The Explorers Club - Florida Chapter

05/27/2026

SAVE THE DATE! To celebrate World Oceans Day, members and their guests are invited to join us on Saturday, 6 June, at the Mote Science Education Aquarium (SEA) in Sarasota, Florida. During that time, we will receive a behind-the-scenes science tour of the Marine Ecology Teaching Laboratory and learn more about the Indo-Pacific and Florida Habitats. In addition, you will be able to explore their newly renovated 146,000-square-foot facility, which includes 1,000,000 gallons of marine habitat and hundreds of different species! The cost is $45 per person. Space is limited, so RSVP is required! To register, please email Tina at [email protected]

05/14/2026

Although our Orlando Happy Hour has been rescheduled, our Tampa event is still on! Members and guests are invited to join us for drinks and great conversation on May 30th from 4-6 pm, at Jackson's located at 601 S Harbour Island Blvd, Tampa. No RSVP is required. We hope to see you there!

04/16/2026

Who’s ready for ECAD?! Please let us know if you are planning to attend this year’s event. We’d love to say hello to Florida Chapter members and share a drink. Similar to last year, we will also coordinate a Florida Chapter photo at The Club on Friday evening. If you would like to be included, please respond to Ryan Crutchfield at [email protected].

03/12/2026

We are excited to announce that our March Speaker will be none other than Jim Clash! An extreme participatory adventure journalist and Explorers Club member, Jim has interviewed some of the most iconic explorers, scientists, race car drivers, and musicians, including John Glenn, Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, Sir Edmond Hillary, Chuck Yeager, and his good friend, Col. Joe Kittinger. In his own right, Jim is an accomplished explorer. He has flown on supersonic flights in eight different aircrafts to 84,000 ft, navigated the twists and turns of Indy cars traveling over 200 mph, summited Aconcagua (23,000-ft), skied to the South Pole, and was on a C-130 flight through a Category 5 hurricane. And that doesn’t even scratch the surface! Known as the “World’s Most Interesting Man,” Jim will present his work on Risk Management.

This event will be held on 28 March , 4-6 pm, at the Cloisters in Winter Park, Florida, preceding the Kittinger Medal award ceremony. The event is open to members and their guest(s). Space is limited so RSVP is required by 16 March via email at [email protected]

03/12/2026

It is our great honor to announce the recipient of the Florida Chapter’s 2025 Kittinger Medal: Robert Boswell, MD, LM’83.

Dr. Boswell began his tenure at The Explorers Club in 1983, recommended by James Lassiter, member of the Finne Ronne Expedition and namesake of the Lassiter Coast, Antarctica. Bob’s military service included 3 years in the United States Naval Reserve with Operation Deep Freeze. His Squadron, VXE6, handled air operations and support for the Office of Polar Programs for the National Science Foundation.

As a Flight Surgeon, Bob actively served as a doctor for both McMurdo Station and the Pararescue Jump Team for Antarctica. He was involved in cold weather planning for expeditionary operations while also teaching extreme, cold weather survival operations. Their work was conducted under extreme remote conditions—minus 40 degrees—on the Polar Plateau, hundreds of miles from any other habitation.

Since leaving the Navy, he has practiced as a Cardiologist for 45 years. For decades Bob has been an active Chapter member, regularly participating in events and gatherings. He is also known for buying the occasional round.

The Kittinger Medal will be awarded during our 28 March Speaker Event, 4-6 pm, at the Cloisters in Winter Park, Florida. This event is open to members and their guest Space is limited so RSVP is required by 16 March via email at [email protected]

03/12/2026

Congratulations, Meg! Dr. Meg Lowman MED’97 will receive an Honorary degree from Allegheny College during their 2026 Commencement ceremony.

Renowned scientist known as will be honored for pioneering research in forest canopy ecology and global leadership in conservation.

03/03/2026

Dr. Joe Dituri FN'14 (aka Dr. Deep Sea) recently completed a series of exploration dives to 440 ft off the coast of Honduras. The purpose for the expedition was training team members as well as deep sea exploration. While this was not a flagged expedition, Joe did work in concert with submersible Idabel to photograph and document progress. Most notably, the group found the remains of a lost diver at depth bringing closure to that family. Here, Joe is pictured on a decompression stop face-to-face with the team inside the submersible.

02/17/2026

Mark your calendars! On Saturday, 21 February, at 5 pm via Zoom, Dr. Shelby Thomas FN’25 will present her work on artificial reef designs that mimic natural reef geology and integrate art to connect and engage local communities. Dr. Thomas is the CEO and Founder of Ocean Rescue Alliance International (ORAI), a nonprofit revolutionizing how we restore and protect marine ecosystems. She also serves as CEO and Director of Research for the 1000 Mermaids Project. Under her leadership, hundreds of artificial reef structures have been deployed that not only enhance biodiversity and coastal resilience but also serve as public art, ecotourism attractions, and education platforms. To date, she has coordinated over 30,000 coral outplants in Florida, Australia, and Mexico. Her presentation can be accessed by a link included in our February Chapter Member email. The presentation will be recorded for those unable to attend live.

02/05/2026

A huge thank you to all our members and guests who attended our recent Happy Hour in Orlando. It was a great opportunity to catch up on latest adventures and upcoming expeditions. If you weren’t able to make this gathering, no worries. We have more planned in the Tampa and Jacksonville areas. Watch this space for more info.

01/10/2026

Explorers and friends, it’s time once again for our monthly Happy Hour! Please join us Thursday, January 29th, 5-7 pm at The Tap Room at Dubsdread, for drinks and great conversation. Come share your stories of close calls, tall tales, and future expeditions. No RSVP required. We hope to see you there!