« POSSIBLE BLOOD INFECTION SLOWING AROUND-THE-WORLD ADVENTURER | Main | TWELVE-FOOT SHARK EYES AROUND-THE-WORLD ADVENTURER »
June 9, 1999
ROUGH SEAS POUNDING AROUND-THE-WORLD ADVENTURER
>> LOCATION: PACIFIC OCEAN
>> DATE: JUNE 9th, 1999
>> SECTION: TARAWA VOYAGE
Pacific Ocean - 37th day at Sea (June 9, 1999) Huge 30 foot waves are clobbering Expedition 360's Jason Lewis.
"Conditions are the roughest since the start of the voyage," says Lewis, "perhaps even of all three crossings so far (the Atlantic Ocean, and his Pacific leg from California to Hawaii). Most of the waves are between 15 and 20 feet, but every now and then a monster 30+ footer with a five foot breaking peak will appear out of nowhere and wreak havoc. It just takes one of these freak ones to finish us off."
Lewis is currently about half-way between Hawaii and his goal of the Gilbert Islands aboard Moksha, a special pedal-powered water craft. He expects the 2,200 mile crossing to take around 70 days. To date, he has been inflicted with food poisoning, salt sores, scorching sunshine, and now severe seas.
"Everything has been soaking wet for three days now. It is impossible to dry any clothes out on deck as waves break regularly over the top. I woke this morning to find the bottom of the boat like an aquarium; three live flying fish swimming about underneath the pedal seat in six inches of water."
Live media interviews over a crystal-clear high-tech Iridium satellite telephone can be scheduled through RoDan Public Relations at (619) 454-1717. In addition, broadcast-quality B-roll tape of Lewis and Moksha is available. Again, contact RoDan Public Relations. Expedition 360 Expedition updates can be obtained toll-free at 1-800-943-0114 or on the Internet at www.goals.com.
Expedition 360 goals are 1) to be the first to circumnavigate the globe using only human power (either bicycle, in-line skates, or pedal-powered water craft), and 2) through school presentations, cultural exchange programs, and curriculum development empower children in each country the expedition visits to follow their dreams and connect with the youth of the world. To date, Lewis has completed almost 20,000 miles of the circumnavigation: from the United Kingdom to Hawaii via Portugal, the Atlantic Ocean, the breadth of the United States, and the western Pacific Ocean -- all by human power.
>> END
Posted by jason at June 9, 1999 11:33 AM