The last First Friday Forum of the year, Dr. Joe Whitehouse, will speak on “A National Geographic Expedition – The Northwest Passage.” The talk is June 2 and held in the Fellowship Hall at Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church (LOPC).
One doesn’t need to travel far to visit the Northwest Passage. This month’s First Friday Forum features Dr. Joe Whitehouse, who takes listeners there with his presentation, “A National Geographic Expedition – The Northwest Passage.” The Forum, held in the Fellowship Hall at Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church (LOPC), is June 2 from 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Whitehouse said, “For centuries the famous Northwest Passage has had an almost mystical reputation as one of the harshest naval endeavors to find a way from Europe to Asia. Between the end of the 15th to 20th Century, colonial powers from Europe dispatched explorers in an attempt to discover a commercial sea route north and west around North America to Asia.”
Whitehouse and his wife Arnette, have traveled worldwide including 157 countries with 23 ship expeditions.
“Among these expeditions are one to Antarctica and two in the Arctic, including the Northwest Passage,” said Whitehouse. “The photography I bring is of a quality that helps make this story come alive.”
Join Whitehouse on the National Geographic ship Endurance from Nome, Alaska to Greenland, visiting Inuit villages and watching polar bears while crossing the Northwest Passage and learning about the failed voyages spanning hundreds of years.
This voyage exemplifies the outcome of brave men – many of whom lost their lives – to allow for commercial ship traffic to move successfully through the Arctic, as it melts due to climate change.
LOPC is located at 49 Knox Dr, Lafayette. For Zoom attendance, register at lopc.org/forum. Registration is not required to attend in person.
Bobbie Dodson can be reached at bobbiedodson109@gmail.com.
