Arctic Club Dinner 2015
Dove Bay from Kap Neils © Kathleen Cartwright
The 2015 Arctic Club Annual Dinner was a most enjoyable affair, with Kathleen Cartwright as President. It was held in the The Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh on 12 December. with some 90 members and guests. The programme started with three excellent talks, followed by mulled wine in the Library before dining in the Hepburn Suite and then in the bar. On Sunday morning, we gathered in the Library to chat, drink coffee, and listen to three inspiring talks. It was a splendid weekend.
The Programme of talks was
1. Mike Robinson, Chief Executive, Royal Scottish Geographical Society, gave a short illustrated, historical talk on some of the award winners of RSGS medals, who have Arctic connections.
2. Frances Wensley and Gareth Watkins, 2015 Arctic Club award winners, gave an illustrated presentation on Sailing to Svalbard their expedition in their sailing boat “Hal”.
3. Huw Robinson, Oscar Holliday, Duncan McGregor-Riley, Abigail Mounde and their teacher/leader Will Robinson, Gino Watkins Memorial Fund award winners, gave an illustrated presentation on the “Catalina” expedition to a remote area of Scoresby Sund.
4. Isobel Williams, retired medical consultant and author of books on Edgar Evans and Edward Wilson, gave an illustrated presentation about William Speirs Bruce, the explorer and scientist who travelled in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
The Belaena whaling expedition 1893 'El Gladiator' Scotia in Ice, 1903
5. Craig Mathieson, a present day explorer in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions and Explorer-in-Residence at the RSGS, who founded, runs and manages the Polar Academy gave an inspiring account of the work of the Academy. He was accompanied by one of the youngsters, Rhiannon, who took part in this year’s expedition.
6. Andy Mathers, one of the leaders of the West Lancashire Scouts expedition, supported by the Gino Watkins Memorial Fund, to the Emmanuel Glacier in Liverpool Land gave an illustrated talk on their experiences and ascents of unclimbed peaks. Watch West Lancs Scouts Greenland 2015 on YouTube:
Arctic Club members at the Royal Scots Club, 12 December 2015 (D. Goodman)
