The "Ekipo Expedicion" from Rio Grande Tierra del Fuego Argentina will set out to attempt the crossing of the Strait of Le Maire from Buen Suceso Bay on the big island of Tierra del Fuego to Crossley Bay on Staten Island in February 2011. Only 20 miles separate the island from the eastern tip of the Big Island of Tierra del Fuego. These are the few miles that make up the dreaded Strait of Le Maire. These waters are swept by strong currents that collide and savage winds that make the channel a very difficult and dangerous step which certainly can become the worst nightmare for every sailor no matter their craft.

The second stage will include the circumnavigation of Staten Island thus completing a total of 220 nautical miles, navigating the hazardous waters where the Pacific and Atlantic oceans converge resulting in one of the harshest seas in the world for every sailor in what is known as the gateway to Cape Horn.The island is the final part of the Andes mountain range emerging from the sea and for this reason presents a very rugged and rocky coastline with long stretches of cliffs of 20 to 50 m high, and only a very few accesible beaches constantly battered by waves. The climate is hostile and extremely humid on the island, hit by strong winds which according to the direction may bring snow, rain at any season of the year. It is very unstable, perhaps the hardest challenge both at sea and on land.

The kayakers - all born in Tierra del Fuego - are strongly motivated to go after the spirit and the steps of the Yahgan canoers, indigenous people of the region. Today we know that the Yahgans or Yamanas crossed the dangerous Strait of Le Maire in their fragile bark canoes to Staten Island; testimonies of these visits were recorded in 1982 by archaeologists and anthropologists in Crossley Bay.

Our main objectives are to perform an ecological and environmental survey of the coasts of this historical ecological reserve, take a photographic and audiovisual record of the island to spread the knowledge of this area in Argentina and the world and to pay tribute to marine Luis Piedrabuena through a plaque of recognition, a true gentleman of the sea who saved many human lives from many different shipwrecks during the nineteenth century in these violent seas.”

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® Expedition dry suit
OutFIT Tour PFD
Nomad bootie
Polartec® Power Dry® Liner

In September 2010 a team of California-based paddlers will attempt to be the first team to visit all of the Channel Islands of California by kayak. If time and weather conditions allow, part of the team may attempt a route that circumnavigates the entire island archipelago, a total distance of approximately 470 miles.

The 4 islands of the northern group; San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz and Anacapa along with the northern-most of the southern group, Santa Barbara make up the Channel Islands National Park. In addition to Santa Barbara Island, the islands in the southern group include Santa Catalina Island (commonly know just as Catalina), San Nicolas and San Clemente. The latter two are under the control of the US Navy and this is probably the main reason why no-one to our knowledge has attempted this challenge before now. It is not lawful to land on either San Nicolas or San Clemente so the team will have to paddle to and return from each of these islands without getting out of their kayaks, covering distances up to 80 nautical miles which will take in excess of 20 hours. They will be raising funds for the Channel Islands National Park which is dedicated to enhancing the awareness and understanding of the California Channel Islands.

The decision to attempt this challenge in early fall was based on this period typically has the best potential for good weather, fewer foggy days than summer and hopefully less wind. There will also be less daylight so it will be necessary to paddle at night during some of the longer crossings.

The basic plan for the route is as follows: leave Gaviota and cross to San Miguel, paddle down through the archipelago visiting each island (Sean will attempt to circumnavigate), cross back to mainland from Catalina to San Pedro (Sean will return to Gaviota via the northern islands). You can view the proposed route on Gmaps Pedometer.

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® TecTour Anorak
GORE-TEX® Action Jacket
GORE-TEX® Storm Cag
Orbit Tour PFD
Guide PFD
Outfit Tour PFD
GORE-TEX® Deluxe Sea Skirt

In July 2010 Bryan Smith will lead an expedition of six whitewater kayakers as they explore the Siberian mountain landscapes of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.

The Kamchatka Peninsula in Eastern Siberia is one of the last truly wild places on Earth. It is a place where between one sixth and one fourth of all salmon spawn, a place with some of the densest brown bear populations in the world, a place with no dams, no massive extractive resource operations, less than one person per square kilometer, and only one major highway on the 600-mile long peninsula. It is a place that is largely unexplored, a place that is worth protecting and a place that needs attention now.

