World Oceans Day: Save Our Planet, Save Ourselves

Today is World Oceans Day, and considering what is happening in the Gulf of Mexico at the moment, it seems fitting to stop and reflect on what we are doing to our seas, and how that effects the rest of the world.

We've known for some time that the health of our oceans has a direct impact on the health of the rest of the planet. The oceans are the engines that drive the air currents and weather patterns that have long term, and lasting effects on the environments around us, and yet we seem to have neglected them for too long. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a depressing example of how we have treated the oceans as a dumping grounds, and it is scary just how much crap has accumulated out there. All of that garbage is contaminating and killing off fish at an alarming rate, and yet we seem powerless to do anything about it.

Of course, the massive oil spill that has been going on for more than six weeks in the Gulf of Mexico is just another example of how poorly we have treated the oceans. The oil that has been spewing out of that hole in the Earth has has created an environmental disaster of unprecedented proportions, and we're now told it will take years to clean it all up. Worse yet, today we got the news that the oil is not just on the surface as we had first believed, but is now being found in low levels under the water as well. Meanwhile, endangered turtle species, untold numbers of fish, manatees, birds, and other creatures are all at risk, as the oil continues to spread further eastward.

Environmentalists keep telling us that we need to change our ways. That our lifestyle is destroying the planet. But that is, once again, very short sighted. We're not destroying the planet, we're destroying ourselves. The Earth has survived far worse than what we can throw at it, and the sooner we realize that, the better we'll be. A better, more healthy, and environmentally sound approach to our own lives will lead to better, more healthy world as well. It's as simple as save our planet, save ourselves.

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Kayaking South Georgia: Hayley's Heading Home!

It's been a few weeks since we checked in on Hayley Shepard and her efforts to kayak solo around South Georgia Island. At the time, she had just arrived at her destination, and was preparing to set out on her adventure, and now, three weeks later, she is off the water, and preparing to go home.

According to her blog, which she updated nearly everyday while paddling, yesterday should have been Hayley's last day in the kayak. Unfortunately, due to a number of things beyond her control, she was unable to complete the circumnavigation of the island as she had intended. Strong winds, incredibly rough conditions, and logistics all conspired against her, and prevented her from making the serious attempt that she wanted.

But on a positive note, she doesn't see these efforts as a failure at all, nor should she. After spending 3+ years planning this adventure, and funding it herself, she finally got the opportunity to visit the remote place she had been dreaming of for a very a long time. She also had 17 amazing days in her kayak exploring places that few people ever get to see, and she made the most of those days, testing herself as well. This is a perfect example of having everything well organized and planned, and being completely ready for the challenge, and still being unable to reach the finish line, and not unlike a climber who won't see the summit, Hayley has no reason to feel down about her efforts. She gave it one heck of a try, but mother nature wasn't all that cooperative.

Now that spring is just a few days away here in the Northern Hemisphere, things will begin to take a turn in the Southern. The always treacherous and demanding waters of the Southern Ocean will now take a turn for the worse, which means Hayley and her support crew will be heading home now, and they face another difficult journey across the Drake Passage. From there, it is back home to New Zealand, where she'll no doubt begin planning her next adventure, although I wouldn't rule out a return to South Georgia at some point.

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Kayaking South Georgia: Hayley Arrives!

Solo kayaker Hayley Shepard arrived at South Georgia Island yesterday, and according to her blog, the waters are as wild and challenging as she expected. Hayley reports that there are plenty of ice bergs off the shore of the island which sits in the Southern Ocean, not far from Antarctica, and the legendary weather systems are already playing havoc with her plans, as high winds have prevented her support boat from reaching safe anchorage at Eleshul Bay. She and the crew were hoping to reach that place today.

The arrival of her boat at South Georgia followed a week of travel from the Falklands across very rough seas. She'll now spend a few days getting her gear together, and prepping her kayak, to begin her attempt to become the first person to make a solo kayaking expedition around that remote place.

