MEDIA RELEASE
Bass Strait, Everest of the Sea
Eight surf ski paddlers to cross Bass Strait in world first
First leg complete - Flinders Street station to Burke, via
Swanston street.
Eight daring Melbourne paddlers are attempting a World First
next week and crossing Bass Strait on racing surf skis.
Two of the paddlers, Jarad Kohlar 26, or Newport, and Brendon
Grail, 40, of Princes Hill and charity partner Surfrider Foundation
Australia's General Manager Kristy Theissling, hit Melbourne's city
streets this morning to raise awareness and funds for Surfrider and
awareness of their upcoming World First journey.
The paddlers will depart Wednesday April 7, and cross the
treacherous Banks Strait first, before island hopping all the way
to Wilsons Promontory, Victoria, aiming for an arrival of Wednesday
April 14, weather dependent.
The expedition, dubbed 'Bass Strait, Everest of the Sea', is a
world first. Expedition leader and Australian Adventure
Racing champion Jarad Kohlar is one of several people who have
crossed Bass Strait in a sea kayak, but no-one has ever attempted
the crossing on a racing surf ski.
All eight paddlers, including Jarad Kohlar, Brendon Grail, Sandy
Cameron, Andrew Couuts, Richard Jennings, Nathan Chandler, Emma
Francis, Michael Kolody and Susan Wilson, all of Melbourne,
Victoria, have been training for months to prepare for the
expedition, regularly hitting the beach at Sandridge in Melbourne
before sun up.
"It has been a life-long dream of mine to paddle across Bass
Strait on a racing surf ski. By shedding all of the weight of
a sea kayak, we're able to paddle much quicker and with less
energy, enabling us to spend a few hours each day picking up
rubbish from the remote beaches we stop at along the way. " said
Kohlar.
Beach cleanups will also be undertaken by the group of eight
paddlers each day during the expedition will contribute to
Surfrider Foundation Austrlia and Tangaroa Blues National Marine
Debris Initiative, which aims at empowering communities and
individuals to participate in cleanups and monitors the rubbish
they find through a National database.
Paddler and environmental scientist Richard Jennings said,
"There's lots of people who are not familiar with the spectacularly
pristine islands dotted throughout Bass Strait, and I'm
particularly interested to see if there is a link between the
litter we discover on these remote island beaches and the litter
that flows from Victorian storm water drains and rivers."
The paddlers aim to raise $20,000 in Donations for Surfrider
Foundation Australia. Surfrider Foundation is a not for profit
organisation dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of
Australia's oceans, waves and beaches for all people, through CARE:
Conservation, Activism, Research and Education.
Paddlers will face extreme conditions including ocean swells of
6 metres, as April generally attracts growing swells and cooler
weather. A growing voice of online supporters will be sending them
wishes through their online portal and blog updated throughout
their journey at www.bassstraiteverestofthesea.com and
Twitter.
Surfrider Foundation Australia & Peak Adventure partner for
Bass Strait Everest of the Sea Expedition. Thank you to sponsors:
Keen, 2XU, Outer Edge and expedition partner Sustainability
Victoria.
WWW.BASSSTRAITEVERESTOFTHESEA.COM
Kristy Theissling / General Manager / Surfrider Foundation
Australia/ 0424 352 792 / kristy@surfrider.org.au
Jarad Kohlar / Expedition Leader/ Bass Strait / Everest of the
Sea / 0409 786 237 / jarad@peakadventure.com