The Kamchatka Project was born out of a passion for rivers and the wild salmon that depend upon them. The goal is to use whitewater kayaks to explore the mountain landscapes of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in an effort to raise public awareness of the complex relationships between the place, its people, and its fisheries. Kayaking will be the vehicle that takes the team directly to the salmon species in need of study; allows them to interact with and document indigenous people and caviar poachers; and ultimately experience wild and remote whitewater never before paddled.

The team of six kayakers will depart for Kamchatka from Seattle on June 30th, arriving in Moscow then onto Petropavlovsk (PK). The team will do a quick trip to the Kol biostation. The Kol River is one of Dr. Jack Stanford’s key study locations and also home to over 8 million spawning wild salmon each year. The goal will be to see and understand how some of Kamchatka’s anti-poaching efforts are working on the Kol, as well as pull in the significance of Dr. Stanford’s work over the past 10 years in Kamchatka. From here the team will focus on whitewater objectives on the Storzch and Semaliyach to the north near the Valley of the Geysers.

Conservation and science angles as part of the National Geographic Society's Expedition Council grant will resume as they transition to the Zhuphanova River to meet up with fly fisherman Ryan Peterson to explore this prime salmon and bull trout habitat. Here they will work as a team using several scientific methodologies to better understand why this river works so well for the fish. They will look at flow and discharge, temperatures, river bottom substrates and also nitrogen contents in the plant biomass to show how the sea nutrients from rotting salmon carcasses help create a lush food web that goes well beyond the river itself.

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® Whirlpool Bib
Rouge Dry Top
Ronin Pro PFD
Inner and OuterCore Insulation
Polartec® Power Dry® Liner
Destination Paddling Trunk

The team will attempt the circumnavigation of the Svalbard (Norway) Archipelago. This several months expedition will take them from latitude 74o to latitude 81o , which is about 600 miles from the North Pole.

To finish the circumnavigation, they have to paddle about 1200-1500 miles through the Arctic. Since the Arctic Ocean North and East of Svalbard is very often even in summer blocked by sea ice, their success depends mostly on weather conditions, which are unpredictable in these latitudes.

They will start their journey on the western coast of Svalbard in the town of Longyearbyen, where the waters are open almost all year long since the Gulf Stream ends in this area. Further north and in the east of Svalbard the waters are frozen for the longest time and in some years they never open. Upon reaching the middle of the northern coast of Svalbard they have to decide if they will continue the circumnavigation or if they have to take a short cut through the Hinlopenstrait. If completed this would be the first circumnavigation of Svalbard by (folding) kayak. Juergen will paddle a Klepper Arius and Heike will use a Feathercraft Klondike. Both are doubles, which can carry a large load of gear, food, guns and munitions they are required by the governor of Svalbard to take with them. For very long crossings they will take auxiliary sails with them.

Juergen and Heike both have a scientific background and want to collect some data with scientific probes (by Vernier). They would like to connect life with middle school and high school students via satellite phone to answer questions. They will keep online journals in two languages: English and German, which will be updated regularly with data, pictures, and text. Interested students, teachers and/or schools, can contact them on their websites at www.arcticadventures.org and www.juergen-schuette.com

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® Expedition dry suit
Polartec® Power Dry® Liner
MsFIT Tour PFD
GORE-TEX® Storm Cag
GORE-TEX® Anorak
Nomad booties

In 2006, Simon Carrier and Patrick Lesage biked 7500 km in 48 days from Newfoundland to British Columbia as part of the "From Sea to Sea" expedition. From there, they traded their bikes for sea kayaks and paddled 6500 km to come back to the east coast of Canada. They chose the Northern route, being inspired by the first fur trade water routes, and expecting to reach the Atlantic before winter. However, once in James Bay they realized the cold weather had won the race and they decided to paddle up the mythic Harricana River to reach their hometown, Amos (Québec).

In June 2010, Simon will start the second and last phase of this expedition, now called "From Sea to Sea, a Continuation". He will bike the 800 km separating Amos to Radisson. From there his new partner, Maxime Geoffroy - a long time kayaker, will join him with two sea kayaks. The two protagonists will paddle 1600 km through remote Québec wilderness to reach the Atlantic Ocean in Cartwright, Labrador. In complete autonomy, they will paddle up La Grande River, Robert-Bourassa Reservoir, Laforge River, and Caniapiscau Reservoir to reach Labrador. There, water will finally flow toward the Atlantic, and paddling down McFadden and Churchill Rivers will certainly be an awesome challenge. Simon and Maxime want to keep an average of 45-50 km per day, allowing themselves 5 weeks to complete the kayak section..”