Hayley mentions in her latest blog post that she is over joyed to finally be at the place that has been her goal for so long. She's been plotting this expedition for more than five years, and is even self-funding it, just to see her dream come true. She mentions that the mountains, beaches, and the wildlife all feel more dramatic and welcoming than she had ever imagined, and now she's more eager than ever to head out on the water.

While the entire paddle is "just" 375 miles in length, it will be extremely challenging none the less. The waters are beyond cold, and the weather is unpredictable and dangerous. Still, that's the reason we visit these remote places right? And after a couple of starts and stops, and years of preparation, it seems that at long last Hayley will be getting underway soon. Expect updates on her progress in the days ahead.

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Kayaking South Georgia: Hayley's Off!

Last week I posted an update on Hayley Shepard, the woman who was preparing to make the first solo kayaking expedition around South Georgia Island in the Southern Ocean. When we last checked in, the expedition was in a bit of jeopardy due to the crew of her support vessel being down one member after Greg Landreth, the captain of the boat, was injured while making a rough crossing of the Drake Passage. Without a full crew, the Northanger wouldn't be able to perform her duties adequately, which could have forced Hayley to make a journey around the Falklands instead. A noble venture to say the least, but not what she had originally intended to set out to do.

Fortunately, the New Zealander is going to get the opportunity to go after her goal after all. A post to her blog yesterday indicates that she is "South Georgia Bound", after first mate Keri set down a few ground rules about how the trip would transpire. Basically, they're going to be very cautious, as Greg's leadership as the skipper of the boat will be missed immensely. If another crew member goes down, they're turning back. If weather conditions get too challenging, they're durning back. Hayley and the boat will stay in constant contact while she is paddling, and they will take their time, not racing a clock, to complete the journey.

At this point Hayley has to be overjoyed. She's been planning this expedition for years, and is even self-funding the trip, all so she can challenge herself in one of the harshest ocean environments around. The 375 mile paddle isn't about the distance, it's about the harsh conditions, which is the appeal to many adventurers that make their way to that part of the world.

So, the expedition is on! We should begin getting updates from South Georgia in a few days time. Good luck to Hayley and the whole crew.

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Solo Kayak Expedition Around South Georgia Island Update

About a month back I posted a story about Hayley Shepard, who was planning on making a solo kayaking expedition around South Georgia Island, something had never been done before. Today we get an update on her progress, courtesy of ExWeb, and so far, things are not going quite as Hayley had planned.

The New Zealand woman and her support team set out on January 30th, as planned. Everyone was aboard the Northanger, which is the name of the ship that Hayley hired to act as her support vessel and emergency back-up, something that was required by the New Zealand government before she could set out.

For those that don't know, South Georgia is a very remote island located in the Southern Ocean, not far from Antarctica itself. The weather, as is typical throughout the region, is wild and unpredictable, and simply making the voyage across the Drake Passage to the island can be quite an adventure, even under the best of conditions. Apparently, these weren't even remotely close to the best of conditions as Hayley wrote on her blog that they experienced four days of incredibly bad storms, which tossed them all about and left Greg Landreth, the owner and skipper of the Northanger injured.

Due to the injuries to the captain, the ship diverted course and traveled to the Falklands Islands, arriving on the 7th of February. Landreth was immediately taken to a hospital where he underwent surgery on his hand, and while he is expected to make a full recovery, his injury leaves the ship down a crew member, which is now threatening the entire expedition.

Fast forward to today, and Hayley and the crew ares till in the Falklands, where they are plotting what to do next. She has posted an ad looking for someone to join the crew in hopes that she can resume her journey to South Georgia, which is where the real adventure was suppose to begin. But she has also not ruled out the possibility of kayaking around the Falklands, something that has never been done by a woman before.

For now, we'll just have to wait and see what becomes of the expedition. Hopefully, Hayley will get her shot at South Georgia, something she's been planning for some time. Keep in mind, she is also self-funding the expedition, and is doing so to raise awareness of the plight of the Albatross and other sea birds.

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Kayaking Solo Around South Georgia Island

I caught wind of this expedition on the Canoe & Kayak Magazine website, where they have posted an interview with Hayley Shephard, a New Zeland woman who intends to paddle solo around South Georgia Island.

