Geoff grew up in northern Canada and has been studying wildlife his entire life. He worked for the Canadian government throughout his career in the environmental field (before he started formally guiding). Additionally he taught part-time at various community colleges in subjects related to nature and environmental protection. Since retiring from the Canadian government, he embarked on a new career as Expedition Guide and Wildlife Lecturer. Over the years, he has worked for several cruise companies as both a Guide and Interpretive/Enrichment Lecturer, has travelled to over 90 countries on all seven continents and has written two books – one on mammals and one on Antarctica. In addition, he has contributed to many natural history publications, written several popular and scientific articles about wild things and currently writes a biweekly nature column and a quarterly newsletter to help people better understand our natural world. To understand clientele’s interests it is important to speak to them in clear language and in an entertaining and engaging fashion. To this end he presents his information in a down-to-earth and informative manner. His primary lecture focus is on birds, land and marine mammals, reptiles and amphibians and other forms of wildlife.

Geoff can speak to a broad range of topics related to the natural history area. Recent talks he has given include:

Building the Perfect Bird
An introduction to the Mammals of Central and South America
An Introduction to the Herptiles (Reptiles and Amphibians) of Central America
Citizen Science
An Introduction to Birdwatching
Birds of Central America
Sharing Your Garden With Nature
Birds of Eastern Canada
Albatrosses - Their Biology and Life Challenges
Longline Fishing - Impacts on Seabirds
Birds of the Caribbean
Birds of Canada's Coastal Waters
Introduction to Seabirds of Canada's Coastal Waters
Marine Mammals of Central America

Additionally Geoff’s repertoire includes prepared talks for geographically focused areas such as Uganda, Madagascar, Taiwan, the Falklands, Antarctica, Australia & NZ, Colombia, India & Nepal, NW Passage & Greenland, South Georgia, Western Alaska & Eastern Russia, Birds of Spitzbergen, Seabirds of Western Alaska, Newfoundland to Iqaluit, Paraguay & Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Finally Geoff can modify any of these talks to showcase regional specialities that occur along a cruise route or can create new talks to reflect the wildlife of key stopovers along a cruise itinerary.

Recently Geoff worked as a Specialist in Ornithology on the following cruises for Viking Expedition during the period September 23, 2022 to November 5, 2022 :
XOC220924 Niagara & the Great Lakes
XOC221001 Canadian Discovery
XOC221013 Caribbean Connections
XOC221022 Brazil's Vibrant Coast
XOC221105 South America & Antarctic Discovery

Geoff worked as a Specialist in Ornithology on the following cruises for Viking Expedition during the period March 14, 2023 to April 13, 2023:

Geoff worked as an Enrichment Lecturer for Viking Ocean during the period December 23, 2023 to January 9, 2024.

Geoff has been working as an interpretive naturalist and public speaker for over 40 years. Since he retired from the Canadian Public Service, he has been working as an Expedition Guide and Enrichment Lecturer through which he gives lectures and conducts workshops on all aspects of natural history. He has provided enrichment lectures for Viking through the Canadian Great Lakes system, Caribbean, and Central & South America and has guided as an ornithologist and mammalogist for several companies such as Peregrine Adventures, Quark Expeditions, One Ocean Expeditions, Clipper Cruises, and Scenic Cruises amongst others. The primary destinations of these expedition contracts were western Australia and Indonesia, the Canadian and European polar regions and the Falklands, sub Antarctic and Antarctic regions. Additionally, he has guided to other Caribbean countries, North and South America, Borneo, Taiwan and Europe.

The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.