Islands. Life on the edge of existence, walled in by the ocean, crucibles of
humankind where nature still holds the reins. I’m fascinated by them and had the
privilege to work as a vet for many years on four of the British South Atlantic Islands:
the Falklands, Ascension, Tristan da Cunha and St Helena. Richly diverse, far-flung
remnants of Empire.
Each has its own utterly unique story to tell, moulded by history, topography, peoples
and climate. The Falklands: a grand archipelago down in the chilly waters near the
Antarctic convergence, with rich fisheries, abundant wildlife, and more sheep than
the eye can muster. Ascension: an equatorial military base once nicknamed ‘The
Cinder’ because of its brutish volcanic landscapes, home to colourful land crabs, and
nesting sea turtles, but with a lush central peak, the first example of terraforming.
Tristan: the remotest island settlement in the world, a crofting-type community of
some 250 hardy souls perched on the brim of a recently active volcano, their
livelihoods dependent on harvesting the abundant crayfish that swarm in the kelp
forests. And tropical St Helena: the former darling of the East India Company, once
the most impregnably fortified place in the world and crammed with built heritage,
dramatic scenery and endemic species. Not to forget the oldest known living land
animal in the world, Jono the Giant Tortoise, who is approaching his third century.
My talk will be a colourful picture fest of land and sea to convey these stories, laced
with anecdotes about my great love, the animals. To me, they represent the best of
us: innocent and honest, they never lie, they never deceive.
I aim to entertain and uplift, to whizz you through these remote communities and
provide the ultimate in armchair travelling so… fit that safety harness and buckle up!