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® Expedition dry suit
Ronin Pro PFD
Scout booties
GORE-TEX® TecTour Anorak
GORE-TEX® Whirlpool Bib

As the first signs of spring melt the ice on Lake Hovsgol in Northwest Mongolia, four friends will set off in their canoes, with cameras on their shoulders. The team consist of Ulysse Bergeron and Elsa Fortin-Pomerleau both form Quebec and brother/sister duo Eric and Sarah McNair-Landry from Nunavut.

The 2000 kilometer trip will begin on the north coast of Lake Hovsgol, locally known as the "Blue Pearl" for its pristine water and follow the lakes sole outflow: the Eg River. The river flows wild through a mixture of Taiga forest and Mongolian steppe until its confluence with the Selenga. As the Selenga grows in size, it crosses the border into Russia feeding Lake Baikal; Earth's deepest lake containing nearly 20% of all of the worlds unfrozen fresh water! Here the team will end their expedition paddling the shores of this inland ocean.

Through a documentary, the expedition team will allow their audience to live an adventure centering around the theme of water, the historical importance of these waterways, the ecosystems they support, and the cultures built around them. All of which will be brought to life through the colorful personalities of the Expedition Team. The team has allocated time and will make every effort to encounter the many amazing inhabitants of the area with the hope of being able to share their stories with their audience.

Gear List:
Tempest Jackets
Deluxe Boater Pants
Ronin PFDs
Mid Weight Gloves

In March of 2010, Conor Flannery, a biomedical engineer in Santa Monica, California launches Cause to Paddle, a 2,500-mile kayaking journey from Seattle, Washington to Anchorage, Alaska that will ultimately provide medical supplies to thousands of patients in need. Flannery will kayak about 15 miles each day and camp along the Pacific Coast with leave-no-trace principles. He estimates it will take him five months to kayak all 2,500 miles to Anchorage.

With his career as a medical device engineer and his passion for community service, Flannery is using Cause to Paddle to raise $8 per mile and a minimum of $20,000 for MedShare. This will sponsor one 40-foot container filled with surplus medical products to an under-resourced hospital abroad serving approximately 100,000 patients. These medical supplies and equipment, collected from local and national hospitals and manufacturers that would otherwise be discarded to landfills, will go to serve patients without this basic medical care.

“I love MedShare’s combination of humanitarian purpose with environmental impact and I hope my expedition paddle can bring attention to their cause and first world stewardship for those in need of basic medical resources”, said Conor Flannery, Founder of CauseToPaddle.org

MedShare has recycled over 1 million cubic feet of medical supplies, which is a tremendous environmental impact, and recently shipped 5 containers to earthquake victims in Haiti and plans to send another 20 containers in the coming months.

Conor has performed 13 round trip ocean crossings to the Channel Islands off of Southern California and has paddled 275 miles in Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska. This five month expedition to Alaska will be nine times the length of his Glacier Bay trip and will be chronicled via the www.CauseToPaddle.org website, Facebook, picture and video blogs, Twitter, and YouTube as he passes through the dramatic scenery of the San Juan Islands, British Columbia, the Alaskan Inside Passage, Prince William Sound, and around the Kenai peninsula to Anchorage.

About MedShare
MedShare is a US 501c3 organization that bridges the gap between surplus and need to improve healthcare and the environment through the efficient recovery and redistribution of surplus medical supplies and equipment to those most in need.

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® Expedition dry suit
GORE-TEX® Whirlpool Bib
Tempest Jacket
Ronin Pro PFD
Mediumweight Hand Jacket
Nomad booties
Waist Mount Touring Tow Tether

The 2010 Inukshuk Expedition will attempt the Northwest Passage by kayak, paddling their way through some of the most spectacular and treacherous waters on the planet.

