Indonesian Digital News Archive

One of the big adventures we've been following this summer is the Arctic Row 2012, during which Paul Ridley, Collin West, Neal Mueller and Scott Mortensen were attempting to travel from Inuvik, Canada to Provideniya, Russia by rowboat. This was to be the first crossing, of sorts, of the Arctic Ocean by a rowing team, but bad weather conditions have conspired agains the crew, forcing them to call off the expedition altogether.

The journey was originally expected to cover some 2100km (1300 miles) and take approximately 30 days to complete. When they set out back in mid-July conditions were actually better than expected and  progress was good. But as the days rolled on things took a turn for the worse and unusually powerful storms began to develop in the Arctic. Those storms proved to be impossible to row in, which slowed progress to a crawl. On more than one occasion, the team had to take shelter in a lagoon, sometimes for days, in order to wait out the heavy seas and high winds that were blowing through their area.

The delays proved costly and a journey that was expected to take about a month began to drag on much further. Today was their 41st day at sea and with their supplies dwindling and more storms on the horizon, they decided to go ashore at Point Hope, Alaska.

In a lengthy blog post last night the team talked about the trials and tribulations of their voyage. It hasn't been an easy one to say the least and for four men who have been stuck inside the tiny cabin of a small ocean rowboat, I'm sure it felt good to come ashore yesterday.

I'm sure we'll hear more about their story in the days ahead, as for now they are likely eating and catching up on their rest. It was a valiant attempt on their part, but the Arctic Ocean proved a bit too strong for these men. At least for now.

The last time we checked in with the Arctic Row team they were waiting out a storm in a relatively calm inlet on the Arctic Ocean. At that point, the four member crew was preparing to get back underway, after having just passed their half-way point. Forward progress didn't last very long however, as another storm blew into the area a few days later and as a result the boys have not advanced nearly as far as they would have liked.

The Arctic Row actually began on back on July 17 with the plan of rowing from Inuvik, Canada to Provideniya, Russia, a distance of 2100km (1300 miles). They had originally estimated that it would take approximately 30 days to complete the journey, but as it stands right now they're hoping to reach Point Hope, Alaska sometime today. That's a good milestone for the crew, but it also means they have a lot more miles to row before they reach their destination.

To make matters worse, the boat's water-maker, a device used by ocean rowers to desalinate ocean water and make it drinkable, is causing them problems. Their latest update indicates that it is they do have a second water-maker, although it is a hand-pump model which can work as a back-up should the primary unit fail completely.

The big question now is is the boat stocked with enough food and supplies for the row to continue all the way to Russia. They've already shot past their 30 day window and are now on borrowed time. It would be one thing if they were just a few days away from the finish line, but they are potentially facing a couple of more weeks out on the water. If another major storm pops up, and the storms this season have been horrible, they could find themselves in a nasty situation. Worse yet, they will soon leave land behind completely and set out to open sea.

Stay tuned!

It has been a very long and tough week for the Arctic Row team. The four-man crew set out a few weeks back in an effort to cross the Arctic Ocean in a rowboat starting at Inuvik, Canada and ending in Providenya, Russia, a distance of about 1300 miles (2092km) that was expected to take 30 days to complete. Now 21 days into the voyage and they aren't even close to wrapping up the trip, thanks in now small part to a massive storm that has hit the arctic and halted progress for the past week.

Early on in the row the team was surprised to find not only good weather but clear water conditions as well. Few icebergs were spotted and winds were calm with warmer than expected temperatures. This allowed them to cover solid mileage as they continued to row non-stop, 24-hours per day in two hour shifts. That pattern allowed them to cross the half-way point of their journey on the first of August, which put them slightly behind schedule but still making good time.

That all changed when they started to hit heavy winds last Friday. Progress slowed to a crawl and levels of exhaustion quickly increased. Those winds eventually started to hit sustained speeds of 45 mph (72 kph), which not only made the seas choppy but also made it nearly impossible to keep moving forward. Then it started to rain. A cold, hard rain that wasn't very conducive for spending long hours behind the oars.

