Expedition conquers Namibian coast
6th November 2009
A group of 14 adventurers have completed an expedition along a previously unexplored section of Namibia’s coast
A group of adventurers, including a Wanderlust subscriber, has completed an expedition along a previously unexplored section of Namibia’s coast.
The group of 14 included explorer and expedition leader Jason de Carteret, filmmaker and Wanderlust Travel Video of the Year judge Andrew Miles and Wanderlust subscriber Sally Jackson.
The team walked unsupported for 20 days along a 483km (300 mile) stretch of the Namibian coastline from Lüderitz to Walvis Bay.
The idea for the trip came several years ago when Andrew Miles was poring over a map of Namibia: “I was looking at the gap between Lüderitz and Walvis Bay and thinking, that is the most remote stretch of coastline I’ve seen, apart from Antarctica.”
The expedition team members were recruited via email shots and adverts, and then put through their paces via a series of intensive training weekends.
Miles said the criteria for selecting the expedition members was unusual: “We decided early on that we wanted non-explorers, people from everyday walks of life, people who would be challenged by the trip but with the right mentality to push themselves to complete it. Normally just explorers get the chance to do a first, so it was a unique opportunity.”
“The key factor for me was the opportunity to do something and be the first in the world to do it,” Wanderlust subscriber Sally told us.
Each member of the team had to carry around half their own body weight in food supplies and equipment. They had no fresh water and had to pump seawater using desalination equipment each night.
There were also packs of jackals and colonies of seals to negotiate.
Despite losing ground early on, they completed the walk within their 20-day limit.
The expedition was filmed for potential TV broadcast.
For more on the expedition and the challenges the team faced, see the February 2010 issue of Wanderlust, on sale on 7 January.
>>If you'd like to be considered for a place on the team's next expedition to the Namibian coast, you'll find details of how to apply here
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