John Parsloe

A New Zealander, John Parsloe FRGS, Master Mariner, has over 40 years’ experience in the shipping industry. His work has seen him undertake many different roles in the Polar regions. He first went to sea in 1961 with the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand as an apprenticed cadet. In 1972 he joined New Zealand’s new oceanographic research ship Tangaroa as a Deck Officer and remained with this vessel until it was decommissioned in 1984. During this period he became involved with New Zealand’s Antarctic Research Programme and in 1980 he volunteered on Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ Transglobe Expedition polar vessel Benjamin Bowring, sailing in both polar regions. This was followed by a period as Research Officer with the DSIR’s Antarctic Division and later as Deputy Officer-In-Charge at Scott Base. John had various periods on secondment to the international youth organisation “Operation Raleigh”, between 1984 and 1988. John was Ice Master on passenger ship MV Discovery in Antarctica between 2003 and 2009. Previously, he had worked on a number of different Antarctic ships, including Tangaroa (2002) and the adventure/expedition ship Sir Hubert Wilkins (2001). John is married to Sylvia. They in rural South Canterbury, New Zealand.