A friend of mine, Oliver Hicks, sets off this week in an attempt to become the first rower to circle the globe. He tells of the perils of icebergs and roaring seas that lie ahead in this excellent piece in The Times.
It is one hell of a tough expedition. I admire his courage in beginning, and his tenacity in getting the project off the ground. Good luck amigo! See you in two years time…
You can follow Olly’s progress here.
This man is furthering his own personal ambition and the PR needs of a global conglomerate in a deliberately dangerous exercise that not only puts his own family at risk of serious aggrievement but also the families of his future rescuers.
When will these men learn that these expeditions dressed in the clothes of honour and glory are the metaphysical equivalent of Ferrari’s and oversized jewellery – a simple need to prove something.
No wonder they spawn reams of literature relentlessly trying to ask why and elevate their risk taking to a romantic and literary level – in doing so they justify the exercise.
And the boat costs 200,000 pounds? Give it to charity, and save the world another predictable tragedy.
Thanks very much for your thought-provoking comment. I like dialogue with people who hold different opinions: it makes me think.
I certainly agree with these two paragraphs and often worry about them in terms of my own life:
“When will these men learn that these expeditions dressed in the clothes of honour and glory are the metaphysical equivalent of Ferrari’s and oversized jewellery – a simple need to prove something.
No wonder they spawn reams of literature relentlessly trying to ask why and elevate their risk taking to a romantic and literary level – in doing so they justify the exercise.”
However I (and -I believe- Olly) do not intend to put myself at serious risk. I have absolutely no intention of dying and would not undertake anything I felt to be unsafe.
That said, it is a risky world. Rob Gauntlett died climbing last week, aged just 21.
Your final point: Olly aims to raise £1million through his trip, a 500% ROI on the price of his boat.
Thanks very much for your comments – please do keep interacting!
Al
Hey, Devil, what are you trying to say, that no one should do anything challenging in case they face some sort of danger? I think you’re missing the point that while there is always going to be risk attached to these kinds of activities, those who partake in them will do all they can to eliminate or at least minimize that risk.
I think what Al has done/does is quite frankly inspirational. In fact I draw a hell of lot of inspiration from his activities. Not in the sense that I want to do what he does – I’m too old an inexperienced for that – but in applying his philosophy and drive to aspects of my life. Ultimately, that is the value of these expeditions and why these people should continue to embark on them, because they place life into context both physically and mentally. Of course they struggle to answer the difficult personal questions about their drives. But at least they are able to articulate some of their emotions and place some sense around those activities.
They do not need to prove anything. If it was about proof then once done they would cease to continue with any further adventures as the proof would have been obtained.
I want Al, Oliver and Ben to continue what they do because they do it for me by some kind of proxy. They go, so that I don’t have too! I find their focus and dedication something I’d like to learn from and to apply to my world in some shape or form. What these people do is not so much about the actual achievement, the ticking of the box, it is about the sense in which they show that we can all push out beyond our own lives, into a place that is difficult, testing and challenging. And we can return, bigger and better and more enriched. They represent lives in motion, lives in transit.
What would you rather that we stayed in and watched darts on the TV?
By the way plurals require no apostrophe.
If you have to ask why then the answer will always be beyond you – just as the core reason is beyond thoes who think they know the answer.
It’s beyond words – but without this “itch’ we’d still be swiming in the sea – rather than rowing accross it.
Playing it safe isn’t playing.
Andy
I’m just back from a dinner where I had the pleasure of chatting to the particle physicist Professor Brian Cox – http://www.apolloschildren.com/brian/
He’s working on CERN right now, and I fully expected his vast brain to pour scorn on my daft and pointless expeditions, but to my astonishment he “got it” in a way that many rarely do and went on to say that CERN was a monument to exactly the same thing: “Overreach” as he put it.
“Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”
Devil’s Advocate: Expeditions like this are far from reckless. The amount of preparation and research that goes into them is and has to be immense.
There is an element of risk, just as there is every time you leave your house. But the PR/website etc magnifies the perception grotesquely. It has to, in order to appeal to the masses, like you, who want to hear about something that provokes an emotional response, and who will go on to donate the funds. You’ve fallen for it hook, line and sinker – the power of good PR.