With conditions so poor, the boys decided to seek shelter in a protected lagoon not far from Barrow, Alaska. They managed to limp into the relatively calm waters and drop anchor, and unfortunately they were stuck there until today when they took to the oars once again just to move five miles towards Point Barrow in order to be in position to resume their journey once the storm lets up once and for all. For now though, they continue to wait for improvement.

This massive storm is very unusual for this time of year. Typically July and August are the calmest months of the year in the Arctic Ocean, which is why that is the period of time that these kinds of adventures take place there. A storm of this size and intensity doesn't tent to form in the warmer months, but then again judging from how bad the weather was in the Karakoram this season, I'm beginning to think that all bets are off in terms of long term forecasts.

Hopefully the weather will improve and the crew can continue forward again soon. I'm sure they're well supplied with food and gear, but they still have a long way to go until they're done. Keep your fingers crossed they get through this and get back underway shortly.

While I was away last week the details of a major expedition, slated to get underway next year, began to emerge. In July of 2013 a team of rowers will attempt to become the first to complete a crossing of the Northwest Passage in a single season, covering roughly 3000km (1864 miles) between Pond Inlet and Tuktoyaktuk, Canada in the process.

Scheduled to get underway July 1st of next year, The Last First expedition is expected to take approximately 75 days to complete. During that time, the crew will row non-stop through some of the most challenging and treacherous waters on the planet, facing unpredictable weather, massive ice flows and frigidly cold waters along the way.

As many of you know, this type of journey wasn't even possible until recently. Changing climatic conditions have caused much of the polar ice cap to melt, opening the Passage to travel for the first time. Even with those changes however the route is only navigable for a few months each year and is still a very difficult crossing. Climate change has had a dramatic effect on the region and the crew, which consists of adventurers Kevin Vallely, Paul Gleeson, Frank Wolf, and Denis Barnett,  will witness those changes first hand as they visit remote communities along the way.

Find out more about The Last First on the expedition's website and in the video below.

The vast majority of the stories I post on this blog are ones that I find inspiring and fascinating. They tend to be stories that make me want to get out and explore the world and experience as much of it as I can. Unfortunately, this is not one of those stories, but it is an important one that needs to be heard.

Jenn Gibbons is a 27-year old woman who founded a rowing group called Recovery On Water which is dedicated to helping breast cancer survivors to regain their strength and fight back against that terrible disease. As a fund raiser for her group, Jenn recently set out on an attempt to become the first person to make a solo circumnavigation of Lake Michigan, a distance of 1500 miles (2414 km), all the while blogging about her adventure on Row4ROW.org. This past Sunday, a month into her expedition, she was sexually assaulted aboard her boat while docked in a small Michigan lakeside community. The man who raped her followed her progress on her blog and waited for her arrival.

You can read the details of the incident in this story from the Daily Mail. It is a chilling tale in which the attacker broke into the cabin of Jenn's rowboat, identified her by her full name and proceeded to assault her. He told her that he knew who she was and police believe that he traveled a "significant distance" to find her. Fortunately she was able to escape the boat and lock herself into an outhouse until the man left the premises.

Remarkably, Gibbons has resumed her journey although in a slightly altered fashion. Understandably she has given up the "solo" status of the expedition and now travels with a companion. She will also temporarily be traveling along the shores of Lake Michigan by bike while her boat is carried by trailer to a secure position where she can safely resume the row. It is a testament to her courage and strength that she is able to continue on considering the circumstances.

Hopefully they catch this guy and he gets what he deserves. This is some cold, calculating stuff and it a bit unnerving to think that someone would plot a sexual assault to this degree. I also hope the rest of Jenn's journey is a swift and safe one. Her cause is a good one and it is a shame that it should be sullied by this horrible act.

Thanks to Sgt. Curt for sharing this story. We both agree that it is an important one to be shared in the adventure community.

The Arctic Row 2012 expedition has now been underway for just over a week and the team continues to make slow, but steady progress – that is when the weather allows. After setting off last Tuesday, the four men aboard the small rowboat have had their ups and downs as they struggle to find their rhythm, but it seems they remain in good spirits and committed to achieving their goal of rowing across the Arctic Ocean.

