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June 17, 2000
HUMAN POWERED EXPEDITION REACHES SOLOMON ISLANDS
>> LOCATION: AUKI, SOLOMONS ISLAND, CENTRAL PACIFIC
>> DATE: JUNE 17th, 2000
>> SECTION: SOLOMON ISLANDS VOYAGE
After 19 days at sea in a 26ft pedal powered boat, British duo Jason Lewis (32) and Chris Tipper (34) will make landfall in the Solomon’s Islands (specifically the town of Auki on the island of Malaita) tomorrow Sunday 18th. The 1,100 mile voyage from the island atoll of Tarawa in the Republic of Kiribati (formerly the Gilbert and Ellice islands) marks one more crucial leg completed in the larger goal to the first to circumnavigate the world using only human power.
Speaking by satellite phone this morning, the pair say they are healthy, though life on the tiny boat has not been a holiday. As well as 110+degree heat around the equator, the propulsion system failed at one point, leaving Lewis and Tipper stranded for some time before the fault was mended, and their GPS broke down, forcing them to use alternative methods of navigation. The pair are now suffering from painful salt sores and boils – one of the effects of prolonged exposure to salt water.
“We seem to be getting on pretty well in a space about the size of the average broom cupboard, although we nearly come to blows on a couple of occasions over the peanut M+M rationing”.
The ordeal is not over yet though. There was recently a coup in the Solomon’s, following a long period of aggression and bloodshed between the islanders of Guadalcanal and Malaita. Lewis and Tipper pedal into this civil strife tomorrow to locate supplies before continuing onto Cairns, Australia. This will mark the first time the Pacific Ocean has ever been crossed by pedal power.
It has taken Jason six years to get this far - 19,000 miles of pedaling the boat, cycling and roller-blading – half way around the world. Aside from completing a full circumnavigation, the expedition aims to promote understanding between cultures, encouraging people to learn from the planet and each other. Visiting over 500 communities along its route and communicating with children via the Internet, the expedition works with schools to document their surroundings and exchange the results with other school children worldwide.
Jason’s original partner Steve Smith left the expedition in Hawaii to pursue other projects. Chris Tipper built the boat in England at the inception of the project and joined Jason for the trip to the Solomon’s.
Moksha is equipped with satellite navigation and communications equipment, allowing the pedalers to send back daily updates of their adventure for the Internet – including photographs, audio and video.
***There is a satellite phone on board. If you are interested in interviewing Jason and Chris before they make landfall, call (872) 76 238 5166 (sleeping compartment) or (872) 76 238 5167 (pedal seat) between the following hours on the morning and afternoon of the 18th June: 0500-1000hrs+2100-2300hrs GMT. (NB please try calling back every 10-15 mins if the line is busy)***
If you would like to conduct and interview at any other time, please send email to: press_360@yahoo.com
The expedition is currently seeking sponsorship.
For further information:
Please visit www.goals.com
Mail to:
press_360@yahoo.com
(N.B. ‘Expedition 360’ – formerly ‘Pedal for the Planet’)
>> END
Posted by jason at 11:39 AM
June 16, 2000
AROUND THE WORLD PEDAL BOAT EXPEDITION HEADS FOR AUSTRALIA
>> LOCATION: TULAGI, SOLOMON ISLANDS, SW PACIFIC
>> DATE: JULY 16th, 2000
>> SECTION: CORAL SEA VOYAGE
The attempt to circumnavigate the world by human power continues Tuesday with a woman on board for the first time. Jason Lewis (32) and April Abril (42) will set off from the Solomon Islands in their unique pedal powered boat, heading for Cairns, Australia - 1100 miles away.
This is the last stage of the epic journey across the Pacific and a major landmark for the British expedition in its 36,000-mile trip around the world.
The adventurers will set off in their pedal boat 'Moksha' from Tulagi harbour on Tuesday, 18th July 2000, heading southwest for Cairns. The voyage is the hardest to date for the expedition - across the treacherous Coral Sea and fighting the South-East Trades before navigating though 15 miles of the Great Barrier Reef. Pedalling 12 hours a day each, the journey is expected to take a month.
April, a schoolteacher from Colorado, USA is the first woman to join the expedition. She has been involved since 1996 as the Expedition’s Cultural Exchange Coordinator but never expected to go out on the ocean.
“It’s a step into the abyss, I've never been to sea before and I know I should be afraid, but I don’t know what to be afraid of. So I’m just going to give it my best, the same I do if I’m being a teacher or a mother.” – April Abril
After arriving in Australia, April will return to teach her class of 10-year-olds in Rye, Colorado. Jason’s original accomplice Steve Smith left the expedition in Hawaii to pursue other projects and has now returned to England.
“People think that only young guys can do this kind of thing but the essence of this expedition is that anyone can do this if they set their hearts and minds to it. This will be the hardest leg of the Pacific and it will make pedalling into Cairns with April, all the more rewarding.” - Jason Lewis
It has taken Jason six years to get this far – 19,000 miles of pedaling the boat, cycling and roller-blading – over half way around the world. Aside from completing a full circumnavigation, the expedition aims to promote understanding between cultures, visiting over 500 communities along its route. The educational and cultural programs work with schools to document their surroundings and exchange the results with other school children worldwide.
In Australia Jason intends to roller-blade down the north east coast to Rockhampton before cycling across the outback to Alice Springs and up to Darwin. He will be visiting schools along his route.
Moksha is equipped with satellite navigation and communications equipment, allowing the pedallers to send back daily updates of their adventure for the Internet – including photographs, audio and video. There is also a satellite phone on board. Jason and April will be available for live audio interviews throughout the voyage. Photographs available by request from
For further information:
Please visit www.goals.com or email moksha@stratosnet.com
Expedition 360, 6123 Roley, Rye, Colorado 81069.
Satphone on boat +872 76 238 5166 or +872 76 238 5167 (Tuesday onward)
Daily communications window for calling the satphone:
>> 0900-1100hrs local time Solomon Islands = 1500-1700hrs Pacific W. Coast time USA = 1600-1800hrs Mountain Time USA = 2300-0100 hrs UK summertime = 2200-0000 hrs GMT.
>>1700-1900hrs local time Solomon Islands = 2300-0100hrs Pacific W. Coast time USA = 0000-0200hrs Mountain Time USA = 1900-2100 hrs UK summertime = 1800-2000 hrs GMT.
>> END
Posted by jason at 11:41 AM