A Chance Conversation That Sparked an Antarctic Journey
Long-time Antarctic Explorer member Leonie Mercer and Ngawai Clendon (Inspiring Explorer 2025) have a special bond. It was Leonie that suggested to Ngawai that she apply for the Trust’s expedition to the Ross Sea. Leonie was a customer at Ngawai’s restaurant, where Ngawai works to support her studies. Leonie was immediately struck by Ngawai’s personality, this “X-factor” that she emanated. Leonie told Ngawai about the Trust and strongly encouraged her to apply, saying that she was exactly the kind of young explorer the Trust hoped would be part of the Inspiring Explorers™ programme.
Ngawai had never heard of the Trust, however knowing she would likely see Leonie again, decided to apply. “Applications closed the following day, so I didn’t have much time to think about it – I quickly put something together and sent it in. I never thought I would get an interview.”
A couple of months later, Ngawai received a call from Mike Barber, Inspiring Explorers™ Programme Manager, asking her what she was doing in January. “I knew then that I had been selected. I couldn’t believe it and had no idea how life-changing the expedition would be.” Ngawai is studying English, Te Reo Māori and New Zealand Sign Language and is the first in her family to go to university. She didn’t tell her family that she had been selected until quite close to the expedition. “It was a lot to process, thinking of going to Antarctica.”
Leonie had joined the Trust’s 2023 Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ to South Georgia as an Official Supporter, so had seen the impact of the programme firsthand. Self-described as an Antarctic enthusiast, Leonie has loved the stories of the polar explorers like Shackleton her whole life. She says if she had been born in a different time, being a polar explorer during the heroic-era would have been her dream. She resonates with the stories that share the incredible resilience and bravery the explorers often had to find. Visiting South Georgia and walking in the footsteps of Shackleton was a life-long dream; culminating in visiting Shackleton’s grave at Grytviken. Leonie said that expeditions for young people like Ngawai are so important for enabling them to see how big the world is; to broaden their perspective and to challenge assumptions about their limits.
Executive Director Francesca Eathorne caught up with Leonie and Ngawai and arranged for them to have afternoon tea together. It was a special catch up with all three women sharing their stories of visiting Antarctica and its positive impact on their lives. They shared the moment that they each saw their first iceberg and how that made them feel at once insignificant and yet part of something bigger and connected. Ngawai said, “Visiting Antarctica – it’s then in your soul. It changes you.”
Francesca reflected, “What was special about our catch up is that we are three women of different generations, none of whom thought our lives would take us to Antarctica. We are now proud to be part of a global network of Antarctic ambassadors who value and want to protect the historic huts the Trust cares for into the future. I was struck by how we can’t do this work without both the long-term supporters like Leonie and the future kaitiaki (guardians) like Ngawai.”
Ngawai agreed, writing in her blog: Kāhore taku toa i te toa takitahi, he toa takitini (We cannot succeed without the support of those around us).
