“Well Done Mills” said her father, David Hempleman-Adams

So what is it about extreme expeditions and families?

On Saturday a mother-daughter team from Australia reached the summit of Mount Everest, and just a few weeks ago, on 13th April, David Hempleman-Adams, 51, and his daughter Camilla, 15, reached the North Pole thereby making her the youngest British female to ski to the Pole.

David, himself, has completed several record-breaking expeditions, including the adventurer’s “grand slam”: conquering the poles and the highest peak on each continent.

“When I was growing up I often wished he wasn’t an explorer because it took him away from us and I missed him,” she says. “But now I absolutely understand why he does it. It was the most wonderful experience of my life and I really can’t wait till the next time.”

And there will be a next time. Camilla’s adventure wasn’t just about breaking records, her main mission is to raise awareness among her peers about what global warming is doing to the ice packs. “You learn about it at school, but it’s easy to switch off and think, ‘Our generation didn’t cause this.’ I’m hoping that the fact that I have witnessed the beauty of the Arctic and how it’s in danger of being destroyed will make other kids sit up and listen.”

Eight months ago her father teamed up with Hollywood producer, Danielle Alexandra to set up the Polar Extreme Foundation which aims to educate teenagers about climate change. Together they are working on a movie, Polar Girl, which follows Camilla on her gruelling journey.

Other record-breaking attempts on the North Pole this year have run into difficulty. Ben Saunders from Plymouth had to abandon his attempt to become the fastest person to walk solo and unsupported to the North Pole because of equipment failure. Hannah McKeand from Berkshire called off her attempt to get there unaided and alone after falling through the ice.

However, apart from waking up one morning to find that their tents were surrounded by water and they were now a floating island, their expedition went without hiccup. Camilla had to pull her own 80lb sledge across 60 miles of Arctic snow and ice in temperatures of -40*C. To Camilla’s disappointment they didn’t see any polar bears and to her father’s amazement she coped magnificently. “I had no idea she had that kind of strength in her. She was brilliant and didn’t moan once - amazing for a teenager!” he said.

Camilla herself clearly enjoyed the experience. “It’s like walking on diamonds and sparkly jewels,” she said.

Smashing records runs in her family. She is the middle daughter of renowned adventurer, David, and 3 years ago her elder sister Alicia, then 15, became the youngest person to traverse the remote Arctic wilderness of Baffin Island in northern Canada. One sister to go - I wonder what she is going to pull out of the box?!

Australian Police Investigating ‘Lost At Sea’ Scuba Diving Accident

Oh no - not again.

Yesterday police launched an investigation to find out why the captain of The Pacific Star dive boat delayed notifying officials that two scuba divers were missing.

The two divers, Briton Richard Neely 38 and American Alison Dalton 40, started their dive after lunch on Friday afternoon, but were not reported missing until 5.30 p.m. Although the boat and its crew did frantically search the area they did not report it to the police until it was almost too late for an effective air search.

They were scuba diving at Gary’s Lagoon, near Bait Reef.

However, the helicopters did go up but failed to find any sign of the two divers. The divers themselves saw the helicopters several times but were unable to attract their attention. Fortunately, many hours later at 8.40 a.m, the two divers were found. They had strapped themselves together and talked all night to keep themselves awake, aware and warm. The thing that terrified them the most was the thought of sharks.

“I truly thought we were going to die. Sharks were on our mind the entire time - but neither of us mentioned the ‘S’ word,” said Neely. “We just had to stay positive and calm to help each other through the ordeal and not think about being eaten alive.”

But my goodness what a furore since.

Magazines and newspapers having been vying for the rights to the story of their 19 hour ordeal in shark-infested waters, the rescue operators have been suggesting that they should help pay for the cost of their rescue which involved seven helicopters, three fixed-wing [aircraft] and a flotilla of boats on the water and cost an estimated $400,000! Demands have been heard enquiring why 2 experienced divers surfaced 200m from their dive site. And suggestions of a movie-in-the-making are doing the rounds!

Wow. How to turn adversity into profit…

However, it is hauntingly similar to the scuba diving accident at the Great Barrier Reef in 1998 which I talked about several weeks ago. Husband and wife buddies, Thomas and Eileen Lonergan, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, were left at sea by the MV Outer Edge dive boat, and did not survive the ordeal.