As you no doubt recall, Paul Ridley, Collin West, Neal Mueller and Scott Mortensen are attempting to row from Inuvik, Canada to Provideniya, Russia, a distance of 2100km (1300 miles). They had planned for the entire journey to take approximately 30 days, as they are rowing 24-hours per day in two hour, two-man shifts. But already in the first week they've had to spend some time on anchor as rough seas and high winds have made progress impossible. Still, their home team reports that they are making the most out of the experience and have enjoyed the expedition thus far.

According to their latest blog update the boys are just now starting to encounter ice. They've come across absolutely massive icebergs that are easily spotted from a distance and they've only seen smaller ones that have broken off from the bigger ones so far. As they progress further along in the expedition they expect to encounter more ice in general, which could slow progress at times too, but for now things are good.

The team's SPOT device hasn't been providing accurate tracking of their progress, so it's difficult to tell how much ground they've covered. Reading through the reports, I'd guess that they aren't on their intended schedule however, so it is already starting to look like the could go past their 30 day window. Of course, they could make up time if the weather cooperates, but we'll just have to wait to see how things unfold.

Either way, they team is just getting started and there is still a lot of rowing to go.

I've mentioned the Arctic Row team on a couple of occasions in the past as the four man crew planned and prepared for their attempt to row across the Arctic Ocean. It seems their big day is finally here however and as I write this the boys are preparing to start their adventure.

For those who haven't been keeping up on this expedition it is an attempt by a Paul Ridley, Collin West, Neal Mueller and Scott Mortensen to row from Inuvik, Canada to Provideniya, Russia in approximately 30 days. During that time, the crew will be rowing non-stop, 24 hours per day, in two-hour, two-man shifts. They'll cover approximately 2100km (1300 miles) through the ice waters of the Arctic along the way.

You'll be able to follow the team's progress on their blog, Facebook page and Twitter feeds. At the moment there isn't a lot of activity on either of those sites, but that should change once they get underway. The announcement of their departure should come at any time.

I know that there has been some debate in certain circles about whether or not this is a true "ocean crossing" since the Arctic Row crew isn't exactly going directly through the heart of the ocean but are instead skirting about the edge. But put those strict definitions aside for a moment and you realize that this is a truly challenging undertaking. It should be interesting to see how they fare out on the open water, where they'll also be conducting research on the health of the Arctic Ocean's ecosystem.

Check out the great coverage the expedition received from Al Jazeera a few days back in the video below.

Good luck guys!

On July 15, the four-man crew of the Arctic Row 2012 Team will set off on their attempt to row non-stop across the Arctic ocean from Inuvik, Canada to Provideniya, Russia, a journey that has never been made before. It'll certainly be an epic challenge and as a way of inspiring us all, they created the video below, which serves as a good reminder that many times the only thing that is stopping us from achieving what we want ourselves. Perfect inspiration for the start of a weekend.



There's A Reason It Hasn't Been Done from Scott Mortensen on Vimeo.

Way back in November of last year I wrote about a team of rowers who were gearing up to challenge the Arctic Ocean this spring. At the time, they were still looking to add a fourth member to their crew and the expedition was still taking shape. Fast forward a eight months and now they are in the final stages of preparation before setting out in July.

The aptly titled Arctic Row 2012 will put paul Ridley, Collin West, Neal Mueller and Scott Mortensen out on the Arctic Ocean for as much as 30 days. The plan is for the team to set off from Inuvik, Canada and cross the ocean into Providenya, Russia. The route will cover approximately 1300 miles (2092 km) of water that will, at times, be chocked with ice.

In order to cover that distance within a four week time span, the team will be rowing non-stop, 24-hours a day. They'll take two hour shifts with two men rowing at all times while the other two rest. In order to maintain that pace, the crew will eat in excess of 5000 calories per day while onboard desalinators convert up to 400-pounds of salt water into drinking water on a daily basis as well.

The expedition isn't just about making the first crossing of the Arctic Ocean in a row boat, although that is a worthy goal in and of itself. While they're out on the water the team will be making observations about the health of the Arctic ecosystem and will be collecting samples of plankton throughout the region. Those tiny fish are a crucial food supply for the whales that migrate through the area and the health of the plankton population can offer insights into how the entire ecosystem is faring.

Good luck guys!

Yesterday I posted an update on Sarah Outen, who was hit by a tropical storm while rowing across the Pacific Ocean. Turns out Sarah isn't the only one hit by that storm and she isn't the only one who needed the Japanese Coast Guard to come to their aid.