Regarding expeditions as nothing more than posturing: Do you think the same about Western politicians, for example? Are they nothing more than power-hungry control-freaks? Is it possible that any of them have a benevolent side?
There are people who would set out on a journey of great hardship even if no-one was watching. There are doubtless a small minority who do it for the glamour first and foremost. But a large proportion of expeditioners understand the power they have to inspire through communication of their achievements. It gives the armchair expeditioner something to combat the fear and uncertainty which generally dominates their cultural intake. It shows people what is possible, beyond the level of an expedition and in the context of their personal life. A huge number of people will have access to this man’s journey and the positive thinking it inspires.
Does that offset Virgin’s involvement? That’s debatable. Is Virgin an irresponsible, harm-doing corporation? Maybe, maybe not. Where’s the evidence? Question everything. It’s OK not to know the answer straight away.
As for giving the 200K to charity, there’s another taken-for-granted assumption in there somewhere. Of course charity work is generally well-meaning. But take Al’s first book, read the chapter on Ethiopia and see if you still think that blindly pouring money into charity work without a second thought is a good idea. I am not condemning charity in general, just pointing out that it’s not black and white!
Interesting discussion, keep it coming!
Ok thanks for the responses, particularly from Ben and Al, which I thought were the most thought provoking. I was interested in the comments about over-reach an the human need to innovate.
A number of points spring to mind.
First, Ben, just because a particle physicist admires your pioneering spirit, doesn’t necessarily justify it.
I don’t find it surprsing in the least that he admires you- scientists are as prone to romanticising their exploits as any, and see the work they do AS AN END IN ITSELF, just as you do.
This needs to be set within a context.
Is the human need to innovate, to progress, to go to new areas, to probe, always a good thing? It has driven the planet to the brink of destruction, after all, and it is yet to be seen whether the same crusading zeal will be able to save it.
But this pont aside, explorers, ask yourself this:
Are you really over-reaching into new areas by dreaming up challenges which become increasingly ludicrous and imporable because it has all been done before?
The poles have been reached, but now it must be done by manpower. Everest has been summited, but x wants to be the youngest / youngest without oxygen / first to crawl up it / first to do it with their eyes shut.
Debates on the wider benefits of progress and human innovation aside, comparision between yourselves are LHC particle physcisits are disingenious because they are actually probing new areas. You won’t find them competing to be the first woman to collide two particles whilst holding their breath and not using any machines. Once it is done, they move on to the next thing.
I accept that we would not be here now if that first sea creature had not flopped out of the ocean onto land and if early man had not struck that first flint against rock.
And I am not saying nobody should ever do anything challenging. I’m saying if you are going to do something challenging, pick the right thing – and pick it for the right reasons.
Make no mistake about it – and I’m sure you don’t – these exploits DO put yourselves, and those whose job it is to rescue you, in great danger. See the case of Rob, or the Vendee sailors consistently being rescued.
You guys are always asking yourself why, and is it worth it. You must be sure that the answer is not just “because I want to and hang the consequences” before you set off.
If you have a better answer, you have my blessing.
Apols for the spelling.
And i forgot to acknowledge the amount Olly hopes to raise for charity. Of that I wasn’t aware.
But what are the right reasons? And is the fact that something’s been done once mean that no one should try to improve on it, or go a little further (or better)?
Thank god we humans didn’t stop at the first book, the first painting, the first heart transplant…
As an aside, polar expeditions, unlike sailing and rowing, emphatically do not “put rescuers in danger” (or call on taxpayer’s money) principally because there is no Antarctic or Arctic Ocean Rescue Service. If you need picking up from these places, you pay (a lot) for a professional team to do it – ALE or ALCI in Antarctica, Kenn Borek Air or VICAAR in the high Arctic. They’re not volunteers risking their neck to mop up after reckless glory-seekers, they’re experts doing what they normally do (and indeed what they love doing) for a living.
I should probably point out that Olly has a safety boat, Blizzard, near him for the first phase of his expedition.
Is it a good thing – good question!
Progress of human knowledge itself has not led the world to the brink of destruction as you suggest. Thoughtless, greedy abuse of that knowledge is however doing a great deal of damage, just as the same knowledge is being used responsibly to combat such damage and to produce solutions for the future. Scientists and researchers should not be condemned for their curiosity, because without them there would be no weapon against ignorance.
