The River Why Supports The River Network

The River Why, a new film set to make its debut soon, is the story of Gus Orviston, who is described as "the Mozart of flyfishing." After an argument with his parents, 20-year old Gus leaves home to live in the wilderness beside an idyllic river, where he plans to escape the challenges of life and spend his time fishing. Instead, he ends up meeting a cast of unlikely characters, including a young woman that he falls in love with. Its sort of Into The Wild, but with a fishing pole.

The film is set to have its world premiere in Portland, Oregon on September 9 at the Hollywood Theater, where guests and ticket holders will have the opportunity to support The River Network, a non-proft dedicated to protecting and resorting waterways across the U.S.

The film's debut will also serve as the beginning of the countdown towards the 13th annual River Rally, a conference held each year for the top watershed conservation specialists in the United States. The River Network is bring that event to Portland from May 4-7, 2012, with keynote speakers including Bobby Kennedy, Jr. and Alexandra Cousteau.

If you're interested in attending the premiere of the film, you can buy tickets by clicking here. The $20 fee includes admission to the film, a donation to The River Network, and a raffle ticket for a chance to win great prizes. Three of the film's stars, William Hurt and Zach Gilford, and Alex Hurt, along with Producer Kristi Denton, will be on hand for the event as well.

Checkout the trailer for the film below.

Taking Care Of Mother Earth

I've seen this video making the rounds a bit the past week or so, and thought it was worth sharing here as well. For starters, it is beautifully shot and captures incredible images from around the globe, some breathtakingly beautiful, others very sobering.

The video was created by Vivek Chauhan, a young filmmaker working with Sanctuary Asia, and it is a good reminder that our planet is alive and that our actions have consequences that can endanger our environments. Warning, there are a few scenes that are a bit tough to watch, so keep that in mind when you're viewing this. It is a short film that can be humbling, inspiring, and terrifying all at the same time.

Diver To Attempt Record 30-Mile-Dive

Here's an interesting project that will test the endurance of a SCUBA diver looking to set a new record, while also raising awareness for the plight of the world's oceans. In September, deep sea explorer and combat diver Scott Cassell is going to attempt a 30-mile long dive that will take him from the Catalina Islands to Los Angeles. The dive is expected to take 24-hours to complete and will be the first of its kind in terms of length and time.

Global Reef is making a documentary of the dive and is currently raising funds for the project. You can find out more by watching the video below then clicking here to read up on Scott and why he is doing this. You'll also be able to donate from that same page.

Staying submerged underwater and swimming for that long is going to be insanely tough. I can't imagine who tired you would be after just a few hours under the water. I have no idea if he plans to surface to change out his oxygen bottles or if they've come up with something different to address that issue. Either way, it's going to be one very difficult day in the water.


30-MILE-DIVE from GLOBAL REEF on Vimeo.

Belgian Adventurer Prepare To Kayak His Homeland

Belgian adventurer Louis-Philippe Loncke is preparing for his first kayak expedition, during which he'll cover more than 600km (373 miles) of rivers in his home country. The project will begin this month and run through September, with most of the travel being done on the weekends.

The project, which has been dubbed the Belgikayak, has three goals in mind. First, to paddle the 600km of waterways between Brussels and Ostend. Secondly, to document the beauty of Belgium, as seen from the rivers, in photos and film, and finally to spread an ecological message of how important it is to protect the country's waterways. That last objective is especially important this year, as the U.N.'s topic for World Water Day was "Water for the Cities."

The entire journey will also be the subject of a documentary that will show the joy of paddling Belgium's waterways and how scenic the country can be from that unique perspective. The film will also serve to as a vehicle to spread the message of how pollution is effecting the rivers and how important it is to preserve them.

At each stop along the way, Loncke will meet with citizens in the various cities where he'll further spread his message and try to impress the importance of clean water on the children that live there. He also hopes to inspire them to be active, outdoor explorers themselves, encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

Changes Made To Proposed Serengeti Highway

I meant to post this earlier in the week, but it slipped away.