Hayley's circumnavigation attempt may not sound all that challenging at first. After all, it's a "mere" 375 miles around South Georgia. But when you take into account that the island is located in a very remote area of the Southern Ocean, some 870 miles from its nearest neighbor, and that the region is legendary for its incredibly bad weather, you start to have an appreciation for what she hopes to accomplish. The coastline is said to be both rugged and beautiful, and there will be few places where Hayley will be able to escape the elements. The place is so remote and foreboding in fact, that no had circumnavigated it by kayak until 2005, when a team led by Andrew McAuley accomplished the feat, and an indicator of how dangerous it can be, is the fact that she's required by the New Zealand Government to have a support vessel with her at all times.

As you might expect, Hayley will be attempting this epic paddle for cause. She hopes to raise awareness in the general public about the plight of the albatross, a sea bird that she has come to love in her many wanderings at sea. She says that many of the birds, as well as other species, are being killed by outdated fishing techniques used in the commercial fishing industry. She hopes to put pressure on that industry to adopt some new techniques that won't endanger the birds.

In the C&K interview, Hayley talks about her thoughts on why she wants to make this journey, how she had prepared for it, and why it has been delayed for several years. This year, in order to achieve her dream, she took out a loan, essentially going into debt, to see this expedition through. You have to really admire someone who is willing to self fund their own adventures in order to chase their dreams.

Find out more about Hayley and her expedition at KayakingToSaveAlbatross.com

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Ocean Rowing Updates: Sarah Still Going, Olly Reflects

A couple of quick updates on some of the major ocean rowing efforts that I've been following lately, starting with Sarah Outen who continues her row across the Indian Ocean. Sarah's now been at sea for roughly 38 days, and progress is good so far. She is attempting to become the first woman to row across that stretch of water, and in the process become the youngest, and fastest, person to do.

In today's blog update, she discusses her daily food intake explaining how she has created little day bag, with roughly 5000 calories each, which contain everything she is to eat during that given day. She also notes that she's packed away some other goodies to give herself a treat and break up the monotony as well. She also breaks down when and what she eats throughout the day, while she continues to row, row, row her boat. This is an interesting read for those that are into the logistics of a long distance expedition such as this one.

Our other intrepid rower we've followed throughout the spring is Olly Hicks, who landed back on dry land in New Zealand a little more than a week back. You may recall that after making extremely slow progress in his attempt to circumnavigate around Antarctica, Olly elected to call it quits for now, while he reevaluates his plan and examines ways to engineer his boat to track better in the unrelenting winds of the Southern Ocean. In two recent posts on his blog, Olly reflected on his adventure, disappointed that it came to an end so soon, but determined to press on with the project in the future. He also notes that he is shipping the Flying Carrot, his boat, back to the U.K., which was a cheaper than paying the $92,000 tax to leave it in NZ. Olly also sends along his heartfelt thanks to everyone who followed along and cheered for him as he gave it a go.

Finally, get ready for Roz to head back out on the water. Roz Savage will be setting out soon on the second leg of her row across the Pacific. She completed the leg from San Francisco to Hawaii last year, and in the next few weeks she'll set out from Hawaii for Tuvalu. Expect more on this next week, but Roz has been in Hawaii for awhile now, and busily preparing.

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Virgin Global Row: Olly's On Land!

The details are still a bit sketchy, but it seems that Olly Hicks, the intrepid adventurer from the U.K. who set out to circumnavigate Antarctica in a row boat as part of the Virgin Global Row, finally made land fall in New Zealand a few days back. There has been no updates to his blog to indicate this, but looking at the Google Map on the front page of his site seems to indicate that his progress is now stopped with the boat reaching the southern edge of New Zealand.

Olly announced a few weeks back that he was abandoning his quest following weeks of toil at sea that saw him making much slower progress than he had originally expected. He blamed most of the issues on his boat, the Flying Carrot, saying that it didn't track well in the brutal winds of the Southern Ocean.