Four men will be the first to kayak a demanding route through the Northwest Passage in one season; this journey is a 100% man-powered 2500 mile paddle over 85 Days. The aim of this expedition is to contribute to the state of knowledge regarding the amount, timing, and salinity of fresh water that fluxes from the Arctic Ocean through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago towards the North Atlantic.

This is a topical subject and the data collected during the expedition will help marine scientists gauge the effects of the ongoing change in the ocean/sea-ice/atmosphere system, its impact on the global climate and Arctic indigenous peoples who depend on the ecosystem for subsistence.

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® Expedition dry suit

In April 2010, Joe Andrews and James Bonell from the South West of England will set out to circumnavigate mainland Britain. They will set off from Falmouth and aim to complete the 3,000 mile challenge in 4-5 months, raising money for two charities on the way.

Although it’s been done before, it’s an epic challenge, with some of the strongest tides in the world, inevitable storms and miles of exposed coast to contend with. The pair will attempt some of the longer open crossings if the weather permits – 25nM from Devon direct to Pembrokeshire and 50nM from Anglesey to Isle of Man and then on to Scotland.

The team will be raising money for two charities during the challenge. One of the charities is the NACC (National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease) – James’ sister was recently diagnosed with Crohn’s. The second charity is Wateraid – Joe is a civil engineer, so it’s a natural choice for him. Their fundraising target is a mammoth £20,000.

James has done a huge amount of long distance challenges for charity in the past as well as having a wealth of experience in white water river paddling.

Joe grew up competing in Freestyle kayaking, but over the last few years has been concentrating on adventure racing.

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® TecTour Anorak
GORE-TEX® Deluxe Boater Pants
Ronin PFD
TROPOS Light Storm Cag
Waist-Mount Touring Tow Teather

Beginning on June 1st, 2010, John Peaveler will set out by sea kayak to experience the country and culture of Iceland. John will follow in the wake of many paddlers who have circumnavigated the island in the last several years. It has been their stories of adventure and descriptions of grandeur that have led him to embark upon his own journey of discovery. As the director of an organization that protects animals in Kuwait, John has chosen to use his trip to raise awareness for the U.S based charity, Certified Humane.”

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® Meridian Dry Suit with relief zipper (GMER)
Ronin PFD
InnerCore Insulation
OuterCore Insulation
Storm Cag
Tempest Pant
Launch Sock
Nomad booties
Tropos TecTour Anorak
NorWester Hat
Tropos Kayak Mitts

Sonja Ewen of Dublin and Eila Wilkinson of Holyhead had separately been harboring a plan to circumnavigate Ireland. When they realized they both were planning to make the same trip they decided to become a team, and together they will depart on this adventure in May of 2010.

This is Sonja's home coast; she has paddled many parts of Ireland, and it has been a long term goal to join up all those pieces. She is working as a full time instructor with Deep Blue Sea Kayaking in Dublin.

Ireland is Eila's nearby neighbor, and it will be like an extended circumnavigation of the Outer Hebrides which she completed solo in 2009.

Ireland’s coastline holds many challenges, many major headlands to negotiate. The west coast is open to all that the Atlantic can throw at it, a surfer’s paradise. Depending on the route taken or allowed, the distance will be anywhere between 1500km to 1700km. They plan to carry what they need in terms of food and accommodation, which in itself will be a challenge for the length of time away.

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® Expedition Dry Suit
Inner Core Insulation
Outer Core Insulation
Surfskin Pants and Shorts
Neo Kayak Mitts
MsFIT Tour
GORE-TEX® Storm Cag

23-year-old Mathieu Jean had to cancel his solo sea kayaking expedition to circumnavigate the provinces of Quebec and Labrador due to a shoulder injury. He plans to undergo extensive physical therapy and continue in 2011.

Mathieu Jean began kayaking at the age of 15. He is a level 3 sea kayaker with the FQCK (La Fédération Québécoise du Canot et du Kayak), and is also an experienced whitewater paddler. Mathieu has logged many expeditions including Saguenay Fjord, Nova Scotia, Gaspésie, Côte-Nord. The circumnavigation of the province of Quebec would have been his longest solo sea kayak expedition.

“Many people have a childhood dream of climbing Everest. My childhood dream was to do something around my province. I thought about walking and cycling, and a few years ago I decided to do it in a kayak. This was my first long solo expedition. I know the risks, but was ready until my injury stopped me. I still want to do some presentations for school kids and the public to demonstrate to kids than you can conquer your personal Everest.”