The Tanzanian government has announced that they have made some changes to their proposed Serengeti Highway that we've all been hearing about for a number of months now. They have decided to leave the stretch that actually passes through the Serengeti National Park unpaved in an attempt to lessen the impact on the wildlife there and appease environmentalists across the planet. This announcement is seen as a minor win for conservationists, although many are still requesting a change in the route altogether.

Last year, government officials announced the proposal for the new road, which they said was needed to improve commerce to cities in northern Tanzania. The road would bisect the Serengeti, and potentially disrupt the annual migration of millions of animals across that plain. The plan was immediately criticized by  environmentalists, who said that it would irrevocably damage the ecosystem there.

The decision to not pave the road is seen as a good one, although the amount of traffic that the road will generate is still a major concern. The fear is that with more vehicles traveling through the region, the animals may change their migratory patterns, which are vital to a healthy ecosystem. There have been several alternate routes proposed, but so far the Tanzanian government has elected to not use one of those plans. There is still some hope that that will change however.

The Serengeti is a place that is very near and dear to my heart, and the thought of it being negatively impacted by this road is really tough for me. I'm still hoping someone will come up with a better plan.

America's Most Endangered Rivers

A few days back, American Rivers released their annual list of the ten most endangered rivers in the U.S., sending out a call for action to help protect these waterways from a number of threats, including pollution, mining, and over damming. For more than 26 years, American Rivers has worked hard to raise awareness of these issues, while also striving to restore rivers across the country for the benefit of the communities that live on them, as well as the wildlife and environments that surround them.

This year's list of ten most endangered rivers is as follows:

1. Susquehanna River
2. Bristol Bay Rivers
3. Roanoke River
4. Chicago River
5. Yuba River
6. Green River
7. Hoback River
8. Black Warrior River
9. St. Croix River
10. Ozarks National Scenic Riverways
Special Mention - Mississippi River

Clicking on the individual links will take you to the special report on each specific river as organized by American Rivers. Those are some pretty serious waterways to be endangered, and chances are, one or more, of them have an effect on where you live. 

Obviously, climate change is having a direct effect on the world's water supply, and maintaining healthy water is becoming an even more important issue for the years ahead. The hope is that by naming these rivers as "endangered," we can do some things now to protect them for the future. 

Adventurers And Scientists For Conservation

Yesterday I received an excellent link in my e-mail that I thought might be of interest to a number of readers as well. It is for an organization called Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation, which promises to bring both communities together in a cooperative way.

The goals for the ASC are fairly straight forward and simple. The group looks to provide scientists with a way to attain unique and inexpensive datasets from a variety of places from around the globe by mobilizing a group of like-minded people from across the planet. They also hope to give adventure athletes a set of tools to help conserve the wild spaces that we all love so much, and dditionally, they hope inspire the general public to use those same wild spaces wisely and to protect them from harm.

The organization is the brainchild of Gregg Treinish, who falls into both the adventurer and scientist categories. He has worked as a wildlife biologist, backcountry guide, and more. He has also completed a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail as well as an epic 7800 mile (12,552 km) trek across the Andes that took 22 months to complete. That earned him the honor of being named a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year back in 2008.

Treinish is joined by some real heavy hitters in the science and adventure field. The ASC board has folks like Conrad Anker, Roz Savage, and Jon Bowermaster on it. Additionally, Their Mentors section has even more amazing folks that can be contacted for advice on how to launch your own expedition or contribute to the conservation cause.

Although this is a relatively new organization, Treinish says he didn't formulate the idea until late 2010, the website has already become quite a resource for adventurers and scientists alike. You'll find links to allow you to request datasets, lists of proposed projects, and ways to get in contact with men and women who are active in both the science and adventure communities.

Personally, I think this looks like a great organization. I've found that these two groups have more in common than it would seem on the surface, but both tend to have a deep respect and love for the natural environment and a desire to protect it for the future. It seems like a natural pairing and I have high hopes that the ASC will be helping to accomplish and promote great things in the future.

Catlin Arctic Survey 2011: Ann Passes A Milestone On The Ice

Up north, in the frozen environs of the Arctic, the Catlin Arctic Survey team continues to plug away at their mission, despite incredibly bad weather and sub-zero temperatures. While the Ice Base Team conducts their research and takes readings of the environmental conditions there, the Explorers Team is heading south towards Greenland, checking the health of the ice on the Arctic Ocean as they go.

