On January 22nd 2010 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. This vessel is not there for support - it is there for search and rescue and for if Hayley fails. There’s reason to fear she just might might, and 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, 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.

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® Expedition Dry Suit
Guide Life Jacket
GORE-TEX® TecTour
GORE-TEX® Whirlpool bib
Outercore and Surfskin Insulation

In February 2010 Kokatat Ambassador Chris Jones is heading to Antarctica for his 8th time. He will be guiding a film crew with the goal of filming two episodes of Globe Trekker – an award winning adventure travel series. The expedition has two stages – they’ll set out from Ushuaia, Argentina onboard the Russian ex-research vessel Akademik Ioffe, and visit the Falklands, South Georgia, South Orkneys and the Antarctic Peninsula, using zodiacs to explore and film along the way.

The wildlife of South Georgia will be the highlight of this section of the trip and they will be keeping our eye out for Hayley Shepherd as she attempts her solo circumnavigation! Once on the Antarctic Peninsula they'll transfer to the Australian yacht Spirit of Sydney. This is where the adventure will really begin – using the Spirit as a mobile marine base-camp they will explore the Antarctic Peninsula by zodiac, sea-kayak and on foot. They will conclude the expedition by sailing the Spirit of Sydney across the Southern Ocean back to Ushuia. You can find out more about the project at their website, on Twitter and Facebook. It is also possible for interested folks to join the first stage of the expedition aboard the Akademic Ioffe - there are berths still available! Go to www.pilotguides.com to book your trip.

Gear List:
GORE-TEX® Expedition Dry Suit
Ronin Pro Life Jacket
Polartec® Power Dry® Liner
Neo Kayak Mitt (Short)
Hand Jacket (medium weight)
GORE-TEX® Norwester
Nomad bootie

On December 16th, 2009, New York paddlers Marcus Demuth and Biff Wruszek will set out to the southernmost tip of Patagonia to attempt the first circumnavigation of Isla Grande Tierra del Fuego – South America's largest island. The expedition will raise funds and awareness, and collect gently-used paddling gear, for Achilles, a New York based nonprofit that enables people with all types of disabilities to participate in mainstream athletics.

Starting at the southernmost city in the world – Ushuaia, Argentina – Marcus and Biff will complete the 1,000-mile trip in an anti-clockwise direction, in one of the harshest maritime climates in the world. The Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego Pilot book describes the coastline as "without exaggeration, one of the toughest a yacht is likely to meet". Nevertheless, fueled by the prospect of experiencing the beauty of the 100-mile-wide Cordillera Darwin; the abundant maritime wildlife; and the charm of the Patagonian people living in this remote region; Marcus and Biff are confident the expedition will not only be a success, but also the most intense trip of their lives.