FROM ONE EXTREME TO ANOTHER |
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Expedition from the Far East, Kamchatka,
July – Octobrer 2011 This expedition never before undertaken is broken down into 3 main stages which will together form a crossing from West to East, from Kamchatka to the Aleut Islands. It will combine dynamic stages with walking and navigation, and static stages with the observation of nature and its fauna, and by sharing with isolated peoples. A 4 month adventure blending sports performances and real diving at the heart of preserved countryside. 600 km of walking independently, northeast of Kamchatka. 1400 miles sailing, crossing the Bering Sea. 1000 Km by alternating sailing, kayaking and walking, Aleut Islands, Bering Sea. An “Extreme” adventure following in the footsteps of the great explorers such as Vitus Bering… Through its desire to commit to the environment, Thirard is supporting Linda Bortoletto through this human adventure in the middle of preserved countryside on this land at the edge of the world. Since 2003 this adventurer has already undertaken an expedition in the Annapurna Sanctuary (4130m – Nepal), climbed the Grand Paradis (4063m – Alps), climbed the volcanoes of the Aeolian Islands and Etna (3330m – Sicily), climbed Kilimanjaro (5895m – Tanzania)…
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The first stage consists of joining part of the Koryak region, to the north of the peninsula, which in reality is an almost unknown zone of Kamchatka.
The route has been determined with geophysicists of Kamchatka who have visited certain areas of this zone. The part along the Bering coast presents the particular feature of being the historic path of migration of reindeer from the south to the north.
The second stage consists of heading to Bering Island on the Russian coast, where an Aleut community lives, returning to Petropavlovsk to undertake the formalities of leaving the territory, then crossing the Bering Sea to the first target Aleut Island: Atka Island.
Crossing the Bering Sea of course, but also crossing time by passing over the international date line.
This last stage will be about joining the Umnak (Nikolski) and Saint-Paul Islands.
These 3 islands are home to the Unangan people, which have retained a traditional way of life despite respective dominations.
