Pole to Pole Expedition - in the Falklands
by Des Ryan on 13 Mar 2008
Blizzard Port Stanley by Brian Lockett SW
Stanley in the Falkland Islands, a community of 2,000 people that nevertheless calls itself a city, is currently playing host to the 20 metre aluminium schooner named, whimsically one could think, Blizzard. Normally, the Blizzard Expeditions explore the Southern Ocean regions mounting expeditions to Antarctica, South Georgia, Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego including Cape Horn and the Beagle Channel, but this time they are on a special mission....
Blizzard's crew are Australian David Pryce, an experienced Antarctic and Southern Ocean sailor and Hannah McKeand, a polar skier who has twice travelled the 690 miles to the South Pole and in 2006 set a new World Record for the journey.
So when the Pole to Pole Expedition, consisting of two adventurers Rob Gauntlett and James Hooper, were looking for a yacht to assist them in their climate change awareness track, starting at the Magnetic North Pole and finishing at the South Magnetic Pole, it was natural to team up with the Blizzard and its crew.
Beginning in Greenland on 08th April, 2007, the two have already skiied out from the North Pole, visited New York City and cycled through Ecuador and the Andes before reaching Punta Arenas where they boarded the Blizzard for the Southern Ocean leg of the journey. They are now waiting in Stanley for replacement crew.
On board, as well as Dave Pryce, James Hooper and Rob Gauntlett, are Miles Wise – presently in hospital in Stanley - Charlie Beringer, Richard Kirkham and John Dwyer.
The hardy two have already had personal experience of global warming, when Rob Gauntlett fell through the sea ice while still in the Arctic.
To learn more about the Pole to Pole.Expedition, and their call to action on Climate Change, go to their website by clicking HERE
To learn more about the Blizzard's sailing expeditions to wild and remote regions of the world – which you can join – go to their website by clicking HERE
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