From the Large Arctic to the Southern Ocean, human-powered paddling feats around wild, open water will mark a 2021 for the textbooks. A handful of paddling expeditions are launching in the months forward, all set to mark new chapters in the annals of the sport. Notably, two trans-Pacific Ocean crossing makes an attempt will be environment off from the mainland U.S. to Hawaii, plus bids throughout the Drake Passage and via the Northwest Passage. Meanwhile, other stamina paddlers continue to keep plodding novel extended programs closer to dwelling, day by day, such as just one man‘s circuitous seven,500-mile crossing of North America and an unparalleled, multi-12 months work of just one woman to paddle 30,000 miles close to the total North American continent.
Chris Bertish’s Trans-Pacific Wing Undertaking
Major-wave surfer and motivational speaker Chris Bertish is next up a 2017 standup paddleboard crossing of the Atlantic Ocean with a bid to make the initially-at any time trans-Pacific journey by wing foil. You go through that proper: hydro-foiling throughout the Pacific Ocean. Bertish strategies to established off from 50 percent Moon Bay, CA, in June, on an approximated three,000-mile, wind-powered journey to Hawaii. Bertish upgraded the tremendous-sized “Flying Fish” SUP he paddled throughout the Atlantic with hydrofoils for his TransPac Wing Undertaking. Bertish strategies to abide by prevailing winds and currents in the north Pacific, covering between 40 and eighty miles for each day.
Cyril Derreumaux’s Crack at a Legendary Crossing
France-born American Cyril Derreumaux will get a head get started on Bertish, departing in Might for a solo sea kayak Pacific crossing from California to Hawaii. Derreumaux, who established a Guinness pace document for rowing the similar route as part of a 4-man group in 2016, will attempt a paddling feat that’s only been achieved by Ed Gillet (sea kayak) in 1987 and Antonio De La Rosa (SUP craft) in 2019. He’ll paddle a customized-crafted, stay-aboard, photo voltaic panel-clad sea kayak that’s sleeker and much a lot more seaworthy than the modified off-the-shelf tandem Gillet piloted around a few decades back. Derreumaux anticipates paying 70 times on the water.
Freya Retains Paddling
The international pandemic compelled Freya Hoffmeister to acquire a 12 months off from her attempt to paddle close to the North American continent. As a substitute, she expended 2020 sea kayaking in Norway and Sweden. But the German tremendous-paddler, who has previously circumnavigated Australia and South American, bought an early get started this 12 months, tracing the Sea of Cortez and substantially of Mexico’s Pacific coast. Pending COVID polices, Hoffmeister could eclipse the 600-day mark of a 30,000-mile expedition she anticipates will acquire up to a 10 years to full.
Neal Moore’s Last Act
In February, we caught up with extensive-distance canoeist Neal Moore, who has expended the pandemic 12 months adrift on America’s rivers. After descending the Mississippi River, Moore is headed north, linking waterways up to Lake Erie. This 12 months he’ll intention to full the 3rd and ultimate “act” of a seven,500-mile solo sojourn at the Statue of Liberty by using the Hudson River.
Arctic Cowboys: Northwest Passage
A trio of Texans are waiting out COVID to finalize their strategies to make an epic sea kayak journey via the Northwest Passage. West Hansen (who led a Nationwide Geographic-sponsored expedition on the Amazon River in 2012), Jeff Wueste and Jimmy Harvey, aka the Arctic Cowboys, will attempt the initially documented one-year kayak transit of Canada’s arctic archipelago, with no land crossings—departing from either Pond Inlet on Baffin Island or Tuktoyaktuk at the mouth of the Mackenzie River, relying on COVID polices. Either way, the journey will span some one,900 miles with the intention of documenting how local climate transform is cutting down polar ice coverage and opening up the passage of a legendary northern seafaring route. Along the way the group will vacation the frigid waters that gave beginning to kayaking, checking out waters that have by no means been paddled in modern periods, and building open-water crossings up to sixty miles extensive.
De La Rosa’s Future Major Ocean Epic
Spanish adventure athlete Antonio De La Rosa has plotted an bold triathlon for the austral summer, traveling by standup paddleboard, sail, and overland in Antarctica. De La Rosa will SUP 600 miles from Patagonia to the Antarctic peninsula, throughout the feared Drake Passage. Then, the new Eco-Obstacle Fiji racer will retrofit his customized-make ocean board for sailing, building a one,200-mile passage to South Ga Island—emulating the path of Ernest Shackleton. De La Rosa will then abide by Shackleton’s footsteps throughout mountains and glaciers to complete at the distant outpost on South Georgia’s east coast.
For accessibility to special gear videos, movie star interviews, and a lot more, subscribe on YouTube!
