Alvah Simon

“One of the great and authentic adventurers of our time"

For 10 months he was trapped by crushing ice. For 5 months he endured soul-destroying solitude. For 3 months he lived in total darkness. For 1 hour he will have you on the edge of your seat. Explorers are a special breed of people blessed with courage, determination and an instinct for survival.

Alvah Simon is regarded as “one of the great and authentic adventurers of our time’. While most people seek security and comfort, Alvah prowls the thornier edges of our world. “Only by testing the borders of human potential can we expand them” he says. “Yes there are risks, but there are even greater risks in not doing it”. In his spellbinding presentations, Alvah chronicles his expedition, - a treacherous exploration, high above the Artic Circle to face the last frontier on its own terms. For Alvah the Artic expedition was the fulfilment of a lifetime dream. Despite meticulous preparation and a 13-year circumnavigation building the necessary skills and outlook, he could never have been prepared for what lay ahead. In his widely acclaimed book, ‘North to the Night: A Spiritual Odyssey in the Arctic’, Alvah chronicles his harrowing expedition, high above the Arctic Circle to face this last frontier on its own terms.

Unexpected events left Alvah to face the Artic alone, his boat trapped in the crushing ice and with a kitten as his only companion. His world was reduced to the icy hull of his sailboat and soon circumscribed by minus 65-degree temperatures, killing blizzards and marauding polar bears. Alvah withstood more than five months of isolation, temporary blindness and the space-like blackness of the polar winter fighting a solitary battle for life and sanity. Alvah and his wife were the subjects of a two-hour Discovery/Travel Channel documentary titled ‘To Survive’, which enjoyed prime time airing to a massive audience and received exceptionally high ratings. CNN’s ‘Business Unusual’ a broadcast devoted to the art and discipline of business creativity, inspiration and leadership chronicled Alvah’s riveting saga. With his masterful storytelling accompanied by spectacular photography, Alva vividly communicates why and how people do extraordinary things. His remarkable story is a real-life tale about the many facets of achievement – vision, fortitude, adaptability and resourcefulness. He not only inspires others to test the borders of their potential, he prompts them to think anew about life. Today, business and life challenge us to go places we’ve never gone before. Alvah proves we are up to the test. His presentations are powerful and memorable with a profound and universal message relevant to a wide range of audiences.

After a spell onshore speaking throughout New Zealand and North America, author and adventurers Alvah and Diana Simon are setting sail once again for the Far North onboard their 36-foot cutter “Roger Henry”. The Simons are the co-recipients of the Cruising World Outstanding Seamanship Medal, subjects of a Discovery/ Travel channel documentary titled “To Survive”, and contributing editors for Cruising World Magazine. He has thrilled, inspired and motivated New Zealand audiences to explore the borders of human potential and think anew about life. Their next adventure will take them to the Kamchatka Peninsula of Far East Russia and northern Alaska, via New Caledonia, Vanuatu, remote atolls in the Solomon Islands and the Caroline Islands, and Japan.

Presentations:

Motivation - Inspiration Death is only one of many ways to lose your life. The best time to take action towards a dream is yesterday, the worst tomorrow. The best compromise is today. Exploring the Borders of Human Potential