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June 5, 2005
AROUND THE WORLD EXPEDITION DEPARTS by KAYAK through INDONESIA
* * * MEDIA RELEASE - 05/06/05 * * *
The next leg of Expedition 360 - the first circumnavigation of the
world using only human power - is about to launch from Dili, East
Timor. Jason Lewis (37, British, male), who has to date traveled 32,000
miles under his own steam since departing London 11-years ago, will
paddle kayaks along with 3 others for the 2,600 mile epic journey up
the island chain of Indonesia to Singapore.
The team of 4 are preparing themselves for some major challenges along
the way in the form of possible attack by pirates, in particular around
the Riau Islands and the Malacca Straits south of Singapore, and
saltwater crocodiles that inhabit the beaches they will be sleeping on
at night. They will also encounter dangerous currents - some flowing
up to 14-knots - running in the narrow passages, or 'selats',
between the islands. These currents create giant whirlpools that have
been known to pull large fishing boats to the bottom of the ocean.
Lewis is being joined by Christopher Tipper (39, British, male) from
Brighton, UK, April Abril (52, American, female) and Lourdes Arango
(43, American, female). Tipper was one of two who originally built the
pedal powered boat that was used to cross the Atlantic Ocean (1994) and
Pacific Ocean (1998-2000). He also accompanied Lewis pedaling from
Tarawa to the Solomon Islands (July, 2000). Abril is also no newcomer
having pedaled with Lewis across the Coral Sea from the Solomon Islands
to Australia (Aug, 2000). And Lourdes Arango (43, American, female)
recently pedaled with Lewis 450 nautical miles in 11 days across the
Timor Sea from Darwin, N. Australia to Dili, East Timor.
One island they will be using to rest on, but not for long, is Komodo,
home to the flesh-eating Komodo dragon. The last human to be eaten was
a Swedish tourist in 2001.
There is also the problem of avoiding the suspicion of local Indonesian
army and navy. The team has been liaising with the Indonesian Ministry
of Education in Jakarta, who are organizing visits to schools en route,
to ensure local authorities are aware of their presence. Concern was
raised after a recent report of a locally chartered dive boat from
Dili, East Timor being shot at by an Indonesian naval vessel near the
East Timorese island of Atauro.
"Pedaling a 26ft boat across a massive body of the water like the
Pacific Ocean might seem incredibly dangerous, but to be honest I am
more apprehensive about this leg of the circumnavigation, mainly
because of the new 'human factor'. The ocean can be
life-threatening if you don't prepare properly and respect it, but
people can be much more unpredictable and dangerous."
If successful the journey will signify the last major hurdle for Lewis
in his quest to become the first person to circumnavigate the world
using only human power. From Singapore the expedition will involve
bicycling through Thailand, Laos into China then hike south over the
Himalayas into India. From this point, a 2,200-mile crossing of the
Indian Ocean to East Africa is being considered. The adventure will
continue through North Africa and Europe to finish at the Greenwich
Meridian Line (the point Lewis and former pedaling partner Steve Smith
departed from in 1994) sometime in 2007. It will have taken a total of
13 years to complete the circumnavigation.
The team will also be visiting schools en route in conjunction with
UNESCO's (United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization)
Associated Schools' Network. A local Indonesian teenage will also
travel with the expedition for sections, acting as a international
ambassador to schools following on the internet worldwide.
In Sumatra the team will also use $10,000 USD of funds raised through
the x360 Non-for-Profit Organization to rebuild a youth recreation
centre in the December 2004 tsunami affected region of Banda Aceh.
The Indonesian leg of the expedition is made possible by the following
sponsors: http://www.expedition360.com/sponsors/indonesia_sponsors.htm
Wenonah Canoe (kayaks) www.wenonah.com
Direct Container lines (shipping kayaks from US to Australia)
www.dclusa.com/
Iridium Satellite (Satellite phone + airtime) www.iridium.com
McMurdo UK (EPIRBS) www.mcmurdo.co.uk/
UK Hydrographic Office (Marine charts) www.hydro.gov.uk/
Ortlieb (water-storage solutions) www.ortlieb.de/
Lifeline Batteries (marine batteries) http://www.lifelinebatteries.com/
**BACKGROUND**
Since departing the Greenwich Meridian Line in 1994, Lewis has traveled
32,000 miles - two-thirds around the planet - without assistance from
either motors or the wind; pedaling a one-of-a-kind pedal boat
('Moksha', meaning liberation in Sanskrit) across the world's
oceans, bicycling and rollerblading over land. On August 18th 2000,
Lewis became the first in history to pedal across the Pacific Ocean
from San Francisco in the US to Port Douglas, Australia - 178 days and
8,000 nautical miles. In 1994, original pedal partner Steve Smith (now
retired from the expedition) and Lewis completed the first East-West
crossing of the Atlantic by pedal power, and a year later Lewis
completed the first unsupported crossing of the USA by roller blades.
www.expedition360.com
**LAUNCH DETAILS**
The team will depart in their kayaks from Dili, East Timor at 0630 hrs
(local time Dili - London is 8 hrs behind) on Thursday 12th May 2005.
For exact location email cont...@expedition360.com
**INTERVIEWS**
Team members are available for interview before the launch by
telephone. Try calling +670 727 8006 (local time East Timor - London
+8hrs, UTC +9hrs). Or email cont...@expedition360.com to arrange an
interview.
During the expedition it will be possible to contact the team by email
t...@expedition360.com. They will also be carrying an Iridium Satellite
phone for voice interviews -
Satellite telephone #: 8816 310 12749
They plan to have the sat-phone switched on for just 1 x hour between
1800-1900 hrs local Dili time (0900-1000 UTC/1000-1100 London).
SATPHONE PROTOCOL for INBOUND COMMS
- DIALING the satphone from another phone - 011 prefix from US#, or
00 from UK#, or 0011 from Australian #.
- TEXT MESSAGING (free). Go to the iridium website www.iridium.com. In
the middle of the homepage click on 'Send a Satellite message'. A
form pops up - the rest is easy. Maximum characters 160.
**PHOTOS**
Hi-res images are available direct from the website. Contact:
UK PRESS OFFICER - contact Jim Carey: c...@squall.co.uk
US PRESS OFFICER - contact Sharon Kessler: smkessl...@mindspring.com
**DAILY UPDATES**
They also have a laptop and plan sending out an update each day or
second day direct to the expedition website. This update should be up
online by 2000 hrs local Dili/1200 hrs London.
www.expedition360.com/x360_indonesia_journal/
Or you can find a link off the expedition360.com homepage
www.expedition360.com
**X360 SPOKESPERSON** - in the event of being unable to contact the
team direct, contact Steve Smith for interviews and any other general
information regarding Expedition 360. He was the expedition founder in
1991. stevie_sm...@onetel.com. He has written a book about his
adventures with the expedition so far - www.p2hi.com
+++++++++END++++++++++
Posted by jason at June 5, 2005 12:16 PM