One of the members of the squad, Explorer Team leader Ann Daniels, has just passed a significant milestone. Yesterday marked Ann's 365th day on the frozen Arctic Ocean. She has been a member of the Catlin Survey team for each of the past three years, spending weeks out on the ice, assisting in the imporant research that the organization has conducted each Arctic season. But prior to that, she had already made a successful journey to the North Pole (and South Pole for that matter!) and she still longs to complete a solo expedition to the top of the world. Spending a full year of her life on the Arctic Ocean is quite an impressive feat however, and one that deserves a tip of the hat. Clearly, Ms. Daniels has a thing for cold places.

A few weeks back the Explorers were dropped off at a point not far from the North Pole and they have been traveling south ever since. Their mission this year is to take measurements of the ice and see what impact global climate change is having on the region, and how those changes are effecting weather in North America and Europe. So far, the team has traveled about 120 miles over 25 days in the Arctic, with -42ºC/-43ºF as their coldest temperature to date. This post that lists their stats say that they've also burned a combined 800,000 calories and shot about 28 hours of footage for a documentary on their journey.

The team is now approaching the half-way point of their expedition, and still has a long way to go before they reach Greenland. They'll also probably face more open leads of water as they travel south, but so far everyone is feeling good and progress has been strong. At least while they're traveling south, the drift is usually working in their favor!

Ocean Rowing: Roz Is Off, Won't Be Alone On The Indian Ocean

As I mentioned a few days ago, Roz Savage set off this morning from Fremantle, Australia for Mumbai, India in her 23-foot long rowboat. She'll now spend upwards of four months at sea, covering over 6300km (3914 miles), as she traverses yet another ocean. The 43-year old Roz is once again using her rowing efforts to raise awareness about global climate change and other threats to the health of the oceans.

The Indian Ocean is just the latest aquatic challenge for Roz, who has already successfully rowed across the Atlantic and the Pacific, which she accomplished in three stages. The Indian is the last of the "Big Three" that she has yet to conquer, and it brings its own unique set of dangers, including notoriously bad storms, massive waves, and the threat of pirates. Due to the last of those threats, Roz is keeping her whereabouts a bit more secret this time out, and isn't giving clues as to where she'll arrive in India.

It turns out she won't be the only one rowing the Indian Ocean this year. Four adventurous young blokes are also preparing to set out on their own rowing journey. The members of Team Indian Ocean 3100, James Kayell, Ed Wells, Tom Kelly, and Ollie Wells, hope to set out later this week as well with the hopes of setting a new speed record for crossing this challenging pond. Their route will cover at least 3100 miles and they hope to complete that journey in less than 68 days.

According to their latest blog post, their boat, the Indian Runner 4, has cleared quarantine and they hoped to be taking her out for sea trials and an overnight on the water before they set off. With that out of the way, and the boat fully stocked for their journey, they'll get underway when the weather permits. The team is also setting out from Fremantle, which is the preferred launching point for Indian Ocean adventures.

Good luck to both Roz and Team Indian Ocean 3100. We'll be following along!

North Pole 2011: Parker Liautaud Completes North Pole Expedition

16-year old polar explorer and environmentalist Parker Liautaud completed his last degree expedition to the North Pole yesterday and in a stunningly quick time. He was accompanied to 90ºN by his guide Doug Stoup, who was with Parker last year when the duo endured terrible weather conditions and came up 15 miles short of their goal.

It took Parker and Doug just 4 days 2 hrs and 27 minutes to cover the 112km (69.5 mile) journey from his their drop-off point on the ice to the Geographic North Pole at the top of the world. That put them at their destination a week ahead of schedule, which was already a challenging pace considering they were delayed for three days awaiting the opening of the Barneo Ice Station.

While on his mission to the North Pole, Parker also collected data on the thickness of the snow pack along their route. Each day, he took 100 measurements, and the data will be handed off to the University of Alberta, where it will be used to aid in the study of how climate change is impacting the health of our polar regions. The collection of that data adheres works in tandem with Parker's goal of spreading the word about climate change and how it is affecting our planet.

