Kayaking to Save the Albatross

Dec. 29, 2009 - PRLog -- On January 22nd Vancouver Island based wilderness guide and expedition leader, Hayley Shephard will set out to attempt the very first solo sea kayak expedition around the remote Sub-Antarctic Island of South Georgia.  An exceptionally isolated, storm torn island, South Georgia stands ultimately alone in the middle of the Southern Ocean, its nearest neighbor 1400km away. Treacherous seas constantly batter the coastal rocks and ridges, and fearless animals generously congregate on the few accessible beaches, taking shelter from the savage winds. It’s so dangerous that Hayley is required by British law to have a support vessel while she travels around the hostile sub-Antarctic territory. But this vessel is not there for support. It is there for search and rescue; It is there if Hayley fails. And there’s reason to fear she may fail. There’s also reason to hope she will outlive any failure, as she embodies the same persistent spirit as her hero Ernest Shackleton -- the Antarctic explorer who turned disaster into the most famous lesson in survival.
In 1999 Hayley was the first woman to solo sea kayak the 1200km circumnavigation of Vancouver Island, followed by another epic adventure in 2005 when she was the first woman to sea kayak alone around the rugged and exposed coast of the sacred Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands). Hayley has spent the previous 9 years during the Canadian winter taking tourists to the ends of the earth exploring Antarctica onboard ice strengthened Russian ships.  This is how she was first introduced to the Island of South Georgia.  Hayley’s epic adventure will take up to 5 weeks and encompass a daunting 500 nautical miles. There will be days where Hayley will spend at least 12 hours in her kayak utilizing good weather windows.
Beyond Hayley’s personal ambition, there is a great urgency: to save the Albatross, the world’s largest flying bird. Worldwide, 95% of the albatross species are endangered. Because they spend most of their lives at sea, frequently circumnavigating the entire globe, they are the most vulnerable to the longline fishing nets cast by giant fishing vessels. South Georgia .  South Georgia, known for its rugged beauty & abundant wildlife, is home to a number of Albatross species, and it has found a way to save these birds from extinction by changing fishing techniques. Bringing public awareness to the devastating decline in albatross, and more importantly, sharing the solution to save them is a mission that has become equally as important to Hayley as her need to explore.
Media, sponsors, and the general public will be able to actively follow Hayley on this courageous journey.
Hayley will be equipped with a laptop computer and satellite internet.  On her website, followers can track her location in real time with google earth.  She will run a daily blog with progress reports, at times posting photos and audio broadcasts. Hayley will also communicate directly with a middle school classroom in her hometown on Vancouver Island, which has a curriculum tied to her expedition.

Following the expedition Hayley’s journey will be showcased in a documentary film as well as a series of multi-media photo presentations. And with an already established publisher, Hayley will write a book which will bring home her adventures and experiences as well as informing the public on the Albatross situation. And there is an urgency to tell this story, as the future of the Albatross lies literally waiting in our hands.

Hayley is currently fundraising to pay for the mandatory support vessel which added a hefty sum to her expedition budget, and so she asks for your assistance and sponsorship. Tax Deductable Donations can be made through Wild Places Fund (A Canadian Registered Charity) or directly through Hayley’s website.

To follow Hayley on her South Georgia Expedition and for more details on Albatross, please visit http://www.kayakingtosavealbatross.com and for updates on the expedition http://www.hayleyshephard.blogspot.com

Email: oceanmaidventures@yahoo.ca
Tel: 250.974 5917 (home) or 250 588 9848 (cell)
*Photos are available upon request

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Kayak to Save is a captivating documentary that follows Hayley Shephard’s unrelenting desire to solo kayak the most challenging waters on the planet, for the sake of saving an animal whose future is uncertain