Alex McNeil
Alex is one of the many Canadians working in the Polar Regions. Born in England and raised in Toronto from the age of six, Alex started his first construction company when he was just 19 years old. Alex is fluent in Spanish and is currently learning Russian.
He has worked for Quark since 2007 and has filled the roles of Expedition Co-ordinator, Logistics Manager, Historian, Zodiac Driver, and Expedition Leader. He is a skilled boat handler and mechanic and has worked in some of the most challenging conditions. He has traveled extensively in the Arctic and Antarctic, completing over 50 expeditions. He has developed a strong passion for these regions. He considers himself a generalist and jack of all trades and has a keen interest in many fields including, geology, ornithology and marine biology but has focused most of his time reading about the great explorers of the Antarctic.
When not in the high latitudes Alex enjoys canoeing and camping in Temagami, Ontario, collecting rare first edition polar history books from the early 20th century, practicing his Russian, and building anything from engines to houses. His future goals include: re-claiming his grandfather’s farm in rural Zambia, Masters study in Iceland or Cambridge, manufacturing solar power generators in China for export overseas, and making your polar experience one you will never forget.
Alex will lead these expeditions:
What skills do you call upon to do your job?
"Interacting well with people plus managing a team and projects efficiently make smooth operations possible. I'm a skilled boat handler with a mechanical knowledge of outboard engines. I speak English and Spanish, and I'm working on Russian to help me work with ships crews."
What keeps you coming back season after season?
"I enjoy working with people - being able to show them such pristine and important parts of our planet. I like being in a position where I can impact in a positive way the overall outcome and success of an expedition. "
If you could time travel, which historic expedition would you like to join, and why?
"In the Arctic: I would have loved to have been with John Rae during any of his expeditions. If I had to choose one expedition in particular, I would have been part of his sledging journey to King William Island when he discovered the last known remains of the Franklin expedition. That was at Victory Point in 1852. Rae's ability to learn from the Inuit and use the techniques they had developed put him in a class of his own. In my opinion, he is certainly one of the most notable polar explorers in history."
Alex's advice to Polar Travelers
"The immense landscapes and overwhelming power of natuer that you experience in the polar regions is a life-changing event. A polar voyage will humble your preconceived understanding of our planet, and will evoke a strong obligation to protect these areas at all costs."