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® Expedition Dry Suit
Polartec® Power Dry® Liner
ProFIT Tour PFD
Nomad booties
Tributary Hydration System

In February 2010 Kokatat Ambassador Chris Jones is heading to Antarctica for his 8th time. He will be guiding a film crew with the goal of filming two episodes of Globe Trekker – an award winning adventure travel series. The expedition has two stages – they’ll set out from Ushuaia, Argentina onboard the Russian ex-research vessel Akademik Ioffe, and visit the Falklands, South Georgia, South Orkneys and the Antarctic Peninsula, using zodiacs to explore and film along the way.

The wildlife of South Georgia will be the highlight of this section of the trip and they will be keeping our eye out for Hayley Shepherd as she attempts her solo circumnavigation! Once on the Antarctic Peninsula they'll transfer to the Australian yacht Spirit of Sydney. This is where the adventure will really begin – using the Spirit as a mobile marine base-camp they will explore the Antarctic Peninsula by zodiac, sea-kayak and on foot. They will conclude the expedition by sailing the Spirit of Sydney across the Southern Ocean back to Ushuia. You can find out more about the project at their website, on Twitter and Facebook. It is also possible for interested folks to join the first stage of the expedition aboard the Akademic Ioffe - there are berths still available! Go to www.pilotguides.com to book your trip.

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® Expedition Dry Suit
Ronin Pro Life Jacket
Polartec® Power Dry® Liner
Neo Kayak Mitt (Short)
Hand Jacket (medium weight)
GORE-TEX® Norwester
Nomad bootie

After almost 285 days and 8,000 kilometers, on January 27th 2010 three Argentinean kayakers arrived to the most austral city in the world, Ushuaia. The expedition started in April 2009 in the Andes Mountains at La Quiaca, settled in the northern limits between Argentina and Bolivia. Diego Lamas, Agustin and Luis Garcia Albarido paddled through rivers and the coastline of the southern Atlantic Ocean on one single expedition for the first time in local history. “Many things were new for us; we had no idea about the geography and weather conditions of some places we paddled. We gathered valuable information that will be useful for future expeditions” says Agustín.

The trip started with a bicycle stage taking their kayaks in carts through mountains with incredible landscapes. After 15 days cycling the Bermejo River was waiting for them to start their navigation with the last waters of the season. This amazing river took them to a bigger one called Paraná. In both rivers they met friendly local people and not so friendly animals like crocs and snakes.

The most difficult part came when they entered the sea with the beginning of the winter season, lots of rainy days and cold temperatures. Storms with really strong winds could easily stop them for days, up to 5 days in some cases. Heading south they arrived to Patagonia, a remote region with no people living near the sea for hundreds of miles. A place with no fresh water, many cliffs, lots of rocks and sealife like whales, sea lions, elephant seals, dolphins and infinite sea bird species.

In the middle of nowhere in Tierra del Fuego they met Marcus Demuth and Biff Wruszek, two Kokatat sponsored paddlers that were on their way around the big Island.

Friends and families where waiting on the arrival day to navigate and paddle all together a few miles through the Beagle channel. In Ushuaia the local authorities of the city and the Argentinean Coast Guard where also waiting to recognize the effort of the three paddlers.
The main objective was accomplished and many donations were collected for rural schools. Now the three paddlers are working hard on their next challenge, the foundation of a kayak club in the Tigre Delta, where they live and paddle every day.


Gear List:
GORE-TEX® Expedition Dry Suit
Ronin Pro Life Vest

On December 30th, 2009, New York paddlers Marcus Demuth and Biff Wruszek set out to the southernmost tip of Patagonia to attempt the first circumnavigation of Isla Grande Tierra del Fuego, South America's largest island.

Three weeks and 620 miles later – about two thirds through their circumnavigation – the 2 paddlers turned the southeast corner of Isla Grande Tierra del Fuego to paddle north along the east coast of Tierra del Fuego towards their final destination and starting point, Punta Arenas, Chile. Upon reaching the east coast, relentless winds and high seas pinned down the duo down for 10 days at Caleta Falsa. After 3 breakout attempts, all of which ended with a retreat back into the safety of Caleta Falsa, factors including: continious strong winds and too high seas to paddle; the lack of a foreseeable weather window; dwindling food supplies; the geography of the coastline; and the remoteness of their location; saw Biff and Marcus make the painful decision to end their trip.