But a movie was made out of that too!

Undated handout photo of divers Allison Dalton and Richard Neely, who were rescued after spending a night floating in shark-infested waters off Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Photograph: Handout/PA

Bit of a Storm Brewing Here…

Thunder and lightning in the air, so will keep this short and sweet.

A little humour to start the week …

A little  boy goes  to his father and asks ‘Daddy, how was I born?’

The  father  answers, ‘Well, son, I guess one day you will need to find  out anyway!   Your Mom and I first got together in a chat room on  Yahoo.  Then I set up a  date via e-mail with your Mom and we  met at a cyber-cafe.  We sneaked into  a secluded room, where  your mother agreed to a download from my hard  drive.  As soon  as I was ready to upload, we discovered that neither one of  us had  used a firewall, and since it was too late to hit the delete button,  nine  months later a little Pop-Up appeared that said:

‘You  got  Male!’

Lewis Hamilton and Harley Davidson’s - in the Same Mouthful?!

Well what a weekend for us here in the south of France - Lewis Hamilton won the Monaco Grand Prix and a little further down the coast in the St. Tropez region we have been invaded by an army of Harley Davidson’s - about 15,000 apparently!

This is the annual knees-up in this region. Every May they come here from the four corners of the world and hang out. You can’t move on the road without being surrounded by 20 or 30 of them. And they come in all shapes and sizes - the bikes and the riders!

They don’t have any videos out yet so this is an old one, but it gives you an idea of what our roads are like right now - no exaggeration!

These bikes and bikers come in from around the world.

Back to Lewis. Well, what a lad hmmm? He comes from nowhere last year and just dazzles everyone.

MONTE CARLO, Monaco - and his McLaren won the Monaco Grand Prix.

The British driver also took the overall lead in the F1 title race after his victory at the famous street circuit Sunday.

Hamilton finished 3 seconds ahead of BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica in difficult wet conditions. Felipe Massa of Ferrari was third, followed by Mark Webber of Red Bull.

World champion Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari finished ninth.

Mother Daughter Team Successfully Scale Everest.

An extreme adventure for two extremely intrepid Australian adventurers.

Cheryl and Nikki Bart reached the summit of Mount Everest on Saturday after encountering several obstacles along the way including having their communications gear temporarily confiscated amid the tight security of the ascent of the Beijing Olympic torch.

They are the first mother-daughter team to climb the world’s tallest mountain thereby creating their own little slice of history. Cheryl and her 23-year-old daughter Nikki reached the peak at 9.05am (AEST) yesterday (24th May) after setting out on April 1.

The pair - dubbed Oz Chicks with Altitude on their official website - have endured bitter cold and several delays on their 8,850 metre Himalayan ascent. Their website is well worth a visit.

They are the first mother/daughter team to complete the Seven Summits! While this is an historic event, the adventure is not over, as the descent is very dangerous. It would take them several hours to reach the safety and warmth of Camp 4, where they would rest, before continuing.

As Nikki said: “Climbing the seven summits has taken me to all of the continents, and has allowed me to see cultures and countries that I would never have had the oppurtunity to experience”.

And Cheryl added, “The best part is sharing such intense and magnificent experiences with someone I love , my daughter Nikki”.

The seven summits, incase you don’t already know, are:

Vinson Massif

Vinson Massif is the highest mountain of Antarctica, located about 1,200 km (750 mi) from the South Pole.

Elbrus

Located in the Western Caucasus mountains in Russia near the border of Georgia Elbrus has two summits.

Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa was first summited in 1889 by Hans Meyer, Ludwig Purtscheller, Yohanas Kinyala Lauwo.

Kosciuszko

Mount Kosciuszko, the highest mountain in Australia is located in the Snowy Mountains, in New South Wales. It is 390km southwest of Sydney and close the the Victorian border.

