At the apex of self-gratification and self-expression, incredible adventures can be born. No one may know this more than record-breaking explorer Fiann Paul.

A modern-day Renaissance man, Paul lives his life at the boundaries of human performance, setting out to conquer the last “firsts” available to explorers worldwide. Paul already holds the distinction as the world’s most record-breaking explorer, but now, he’s setting out to cross the most tumultuous waters on the planet to set three more Guinness World Firsts. 

“Something can only be done for the first time once,” Paul remarks. “The ocean is like a canvas for me. These first are like brush strokes that last on this canvas forever.” 

Righting a historic wrong 

Paul’s next undertaking is the Shackleton Mission, an 800-nautical-mile journey across the Southern Ocean and the Scotia Sea. Between 1914 and 1917, Sir Ernest Shackleton led the last major expedition of the Antarctic region with the goal to make the first land crossing of the Antarctic continent. Shackleton’s mission became one of the most famous stories of survival ever recorded after his ship, the Endurance, sank during the voyage. The 28-person crew persevered, despite some dramatic setbacks. 

While Paul’s goals very much speak to his desire for self-expression and a love for exploration, he also hopes to right a perceived wrong from the original mission — the recovery of the prestigious Polar Medal for Shackleton crew member Harry “Chippy” McNish.

“Harry McNish was one of the most competent crew members, and he objectively questioned Shackleton’s expertise in a couple of critical situations,” explains Paul. “As a result, Shackleton requested that the Queen not award the Polar Medal to McNish.” Paul believes an amazing core intention to build the entire expedition around would be the rightful awarding of McNish’s medal posthumously. “He fully deserved the award, and I consider this history unfinished,” says Paul. 

Upon completion of their own Shackleton Mission, Paul hopes to restore McNish’s honor. The new crew has named their boat Mrs. Chippy, after McNish’s cat, who accompanied the original voyage in 1914. By bestowing this name on the boat, Paul feels that it will become a reminder for the team of their vision and a symbol to the world at large of their intent to right a historical wrong. 

A self-gratifying driving force 

Paul is open to acknowledging that many explorers do it all for lofty causes — charities, environmental purposes, or to inspire others. Paul’s reasoning behind his constant striving for record-breaking success is less altruistic and more therapeutic in nature.

“I would be most happy to say I do it just because I like it,” Paul says of his explorations. “I feel it is a way to express myself. The longer I live, the more I realize that self-expression is one of the most important themes in my life.” 

As a Jungian psychoanalyst, Paul is interested in shifting his interest in physical performance into artistic or intellectual pursuits. His desire to change course in his life after so much success is what makes the Shackleton Mission his final hurrah. “The best moment to change directions and charter a new course is at the peak of your career. You can use that momentum. I feel it is high time to shift my emphasis.” Paul explains. 

Acknowledging the self-gratification aspect of his work as an explorer is how Paul brings his ideas out of an ideological space and into a conscious one. His achievements in breaking records and going where few have gone before have lent him the credibility and opportunity to speak publicly about topics he genuinely believes in.

Paul sees his latest mission as a chance to practice leadership skills in a challenging environment and, yes, maybe inspire a little. “To contradict myself, I would like to encourage all people to express themselves authentically through their lives.” 

The culmination of a life of adventure 

Paul’s Mrs. Chippy team will row the Southern Ocean and the Scotia Sea, which exceeds the well-known difficulty level of the Drake Passage — an exploration slated to take 18 days. Six experienced rowers will row in groups of three 24 hours a day, changing shifts every one-and-a-half hours.

The path is precarious, at best, with waves the size of buildings, the risk of iceberg collisions, freezing winds, and sub-zero temperatures. These natural foes are ones Paul has faced in the past but respects just the same. “Pack ice on a high swell is the scariest environment that a small rowing boat can ever encounter,” he states.

But natural hurdles are not the team’s only concern. Sleep deprivation, hunger, risk of injury, and illness could also plague the mission — much like it did the original Shackleton expedition. 

A companion vessel will document Paul’s mission and serve as space for groundbreaking scientific research that Paul hopes will bring the world’s attention to the impact of human exploration on the once-pristine environment of the Antarctic. Crew member Dr. Michael Matson will lead research using digital technology in real-time to highlight the challenges facing marine biodiversity in Antarctic waters, including live-charting illegal fishing vessels throughout the journey. Though Paul’s driving force for his exploration is primarily grounded in self-gratification and personal achievement, the new Shackleton Mission still seeks to bring about goodwill and change, especially on the part of the various team members that Paul is bringing with him. 

“This is such a once-in-a-lifetime experience. A large part of my life is dedicated to addressing climate change, and it is so important never to lose sight of the world we are trying to save. I cannot wait for our amazing encounters with wildlife in the area.” says Dr. Matson.

Paul currently holds 14 “World’s Firsts” records, the highest number ever ratified by Guinness World Records. His many accolades include being the first and the only person to achieve the Ocean Explorers Grand Slam-completing open water crossings on all five oceans using human-powered vessels. He was also the captain of the only three successful human-powered pioneering expeditions into the open waters of both polar regions, where he rowed some of the world’s most extreme seas. And, in 2019, he led the Impossible Row Expedition, where he and his team were the first to row the Drake Passage.

For Paul, it’s been a life lived for adventure, pushing the limits, and grabbing ahold of opportunities. With the Shackleton Mission, he seeks to end his active exploring days on a historic note.

“When I first started my career, I felt a strong drive to compensate for something, validate something, and transform something through achieving these superhuman feats,” Paul says, “As of now, I feel I have expressed myself. Perhaps because I really did, or perhaps because there are virtually no oceans left. It will be a beautiful feeling to leave this space undefeated.”