Tuesday, 28 October

SES Explorer Series: Mark Agnew - There Will Be Headwinds

Join us to hear Mark recounting tales of endurance during his kayaking expedition of the Northwest Passage...EVERYONE WELCOME!

By Scientific Exploration Society

Date and time

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 19:00 - 20:30 GMT

Location

Hollywood Arms

45 Hollywood Road London SW10 9HX United Kingdom

Refund Policy

No Refunds

About this event

Mark is a world first record setting kayaker. He and his three teammates, called The Arctic Cowboys, became the first people to kayak the entire Northwest Passage. The expedition took 103 days and was packed with polar bears, storms, sea ice and near-death experiences. The feat was only possible as the ice disappears more each year.

Mark will have you on the edge of your seat recounting the tales of endurance. He ultimately learns that adventure is not about the outcome, it is about the experience and the people you do it with.

Mark's talk has been rated 9.5/10 by a secret audience vote aboard Saga Cruises and called "outstanding, the best talk of its kind I've heard". The Royal Scottish Geographical Society said it was "dramatic, amusing, exciting".

Mark is born and bred from Edinburgh. He moved to Hong Kong in his 20s where he worked as the Adventure Sports editor for the South China Morning Post. He has since moved back to the UK where he works as a keynote speaker and author. His book about the Northwest Passage is due to be released in June 2025.

Find out more about Mark on his website and socials (Instagram and Twitter).

EVENT DETAILS

Date: Tuesday 28 October 2025

Venue: The Boulevard Bar, Hollywood Arms, 45 Hollywood Road, Chelsea, London SW10 9HX

- Drinks in the bar from 6.30pm

- Talk starts at 7pm (followed by Q&A)

- More drinks in the bar afterward, if wanted!

SES Explorer Series powered by Optimist Performance.

Organised by

Scientific Exploration Society

Scientific Exploration Society (SES) is a British Charity (No 267410) dedicated to the exploration and conservation of the planet. It was founded in 1969 by Colonel John Blashford-Snell CBE and colleagues and since then has engaged in more than 200 expeditions in remote parts of the world. Many thousands of people have participated in these expeditions, not least those of Operations Drake and Raleigh, supported by the then Prince of Wales, which engaged young people from many countries in life-changing exploration, citizen science, and adventure.

SES today continues its work to promote exploration and to act as a portal to the world of expeditions involved in climate change, environmental protection, and conservation. Its membership is a unique community, including many famous explorers, dedicated to the challenges and satisfactions of exploration.

SES supports and promotes expeditions through funding, mentoring, training, and endorsement. In the process, it collaborates with under-resourced communities around the globe, seeking sustainable solutions and highlighting the challenges faced by our wider community.

Members and friends enjoy charity events and regular Explorer Talks and are also given opportunities to go on exciting SES Endorsed scientific expeditions.

SES has a dedicated Advisory Board consisting of famous explorers and naturalists including Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Dr Jane Goodall, Rosie Stancer, Pen Hadow, Bear Grylls, Mark Beaumont, Tim Peake, Steve Backshall, Vanessa O’Brien, and Levison Wood. Without its support, and that of its generous benefactors, members, trustees, volunteers, and part-time staff, SES would not achieve all that it does.

#discover #research #conserve

£0 – £14.25