Despite the fact that Olly made it clear that he was done with the row, at least for now, he still had to reach dry land, and it has taken him an additional two weeks to do just that. His last blog post was two days ago, and it tells an awful tale of battling nasty weather conditions just to make it to shore. In the end, much to his chagrin, Olly had to be towed into Pegasus Harbour on Stewart Island.

For now, Olly will rest up, wait, and see what happens next. He hasn't ruled out making another attempt, but a boat redesign will be in order first. One thing is for certain, I'm sure we haven't heard the last of Olly.

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Virgin Global Row Update: Olly Calls It Quits

Just starting to dig out on all the things that have been going on since I left, but I didn't notice that Olly Hicks, who was attempting to circumnavigate around Antarctica in a row boat has decided to abandon the attempt once he reaches New Zealand.

Olly made a post to his blog over at the Virgin Global Row website a few days back announcing the decision, which wasn't an easy one. Essentially it came down to the extremely slow progress he has seen since setting out 82 days ago. In that time, he has covered roughly 1600 nautical miles, but the distance to New Zealand is just 800nm. Considering the length of the journey ahead, Olly figures that it would take him 5 years to complete the row, far longer than he had expected or was prepared to commit.

The British adventurer blames his boat, dubbed the Flying Carrot, for the extremely slow going. He says that she tracks terribly in the wind, and anything over 20 knots in speed kills forward progress, even while using the oars. Considering the legendary winds of the Southern Ocean average more than that in speed, you can begin to see how frustrating this has been for Olly.

He now hopes to make landfall in NZ sometime in the next few weeks, and he says that the trip was not a total loss. He learned a lot and will take those lessons with him into his next endeavor, whatever that may be. Something tells me we haven't heard the last from Mr. Hicks however, and it won't be long before he's planning another expedition.

Get home safe Olly!

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Ocean Rowing Updates: Olly Rows On, Sarah Back on Dry Land

A couple of quick updates today on the two major ongoing ocean rows that I've reported on recently.

First, the big news is about Sarah Outen, who is hoping to become the first woman to row solo across the Indian Ocean. She set off a week or so back from Fremantle, Australia with her sights firmly set on reaching Mauritius, and doing so in record time. She also hoped to become the youngest person to ever achieve the crossing as well.

According to her blog however, that quest will be delayed a bit. It seems that the electrical systems on Sarah's boat went out and she was forced to call for a tow back to land. But fear not, while the boat is being examined, Sarah says she'll restock her supplies, rest up, and prepare to head back out onto the water as soon as she can. She's not quite done yet.

Meanwhile, her fellow countryman, British adventurer Olly Hicks, continues his attempt to circumnavigate Antartica by row boat as part of the Virgin Global Row challenge. After a slow start, that included a week of basically standing still, Olly seems to really be in the groove now, and making solid progress as he rows south and east, to drop below New Zealand before heading out across the South Pacific.

Olly continues to update his daily blog as well, with insights into his day to day life aboard the Flying Carrot. In a recent post he laments the build up of barnacles on his beloved boat, saying they only serve to remind him of how slow he is moving, saying that at times he feels like "little better than drift wood with lights and music!" He's also endured some foggy days of late, which hasn't brightened his mood much, but he seems focused and intent on just taking things one day at a time, happy to be making positive miles.

If everything continues to go as planned, Olly should reach South Georgia around June, where he'll take a break from the water, wait out the winter, and then continue on his way. All told, the expedition is expected to take 18 months to complete.

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Virgin Global Row Update: Rowing and Reading

Reading the latest updates from Olly Hicks on the Virgin Global Row website leads me to believe that the British adventurer has finally found his rhythm and gotten into a routine. He continues to make good progress, after struggling early on, and his tracking system shows that he is generally moving in a south easterly direction these days, far better than the backwards drift he was experiencing just days after he launched.

For those that haven't been following Olly, he is attempting to become the first person to circumnavigate Antarctica in a row boat. He plans to be at sea for approximately 18-22 months, with a couple of resupply stop overs mixed in as well. The planned route has him dropping south below the 50th degree, before proceeding east, crossing the South Pacific Ocean, round Cape Horn and through the Drake Passage, before heading towards South Georgia. If all goes according to plan, Olly will arrive there in June of this year, where he will take on supplies and wait out the winter before heading out once again.