The future does not lie in reverting to superstitious, brutish living. Where in fact it does lie is open to debate, but given the brand new challenges posed by a 6.5 billion-strong human population on Earth, I think pursuit of scientific truth in order to better understand these complexities must be a fundamental part of it.
Very interesting debate. I think that some of the right reasons come down to the extent to which you involve the media and thus the wider public in your adventures and expeditions. This is aside to examples of recklessness that endanger the lives of others – a charge that can more often be levied at those yomping off into the British hills in shorts and a T-shirt.
Does the expedition/exploration community have a wider societal responsibility? I think it does and I think that more and more individuals, teams and organisations realise this. I am asked on a weekly basis about how to get content from expeditions into the classroom to inspire the next generation.
In response to Devil’s Advocate – firsts get press attention and press attention gets public attention. It’s what you do with that attention that marks the individuals and teams involved. I know that Ben and Al have spoken to countless pupils around the world. Environmental awareness from pole to pole is something that expeditions can really bring to life. Most polar expeditionists speak with passion about the subject of climate change and the mountaineering community has been strong proponents of the conservation of mountain areas.
But above all this is the ability of people who dream big and do big to lift the aspirations of everyone to reach for the sky and achieve.
Our criticisms of scientists and explorers often reveal our own pessimism. Discoveries and achievements can be enjoyed and celebrated or discounted or worse be used for the wrong reasons.
So, let the expedition and exploration communities take on the challenge of raising the bar, not only in the physical challenges that we set ourselves, but also in the way that we can use our experiences to reach out to a wider audience, share our journeys and inspire others to understand our world better and live their dreams.
you know what thank God for people who continue to lif that bar,we would still be in the caves looking out and thinking what if…this is a unique part of being human,,,the spirit within,i went down the amazon river alon 800k and in a bath !! river pirates problems.so i go back april to power para glide 4000 miles.why a bigger issue the river children,publicity to promot project,and to feel alive,,,do love ones worry about me at times yes,but if i die reaching out and within what a wonderful way to go,,better that a number ten bus…crossing the road.hey.
Really interesting debate, super to see people like Al and Ben digging up personal experience to illustrate the adventurer’s side of the coin.
Maybe the fact that Virgin have their brand on this expedition has surfaced the age-old questions, but let’s flip Devil’s PR argument on its head. Yes, Olly has done tremendously well getting a global sponsor most (even, seasoned) explorers would dream about, but the assumptions of danger on an expedition like this are exactly why we should take Olly’s row seriously. Of course it’s dangerous out there, it’s a bloody nightmare! But if this was a milkpond row, would it be happening? Would people care? Olly’s a big lad, he’s weighed up the pros and cons, and don’t think he’s done it without his family’s consent, either. Commercially, Virgin know what they’re doing, I think they’ve proved that, but the Global Row isn’t going to be worth much to Virgin’s PR department if something goes wrong here, is it? It’s not like someone’s out there waiting to respray the boat if it develops a leak…
Anyone who has ever sought to stretch themselves beyond past boundaries has been asked ‘why?’ Often the questions are far more vigorous, but if asked face to face (and not online under ‘anonymous’) enthusiasm usually wins through – after all these things are born from the heart, aren’t they? To most people, crossing an ocean or a desert under their own steam wouldn’t be common sense, but the majority would still have an appreciation for it. I don’t believe anyone with half a brain cell would ever have the nouse to organise and execute an expedition like this purely for the fame of it. The very essence of over-reach is to understand life, and believe it or not there is more to life than celebrity these days. Olly is scratching a bloody big itch here, Al and Ben are planning an almighty scratching session shortly, as are tens of other normal human beings this year. There’s also nothing wrong with any of them trying to make a career out of it, the by-products of that are rarely negative.
Devil’s, a quick look through Olly’s website (beyond the Virgin redness, I mean) would have shown you his charitable objectives, and the amount of prep that has gone into this. Your first comment seemed like a knee-jerk reaction, rather than a researched opinion. Your doubts about his intentions and safety are totally natural, and the questions you ask are semi-lifeblood to the self justification of all adventurers seeking to make their journeys sustainable. What am I doing? Is it worth it? Is anyone looking at my website? If not, why am I updating it in the first place?
