Olly Hicks Gears Up For Global Row 2012

Remember Olly Hicks? He was the young adventurer who attempted to circumnavigate Antarctica in a rowboat back in 2009. Ultimately, due to a number of reasons, he was forced to abandon that voyage, but now he is back and gearing up to give it another go next year.

In his first  attempt, Olly set out from Tasmania to challenge the Southern Ocean, but soon found the conditions in that body of water were fickle and conspiring to work against him. The wind and currents made it nearly impossible for Hicks to make progress, and after weeks out on the water, he eventually conceded defeat, due in no small part to design flaws on his boat that made it less than ideal for the waters in which he was traveling.

Since that time, Olly has been working with two veteran naval designers on ways to overcome the flaws in his original boat design. With those new designs complete, he now feels ready to start planning his next attempt at the Global Row 2012, as the expedition has been dubbed. The new boat incorporates some unique features that will make it better suited for the conditions in the Southern Ocean, and the design team feels that Olly can expect to average 50-60 nautical miles per day. He'll put those estimates to the test when he returns to the water in October of next year, departing from Tasmania once again.

The voyage is expected to take somewhere between 18-22 months to complete, during which time Hicks will cover more than 18,000 nautical miles. The first phase of the journey will take Olly across the Pacific Ocean to South Georgia Island, where he plans to wait out the winter before resuming. That stage is expected to take approximately 160 days to complete. After overwintering and resupplying in South Georgia, he'll take to the Atlantic Ocean and continue around the globe, before arriving back in Tasmania. If successful in his venture, Hicks will become the first person to circumnavigate the Southern Ocean by rowboat.

While Olly loves a good adventure and wants to set the record, he's also making the row for two of his favorite charities as well. He hopes that his efforts will help raise funds for both the Hope and Homes for Children organization as well as the Save Our Seas Foundation.

While October 2012 seems like a long way off at this point, Olly is about to begin the all important search for sponsors for the Global Row 2012. With that in mind, a new website will be launching soon, and you can keep up with Olly's progress on his Facebook page right now.

Stay tuned for more as Olly ramps up for his next big adventure next year.

Antarctic Tourism On The Decline

I covered this topic this morning at Gadling.com, but thought it was worth sharing here as well. Yesterday I received a press release from the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators that gave some interesting statistics on the Antarctic tourism season that just ended. Those numbers indicated that there was a slide in the number of visitors to Antarctica this year, with 8.3% fewer people traveling in the region. This trend is expected to continue in the season ahead as well, with even more significant drops in the number of visitors to the frozen continent.

According to the IAATO, 33,824 people traveled in and around Antarctica in the 2010-2011 season. That number is down from the 36,875 from the year before. Of those travelers, 18,534 actually set foot on the continent itself, while 14,373 of them chose to just cruise the Southern Ocean instead. These numbers were reported by members of the IAATO, which carry clients throughout the region aboard small and medium sized expedition ships and yachts. The "cruise-only" folks were generally aboard larger cruise ships.

While the 8.3% drop is fairly substantial, that's nothing compared to what is projected for the 2011-2012 season. This August, a ban on heavy fuel oils will go into effect, limiting the number of larger ships that can enter the waters around Antarctica as well. That will most likely effect the cruise-only numbers, which are expected to drop below 5000 travelers total. When factoring in an economy that continues to struggle, the IAATO believes that there will be as much as a 25% drop in travel to Antarctica in the season ahead.

This is good news for environmentalists who have long feared that increased traffic would damage the fragile environments in Antarctica. These substantially lower numbers should help to protect the region from too much harm, and the ban on heavy fuels is designed to do the very same thing.

On the other hand, tour operators in the region can't be happy with the projections, as they could potentially be scrambling to fill their cabins. Obviously the largest decline will be in the cruise only section, where the number of ships operating in the Southern Ocean will be reduced from 12 down to just five, but if the expectations of a poor economy continue, we may see some good bargains for those looking to travel to the very deep south later this year.