McKinley (Denali)

The first ascent of McKinley (Denali) was on 7 June 1913 by a team of four from the USA; Hudson Stuck, Harry Karstens, Walter Harper and Robert Tatum. Denali is Indian for “The Great One”

Aconcagua

Aconcagua is located in the Andes of western Argentina near the Chilean border. It is the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere.

and of course…

EVEREST

Everest is the highest mountain on Earth. The first ascent to the summit of Everest was on 29 May 1953 by Sir Edmund Hilary and his sherpa Tenzig Norgay. They were part of the ninth British attempt to reach the summit and were the second pair to attempt the summit in their party of four. The first pair tried to reach the summit two days before but were forced to turn back due to exhaustion.

A Most Unusual Mountain Biking Experience!!!

I have already posted a photograph from Derek of a typical ride in the bush for him - remember that wonderful photo of his bike leaning up against a fallen tree and a large elephant enjoying the peace of a waterhole? Well, here’s a fantastic follow-up to that which I am sure will give all you keen mountain bikers something to think about this weekend!

After I moved to the lowveld, I spent a few years with no cycling. But the arrival of an extra six kgs on my waist rang some alarm bells and I realised I had to do something. The closest tar road was 30 minutes’ drive away and so I had to settle for an MTB. Initially, I stuck to the main roads on the ranch. But, having bored with that I soon started off-road excursions (elephant and rhino make GREAT MTB trails) and, having gained in confidence, eventually was going all over the place. There were of course some challenges:

• Deep sand, the bane of any mountain biker. But this pretty much goes with the territory and you just learn to avoid those parts;
• Thorns. These really drove me nuts until tubeless tyres were invented. Slime helped, but the thorns down there were so bad that I still had quite serious problems. But tubeless tyres, well slimed, solved the problem. My bike shop couldn’t believe how much slime I went through and were convinced I was using it the wrong way. Until they came and cycled with me and experienced this first hand. You learn to recognise certain plants and to avoid them. If you see a Shangaan carrying a bicycle down a dirt road, you can bet that the Tribulis creeper (pretty little yellow flowers) has scattered devilish thorns everywhere;
• Basalt soils. When wet, these are impossible and I couldn’t believe it the first time I tried to ride down a slightly damp path. The mud builds up on your tyres until you can’t turn the wheels and you have to carry the bike. And, while you are doing that, the mud also builds up on your shoes until your feet weigh a couple of kgs each. And you will NEVER clip into your pedal cleats with that stuff on your feet!
• Heat. I cycled mostly at lunch (no game drives are out at that time of day and the dangerous animals are all—hopefully—sleeping in the shade somewhere). I was often out when the temperature was more than 45^oC, and quite often cycled on days when the temperature in the sun exceeded 50^oC. There were lots of comments about ‘mad dogs and Englishmen’ but I never had any problems, so long as I drank lots of water and kept moving. I did have to call for help a couple of times having over-heated but that was always when I stopped to handle a puncture and lost the airflow that kept me cool. In fact, this became my strategy for coping with the heat down there: whenever I was feeling uncomfortable from the heat, at home or at work, I would go out for a ride. After that, it never seemed so da1!
• The animals. This, in the end, was my biggest worry. But I never had any problems, unlike on the horses on which we had a few hairy moments. I think the animals see you moving strangely and run away. And, as I mentioned above, I mostly cycled at lunch when any sensible being is having a siesta in the shade. We tried various methods of carrying a weapon, especially when I had people with me. It is, believe it or not, possible to carry a heavy calibre (.458 ) rifle on a bike: I used the rifle boot from my (horse) saddle and strapped it to the frame (picture attached). But it was heavy and screwed up the suspension and I tried to avoid doing that. Most of the time, I carried a .44 magnum revolver and two ‘bear bangers’ (thunder flashes which are fired off a miniflare launcher). But, never had to use any of these, in spite of having bumped into elephant, buffalo and rhino many times, and lion a couple of times. I even saw the Big 5 once on my bike, which was quite something!

After all of that, the sugar cane fields around Ballito are more than a little boring and I do have some difficulty keeping motivated unless there is a race looming. Harare is much better fun: the land invasions have been a disaster for the farmers and for the country, but they have created a mountain bike heaven around Harare. All the fences have gone and footpaths abound: and there are no landowners to chase us away, so we wander basically wherever we want. And the Chinamora Communal Land is a short ride away with all the whalebacks (more photos: and such incredibly friendly people!

It is a fun way to keep fit. It is inconceivable to me that people can keep motivated going to a gym!