A hearty congratulations are in order to both Parker and Dough on a job well done. Not only did they reach the Pole in a very fast time, they also managed to meet the goals of their expedition along the way as well. Excellent work!

Universal Sports Network Declares April Adventure Month!

The Universal Sports television network, which is owned and operated by NBC, has declared April Adventure Month, and has scheduled a whole host of great outdoor oriented programing to celebrate. If you're luck enough to live in a market that gets the channel, you'll have plenty of great television to enjoy over the next few weeks.

Amongst the great shows that you can enjoy throughout the month of April are a series of documentaries from our friend Jon Bowermaster. In fact, the entire collection of Jon's Oceans 8 project, as well as his Terra Antarctica film, will be available for viewing. Oceans 8 chronicles eight amazing sea kayaking expeditions to a number of unique and diverse locations around the globe, while Terra Antarctica returns Bowermaster and his team to Antarctica, a place he knows very well, where they explored the effects of climate change on the Antarctic Peninsula. Each of these films is excellent, and will give you a great perspective on the environments they explore, from one of the best vantage points possible – the seat of sea kayak.

To find out where you can watch Universal Sports in your market, click here and to see a complete schedule of programming click here.

On a personal note, if you haven't seen Jon's films, you really should grab this opportunity to do so. They are extremely well done, inspiring, and informative. I have all of the DVD's, and thoroughly enjoyed the all of them. They'll make you want to buy a kayak of your own!

The Green Way Up: From Australia to Norway on Biodiesel

Here's a cool project that was sent my way a few days back. It seems a group of Aussie boys have come up with the idea of driving from Hobart, Australia to Norway using nothing but biodiesel. Now that, in and of itself, sounds like a fun road trip adventure, but not necessarily all that out of the ordinary. But the four travelers don't plan on stopping at a single petrol station along the way.

Dubbed "The Green Way Up," the plan is to get underway in March from the southernmost tip of Australia and the project won't end until they reach the most northerly tip of Norway. Along the way, they'll cross through 30 countries and cover more than 45,000km (27,961 miles), making this the longest car trip on alternative fuels ever.

The aim of the project it to spotlight those alternative fuels and how important they are to the future of our planet. The four men built a special processor that can turn waste oil and animal fat into fuel to power their vehicle, so as they drive they'll be stopping at local places, such as restaurants and pubs, to collect their cooking oil and other products that can then be converted into fuel for the car. They're even building a biodiesel fueled boat to carry them from Darwin to Singapore, stopping off on islands in East Timor, Indonesia and Malaysia along the way.

The entire journey is being made into a documentary film that is expected to be released later this year as well. That film will not only cover the trip, but highlight important sustainable project that are being conducted on he local level along the way. The message is clear  – alternative fuels are important and viable for generating power and we need to find more ways to incorporate them into our lifestyle.

If everything goes according to plan, the journey will begin in just a few weeks time. Follow along with Oscar, Justin, Chuck, and Bob on the expedition's website once they hit the road.

Thanks to Jess for the tip on this one! :)



Green Way Up from Jo Melling on Vimeo.

2011 Catlin Arctic Survey Prepares To Cross The Thin Blue Line

Over the past couple of years, the Catlin Arctic Survey team has been very active during the yearly Arctic Season. In 2009, a team of three explorers that included Pen Hadow, Ann Daniels, and Martin Hartley set out for the North Pole on foot, taking core samples of the ice as they went. Those samples would later be used to check the health of the Arctic pack-ice. In 2010, a new team, this time consisting of Daniels, Hartley, and Charlie Paton, made a similar trek, this time reach the Pole, while taking readings of the levels of CO2 in the ice, while a second team of scientists conducted a series of experiments at a stationary ice base. In 2011, the team is gearing up for another arctic adventure that has even more far reaching goals.

Earlier today the Catlin Arctic Survey announced a 10-week long expedition that will get underway in March. This time out, they will be examining the surface layers of the Arctic Ocean, and how changes in temperature there have had an effect on the climate in Europe and North America. In particular, they will be examining a "Thin Blue Line" of fresh water just beneath the surface of the Arctic sea ice that may offer some clues towards understanding the changes in ocean currents and their effects on global climate change.