Missing Antarctic Yacht Update: Life Raft Discovered Adrift In The Southern Ocean

For the past few days I've been following the search for the missing yacht in the Antarctic. The Norwegian-flagged Berserk ran into trouble a few days back, and hasn't been seen or heard from since. Yesterday, the ship's life raft was discovered in the Southern Ocean, damaged and adrift, giving an ominous sign of the likely fate of the vessel.

Search and rescue efforts have been ongoing since Wednesday, when storms in the region allowed ships to finally reach the area where the Berserk activated its emergency beacon on Tuesday. Two ships and a helicopter from the Sea Shepard organization have been combing the area looking for clues, and they were the ones to discover the life raft yesterday. That raft was said to have a ripped canopy and was missing both its first aid kit and survival knife. There were no indications that it has been occupied however, and it is just as likely that it drifted away from the yacht on its own as someone used it for escape.

The water temperature in the area was reportedly -12ºC (10ºF) which means that if anyone were in the water, they would probably only live for a few minutes at the most. Now that more than three days have passed since we have heard any word from the ship at all, it seems increasingly unlikely that the crew is still alive. The search will go on today however, as their is still slim hope that they are still out there, adrift on the sea currents, and without power.

If there is any further news, I'll post updates.

Missing Antarctic Yacht Update: Two Crew Members Located

Yesterday I posted a story about the Norwegian yacht the Berserk which had gone missing off the coast of Antarctica. Today we have word that two of the crew have been located on the continent itself, and that they may hold some clues as to where the missing ship might be.

As reported, the ship had five people aboard when it set sail, and the intention was for two of them to be dropped off on Antarctica itself in an attempt to go to the South Pole by ATV. Apparently the delivery to the continent took place, as the ship's captain Jarle Andhøy and an 18-year old crew member were found alive and well yesterday and have reportedly been working with rescue teams to help locate the missing 14-meter, steel hulled yacht which has three other crew members still aboard, including two Norwegians and one British national.

The Berserk went missing two days ago after activating its emergency locator beacon amidst high winds and 25 foot waves. At the time, the ship was roughly 18 nautical miles off the coast of Antarctica. Since then, all attempts to contact the vessel have proven fruitless and the beacon has stopped transmitting. The bad weather, which is common in the Southern Ocean, has slowed down search and rescue operations, but there are a number of ships in the area now, including naval vessels from New Zealand and two ships from the Sea Shepard organization.

The SAR teams are still holding out hope that they might find the Berserk adrift at sea with her crew alive and well, but the longer it takes to locate them, the more unlikely that outcome seems to be. Lets continue to hope for the best as the search continues today.

Ship Goes Missing Off Antarctic Coast

A small sailing yacht has gone missing off the coast of Antarctica after setting off its emergency beacon yesterday amidst rough seas and high winds. The ship is believed to be carrying as many as five passengers, although exactly who was aboard at the time the beacon was turned on is still unknown.

The 14-meter steel hulled Berserk is operated by Berserk Expeditions and conducts small, private sailing adventures in various parts of the world. The yacht was believed to have visited the Antarctic continent where it may have dropped off two passengers who are attempting to drive ATV's to the South Pole. If that event did take place, then three passengers could still be aboard the ship, including the Norwegian skipper Jarle Andhøy. The boat was believed to have possibly four other passengers, including three more Norwegians and a British national.

Rescue ships have been dispatched out of New Zealand to the Southern Ocean to search for the missing yacht, but the bad weather in the region hasn't made the search easy so far. All attempts to contact the ship have also failed and the emergency beacon is no longer transmitting either. Weather reports indicate that 75 knot winds and 6 to 8 meter swells are hitting the area at the moment, although conditions are expected to improve later in the day.

The last known location of the Berserk was approximately 33 nautical miles off the coast of the Antarctic continent, just north of the Scott Base. The current outlook of finding the ship, and her crew, in good condition is a bit grim, but rescue teams are holding out hope none the less.

Wanted: Operations Manager For Rower Attempting Circumnavigation of Antarctica!

