers heart has been satisfied, when I have been challenged by the natural elements and when I have the feeling I have learned a lot about the world, about people living in that particular area and about myself. Doing it for the wrong reasons I think are the biggest obstacles for success. With all respect for other opinions, expeditions seem to be more than ever about bigger, higher, deeper, faster, further, I think getting caught in the wrong type of motivation can become very dangerous.

What's the worst injury you've ever had?

When I did the Atacama Crossing 2010, a 250km ultra-marathon an atypical adventure for me - my feet were pretty messed up and I had lost lots of weight in only six days competing, thats about it. One thing to be aware of is to not overdo training when preparing for a challenge. I have seen many people injured at the starting point because they had been punishing themselves way too hard during the preparation months.

What's the greatest thing about succeeding?

The greatest thing is coming home after a successful trip, rebooted and full of mental energy, spending time sharing your adventure with others (pictures, lectures, campfire stories) and keeping that little secret in your head that only you know where you want to go next.

What's the meaning of your life?

I am very happy to be alive and want to live it at the fullest. And if I succeed in being a good person to my family and others, I feel accomplished How can I do what you do? My advice? Stop watching National Geographic (Nothing against NG) and thinking how impossible it is for you to achieve doing what all these adventurers do. Go out and start exploring! It doesnt have to be the North Pole. The Scottish highlands can be a nice challenge as well.

How do you balance the adventurous life with your home life?

There is no need of a balance. Its not being here and being there. It is just, in a very natural way part of the life of my family and myself. Many times my kids are around when I am training or preparing for a next trip. We talk about it, we learn about new places etc. I also like to go on trips with my wife and kids. Never had more fun than when preparing for the Atacama Crossing during an exceptional cold and snowy Belgian winter. Both my kids, sitting on a sled, pushed me to train harder and harder, for hours a day. Hard work out for daddy can be tremendous fun for the kids. What's the one thing you do better than anyone else you know? I am just an average guy with average capabilities who read too many books about the First Nations and explorers when I was a kid. That said, I think I am mentally quite strong and stubborn. Maybe one thing I am good at, being a sort of a border collie when on a trip with a group, listening to every individual, massaging away possible tensions or irritations to create a good atmosphere. I also know pretty well how to motivate people to dare to dream about a personal challenge or quest. What one thing couldn't you live without on expedition? My knife. When I put on my belt with my nessmuk knife I admit its a love affair I feel pretty much ready for about anything.

How can fledgling explorers fund what they do?

Exploring doesn't always have to be expensive. Start small and don't take too big financial risks. Build up your career slowly but surely. I respect a lot of low-budget expeditions, as long as they don't compromise safety. You can cut out all the nice-to-have things, but never ever save on safety.

Is there anything left to explore?

There is more to (re)explore than ever before. The whole planet has been discovered and almost anything can be found on Google Earth. And yet we seem to find ourselves further away from nature and our planet than ever before. We have lost our connection with nature. More than ever people need to go outdoors and enjoy it. To me exploration is not about discovering unknown places. There is a whole planet out there to be explored. When I explore I do it through my eyes, when you do the same exploration through your eyes you will have a completely different view and experience. Everyone should be able to experience and see for himself how powerful and beautiful nature is. One of the most special explorations I have ever done, the Khuvsguld Dogsled expedition, people have been there before, it was certainly not a first, but, as an explorer of that remote place, I came back with lots of impressions and experiences to share.

Why does the modern world need explorers?

When you explore nature there is no doubt you will start to like and embrace it. You put yourself and the world in a totally different perspective. I do my best to inspire through exploration. If I can motivate another person to go out and start exploring and read the book of nature, my mission is completed If you could only do one more expedition what would it be and why? If there would be only one more I guess I would return once again to what I love most, exploring the skills and knowledge of the First nations of Northern Canada, being it canoeing, snowshoeing or dog sledding.

What's your life time ambition?

If I can, in a humble way, inspire people through my own exploration, to go outdoors and explore nature, I will be very, very, satisfied

How can readers learn more about you?

We do speeches and presentations. On http://www.inuksuk.be they can learn more about past and future explorations. We also like to use Facebook and twitter where we comment on more things than just expeditions, such as running barefoot, edible plants and herbs, healthy food and workouts.

Bert Poffe was interviewed and edited by Frank Coles, a writer and broadcaster with a taste for adventure. You can find out more about him on Explorers Connect or at www.frankcoles.com. Frank Coles | Riding High Ltd 2012"

Looking for: advice & potential team-mates to plan expedition across Antarctica

Hi - My aim is to cross Antarctica (or similar) in the next 18 months or so.I am primarily looking for advice from those who do or have done expeditions in Antarctica on the process steps required to plan and execute an expedition in Antarctica.I would like advice on budget, time and resources and then look at feasible distance/route options (coast to south pole, total crossing, coast to south pole return etc.).

I also want to do a unique expedition so advice on what has not been done yet is welcome! Next I am looking for people who might want to be team-mates and who have the ability to get the funds and who have a genuine ambition to do such an adventure and the inevitable tyre-dragging round Richmond Park.

Thank you

Explorer of the Month: Victor Boyarsky

Ever wanted to know how to become an explorer? Or how your contemporaries do all the things they do (and get away with it)?

