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November 17, 2005
AROUND WORLD ADVENTURER KAYAKS INTO SINGAPORE - DELAYED
Due to exceptionally strong currents in the Singapore Straits - the
world's busiest shipping lane - Jason Lewis' attempt to Kayak from
Batam Island to Singapore (Singapore Paddle Club, Tanjong Beach, on
Sentosa) has been postponed until tomorrow, November 17th at 1400hrs
local time.
* * * MEDIA RELEASE - 17/11/05 * * *
The current leg of Expedition 360 - the first circumnavigation of the
world using only human power - arrives today (Thursday 17th) in
Singapore by kayak.
Arrival Venue: Singapore Paddle Club, Tanjong Beach on Sentosa,
Arrival Time: 1400hrs local time (0700 GMT)
Jason Lewis (38, British, male, from Bridport, Dorset), who has now
travelled 35,000 miles under his own steam since departing London over
11 years ago, has spent the last six months using an ocean-going pedal
boat, kayak and bicycle to travel 2,600 miles from Darwin, Australia.
Jason has endured everything from heavy seas to deadly snakes to
highway robbers in his journey through the length of Indonesia. He had
to sacrifice one of his kayak paddles to the jaws of a 5-metre
saltwater crocodile, and spent a very anxious night keeping his
campfire going on Komodo Island, to ward off the notorious flesh-eating
'dragons'. He has also had to contend with sudden rainsqualls that
whipped up terrifying waves, monsoonal downpours and the dangerous 5-15
knot currents that flow through the narrow straits or 'selats'
between islands. These currents create giant whirlpools that have been
known to pull large fishing boats to the bottom of the ocean.
Today's final, 13-mile crossing from Batam Island to Singapore is the
world's busiest shipping lane. 500 super-freight and tanker vessels
pass through the Singapore Straits every single day. Piracy is also an
ever-present worry.
"Pedalling 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."
Jason Lewis' arrival in Singapore completes the latest hurdle 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 pedalling partner Stevie Smith departed from in
1994) sometime in 2007. It will have taken a total of 13 years to
complete the circumnavigation.
The team also visits schools en route in conjunction with UNESCO's
(United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization) Associated
Schools' Network. The team has recently raised $10,000 USD to rebuild a
youth recreational centre in the tsunami-affected region of Banda Aceh.
The Darwin-Singapore leg of the expedition is made possible by the
following sponsors:
http://www.expedition360.com/sponsors/indonesia_sponsors.htm
Speedo International www.speedo.com
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) www.lifelinebatteries.com/
**BACKGROUND**
Since departing the Greenwich Meridian Line in 1994, Lewis has
travelled 35,000 miles - two-thirds around the planet - without wind
or motor assistance; pedalling 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 pedalling partner Stevie Smith (author of
'Pedalling To Hawaii', his account of the adventure) 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
**INTERVIEWS** IMAGES**TV NEWS FOOTAGE
Contact Kenny Brown on 0777 563 7004
Non-urgent Email enquiries to t...@expedition360.com
Hi-res archive images are available direct from the website.
Contact:
UK PRESS OFFICER - contact Jim Carey:
c...@squall.co.uk
US PRESS OFFICER - contact Sharon Kessler:
smkessll...@mindspring.com
**DAILY UPDATES**
Regular updates and archived journals from this leg can be read from
here.
www.expedition360.com/x360_indonesia_journal/
Or you can find the link off the expedition360.com homepage
www.expedition360.com
**X360 SPOKESPERSON** - in the event of being unable to contact the
team direct, contact Stevie Smith for interviews and any other general
information regarding Expedition 360. He was the expedition founder in
1991 and has recently published an account of the adventure:
"Pedalling To Hawaii" (Published by Summersdale in the UK. £7.99)
"Pedaling To Hawaii" (To be published by Countryman Press in the
USA, May 2006)
Stevie Smith: tel +44 (0)7766 707012
Email: Stevie_sm...@onetel.com
Web: www.p2hi.com
+++++++++END++++++++++
Posted by jason at 12:19 PM
November 16, 2005
AROUND WORLD ADVENTURER KAYAKS INTO SINGAPORE
* * * MEDIA RELEASE - 16/11/05 * * *
The current leg of Expedition 360 - the first circumnavigation of the
world using only human power - arrives today (Wednesday 16th) in
Singapore by kayak.