When Did I Last Talk About Rock Climbing?

I’ve discussed most things now about the basics of rock climbing but I haven’t mentioned one of the most important things of all: PLANNING AND PATIENCE.

“Boring”, I hear you say, but these two elements are crucial to rock climbing. Think of it as a game of chess - you have to think ahead, you have to know exactly where you are going to plant your hands and feet after each move, and you need to know how to stay safe throughout the climb.

“And so how do I do all this - in advance”, I hear you say again…

Well, here are some tips:

• Look DOWN to find footholds and UP to find hand-holds. You may use the same hold as both a handhold and a foothold.
• Move smoothly, and try not to employ unneeded motions, as this will use significant energy (and possibly make you lose your balance).
• Look for footholds at a normal stepping distance. Lofty steps are often strenuous, but small steps waste energy.
• If possible, choose hand-holds at head height. Holding hands above the head is more tiring.
• To begin, always have contact with the rock in three places, two feet and a hand or two hands and a foot.
• Try to use your legs and not your arms when possible. Your legs are stronger than your arms, and they already support your body naturally.

So, learn how to climb correctly and trust your gear. Yes, clinging to a rock a hundred feet above the ground is scary, but the feeling you’ll get when you reach the top is indescribable. Don’t forget your camera!

This video, although it jumps around a little, is ideal for demonstrating the climb.

A Weighty Matter

If you are seriously into your sport, whether extreme or not, you have no doubt got very firm ideas on a particular ‘diet’ that suits you. You will know, without a doubt, that eating correctly will give you the energy you need and will help you achieve peak performances when you need it.

It is an important subject and one that I think warrants discussion.

• Did you know, for example, that you can survive a month without food but only a few days without water?
• Did you know that sugars and starches have 4 calories per gram, while fat has 9 calories per gram. In other words, carbohydrates have less than half the calories of fat?
• Did you know that it is a myth that eating lots of protein and/or taking protein supplements and exercising vigorously will definitely turn you into a big, muscular person?

So I am going to dispel some myths and corroborate some facts!

WATER

Water is THE most important nutrient for active people. When you sweat, you lose water. This MUST be replaced. Drink fluids before, during, and after workouts.

Water is the best choice for most workouts. However, during continuous workouts of greater than 90 minutes, your body may benefit from a sports drink. Sports drinks have two very important ingredients - electrolytes and carbohydrates. They replace electrolytes lost through sweat during workouts lasting several hours. The carbohydrates in sports drinks provide the extra energy that you need. The most effective sports drinks contain 15 to 18 grams of carbohydrate in every 8 ounces of fluid.

CARBOHYDRATES ARE THE BODY’S MAIN SOURCE OF ENERGY

So - where else do you find carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are sugars and starches, and they are found in foods such as breads, cereals, fruits, vegetables, pasta, milk, honey, syrups and table sugar.

Sugars and starches are broken down by your body into glucose, which is used by your muscles for energy. Sugars and starches have 4 calories per gram, while fat has 9 calories per gram. In other words, carbohydrates have less than half the calories of fat.

For health and peak performance, more than half your daily calories should come from carbohydrates.

If you regularly eat a carbohydrate-rich diet you probably have enough carbohydrate stored to fuel activity. However, if you are about to compete it would be a good idea to eat a precompetition meal for fluid and additional energy. What you eat as well as when you eat your precompetition meal will be entirely individual. You are the only one who knows what suits your body.

FROM CARBS TO THE DREADED CALORIES

Your calorie needs depend on your age, body size, sport and training program. The best way to make sure you are not getting too many or too few calories is to check your weight from time to time. If you’re keeping within your ideal weight range, you’re probably getting the right amount of calories.

VITAMINS AND MINERALS

Eating a varied diet will give you all the vitamins and minerals you need for health and peak performance.

The exceptions to this rule include active people who follow strict vegetarian diets, avoid an entire group of foods, or eat less than 1800 calories a day. If you fall into any of these categories, a multivitamin and mineral pill may provide the vitamins and minerals missing in your diet, but remember, taking large doses of vitamins and minerals will NOT help your performance and may be bad for your health.