Once again, the Survey team will establish an Ice Base, this time located aboard a ship off the coast of Ellef Ringnes Island, where scientists will conduct new and potentially ground breaking research into the potential for organic material in fresh water near the surface of the ocean for trapping heat from the sun, and causing the upper ocean layers to increase in temperature.

Meanwhile, two other teams will undertake separate missions of their own. Those teams will head out onto the ice, with one setting out to cross Prince Gustav Adolf Sea and the other will trek from the North Geographic Pole towards Greenland. Those explorers will collect samples from the water beneath the polar icecap that will be used to further the research project that is the brainchild of Dr. Simon Boxall of the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, UK.

As I have over the past two years, I'll be following along with the progress of this important scientific expedition as it unfolds during the looming North Pole season which always gets underway in March. The Catlin Arctic Survey continues to grow in scope and sophistication each year, and true to form it has expanded once again. I love the fact that these adventurers are not only traveling through one of the most inhospitable environments on the planet, but they are doing so for research that may give us clues as to how and why our planet's climate and weather is changing. Expect regular updates starting in March.

New BBC Series Celebrates The Human Planet

The BBC is perhaps the best television production company on the planet. They've brought us some amazing shows, such as Blue Planet and Planet Earth, amongst numerous others. It looks like that tradition will continue with a new show, entitled Human Planet, which will make its debut tomorrow night for those who are lucky enough to have access to BBC One and BBCHD.

The show looks to be a celebration of human life on this planet. Our ability to adapt and live in some of the harshest environments imaginable and thrive in places that we typically wouldn't exist in. It is an examination of the human spirit and the creativity and adaptability that comes along with it.

You'll find the trailer for the show below, and as you might expect, it looks exceptionally beautiful, capturing some amazing scenes. This time however, those scenes aren't of wild animals surviving in the wilderness, but humans, surviving all over the planet. Looks great!

Cycling Silk: Following in Marco Polo's Footsteps to Promote Conservation

Americans Kate Harris and Melissa Yule have just set off on an epic cycling adventure. The two young women are currently in Turkey where they put the final touches on their plans to ride their bikes the length of the ancient Silk Road last week, finally hitting the road on Friday. While that, in and of itself, is quite the adventurous pursuit, the ladies have bigger plans in mind as well, as they hope to use their ride to promote the importance of conservation in a series of Trans-Boundary Protection Areas (TBPA) along their route.

Kate and Melissa have have named their expedition Cycling Silk, and you can find plenty of info about their plans and their cause on their website. The duo expect that it will take them a full year to complete the 10,000 mile ride, and while they have mapped out an intended route, they say that the exact details are in flux, and will evolve while they ride, due to changing political climate in some countries. The ride is also a bit of a science project, as the girls hope to research the impact of TBPA's on the surrounding areas and get a grasp of what the locals think about the concept as well.

The term Trans-Boundary Protection Area refers to a region that straddles the border of two international borders and is managed cooperatively between the nations involved. These regions are sometimes called "peace parks" and generally present some unique challenges, but great opportunities for opening dialogs and relations between countries. An example of such a place is Big Bend National Park here in the U.S. with one side managed by the American government, and the other side of the border controlled by the Mexican government. That example is a work in progress, but attempts are being made to make it more of a reality.

On this ride, Kate and Melissa will pass through six TBPA's while also promoting the growing clean water crisis that is becoming an issue across the planet and the impact of global climate change on the environment. You can follow the progress of these two adventurous women on their Facebook page and through their Twitter feed.

Nat Geo Gives Us 7 Billion Things To Think About For 2011

As the promise of a new year dawns, and we consider all the possibilities that are ahead for all of us in 2011, National Geographic is here to give us something to think about. Sometime later this year the Earth will surpass 7 billion inhabitants and we'll all be struggling to use finite resources and learning to inhabit the planet together. With that in mind, Nat Geo is running a year long special dedicated to this milestone in population growth (or explosion depending on your point of view). You can check out their preliminary coverage by clicking here and watch the video below for some sobering facts regarding the Earth welcoming its 7 billionth inhabitant.

