Man Survives 16-Months Adrift At Sea

I wrote about this story yesterday at the Wenger Blog, but it is such an interesting tale, that I thought it was worth sharing here as well. Additionally, more details have come to light, shedding some insights into what exactly happened.

Last week, a small boat washed up on the shore of a remote atoll in the South Pacific after spending more than 16 months adrift at sea. Aboard was a man named Jose Salvador Alvarenga, who along with a traveling companion, was fishing off the coast of Mexico in September of 2012. A large storm hit, pushing their 24-foot boat out from shore. Without power, they were at the mercy of the Pacific currents, which carried them further and further from the coast.

With little food onboard, the two castaways were forced to forage for food, eating fish, small birds, and sharks. They collected rainwater to drink but often went for long periods of time without anything eat or drink. In order to survive, they would even drink their own urine. Alvarenga says that his teenage companion was unable to stomach their unusual diet, and slowly starved to death a little more than a month into their voyage. The 37-year old Alvarenga said he pushed the body overboard not long after the young man passed.

The Pacific tides carried the small boat away from North America and into the South Pacific. The weeks turned into months, and still the boat continued to drift. Jose said that at times he contemplated suicide as a way to escape. But he hung on, clinging to life and hoping for a possible rescue.



Last Thursday, Alvarenga's battered little boat washed ashore on the Ebon Atoll, a small island that is part of the Marshall Islands. Over the course of his 16 months at sea, he had drifted more than 6000 miles, and he arrived in an exhausted, malnourished state.

Reportedly he is on the mend now and his family back in Mexico have identified him. But there are some holes in his story, and investigators are trying to verify what they can. The story seems remarkable and difficult to believe, but there doesn't seem to be any other way he would arrive in the Marshall Islands.

I'm sure we'll hear more about this in the days ahead. It is certainly an incredible tale of survival. Jose will probably have book deals and movie contracts waiting for him when he gets back home.

Thanks to Lou-Phi for sharing the original story.

Video: Exit Glacier in Alaska - A Tale of Shifting Fortunes

Located in the Kenai Fjords of Alaska, Exit Glacier has been a beautiful fixture for adventurers for decades. But, the glacier is now in full retreat, and as you'll see in this video it is doing so at an alarming rate. What once took years to accomplish now takes just months, and the changing nature of the surrounding area is having a profound impact of the environment there. At this rate, Exit will shrink to a mere fraction of its former size well within our lifetime, and there doesn't seem to be much we can do about it.

This video seems appropriate for Inauguration Day, when a President who isn't exactly committed to stopping climate change is taking office.

GLACIER EXIT from Raphael Rogers on Vimeo.

Winter Climbs 2016: Summit Push Begins on Nanga Parbat

It seems that the time is now no Nagna Parbat, one of two 8000 meter peaks that remain unclimbed during the winter season. A team of international climbers that joined forces a few weeks back, and have remained patient over the past two months, has now launched a summit bid as a weather window is expected to open later this week.

Alex Txikon, Ali Sadpara, Simone Moro, and Tamara Lunger left Base Camp earlier today and are now in Camp 2 at 6100 meters (20,013 ft) on the Kinshofer route. The team has previously fixed ropes up to Camp 3 at 6700 meters (21,981 ft), and had determined that further rope-fixing would not be necessary from that point on. Whether or not those conditions have changed over the past few weeks, when high winds buffeted the mountain, and heavy snow fell at times, remains to be seen.

Later in the week, a small but – but very stable – weather window is expected to open, giving the team a chance to potentially reach the summit in just a few days time. It seems that conditions aren't likely to get any better than they will at the end of this week, and the climbers are now getting themselves into position to take advantage of the shift in weather.

The biggest challenge that they'll have to overcome will be the high altitude. Alex and Ali have been as high as 6700 meters as part of their acclimatization, but that was weeks ago. Likewise, Simone and Tamara have been up to 6100 meters, but not much beyond that. How that will impact their ability to climb higher will be a key element of their success or failure.


I'll be keeping a close eye on their progress over the next few days. It is possible we could see history made later in the week. The weather and route should be in the best shape of the season, which means it could be now or never. With just a month to go until the arrival of spring, there may not be a better chance in the near future. Keep your fingers crossed for these four climbers to get up and down safely, summit or not.

Meanwhile, ExWeb is reporting that Cleo Weidlich has probably left the mountain. She was a late arrival, showing up at the end of January with 5 Nepali sherpas, just as the weather took a turn for the worse. While she shared few details of the expedition, it seems unlikely that she was ever able to get much higher than BC.

If Cleo has indeed left, that means that Alex, Ali, Simone, and Tamara are the only climbers still on Nanga Parbat. If it is going to be climbed this winter, it'll have to be by them.

