TWO island adventurers are preparing to be the first kayakers to paddle the length of the Aleutian Islands, between Alaska and Siberia, in May.
For the Past two years, Keirron Tastagh, owner of Adventurous Experiences in St John’s, and one of his coaches, George Shaw, have been in and out of the wild seas around the island and elsewhere in preparation for this challenge, just one of their many goals.
The Aleutian Islands are a chain of more than 300 small volcanic islands in the Bering Sea, extending about 1,200 miles west of the Alaska Peninsula.
‘People have been there before but, apart from maybe the native Aleut people a long time ago, no one has tried to paddle along the chain, so this hasn’t really been done before,’ explained Keirron, 32.
‘The conditions will be tough. I imagine it will be a little chilly and windy. It can have up to four weather systems at once. The winds can change to up to 60mph within an hour and it can experience extreme fog. And tides in Alaska can be up to 50 feet in range, so there will be some excellent tidal races to play in.
‘And it is in the middle of nowhere with no probability of rescue. If it goes wrong we are in the wilds. There is nobody there. We will be away for two and a half weeks – from when we set off we won’t see anyone for three weeks on end.’
The pair chose this destination as it is believed by some that the Aleuts were early pioneers of kayaking, along with the Inuits.
‘There is huge amounts of wildlife up there,’ added Keirron. ‘It will be out of this world as it’s on the direct path that whales take to migrate and there will also be orcas [killer whales], sea otters and sealions to paddle with.’
Keirron has a keen interest in the history of the islands, which were colonised by the Russians, then bought by the Americans, captured by the Japanese during World War Two and are now part of Alaska, except for the far west, which is Russian territory.
During their time in the wilds, the pair aim to record the Aleuts’ way of life, the local wild and marine life and experience life in a volcanic region.
They will be working alongside existing projects in the Aleutians arc and US Marine Science Departments, gathering raw data for live projects.
Keirron will also be collating notes on motivation and leadership in challenging conditions as well as testing kit.
Although this will be the first expedition for George, 38, of Douglas, Keirron was part of a 2007 two-man kayaking trip which broke the record for circumnavigating Vancouver Island, Canada, in the fastest time.
•Keirron and George are still looking for a couple more sponsors to help them tackle their challenge.
Email {mailto:info@adventurousexperiences.com|info(at)adventurousexperiences.com} to offer support. For more information on their expedition visit {http://www.adventurousexperiences.com/about-us/aleutians-2012-expedition.aspx|www.adventurousexperiences.com...aleutians-2012-expedition}
Phil Clegg, mentioned on this webpage, is no longer taking part in the trip.