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South Georgia
Island Expedition
Wild, remote and dramatic, South Georgia
Island (SGI) is spectacularly beautiful and an unrivalled
destination for adventure expeditioning. Located 1,300km South
East of the Falkland Islands deep in the South Atlantic Ocean,
Ernest Shackleton called this heavily glaciated mountainous
island the 'Gateway to Antarctica'.
The Team: Andrew Maffett,
John Jacoby & Chris Porter
In February / March 2015 a group of
Australian sea kayakers and expeditioners will be sailing
to SGI from Stanley in the Falkland Islands on board the chartered
sailing yacht 'Pelagic', a 54 ft steel vessel built for polar
travel and exploration to attempt a sea kayak circumnavigation
of the island.
Once on South Georgia Island they will
hook up with British scientists living on the island and,
hopefully, all their gear and 200 freeze-dried meals will
be there.
The team will then complete the 'Shackleton
Crossing', retracing Ernest Shackleton and his team's route
across the island from King Haarkon Bay to Stromness.
The team of four paddlers are all highly
experienced sea kayakers and ocean paddlers, led by John Jacoby,
a four time world marathon kayaking champion and winner of
many of the world's toughest adventure races. Andrew Maffett
from West Australia, is a long time outdoors enthusiast and
sea kayaker, who has undertaken multiple expeditions around
the globe. Chris Porter is a national representative surf
ski paddler, and founder of one of Australia's largest ocean
based outdoor education companies. And Zach Handler is an
American doctor who is a nation al level surf ski paddler,
who trains on the frigid lakes of Minnesota and who undertakes
ski mountaineering expeditions around the world.
Whilst the scenery will be awe inspiring,
and the wildlife abundant, the coastline and paddling conditions
will be challenging and forbidding. Frequent gales and massive
swells that blow and roll unhindered across thousands of miles
of Southern Ocean before crashing into South Georgia's unsheltered
coastline, will make the trip at once committing and treacherous.
While 4000 people have conquered the
world’s highest mountain, until now, only 3 other teams
have successfully completed a circumnavigation of SGI by sea
kayak. The NZ Adventure Philosophy team were the first in
2007, followed by British and Norwegian teams, calling it
the 'Everest of sea kayaking'.
South Georgia Island.
The photos are from the successful Kiwi expedition in 2007
by the 'Adventure Philosophy' team.
The Australian team is planning on taking
up to 3 weeks to cover the approximately 600km of coastline,
although much will depend on the weather and sea conditions
encountered. They have a 30-day window to complete the circumnavigation
of the island. The support yacht will shadow the kayakers
to resupply and provide rescue if required, although the coastline
and conditions are likely to be safer for the kayaks, and
it is doubtful they will be able to rendezvous often.
South Georgia Island.
The photos are from the successful Kiwi expedition in 2007
by the 'Adventure Philosophy' team.
This expedition is a very rare opportunity
to spend an extended period of time exploring and enjoying
one of the world's most beautiful and isolated corners, experiencing
it with an intimacy that only a kayak can afford.
For updates on expedition preparations,
and a blow by blow commentary whilst underway, follow the
expedition at https://www.facebook.com/SGICircumnavigation
This is the same yacht
that will be supporting the team
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