Later this year, when the Antarctic season begin once again, there is an expedition shaping up that will travel to the Antarctic Peninsula for the purpose of documenting first hand the impact that global climate change is having on the delicate ecosystem that exists there.
Adventurers Cristian Donoso and Mario Sepúlveda will set out in November to traverse the Antarctic Andes both by land and kayak, in an effort to document the changes that are taking place there. They intend to spend 80 days exploring the region, gathering enough data, photos, and video, as they cover more than 1600km (995 miles) ranging from the coastline to the highest mountain peaks. Their kayaks will serve double duty, functioning as boats on the water, and taking the place of the traditional sleds used by Antarctic explorers, while they cover more than 700km on land.
The ambitious expedition hopes to gather enough material to create both a book and a documentary film that will alert the general public about what is happening on the Antarctic Peninsula, where the temperature is rising at five times the average rate that it is elsewhere on the planet. These changes are causing the destruction of the natural habitats of the species that have adapted to live in those harsh conditions.
Cristian and Mario are no strangers to exploration by kayak. In 2007 they achieved the first successful access and navigation of Lake Greve in Chile, covering more than 2000km in the process. Donoso has also led a self-sufficient kayak expedition to Antarctica as well, and has more than 50 expeditions into Patagonia under his belt, often into regions untouched by humans.
If all goes well, this new expedition will stretch into January when they will return to Petermann Island and be retrieved by their support ship, the Antarctic Dream and returned home to Chile. In the meantime, you can read more about the expedition and their plans on their official website, which has more details on the proposed route and preparation for journey. And once they get underway, expect to have regular updates on their progress.
Good luck guys!
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