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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 June 17, 2000 11:39 AM