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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 June 16, 2000 11:41 AM