Brian is an electrician. He had wanted to travel to the Antarctic for many years and after two unsuccessful applications in 1971 and 1991, was selected to replace the Scott Base electrician who was ill, for two months in 1993.

Brian comes from Akaroa, and has a keen interest in the sea. He has been a commercial fisherman and is a strong advocate for the establishment of a marine reserve in the Akaroa area. Following his training as an electrical apprentice and several years working for local Power Boards, Brian joined the British Merchant Marine Navy. For four years Brian sailed the world. He sailed through the Panama canal eleven times, as the ships he was on transported sugar, copper, cars and cashew nuts from country to country.

But returning to New Zealand, Brian returned to his electrical trade until the invitation came to join the Cape Roberts Project team while working as an electrical inspector at Scott Base in 1995.

Brian has been involved with the construction and establishment of the Cape Roberts buildings and facilities. His job has been to ensure that the camp, which is made up of insulated relocatable shipping containers, can be safely connected with electricity from the generators. "My job involves dealing with anything and everything electrical including the telephones. After the initial connections are made at the start of the season, there isn’t much for me to do so I become the camp roustabout. That means doing whatever is required to be done. I am the Fire Chief, which involves ensuring that fire safety drills are understood and that fire extinguishes are correctly placed and maintained, but it also involves, assisting the mechanic, cooking and driving to Butter Point to collect more fuel."

Brian commented that during the last trip to Cape Roberts in January 1997, the work load was very strenuous. "We all worked very long hours and at times tempers were frayed: not because of the people but sometimes things just don’t go right".

Brian will be at Cape Roberts during the next two drilling seasons; spring 1997 and 1998. "I prefer Antarctica in the spring. You get spoiled in the spring. The colours are much richer". On route to Cape Roberts Brian will spend quite a bit of time at Scott Base. "I actually don’t enjoy Scott Base that much. I like the wilderness aspect of Antarctica. During our last trip, we climbed Mt England. A peak west of Cape Roberts. Its not a huge mountain but from the top we could see forever. Really spectacular".

Brian says he is looking forward to the start of the drilling this spring. "It’s exciting being at the sharp end of the project. I’ll tell you what, when that first length of rock is brought up and cut down the middle I’ll be standing right behind those scientists!"