Sarah Outen – makes it with a little help from EWM!! The first Britian to row in the India Ocean and the first female ever!

Sarah Outen in a breathtaking achievement and with a little help in terms of support and training from Expedition and Wilderness Medicine has successfully become the first Britian and the first woman ever to row across the Indian Ocean and the youngest woman to solo any ocean- massive congratulations to her from us

A very exciting, record-breaking, and ever so slightly crazy sort of challenge. It involved my little boat, the Indian Ocean and lots of chocolate. April Fools Day 2009 I set out from Western Australia in a bid to become the first woman to row solo across this ocean. 124 days later after 4,000 miles, having eaten all my chocolate, faced storms and mid-ocean capzies , I landed in Mauritius. It was raw and elemental – just as adventure should be.

Find out more about Sarah’s epic row at http://www.sarahouten.co.uk or donate online via JustGiving

Landing at the end of the record breaking row

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Sir Chris Bonnington speaks at Expedition and Wilderness Course

We are delighted to announce that Sir Chris Bonington will be delivering the Rupert Bennett Memorial lecture.

Our next Expedition and Wilderness Medicine training courses are in March and May 2010 and we are very excited to have booked the prestigious Plas y Brenin National Mountain Centre, North Wales for the course in May.

EWM supported Indian Ocean rower Sarah Outen’s progress so far

Expedition and Wilderness Medicine has been supporting Sarah Outen’s attempt to row across the Indian Ocean by providing specialist medical training, advice and support. Sarah is now well into her challenge and you can follow her incredible progress via her website – Sarah Outen’s Indian Ocean rowing expedition.

Expedition and Wilderness Medicine Director visits South Georgia

Black and White view of South Georgia

In March of this year Mark Hannaford was lucky enough to get a fantastic photographic project down to South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands with the Scott Polar Research Institute (http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk ) and the South Georgia Heritage Trust (http://www.sght.org ).

Mark tells us about this project, SPRI and the amazing history behind these islands. “Prior to landing I asked a colleague, well known naturalist Dr Peter Cary, if it was realistic to compare South Georgia with the Galapagos Islands and his reply ‘only if you want to downplay South Georgia’. Which surprised me but the islands lived up to and exceeded any expectations that I had.

Jungle Medicine course – Costa Rica

Course director Dr Sean Hudson writing about the Jungle Medicine Training Course in Costa Rica

Back in Costa Rica again and the jungle didn’t fail to provide the perfect environment for the Jungle Medicine training course. As one would expect, it was hot, wet and full of interesting fauna and flora. I never fail to be impressed by the beauty of the jungle, but by god it can be hard sometimes. Its one of the few places I visit that can be so harsh then so comfortable. The moment you start to feel comfortable in the jungle is that Nirvana moment.

It took a while coming this trip because of the heavy rain but we eventually made it. Mike, Ceri, Mark and Martin again excelled themselves and the addition of our new herpetologist bringing snakes into camp was great. The best new addition to the course this year was however the HENNESSEY HAMMOCK, it is without a doubt the best bit of expedition equipment I have come across. 18 people in the jungle in some of wettest conditions I have experienced and everyone was dry, or if they weren’t they didn’t let on. Quite incredible.

Other than the medic feeling a little queasy on the river, everyone escaped injury and illness. Other than the EL developing drucunculiasis that is! but he’s got to have something to winge about. Back next year and I’m looking forward to it already.

Find out more about Expedition and Wilderness Medicine and about the Jungle Medicine Training Course in particular

Solo across the Indian Ocean

A very exciting, record-breaking, and ever so slightly crazy sort of challenge. It involves a small boat, some oars and over 3,000 miles of Indian Ocean.

Sarah Outen | Row the Indian Ocean

Expedition Medicine has recently been approached by a great British explorer maybe read ‘eccentric’ in the making, Sarah Outen who plans, in memory of here rather to row single handed across the Indian Ocean in 2009. Sarah has asked us to provide a tailored medical training course designed specifically around her needs which we are happy to do.

But so inspired by her challenge are we that we are also offering ongoing support and provide a regular feature on her progress through our regular Enews – if you don’t receive it yet you can sign up by clicking here, and also via this blog – so watch this space…

…a bit more detail, in Sarah’s own words,

In Spring 2009 I will row solo from Western Australia to Mauritius in a bid to become the first woman, and youngest and fastest person, to make the crossing.

Rowing up to 12 hours a day under a scorching sun, riding 30ft waves, battling winds and currents, sharks, capsizes and shipping traffic, it will be a test of endurance, stamina and my sense of humour. It will be raw and elemental – just as adventure should be.

it’s not all about the records

The venture is dedicated to my lovely Dad, who died suddenly in June 2006. He had suffered terribly with rheumatoid arthritis for as long as I can remember, so in his memory I am fundraising for the Arthritis Research Campaign.

A biologist and outdoor enthusiast, I love the creatures to be found at sea and want to encourage others to appreciate them, too. After all, what we love, we save. My journey will be a green one, as far as possible, and aims to encourage responsible stewardship of our planet, especially of the blue stuff.

 

Row the Indian Ocean

Luanne Freer joins the Expedition Medicine team.

We where privileged at EML to have the Everest Base Camp MD Luanne Freer join our lecture team for the Lake District Expedition Medicine courses during her recent visit to the UK

She has a great website for those of you interested in altitude medicine and the video below illustrates the difficulties of operating at this height

Visit her Everest MD website here

The BBC trailor for the documentary about her.

Mountain Medicine course in Nepal.