Marcus and Biff are of course disappointed that they were unable to close the loop around Tierra del Fuego, but know they are very fortunate to have visited this beautiful and wild location, and to have enjoyed the hospitality of both the kayaking and non-kayaking populations of this very remote place on Earth.

The expedition raised more than $2,000 for the kayak chapter of "Achilles", a New York based nonprofit that enables people with all types of disabilities to participate in mainstream athletics.

On January 22nd Vancouver Island based wilderness guide and expedition leader, Hayley Shephard set out to attempt the very first solo sea kayak expedition around the remote Sub-Antarctic Island of South Georgia. An exceptionally remote, storm thrashed island, South Georgia stands alone in the path of relentless storms and the savage winds of the Southern Ocean. Hazardous seas constantly batter the steep and rugged terrain and fearless animals gather in abundance and dominate the few accessible beaches. As inhospitable as it sounds, South Georgia is also one of the most extraordinarily beautiful places on the planet.

However like Hayley’s hero – Sir Ernest Shackleton, the Antarctic explorer who turned disaster into the most famous lesson in survival, her expedition did not go as planned...

Whilst heading east bound to South Georgia onboard the sailing vessel Northanger, Hayley and crew spent numerous days hoving-to in ceaseless storms. During this crossing the skipper lost a finger in a horrific accident causing the team to deviate their course to the Falkland Islands. Now a skipper short the crew was in desperate need to find a suitable sailor and it was after two weeks, just before the expedition was about to be terminated they finally found a suitable volunteer. Underway again and more storms later they finally arrived in South Georgia only to discover Hayley’s kayak, which had been shipped prior to their arrival, was severely damaged. Finally on February 28th, 3 weeks late, Hayley departed the shores of South Georgia, loaded with 2 weeks of provisions only to discover that she had chosen the worst summer on record to attempt her sea kayak journey. Due to the delay in setting off, time was tight and the wind showed no mercy. Worse still, Hayley’s flights back home were now jeopardized due to the earthquake in Chile which affected her outbound flights from Santiago. This caused limitations in extending the expedition. Finally it was clear that Hayley and the Northanger had run out of time, weather and simple luck.

Hayley spent an incredible two weeks kayaking and camping alone along the East coast of South Georgia Island, battling katabatic winds that at times nearly prevented her from reaching land. She was forced to erect her tent in 60 knot winds using boulders to keep her tent, kayak and self attached to the ground. While paddling in 4 meter seas, 2 km off shore she was unable to stop paddling for 4 hours straight due to the extremely unsteady seas. Hayley experienced the power and potency of South Georgia, living and moving amongst the abundance of creatures that call this wild and isolated place their home.

Although the completion of the island did not take place, Hayley embodied a similar persistent spirit as her hero, as she strived against all odds to fulfill her dream, and in doing so an urgent story was finally told. The Albatross, the world’s largest flying bird are rapidly becoming endangered. They spend most of their lives at sea, frequently circumnavigating the entire globe, therefore are the most vulnerable to the baited hooks on the numerous long-line fishing vessels. South Georgia is home to a number of Albatross species and Hayley was able to not only encounter the nesting Albatross intimately but film it as well. Everyday Hayley shared in their company and grace as she kayaked beneath the soaring 12 foot wingspan of the Wandering Albatross.

Thousands of people world-wide followed this epic journey and Hayley’s ambition continues as she prepares entertaining presentations to show internationally. A film is in the production stage and a book is being written – all with the hope that this quest for adventure will bring public awareness to the devastating decline in Albatross and more importantly, share the solution to save them.

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® Expedition Dry Suit
Guide Life Jacket
GORE-TEX® TecTour
GORE-TEX® Whirlpool bib
Outercore and Surfskin Insulation

In November of 2009 Chilean kayakers and explorers Cristian Donoso and Mario Sepúlveda embarked on an expedition covering a never-before navigated section of the Antarctic Peninsula; an attempt to complete an itinerary of 1600 kilometers, following a maritime and terrestrial route from the coast to the highest summits of the Antarctic Andes.

