After paddling 18,000 kilometers circumnavigating Australia, including Tasmania in 533 days, Jason Beachcroft is the first man to earn kayaking grandeur.
Beachcroft, 45, sailed into Sydney Harbour's Rose Bay, a long 17 months and 18, 000 kilometers after paddling out from the same location on June 28, 2014.
Mainland Australia has been circumnavigated for only three times by paddling legend Paul Caffyn in 1982, Freya Hoffmeister in 2009 and Stuart Trueman in 2011.
Until recently, Jason Beachcroft has become the first adventurer to kayak around Australia, including the Tasmania into his route. He accomplished two crossings of Bass Straight, reports from Australian Geographic.
Unlike the other sailing expedition, his was mostly unsupported and generally covering for himself.
Beachcroft, is not only a paddler, he canyoneers, skis and climbs. In fact, he finished a solo winter trek across the Aussie Alps in 53 days. His approach in kayaking can be defined as lowkey. He took limited electronic gear and depended on compass, maps as well as GPS for back up.
The adventurer concentrated on the expedition rather than the destination. Beachcroft is modest about his skills and the completion of his journey is his big accomplishment.
Jason Beachcroft won the AG Society Adventurer of the Year in 2014.
In an interview by AG Outdoor, he was asked about his inspiration for the expedition,
" I read the book Dreamtime Stories by Paul Caffyn many years ago. That book planted a seed of an idea and years later I decided to give it a shot. At the time I read it, I didn't even sea kayak, so I needed to up my skills. It wasn't that I was training for it, but realised I needed the skills. Inspiring and informative websites like dreamguides helped with my decision as well. The last couple of years I gave it more serious contemplation. Before this one, my biggest trip was a few two-week-long ones, and I hadn't crossed any large bodies of water," he answered.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
