Tim Jarvis is an environmental scientist and adventurer; he holds the record for the fastest unsupported journey to the South Pole and longest unsupported journey in Antarctica 1999.   He is the author of two-best selling books 'The Unforgiving Minute' about his first 3 polar expeditions to the North and South poles and across the Arctic Island of Spitsbergen; and 'Mawson: Life and Death in Antarctica', based on an awarding winning documentary film of the same name.

As an avid explorer, passionate environmentalist and fearless globetrotter, Tim Jarvis is a man who consistently endeavours to live his life with purpose and meaning. As a man who knows the importance of possessing a strong vision – both physically and mentally - it was therefore only fitting that we spoke to Tim about his support for The RANZCO Eye Foundation this JulEYE and the special sights he beholds.

As an explorer of many of the world’s most remote places, you have certainly tested your body beyond its limits and seen more than the average person. What are some of the sights you hold dear in your memory; those special moments that stand to remind us just how precious the gift of sight is?

I have been incredibly lucky to have seen many wonderful places and had so many experiences but one that does come to mind was after 47 days of walking only with a guide across the South Pole. You have to imagine we were doing this expedition unsupported pulling along all that we needed. There had been no evidence of people; in fact we hadn't come across any form of life until we came across someone doing the night shift for the South Pole Station. He was certainly a sight to behold after 47 days. Though I had found the isolation of the journey liberating it was quite an emotional moment when we crept up on this person at work. He was shocked when we emerged out of what would have seemed like nowhere. We celebrated with a hug and by giving him two rolls of the film and asked if he could send that back to Australia and we continued our journey.

In terms of a spectacular sight I would have to say seeing the Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights at the North Pole. I have been to the Arctic a number of times but have only been lucky enough to see the Northern Lights on a couple of occasions. This is because the Northern Lights are only visible during winter and you normally only travel to the high Arctic at the very end of the winter with only a few hours of darkness so the window of opportunity to see this spectacle is small. The Northern Lights are truly a sight to behold - an amazing fast-moving, swirling curtain of red and green lights which makes for one of nature's most spectacular light shows.  It is truly a sight to behold.

You’re currently preparing for your next expedition in which you will recreate The Shackleton Epic Expedition. Using period equipment this will involve a perilous 800-mile open boat voyage from Elephant Island to South Georgia and a gruelling climb over the treacherous mountain ranges of South Georgia when landfall is made. What do you think this journey will open your eyes to?

Certainly a world of pain as this will be a test of endurance. Even when I did the Mawson expedition recreating the conditions you realise you have a new level of respect for the polar explorers of that time. With the equipment they had and the conditions they faced, they had a far greater understanding of desperation, determination and endurance. With an expedition such as this, it is all about managing the circumstances as best you can, step by step and managing your physical deterioration. It has been said that these explorers “travel in wooden boats but they are iron men” and I think this is absolutely a fitting description. I’m sure my eyes will once again be opened to a new found appreciation of the depth of human emotion in terms of endurance and survival.

On an expedition such as this, looking after your eyes must be crucial?

Snow blindness is a major issue. Polar explorers in Shackleton’s time often went without eye protection, as they knew little about snow blindness. They often only wore their goggles to keep the snow out of their eyes when really they should have been wearing them the whole time to keep glare levels down. Obviously we’ll be wearing goggles the whole time on the expedition to protect our eye sight.

Tim Jarvis will set off on the Shackleton Epic Expedition in January 2013.