Arriving back in Santiago after completing the expedition, Cristian gives us an account of the expedition: "We are in our houses sharing with family and friends, and telling a thousand times the same history, something habitual at the end of these long voyages.

In Antarctica we achieved the first ascent (up 2,100 meters), integral cross and decrease by foot of the Plateau Herbert, and opened a new exit ramp between the plateau of the Antarctic Peninsula and the sea. Also we made the first exploration of the glacier Blériot and the second expedition in the Antarctic Peninsula using kayaks as craft and bobsled, obtaining the execution of a voyage 100% self-supported by land and sea, without previous deposits or any class of external support, and without leaving equipments or making a single track.

An expedition with pure exploration that, as our previous expeditions, managed to accede for the first time to sectors of our planet that was free of any previous human incursion: an unexplored edge of Herbert Plateau, and Bleriot Glacier.

To complete this voyage, which began and finished in Portal Point, we had to face extremely hostile climatic conditions. Most of the time we advanced in a dense mist that was impeding the search of way between the cracks, seracs and cliffs. The tireless wind over the plateau was forming big sartruguis that made dragging the kayaks very difficult, and put our hands and feet at permanent risk of freezing. A wind storm destroyed part of our tent, and dragged one of our kayaks to the bottom of an immense crack, after taking the snow to where it was anchored. Wind and snow storms kept our camp buried for several days, and for more than one week on three occasions. In total we added up more than one month of storms.

As a point of comparison, the climatic conditions of the plateau of the Antarctic Peninsula seemed to us for distant view more hostile than the ice fields of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, where our previous expeditions took place.".

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® Expedition dry suit
Ronin Pro Life Jacket
Nomad bootie
TROPOS Kayak Mitt
GORE-TEX® Deluxe Sea Skirt

During July and August 2009 Richard Smith and Craig Mathieson kayaked between remote Inuit settlements of Eastern Greenland, forging links with Scottish schools and delivering donated laptops to assist with linking children via joint projects exploring climatic change, cultural differences and differences in way of life and core values.

Since returning to Scotland, the team has toured the Scottish schools, speaking to the children and teachers involved in the project. Training has been delivered to the teachers on how to participate further in the project through the secure online learning environment. Through this medium the schools have been developing and participating in online projects exchanging ideas and media through projects covering areas of global warming, song, dance, and social cultural comparisons. There projects are paving the way for the next phase of the NorthernLights project.

In August 2010, Craig and Richard will travel back to Greenland with the teachers in tow, introducing them in person to the Greenlandic schools, ensuring that all required health and safety assessments are in place prior to the subsequent exchange visit of the pupils. During the winter, pupils from schools in Scotland and the French Alps will participate in a mini expedition by dog sled across the sea ice of the South Eastern coast of Greenland.

Following the team’s motto of "Inspiration Through Exploration" the pupils will learn the skills needed to survive in the cold and harsh environment of the Arctic whilst interacting face to face with the Inuit children. They will learn self reliance, developing survival skills and self-confidence. On return to their home schools they will pass on their experiences and knowledge by sharing with fellow pupils and touring other schools. The real life experiences will further feed into the online projects moving forward and paving the way for future exchange visits by other schools and pupils.

The Inuit children will have the opportunity to visit Scotland and France to live in our homes and experience the very different way of life in Western Europe and compare their culture with our family life and values.

Craig and Richard intend to expand the program to involve other indigenous communities from Arctic countries in the future, making first contact again by kayak. Constant fund raising is ongoing to support the project. Interested parties are welcomed and encouraged to view the team’s website, and donate funds.

Richard and Craig are enthusiastic paddlers and consider themselves to be very lucky having the Scottish West coast on their doorstep, considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the world to paddle. Both have been fortunate enough to have led expeditions to varied locations including successful man-hauling expeditions to the South Pole, North Pole, and Greenland and climbing expeditions within Europe and Greenland. Richard and Craig are both accomplished explorers and speakers who talk about what it takes to prepare for such an expedition, the highs and lows as well as illustrating what beauty is to be found in such wild locations.

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® Expedition Dry Suit
Ronin Pro Life Jacket
Polartec® Power Dry® Liner
InnerCore Long Sleeve Shirt
Lightweight Hand Jacket
Tributary Hydration System
Touring Tow Tether