Afrika Expedition Force Seeks To Accomplish Two Missions In One Adventure

A unique and interesting humanitarian aid mission was launched last weekend, with a group calling themselves the Afrika Expedition Force heading into the Central African Republic in hopes of completing two missions there. The expedition is a joint venture between United Against Malaria and the Jane Goodall Institute, with both organizations looking to achieve their own goals while working together.

The team, which includes explorer Kingsley Holgate, arrived in the C.A.R. on November 20th, and immediately went to work handing out lifesaving malaria nets to pregnant mothers and children in schools. That, in and of itself, is a worthy endeavor, as malaria is an epidemic in Africa that kills many people on a yearly basis. But the team is also in the C.A.R. to rescue four chimpanzees and relocate them to South Africa, where they'll find a new home at the Chimp Eden Sanctuary.

The group is hoping to have their current mission wrapped up within a few days, which means handing out all the malaria nets and finding the champs. After they've taking control of the primates, they'll need to test them for various diseases, before they can be cleared for travel as well.

You can read more about the expedition on the team's official website and follow along on their journey with their Twitter feed and their Flickr Photostream. You can also learn more about the organizations involved, by watching the video below.

Currents Episode 8: Thailand

The good folks over at Five 2 Nine Productions have released another episode of their fantastic web series Currents, which a program that uses whitewater kayaking as a vehicle (pun fully intended!) to educate the public about threats to our waterways around the world. In this latest episode, the crew is off to Thailand, a country that is faced with increasingly polluted waters that are making for variety of health issues.

As usual, this episode of Currents hammers home those threats to the world's water supply while also showing off some great paddling action. In this case, they find some rather spectacular whitewater to run in Thailand, which looks like it should be on every kayaker's list of destinations. Great video all around.



Currents - Episode 8 - Thailand from Five 2 Nine Productions on Vimeo.

Scientists Ask For Alternate Serengeti Highway Route

I've mentioned the plans by the Tanzanian government to create a highway across the Serengeti on more than one occasion. Back in July, the controversial project was proposed as a way of increasing trade and helping stimulate economic growth, but at the possible expense of the delicate ecosystem that exists on the African plains. Some feared that the increased traffic would also disrupt the annual Great Migration, which sees millions of animals passing directly through the region.

Now, 290 scientists from 32 different countries have signed a petition urging Tanzania to find an alternate route around the Serengeti National Park, rather than going straight through it, to help preserve the spectacular wildlife that is found there. The scientists believe that the construction of the road "would result in severe, negative, irreversible impacts, with little mitigation possible." They even go so far as to say "The proposed road cuts through a critical wilderness area that is essential to the migration. The type of road surface matters little. The migration itself could easily collapse, with a devastating effect on all wildlife, the grasslands, and the entire ecosystem.”

The petition included a survey of the scientists asking them their thoughts on the impact of the road on the Serengeti Ecosystem. 85% of those surveyed felt that it was either inevitable or extremely likely that the migration would be disrupted and a stunning 98% answered the same way when asked if the road would have an impact on mortality rates.

The Save The Serengeti organization continues to work with these scientists, as well as conservation organizations and the travel industry to try to resolve these issues, but at the moment the Tanzanian government seems intent on moving ahead with the plan.

It seems we're on the verge of watching one of the planet's great natural wonders be destroyed and disrupted right before our eyes. Having traveled the world, I'm often asked about my favorite place, and I invariably answer that it is the Serengeti. This news makes me very sad.

Currents - Episode 7: Quebec

I've posted several episodes from the web show Currents in the past, and the past and it never ceases to be an impressive and well made production. The latest episode dropped a few days ago, and it is embedded below for your viewing pleasure.

The Currents program is designed to raise awareness about river issues around the globe, while also offering up some great white water action. This episode is no exception to that theme, examining a plan by the local government to build dams across some of the best paddling rivers in the Province in order to generate hydroelectric power. There is a grass roots effort in place to try to preserve the environments on those rivers and keep them fully navigable.





Currents - Episode 7 - Quebec from Five 2 Nine Productions on Vimeo.