Arrival Venue: Singapore Paddle Club, Tanjong Beach on Sentosa,
Arrival Time: 1500hrs local time (0800 GMT)
Jason Lewis (38, British, male), who has now travelled 35,000 miles
under his own steam since departing London over 11 years ago, has spent
the last six months using an ocean-going pedal boat, kayak and bicycle
to travel 2,600 miles from Darwin, Australia.
Jason has endured everything from heavy seas to deadly snakes to
highway robbers in his journey through the length of Indonesia. He had
to sacrifice one of his kayak paddles to the jaws of a 5-metre
saltwater crocodile, and spent a very anxious night keeping his
campfire going on Komodo Island, to ward off the notorious flesh-eating
'dragons'. He has also had to contend with sudden rainsqualls that
whipped up terrifying waves, monsoonal downpours and the dangerous 5-15
knot currents that flow through the narrow straits or 'selats'
between islands. These currents create giant whirlpools that have been
known to pull large fishing boats to the bottom of the ocean.
Today's final, 13-mile crossing from Batam Island to Singapore is the
world's busiest shipping lane. 500 super-freight and tanker vessels
pass through the Singapore Straits every single day. Piracy is also an
ever-present worry.
"Pedalling 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."
Jason Lewis' arrival in Singapore completes the latest hurdle 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
starting point for Lewis and former pedalling partner Stevie Smith in
1994) sometime in 2007. It will have taken a total of 13 years to
complete the circumnavigation.
The team also visits schools en route in conjunction with UNESCO's
(United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization) Associated
Schools' Network. The team has recently raised $10,000 USD to rebuild a
youth recreational centre in the tsunami-affected region of Banda Aceh.
The Darwin-Singapore leg of the expedition is made possible by the
following sponsors:
http://www.expedition360.com/sponsors/indonesia_sponsors.htm
Speedo International www.speedo.com
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) www.lifelinebatteries.com/
**BACKGROUND**
Since departing the Greenwich Meridian Line in 1994, Lewis has
travelled 35,000 miles - two-thirds around the planet - without wind
or motor assistance; pedalling 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 pedalling partner Stevie Smith (author of
'Pedalling To Hawaii', his account of the adventure) 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
**INTERVIEWS** IMAGES**TV NEWS FOOTAGE
Contact Kenny Brown on 0777 563 7004
Non-urgent Email enquiries to t...@expedition360.com
Hi-res archive images are available direct from the website.
Contact:
UK PRESS OFFICER - contact Jim Carey:
c...@squall.co.uk
US PRESS OFFICER - contact Sharon Kessler:
smkessll...@mindspring.com
**DAILY UPDATES**
Regular updates and archived journals from this leg can be read from
here.
www.expedition360.com/x360_indonesia_journal/
Or you can find the link off the expedition360.com homepage
www.expedition360.com
**X360 SPOKESPERSON** - in the event of being unable to contact the
team direct, contact Stevie Smith for interviews and any other general
information regarding Expedition 360. He was the expedition founder in
1991 and has recently published an account of the adventure:
"Pedalling To Hawaii" (Published by Summersdale in the UK. £7.99)
"Pedaling To Hawaii" (To be published by Countryman Press in the
USA, May 2006)
Stevie Smith: tel +44 (0)7766 707012
Email: Stevie_sm...@onetel.com
Web: www.p2hi.com
+++++++++END++++++++++
Posted by jason at 12:18 PM
November 7, 2005
AROUND THE WORLD EXPEDITION CROSSES EQUATOR ON KAYAKS
* * * MEDIA RELEASE - 07/11/05 * * *
Lingga Island, Indonesia
The current leg of Expedition 360 - the first circumnavigation of the
world using only human power � has today crossed The Equator for the
second and final time.