Looking for a new job? Are you tired of the day-to-day grind of your current occupation? Want to work closely with an outdoor adventurer and explorer? If you said yes to any of the above, then I just might have the gig for you. It seems that Ollie Hicks is gearing up for another attempt at rowing around Antarctica, and he is in need of a good operations manager. Who ever gets the role will have an important position to fill, taking care of a lot of Ollie's needs while he is out on the water once again.

The details of the position have been posted at EscapeTheCity.org and can be accessed by clicking here. The first thing you'll need to know is that you must be living in the UK to take on the job, which pays £20k a year. (That translates to about US $31,500 for those scoring at home.) The job description was posted on January 6th and there is a deadline of February 19th for those who are interested.

There are two things that I take away from this. 1) I really need to be in the UK so I can get a job like this one, and 2) It's good to hear that Ollie is planning his return to the water. For those who didn't follow his adventure last time, Hicks had planned to make the first rowing circumnavigation of Antarctica, and set out to do just that. After having some issues with the Australian government letting him depart from Tasmania, he quickly made a change of plans and set out from New Zealand instead. But, he ran into issues with the design of his boat that made progress nearly impossible in the challenging and cold waters of the Southern Ocean. Hopefully he has resolved those issues with the boat, which he lovingly dubbed the "Flying Carrot," and he'll have a real, legitimate chance of completing his expedition this time out. Either way, it won't be an easy one.

I'll posted updates on Ollie's progress as he gets closer to getting underway.

Norwegians Complete Kayak Circumnavigation of South Georgia Island

Explorers Web is reporting today that a team of Norwegian kayakers has successfully completed an unsupported circumnavigation of South Georgia Island located in the Southern Ocean. The team took 20 days to make the paddle, which has only been done on two other occasions.

The team, consisting of Simen Havig-Gjelseth, Sigrid Henjum, Tormod Austring, and Dag Marius Ammerud, returned to the village of Grytviken yesterday morning where they were greeted by a few locals who welcomed them back by shooting flares in the air and serving them cognac. According to the expedition's website, the paddlers hit the water at 3:15 AM to take advantage of good weather and low winds. By 9:30 AM they were finished and on dry land celebrating.

South Georgia is one of the most remote islands on Earth and is well known for its incredibly bad weather. The cold ocean waters and southerly location keep the place from ever getting warm year round, and the notoriously bad winds are a challenge for any visitor to deal with, whether on land or sea. Throw in some very choppy surf, with big waves that run unbroken across much of the Pacific, and you'll understand why ExWeb calls a circumnavigation of the island the "Everest of Kayaking."

Congratulations to this team for completing their expedition.

IAATO Offers Advice For Antarctic Sailors

The International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) is offering a set of guidelines and procedures for independent travelers sailing the waters around Antarctica. The organization, which works with more than a hundred travel companies around the globe, hopes to lend its considerable experience to others in hopes of keeping the waters of the Southern Ocean safe, while protecting the environment as well.

The resources that are available from the IAATO can be found by clicking here. Amongst the very useful options are information on how to prepare for sailing below 60ºS, links to government contacts in a host of countries from which to set sail, tips on how to protect the environment while traveling in and around Antarctica, and a list of service providers and operators in the area. The IAATO is offering this information to help private yachts, which it defines as a ship that is powered by sail or motor and housing less than 12 passengers, to ensure a safe voyage for everyone who ventures into the waters near the frozen continent.

Over the past few years there have been several high profile accidents in and around Antarctica which have  made headlines across the globe. Fortunately no one has been killed or even seriously injured in those incidents, but they have spurred the IAATO to work with its members to create more stringent guidelines for ships operating in the Southern Ocean. Those guidelines should provide travelers with a better, safer experience that also keeps the environment and wildlife safe as well.

I applaud the IAATO for their efforts in recent months as they clearly have the best interest of their clients and the Antarctic in mind. Providing these guidelines for others sailing the oceans is a great resource as well, and offers some insights into the hazards of travel in the region before anyone ever sets sail.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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