In his latest blog posts, Olly talks about his long days behind the oars, some better than others. He mentions that he has seen only one ship so far on his journey, which is not unusual that far south, and he seems to be passing the time by reading a lot. I'm not sure how many books he brought along with him, but he's knocking them off at an alarming rate. In today's dispatch he notes that he completed three books today alone, and since I'm pretty sure Amazon doesn't have express delivery to the Southern Ocean, he might want to pace himself some.

It's good to see that Olly has fallen into a bit of a routine and is continuing to making progress. He'll need to stay focused and upbeat, as he's obviously got months of paddling ahead of him before a real break, but for now he seems content to go about his daily work and pass the hours while not rowing in any way that he can.

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Virgin Global Row Update: Progress at Last!

It's been a couple of weeks since I checked in on Olly Hicks and his Virgin Global Row. At that time, he was struggling each day to just hold on to his position, and for a number of days in row, that's about all he could do. The young British adventurer was rowing for several hours each day, just to attempt to hold his ground against the savage winds and waters of the Southern Ocean.

Loading up the map on the Global Row website today though shows that he has indeed made solid progress over the past week or so. Olly has actually had a couple of calm days and has made the most of them, rowing with renewed vigor. He's now more than 40 days into his attempt to circumnavigate Antarctica by rowboat, with an estimated 450+ to go, and by his regular blog posts, I'd say he's still in good spirits, despite his early struggles. I can't say I'd feel the same way all things considered.

The entries in his blog tell of his daily struggles with things that seem hard to comprehend for those of us who have never attempted to row across an ocean. In one recent post he mentions the "cross seas" that send waves at him from different directions, making it nearly impossible to keep a rowing rhythm and requiring constant concentration to keep on course. He also talks about how his custom made rowboat, lovingly dubbed the Flying Carrot, will roll in the water, pulling the oars from his hands, and smacking him in the knees in the process.

Checkout the photo attached to this post to get an idea of the kind of seas that Olly is dealing with here. Now imagine facing that day in, and day out, alone for weeks at a time. Seems like a grim prospect, but Olly can look forward to making landfall for a short break from all of that in about six months time. Hang in there Olly we're pulling for you.

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Virgin Global Row Update: Another Frustrating Week for Olly

Opening up the Virgin Global Row webpage is always a bit of a scary prospect. I click on the link and hold my breath until the Google map loads up displaying Olly's position and the path he has taken to get there. Early on, over the course of the first few days, that was a nice progressive line, showing him, and his row boat the Flying Carrot, making good progress through the Southern Ocean, starting off from Hobart in Tasmania. But a few days in, the high winds and crashing waves picked up, and Olly was simply rowing to try to not lose ground.

Checking the British adventurer's progress today, and it looks like it has, once again, been a very frustrating week for him. The weather continues to make headway difficult, and he has once again given ground, despite dropping the heaviest sea anchor he has onboard. The end result is that Olly has been in a virtual holding pattern for the past two weeks, while he waits for the winds to give way. Despite all that, he's holding on to his sense of humor. When it was suggested that he sacrifice a little of his whiskey supply to the sea gods in an attempt to appease them, he replied: "steady on methinks, things are'nt thhat bad yet! Perhaps peanuts - got loads of them...."

Today's update gives us a little insight into why he loves the sea so much. After rowing some, and making a bit of progress, he ran into the first signs of life he's seen in some time in form of a pod of killer whales swimming by. The giant mammals passed within 150 yards of the boat and gave a little spark to the day, which Olly suggests may have been a new personal record for negative mileage in one day. Hang in there mate!

For those who haven't been following the Global Row, it is the attempt by Olly Hicks to circumnavigate around Antarctica in the Southern Ocean. When he set out, Olly expected the trip to take roughly 500 days or so, but progress has been slow to say the least. The journey has never been successfully completed before, as there are few opportunities to rescue someone in the remote and treacherous waters below the 50th parallel.