Good luck to the climbers as they set off on a potentially historic summit bid.

Video: Kite Skiing in Alaska

If you've read my updates on the progress of the explorers in Antarctica this season, you've no doubt seen a few mentions of kite skiers out on the ice. What is kite skiing actually? It is the use of a large kite to catch the wind, and pull you along across the snow and ice. If wind speeds are good, it can provide a lot of speed, allowing skiers to cover surprising distances in a short amount of time.

In this video we travel to another frozen landscape, as we follow skier Damien Leroy to Alaska where he does some kite-skiing of his own. In the two-minute clip you'll get a chance to see how kite-skiing works, and just how fast it can propel someone along. The results just might surprise you.

Himalaya Fall 2016: Kuriki Retreats – for Now

I'm hours away from getting on a plane for Spain, but before I set out I wanted to post one more quick update on the progress of Japanese climber Nobukazu Kuriki. Yesterday, when we checked in he had reached his high camp on Everest and was preparing to make a summit bid today. But now, we've learned that he has turned back and is descending the mountain, although he isn't quite ready to go home just yet.

Apparently, Nobu reached as high as 7400 meters (24,278 ft) before turning back. He was feeling strong and ready for the challenge of topping out on the world's highest peak, but encountered deep snow along the route that made it very difficult to make any progress. Exhausted from his efforts, he decided to turn back, and is now safely back down to 5800 meters (19,028 ft) and will descend back to ABC after he has rested there.

According to his Facebook page, Kuriki isn't giving up on his dream of a solo summit without oxygen however. He'll now rest up and regain his strength, while waiting for another solid weather window. After that, he'll weigh his options and hopefully have another go at the summit. That is likely to take place sometime next week at the earliest. Thankfully, he is said to be in good health, feeling strong, and in positive spirits. Perhaps we'll see him stand on top yet this season.

Finally, we do have an update from the Altitude Junkies today as well. After encountering heavy snow on the summit push last week, the team pulled the plug on their expedition and have now returned to Kathmandu. The group had hoped to summit on October 1, but a surprise storm dumped a meter of snow on the mountain, creating unstable conditions. After assessing the danger of avalanches, the team decided that it was in the best interest and safety of everyone if they left the mountain. Helicopters picked them up a few days back and with the entire squad now safe in the Nepali capital, they're all preparing to head home.

That's it for now. I'll keep an eye on any developments while I'm away. More updates soon.

Adventurers to Attempt Atlantic to the Pacific Crossing of Amazon

We've seen some pretty impressive expeditions through the Amazon Rainforest over the years, and it looks like we can soon add another interesting one to the list. Filmmaker Reza Pakravan is joining forces with journalist Pip Stewart on an epic adventure that will take them across the Amazon starting  at it's Atlantic coast and ending in the Pacific Ocean. Along the way, they'll pass through remote sections of Brazil and Peru, while spending time living with the indigenous tribes that still inhabit this part of the world.

The duo, who are planning on starting the expedition today, hope to create a four-part documentary series about their journey, which will look at the way various changes to their environment is impacting the lives of the Amazon people. Severe deforestation, climate change, and other factors have become a severe threat to the lifestyle of these tribes, potentially ending a way of life that has existed relatively unchanged for centuries.

Reza and Pip will be traveling by bike and boat across the Amazon. They'll start at the mouth of the mighty Amazon River in Belem in Brazil and eventually ending in Lima, Peru. Most of the journey will be done on bike (both are accomplished adventure cyclists), but they will take a boat up the Purus River in order to cross one very remote section of the route.

Dubbed the Transamazonica expedition, the plan is to follow a road of the same name that was built in the 70's to help open travel and commercialization of the rainforest. That road covers some 4000 km (2485 miles), and has been a major boon for companies who have logged and developed the Amazon Rainforest. The hope is that this expedition will help raise awareness of the challenges that are currently faced by the people living in the rainforest basin, which is undergoing significant changes.

It should certainly be interesting to follow Reza and Pip's adventure, which you can do on both of their websites linked above.


Transamazonica ver Crowdfunding from Samarcanda Film on Vimeo.

Video: Hiking to Everest Base Camp

If you're looking for one of the best hikes in the world, then consider the trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal. Along the way, you'll hike past some of the tallest and most iconic mountains in the world, passing through wonderful Nepali villages, and meeting some of the country's amazing people too. It is truly a trip of a lifetime, and as you'll see in the video below, one that is even more stunning than you could ever imagine. This travel clip takes us along with a couple as they make the journey up the Khumbu Valley to reach EBC, an adventure that puts them in the shadow of the highest peak in the world. After watching this, you'll understand why so many people take this route each and every year.

Everest Base Camp - Journey of a Lifetime from Jerome Furog on Vimeo.