British solo rower Charlie Martell has also been attempting to row across the Pacific this spring and he was also forced to activated his emergency distress beacon yesterday. Charlie's boat,  Blossom, was rolled multiple times by high winds and turbulent seas brought on by tropical storm Mawar, resulting in damage to the vessel. The extend of that damage remains unknown at this time although it was clearly enough to cause Martell to pull the plug on his journey - at least for now.

Charlie was attempting his crossing at an effort to raise funds for two charities – Toe in the Water and Give Them A Sporting Chance. The former is an organization that helps injured servicemen to get involved with competitive sailing, while the latter works with the disabled to allow them to pursue their recreational sporting dreams to come true.

As of this writing, Charlie is still waiting for the Coast Guard to come pick him up, although a search plane has made contact with him. Meanwhile, the latest news from Sarah's blog indicates that she is now safe and sound aboard a rescue ship and on her way back to Japan.

British adventurer Sarah Outen has run into a bit of trouble on her London2London Expedition. As you might recall, Sarah is attempting to circumnavigate the globe completely under her own power and has already paddled across the English Channel and ridden her bike across Europe and Asia as well. A few weeks back she started the next phase of her journey, a solo row across the North Pacific. But a tropical storm named Rosie has hit that area and now the Japanese Coast Guard is en route to render some aid.

The storm actually hit Sarah yesterday, but not without advanced warning. She and her weather team had been tracking it for a week, and Outen did her best to prepare her little boat, Gulliver, for the impact. Still, Rosie packed a punch, bringing winds in excess of 55 knots (63 miles/101km) per hour. As a result, the rowboat rolled more than once and has sustained some damage, although just how much has yet to be determined.

After a very rough day, Sarah turned on her emergency beacon and a Coast Guard aircraft flew over her position to assess the situation. She is safe and in good health, but will need to be picked up and brought back to shore so that Gulliver can be repaired. A ship is expected to rendezvous with her sometime tomorrow.

This set back will obviously cost time and money and Sarah was hoping to cross the Pacific in the height of summer. Whether or not that can still happen will depend on how long it takes to repair the boat. Hopefully this will be a brief delay at most and she'll back on the water soon. For now, it's good to know that she is safe and sound.

The Olympic Atlantic Row (OAR) project was scheduled to get underway this weekend, but the departure date is a bit up in the air at the moment thanks to dodgy weather. As you may recall from a previous post in March, OAR will send ocean rowers Roz Savage and Andrew Morris on a 60 day, 2587 mile (4163km) odyssey across the North Atlantic and is scheduled to culminate in London in time for the start of the Summer Olympic Games.

Roz and Andrew are currently in Newfoundland preparing for the start of their journey and keeping a close eye on the weather. It currently appears unlikely that they'll be able to start this weekend but they are hopeful for a departure sometime early next week. When they do set out they'll be in the newly overhauled boat the Bojangles, which was previously used on a 4350 mile (7000km) Pacific Ocean crossing.

Neither Roz nor Andrew are strangers to ocean rowing. Andrew rowed across the Atlantic with his friend Mick Dawson a few years back and readers of this blog are well aware of Roz's resume, which includes solo crossings of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. They'll both need to draw on that extensive experience in the North Atlantic as it will present some unique challenges of its own, not the least of which is the unpredictable, and sometimes ferocious, weather.

I'll keep an eye on the team's progress. Hopefully they'll be able to launch soon and start their voyage to London. Good luck to both Andrew and Roz. Enjoy the journey!

The Old Man River Project, a video series that chronicles a journey from source to sea along the Mississippi River, continues with episodes 3 and 4. Both were released while I was away in Jordan, and if you've been watching the series so far you won't want to miss out on these latest episodes either. The crew of the Annie, the 32-foot handmade York boat, are working hard to make progress and every three days they must stop to take on clean drinking water, They also have a knack for breaking oars, but thankfully a good samaritan comes to their aid and lends a hand with some new oars.

Episode 4 can be viewed below, and if you missed Episode 3 it can be found by clicking here. This latest episode is quite a treat for me, as the team reaches my hometown of Dubuque, IA.