Each month Explorers Connect interviews one of its members to find out everything you need to know. This month if you've ever been to the pole via the Barneo ice base at 89 degrees north you may well recognise the modesty and smiles of the man who runs it: VICTOR BOYARSKY

How did you become an explorer?

I am just a lucky man whose dreams about active and adventurous life were magically fulfilled. In my youth I dreamed to became or sailor as my father was, or a polar man (huge impact of Jack London), and after graduating in 1973 I got just only one place available at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute and the same year went to Antarctica. Then for nearly 15 years I worked as a scientist studying ice and snow with remote sounding systems, taking part in four Antarctic and six Arctic scientific expeditions. 1987 became a very special year for my polar career I was chosen as a Soviet member of the International Transantarctica Expedition.

Still guessing why?

There were many scientists in our Institute who could have taken this place, but I was lucky again. Maybe one of the reasons was that at that time (1987) I didnt know any words in English which meant I could definitely keep all Soviet secrets hidden deep inside even being in the team with men representing the USA, UK, France, Japan and China! It was a great time with our incredible dogs and on skies we crossed Greenland in 1988 from South to North (nearly 2000 km in 64 days), in 1989-1990 we crossed the whole Antarctic continent on longest possible way 6500 km with dogs and on skis. It took us 221 days to do that and we became the second (and last) dog-sled expedition after Amundsen to reach the South Pole with dogs. In 1991-1993 I took part in several expeditions in Canadian Arctic training for Transarctic expedition, which happened in 1995 (Siberian coast- Ellesmere Island). Since 1997 up to now I am running a commercial project, organizing skiing expeditions to the North Pole.

Why do you do it?

This is type of life I like combination science and adventure, possibility to share your own feelings with those who hit this snowy road for first time in their life. What scares you the most? Not being able to continue such a way of living before getting tired. What is your greatest moment so far? Approaching the finish line after 6500 km of skiing across Antarctica.

What's the most dangerous situation you've ever been in?

September 1st 1976 is considered to be my second Birthday - on that day I survived after getting lost in heavy blizzard in Antarctica.

What makes you smile?

All besides things making me angry.

What are the biggest obstacles to expedition success?

Serious illness, or bad injury, in other words Lack of Luck!

What's the worst injury you've ever had?

The worst definitely will be one which prevents me from taken part in the expedition.

What's the greatest thing about succeeding?

Motivation, belief and optimism.

What's the meaning of your life?

Living in the way which can make happy not only you but someone else.

How can I do what you do?

Everyone has his own Pole.

What's your nickname?

Vittorio.

How do you balance the adventurous life with your home life?

It is greatest dis-balance in my whole life.

What's the one thing you do better than anyone else you know?

Writing poems.

What one thing couldn't you live without on expedition?

Fuel.

What is the best advice you've been given in your career?

Dont try to be excellent, just be good!

Is there anything left to explore?

Of course. Just look around and you definitely will find something to explore.

Why does the modern world need explorers?

They give to others ideas how to live another way and show on their own example that if one really dreams about something, he for sure will be able to make it happen.

If you could only do one more expedition what would it be and why?

I would go to Nepal, because I never have been there and because the mountains for me are different dimension of the space.

What's your life time ambition?

Just not getting worse as person while getting elder.

How can readers learn more about you?

They can visit the site of Arctic and Antarctic Museum at : www.polarmuseum.ru and order my books (in Russian). Or you could visit the North Pole as a scientist or adventurer via his company www.norpolex.com Victor Boyarksy was interviewed and edited by Frank Coles, a writer and broadcaster with a taste for adventure.

You can find out more about him by reading his professional profile on Explorers Connect or at www.frankcoles.com. North Pole photos also by Frank Coles. All rights reserved."

Unsupported Ski to the South Pole 2012

Unsupported 950km Ski to the South Pole via the Messner Route From Nov 12 - Jan 13, I will be attempting to ski unsupported to the South Pole.

I will be following Reinhold Messner's route of 1989. Acommitting, 580 mile (934 km) ski traverse through remote, unexplored terrain, from the Ronne Ice Shelf on the edge of the frozen Antarctic continent to the Geographic South Pole. I previously spent 6 months in Antarctica in 2000-1 whilst serving with the British icebreaker HMS Endurance when I was in the Royal Marines. It was great fun supporting the British Antarctic Survey's operations and also doing the safety diving under the ice with the BBC for a documentary on Adelie Penguins. I also led a small ski expedition to retrace Shackleton's famous route across the Antarctic island of South Georgia, one of the worlds most beautiful and remote islands. I have been keen to get back down to the Antarctic since then and knock off a remaining childhood ambition to ski to the Pole.

This ambition is about to become an exciting reality and experience. As part of the expedition I am also attempting to raise 100,000 pounds for the international children's charity Warchild (www.warchild.org.uk). If anyone sponsors me over 2,000 pounds I will take a (small and light) momento of yours in my sled to the Pole, and assuming I get there, will take a photo of it at the South Pole.

Please donate here:www.justgiving.com/skisouthpole2012 You can follow the ups and downs of my epic on Facebook www.facebook.com/toby.selmanand on twitter twitter.com/tobyselman.