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Virgin Global Row Update: Slow Progress is Still Progress

Last week when I posted about the Virgin Global Row I noted that British adventurer Olly Hicks was mostly rowing in circles and working hard just to not lose ground. High winds and ocean currents were conspiring against him, and were continually pushing his rowboat, dubbed the Flying Carrot, backwards, even while the sea anchor was deployed.

This week it has been a bit better for Olly, who is attempting to become the first person to row around Antarctica. The high winds and ocean currents are still there, but they are not buffeting him about, and he's been able to make solid gains for the past few days. Yesterday he wrote that he had rowed hard to pass the 151º longitude point, only to have the wake up the next day back where he had started. He also indicated that he was flirting with the idea of using two sea anchors in hopes of halting his negative drift.

This morning, a new update says tells us that Olly is experiencing the best weather to far. The first few lines of the dispatch sum it up the best. They read as follows:

What bliss, barely a ripple the Carrot lies still on the water, the barometer is the highest its been so far and whilst we have had an E wind it has been very light since the mid afternoon. Life is so much easier not having to hang on all the time.

For now it seems, he is enjoying a bit of a lull before the next inevitable front moves through, bringing the high winds with it once again.

Hang in there Olly!

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Virgin Global Row Update: Rowing To Stand Still

Last week I mentioned that the Virgin Global Row was finally underway with Olly Hicks setting out at long last from Tasmania on his attempt to row around Antarctica, a feat that no one has accomplished before. He's now been underway for about 12 days, and while it was a fairly smooth beginning to his adventure, it's gotten tougher in recently.

Olly is now sending dispatches from his boat, something he wasn't doing when I last posted on his story. You'll find the most recent messaes on the front page of the Virgin Global Row website, along with a Google Map synchronized with his GPS to show his progress. When I pulled it up earlier to see where he was at, I thought that something must have been malfunctioning, as it appeared as if he was traveling in small circles. Reading the dispatches from the past few days though, I now know what is going on.

It seems that very strong head winds have made it nearly impossible for the British Adventurer to make progress. Olly notes that earlier today he was "going backwards at quite literally a rate of knots" despite his best efforts to row forward, and even while attempting to drop anchor an effort to at least maintain his ground. As you can imagine, he's quite frustrated and exhausted at this point, but admitted that he felt better "fortified by a little supper, a wee Whisky".

After making solid progress in his first few days, it now seems that Olly is already struggling just to stay where he is at. I expect that he'll face many more days like this one, as the weather at 50º South is unpredictable at best, and almost always intense. The journey is expected to take him approximately 500 days to complete, and is especially dangerous due to the remote nature of the Southern Ocean. Hopefully there will be better days ahead for Olly and his boat.

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Virgin Global Row is Underway!

I've mentioned the Virgin Global Row a couple of times in the past month, as British adventurer Olly Hicks prepared to make his epic solo, unassisted row around Antarctica. Unfortunately, he ran into a snag a few weeks back when New Zealand refused to allow him to set out from their shores for fear of him running into trouble and requiring a rescue in the dangerous waters of the Southern Ocean. Olly made a quick change of plans and headed for Tasmania for his launch.

It seems that at long last, the Global Row is officially underway with, the 24-year Hicks setting out from Hobart, Tasmania last Friday at 3 PM local time to start his incredibly demanding journey. Ahead of him is more than 15,000 miles of open sea, 500 days of isolation, 50 foot waves, and untold hours of rowing his boat, dubbed The Flying Carrot.

The Virgin Global Row website is now fully active, and you can chart Olly's progress on the front page. There is also a blog, that for now is strangely silent. You'll also find information on the sponsors, and Olly himself.

I want to personally wish Olly all the luck in the world. He's setting out on a very unique adventure. Rowing across an ocean is never a small feat, and requires incredible dedication and stamina. Rowing around the globe, at the 50º South mark, requires a lot of courage and desire as well. The Southern Ocean is a dangerous place, and where he'll be, it may be impossible to conduct a rescue operation. Yet he chose to go anyway, carrying an adventurous spirit with him. Godspeed Olly!

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