If someone else out there was replicating Olly’s journey without the website, without the global sponsor – which venture would you have more of an issue with? Olly didn’t look at a map of his row and think ‘I’m going to die on this.’ He’ll have considered the possibility, but would then have prepared in advance for the instances that might lead to danger.
Sharing these things gives worth to them. It’s easy to say ‘oh, but he just wants a book and a film out of this,’ but come on, if you want a book and film why go to those lengths when you could simply decide to safely say Yes to everything for six months?! We are banked by generations of people absolutely crying out for hope, encouragement, inspiration. Whether Al gives a talk to a lower-class group of schoolkids, or Ben a motivational corporate lecture, or Olly a simple recounting of his days at sea at a Rotary meeting, the results will be the same. It’ll wash over some in the audience, however incredible. But others will be captured by the enthusiasm, these examples of life being lived. And that’s all it is, people who have chosen to live their own life. Individuals in each audience will take their own lessons away and shape them for themselves, they won’t necessarily decide to became explorers, they could just decide to join that sports team they’d been gearing themselves up for, run a marathon, raise some money for charity, can the day-job and go self-employed. They just needed some of that self-belief to be shared.
The knock-on effects of a journey like Olly’s cannot be overestimated, they’re absolutely priceless. Thank God we’re not all reigning ourselves in and accepting life is as it is. People will always explore and a few will always struggle to understand why. There’s a quote on Ben’s website from a guy named Kurt Vonnegur that might just sum up the ‘why?’ question: “I want to stand as close to the edge as possible without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can’t see from the centre.”
If you’ve ever been to the edge, you’d never question why others want to go there.
So, we’re debating the same old question AGAIN! Should adventurers risk their lives for personal gain? Quite frankly it’s a little boring hearing the same argument.
It should be considered that anyone who works within the rescue industry does so because they see it as a rewarding career choice. They risk their lives for the sake of others to also pander to their own ego, to feel the reward of a job well done. To experience the adrenaline rush that comes with getting a call.
Having resuscitated a young girl after she drowned in a pool I know the sense of pride that comes with my actions and I would do it again in a heartbeat. People choose to join the RNLI, Mountain Rescue, the Ambulance service et al. because it is a fascinating, exhilarating and worthy career.
It’s easy to whittle on about ocean rowers, climbers, adventurers but quite frankly they are an easy target for the heath and safety police. Perhaps, Devil’s Advocate, your focus and argument would be best spent lecturing the weekend sailors who have never done a sea survival course and refuse to wear a life jacket. The ‘have-a-go’ hikers who mooch off over the moors with inappropriate shoes and little understanding of the dangers of exposure. The millions who have never even considered doing a first aid course, who would have no idea what to do if they saw an accident unfold before them.
The rescue of well prepared, experienced adventurers is rare. The rescue of the ill-prepared, the drunk, the impetuous, those with poor health due to over-indulgent lifestyles of little exercise, smoking and alcohol… these are the people who tie up our rescue services putting their lives in danger.
Please jump off your high horse and perhaps consider stepping out of your comfort zone. Maybe you’ll inspire others instead of drowning the spirit with your bitter, although well-argued, views.
Good debate in my opinion but who am I to judge.Indeed who are any of us to judge others (johnnyh can advise on ? marks for rhetorical questions).We may believe that we hold the power of right and wrong within our heads but we don’t.We are who we are, human beings, and the human condition is flawed.Sometimes we live simple lives and other times more complex.Sometimes we love, sometimes we kill, sometimes we row across oceans.Our motives are many and varied – lust, greed, glory, fear, jealousy, righteousness. Many have no motive but are so much a part of the machine we have created that they know no different and their ability to see life for what it is becomes stultified.Adventurers may pursue challenges to serve their own ends and fulfil their own dreams (I certainly did).They may even offset their ‘debt’ of individualism through charitable means but far from endangering lives (either there own or that of any rescue services) they are more likely to give excitement, hope, inspiration and new meaning to hundreds if not thousands of others for whom life is a joyless drudge within a system which rewards mediocrity – the ‘safe option’ between birth and death.
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