Jason Lewis (37, British, male), who has to date travelled 34,500 miles
under his own steam since departing London 11 years ago, is paddling a
kayak from Sumatra to Singapore along with 2 others, having spent the
last six months using an ocean-going pedal boat, kayak and bicycle to
travel 2,500 miles from Darwin, Australia.
Jason has endured everything from heavy seas to deadly snakes to
highway robbers in his journey through the length of Indonesia. He had
to sacrifice one of his kayak paddles to the jaws of a 5-metre
saltwater crocodile, and spent a very anxious night keeping his
campfire going on Komodo Island, to ward off the notorious
flesh-eating �dragons�.
For the remainder of the kayak journey to Singapore (arrival will be at
the Singapore Paddle Club, Tanjong Beach on Sentosa, probably November
16th 1500hrs local time), Jason and his team-mates will have to be
vigilant against pirates, deadly snakes, spiders, and jellyfish and
will have to contend with monsoonal downpours and dangerous 5-15 knot
currents that flow between the myriad of islands of the Lingga and Riau
Archipelagos. These currents create giant whirlpools that have been
known to pull large fishing boats to the bottom of the ocean.
Lewis�s other team mates are Kenny Brown (36, British, male, expedition
cameraman) and Phil Dixon (34, New Zealander, male). A support team,
including Jason�s father Sebert Lewis and expedition founder Stevie
Smith, help with expedition logistics and promotion from bases in the
UK.
Human factors are at least as challenging as the natural hazards in
this great odyssey. Pirate attacks near the Malacca Straits are
becoming increasingly common, and the Straits themselves � being the
busiest shipping lanes on the planet � can only be attempted in a
human-powered craft with a special permit.
"Pedalling 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, his arrival in Singapore 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
pedalling partner Stevie 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
Speedo International www.speedo.com
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) www.lifelinebatteries.com/
**BACKGROUND**
Since departing the Greenwich Meridian Line in 1994,Lewis has travelled
34,500 miles - two-thirds around the planet � without assistance from
either motors or the wind; pedalling 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 Stevie Smith (now
author of Pedalling To Hawaii, his account of the adventure) 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
**POSITON DETAILS**
At the Equator at 104.3 Degrees East, Northern tip of Palau Lingga,
Indonesia
**INTERVIEWS**
The expedition team carry an Iridium Satellite Phone for voice
interviews -
Satellite telephone #: 8816 310 12749
This telephone line will be switched on for 2 hours
1200 � 1400 hrs GMT
1800-2000 hrs local time Indonesia
Other telephone enquiries to Stevie Smith, UK Spokesman on +44 (0)7766
707012
SATPHONE PROTOCOL for INBOUND COMMS
- DIALING the sat phone 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
characters160.
**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
Any problems, contact Stevie Smith
stevie_sm...@onetel.com
**DAILY UPDATES**
Updates on the expedition web-site for the remainder of this leg will
be limited due to technical problems in the field, but some information
should be forthcoming and the archives of previous updates can be read
from here.
www.expedition360.com/x360_indonesia_journal/
Or you can find the link off the expedition360.com homepage
www.expedition360.com
**X360 SPOKESPERSON** - in the event of being unable to contact the
team direct, contact Stevie Smith for interviews and any other general
information regarding Expedition 360. He was the expedition founder in
1991 and has recently published an account of the adventure:
�Pedalling To Hawaii� (Published by Summersdale in the UK. �7.99)
�Pedaling To Hawaii� (To be published by Countryman Press in the USA,
May 2006)
Stevie Smith: tel +44 (0)7766 707012
Email: Stevie_sm...@onetel.com
Web: www.p2hi.com
Posted by jason at 12:24 PM