Gavin Roser

A - Itinerary Focussed

What your Eyes See at Sea: The geography of the voyage, seas, oceans, rivers, passages and straits, ships and great events that occurred in the areas we pass through. This has included the Coral Sea, waters around Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, South & East China Seas, Indian and Pacific Oceans, North & South Atlantic, Magellan Strait, Mediterranean, North Sea, Baltic, Caribbean & Inner Passages BC & Alaska. The English Channel, Bay of Biscay, the Channel Isles and Ushant.

The Yangtse River: The longest river in Asia, I examine its contribution to the Chinese economy.

The Canary Islands: A fascinating group of Islands, with a population of 2.24 million. 

The Mediterranean: I explore what is going on there, looking at the characteristics of the sea and its impact on the 21 countries that border it. 

The Caribbean: A profile of the waters we transit and the islands we visit. 

The English Channel: A Channel with global impact past & present. Ships and key events in this exciting waterway – 500 ships per day in the Dover Strait, where do they come from and where do they go?

The North Sea: 600 miles long, and 360 miles wide covering an area of 220,000 square miles. Historically it has served us well in two world wars, how is it serving us today?

Alaska: The ins and outs, ups and downs, take a look at economics and infrastructure.

Aleutian Islands:  Majority part of Alaska, what is going on there? Explore the islands with me?

Hawaiian Archipelago: Eight major islands, I explore inter-island communications and how they are governed. 

A voyage around the British Isles. The River Thames to Liverpool via Ireland, then from Liverpool to Edinburgh via the Scottish Islands including Orkney and Shetland. A fascinating voyage, uniquely viewed from the sea.

The Arctic is the coldest Ocean in the world. Explore its eight seas and Islands. A look at both Bear Island and Jan Mayen.

Svalbard Svalbard 12° north of the Arctic Circle population under 3000: Learn about their economy and what sustains them.

Cape Horn & cape of Good Hope. Examine the critical impact of these infamous Capes.

Someone once said to me, art is fundamental in profiling the world we live in for better or worse, I answered I could build in elements that I see as art resulting from my global adventures.

B - History both Maritime & Key World Events

Dramatic events between the 60th and 80th meridians: This lecture looks at countries such as Anguilla and British Honduras {Belize} and key events you may have forgotten about, including the Cuban Missile crisis, the Bay of Pigs, the Darien Scheme and Deepwater Horizon.

Burma and the Irrawaddy flotilla: A review of this fascinating river, and the fleet of 600 ships and flats that sailed upon it. Most were scuttled when Japan invaded Burma.  A look at the origins of the Burma oil Company.

Captain William Kidd and Pirates of the Caribbean: Exciting, adventurous, notorious. Yes, but was he a villain or unjustly vilified? Are there any parallels with piracy today?

UK to Borneo by ship in the 1960’s: 10,622 nautical miles. What would you see or pass en route to the booming markets of Asia? 

Battle of the River Plate: The Graf Spee pride of the German Navy met her end off Montevideo. Commodore Harwood of the Royal Navy marshalled his forces, the Government of Uruguay maintained its neutral stance and Captain Langsdorff surprised them all. 

The Falklands conflict 1982: Why were and are the islands so important to the UK?

The Role of HMS Endurance in the Falklands conflict of 1982:  Known as The Red Plum, her Captain Nicholas Barker was a colourful character!

C - Transport Maritime & Supply Chain

Panama, Suez & Kiel Canals: (Each can be taken separately and have formed the basis for commentary from the bridge during transit) A look at these vital waterways; history, how they operate, customers and challenges.

The key ports that we visit: What is their role in the global supply chain? This includes the Port of Liverpool with an amazing history including some of the famous ships that called Liverpool home. Rotterdam and Zeebrugge also feature.

The Bosporus and the Black Sea: A key waterway with a major impact on global trade. Gateway to major markets in Central and Eastern Europe and centre of both economic and political challenges. Issues and challenges – the gateway to the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean.

Can you live without a container? Well, can you? What impact do containers have in everyday life; do we really need 20,000 TEU ships?

Can you live without a tanker? Energy impacts us all, so what is the role of tankers in sustaining our daily lives? I cover sources of oil and gas, and the geo-political issues that impact on global energy policy. Renewables obviously feature.

Can you live without ships and ports like Singapore or Rotterdam? Why are major hub ports so important in global trade, how does that affect you? Did you know that ships carry 90% of world trade?

Do you take ships for granted? With a world fleet over 50,000 vessels, find out what they do and where they go?

Sustaining life at sea: A look below stairs on a cruise ship; the galley, storerooms, housekeeping, engine room, bridge, and other areas which passengers never see. This lecture also looks at some of the regulations governing safety, security & sanitation programmes at sea.

Shipbuilding past & present: A look at the history of shipbuilding on the Clyde, and the move to the Far East and why? (Japan, South Korea and China and specialist shipbuilding in Europe). This links shipbuilding to a nation’s economy.

D - Current and International Affairs Including Trade:

Trade routes yesterday, today & tomorrow: (A) Silk and spice routes of yesterday, how relevant are they today with the Chinese Belt & Road initiative? (B) Critical waterways including the Suez, Panama & Kiel canals. The Bosphorus, Magellan Strait, the geopolitics of the Arctic and the expansion of both the North Sea Route and Northwest Passage. (C) Global choke points including key Canals, Bab – el Mandeb, the Bosphorus, Straits of Gibraltar, Hormuz, and Malacca. Do we ever think of them? All are vital to sustain global trade.

Bering Strait: A global choke point or and a new world in the North? Discuss the proposed tunnel, and plans for economic zones, are they sustainable?

Asean – {Association of South East Asian Nations}: Examining the Asean blueprint for 2025 – One Vision, One Identity and One Community.

How Greenland & Iceland work? Arctic issues are also covered. A look at the economies and governance of these stunning places, constrained by their remote location. 

Argentina: A country of 44 million. Geographically remote, but what is going on there? 

Persian or Arabian Gulf: Surrounded by eight states. A look at the Gulf itself and the conflicting goals and aspirations of countries depending on this waterway.

Yemen, Jordan, Israel & the Red Sea: Explore the geography and key characteristics of this fascinating region.

Who does what at the Foreign Office? Review of Ministerial areas of responsibility and major agencies that impact on global trade. The latter can be a stand-alone lecture.

British Overseas Territories: Fourteen territories seldom in the news, a look at what is going on in some of these exciting locations including the Falklands and Chagos Archipelago?

The Arctic Council has eight member states.  Learn about what they do including efforts to prevent pollution of the Arctic.

Africa is comprised of 54 recognised countries. Explore some of the characteristics of this vast continent.