|
|
 |
Devon-born
adventurer Pete Goss MBE is aiming to walk in the footsteps of fellow
Devonian Captain Scott - by trekking to the South Pole and back.
Mr Goss, 41, is best known for his attempt three years ago to sail
a £4m "super yacht" in The Race - a no-rules, round-the-world event.
The attempt was scuppered when the ill-fated 120ft catamaran Team
Philips was severely damaged before the event started.
The revolutionary carbon fibre yacht - developed by designer Adrian
Thompson in Totnes - broke up in severe conditions during a pre-race
trial in the Atlantic in December 2000.
 |
| Team
Philips in all her glory...before disaster struck |
The seven-strong
crew were rescued by a German container ship, but Team Philips - the
world's biggest racing catamaran - was ripped apart and had to be
left to drift in mid-Atlantic.
Three years on, and Pete Goss is ready for a new adventure. Yealmpton-born
Mr Goss, who now lives in Torpoint, Cornwall, and polar explorer Alan
Chambers, from Taunton in Somerset, aim to start the 1,611-mile trek
in November 2003 and complete it in three months.
They will be raising money for HopeHIV, a charity which helps children
orphaned by Aids in Africa. Mr Goss said: "I have always considered
myself an adventurer and sailing is the medium where I have done most
of it.
"But the Antarctic has been scratching away for a long time. I have
sailed round it twice and I have always wanted to go.
"I suppose from the outside it looks a bit strange, but it feels right
to me. The parallels are there anyway. You have to look after yourself
with planning, preparation, food and navigation."
Pete and Alan started training for the expedition in 2002, and in
April 2003 they went to the North Pole - where Pete said he took to
conditions "like a duck to water."
But when it comes to the real thing, they'll have to climb to heights
of 10,000ft - where the wind factor can send temperatures down to
-60 degrees.
The two former Royal Marines will travel from McMurdo on the coast
of the Antarctic continent to the South Pole and back using a man-pulled
sledge and kite system.
On July 4th 2003, they set off on a 17-day expedition to cross the
Greenland ice cap as part of their training for the Antarctic expedition
While in Greenland, they will test two giant kites which they plan
to use during their trek.
"This is a dry run for the Antarctic. We have to be at the top of
our learning curve when we get there. We need to hit the ice running,"
said Goss.
Mr Chambers, 34, led the first successful British, unassisted walk
to the geographical North Pole from the Canadian coastline. The South
Pole trek will cost an estimated £360,000 and is part-sponsored by
MAKO Global.
Plymouth-born Scott and his team attempted to be the first men to
reach the South Pole in 1911. But they didn't arrive until January
1912, and they found Scott's rival, Norwegian Roald Amundsen, had
got there a month before.
Their return journey ended in the loss of all five lives just 11 miles
from their last depot.
Pete Goss said he will following the same route as Captain Scott -
which has never successfully been completed because it's so tough:
"Ninety-two years later, this challenge remains.
"It's one of the few things in the world which is still a first.
"We aim to complete his route and believe that, out of respect,
a team flying the Union Jack should be the one to do so."
Send
your good luck messages
to Pete Goss
Article
updated: 4th July 2003
|
