Edward Shaw

Edward Shaw has travelled widely as a naturalist and guide. For the past 29 years he has lived with his family in northwestern Patagonia, initially working as a teacher and subsequently working in community projects before returning to expedition ships. Edward is deeply committed to the principles behind sustainable development. He is happily married and the father of five children.

Edward began his expedition cruise adventures on the first expedition ship ever built, the Lindblad Explorer, or The Little Red Ship, as she was lovingly known. During the two years he worked on her he travelled around the world one and a half times. The first places he visited were the Fakland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica and these are the places he has most returned to.

Although Edward has no favorite destination, believing that each place holds something special, his love for Antarctica goes back to childhood, when his mother used to read him stories of the explorers. The stories led to a dream which was fulfilled in 1976 when he went for the first time, and he counts himself privileged to continue returning year after year to this fascinating part of the planet. He loves nothing more than sharing the unique wonders of these places with guests, and regularly speaks to students and adults about Shackleton's failed expedition of 1914-16, drawing from Shackleton's experience not just historical and geographical lessons, but also the leadership skills that can be learned and applied today.

The many trips Edward has done with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic have brought him many cherished memories. He is rapidly approaching 100 expeditions to The Ice, and each time he feels there are new things to be discovered and experienced, which leave him in awe of this wondrous place–the pristine beauty of the ice in its myriad expressions, the resilience of creatures and plants that live there and the stories of explorers and scientists who have ventured there continue to captivate him after so many years.