Vitamins and minerals do NOT supply the body with energy and, therefore, are NOT a substitute for carbohydrates.

IRON

Popeye was not invented to con thousands of little children into eating their green vegetables! Iron supplies working muscles with oxygen. If your iron level is low, you may tire easily and not have enough stamina for activity.

The best sources of iron are animal products, but plant foods such as fortified breads, cereals, beans and green leafy vegetables also contain iron.

Iron supplements may have side effects, so take them only if your doctor tells you to.

YOU NEED CALCIUM EVERYDAY

Many people do not get enough of the calcium needed for strong bones and proper muscle function. Lack of calcium can contribute to stress fractures and bone disease such as osteoporosis.

The best sources of calcium are dairy products, but many other foods such as salmon with bones, sardines, collard greens, and okra also contain calcium. Additionally, some brands of bread, tofu, and orange juice are fortified with calcium.

FLEXING YOUR MUSCLES

And finally, it IS a myth that eating lots of protein and/or taking protein supplements and exercising vigorously will turn you into a big, muscular person.

Building muscle depends on your genes, how hard you train, and whether you get enough calories. A good balanced diet has more than enough protein for muscle building. Extra protein is eliminated from the body or stored as fat.

Why not try the High Tatras?

Where’s that? I hear you ask - the High Tatra is the new door being unlocked as eastern Europe’s hitherto unknown secrets begin to move centre stage for skiers, snowboarders and winter sports enthusiasts.

The High Tatras, with their 11 peaks over 2500 m are located in the Carpathian Mountains of Slovakia which form part of the country’s northern border with Poland in central Europe. Slovakia with a population of over five million people and a land area of 49,000 sq,kms is landlocked and also shares borders with the Czech Republic, Austria, Ukraine and Hungary.

Slovakia itself became an independent country in 1993 as a result of the velvet divorce from the Czech republic and is now a member state of the European Union and NATO. Its capital and largest city is Bratislava.

With over 200 million euros of investment a network of 40 ski lifts has been developed and the first five star hotel in the High Tatra mountains will open this year, so heralding Slovakia as a destination for winter sports enthusiasts. Slovakia is now  proving to be a country nipping at the heels of more established eastern European ski regions and an alternative venue to the crowded slopes of the Alps. Its fairytale resorts in spellbinding settings won’t remain secret for much longer.

The spectacular peaks of the Tatra Mountains cater for all levels of skier and snowboarder, with reliable snow from as early as November. The high Tatras are ideal for beginners and intermediates, while the low Tatras, which have recently linked ski lifts from Chopok North and Chopok South, offer fabulous freestyle and off piste skiing and snowboarding for those with more experience. The three main skiing areas are Strbske Pleso, Stary Smokovec and Tatranska Lomnica where the investment has developed a network of over 40 lifts.

But skiing and snowboarding are not the Tatras’ only attractions: winter sports fans can try sledging, night skiing, ice skating, snow tubing and snow scooters. Visitors can also take in the Demanova ice caves or plunge into the hot springs found all along the valley. And wildlife enthusiasts may even catch a glimpse of the bears, lynx and wolves still found in the region.

All levels of experience are catered for, and skiing and snowboarding tuition with English speaking instructors can be arranged. Accommodation comprises a range of villas, chalets, luxury apartments and hotels, with the first five star hotel in the High Tatras, the Kempinski, opening in October 2008, ready for the winter season.

Budget ski packages start from just £325, including return flights from the UK, return transfers and seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast and ski pass. Luxury four star packages start from £499. Flights are now available from Luton and Manchester direct to Poprad and Kosice from where you can take a bus to the three main ski resorts.
So why am I writing about winter sports in May - well this kind of offer is extreme good vale and it won’t hang around forever - get organised for next winter!

Is Laird Hamilton The Greatest Big Wave Surfer Ever?

Laird Hamilton conquered Tahiti’s Teahupo’o on the morning of August 17th, 2000 when his death-defying drop into the big wave caught the world’s attention. This cemented his reputation as the greatest big wave surfer of all time. A wipe-out in Teahupo’o, a particularly hazardous shallow-water reefbreak in southeast Tahiti, means almost certain death.

His ride there is known by surfers worldwide simply as ‘The Wave’, and a shot of him riding The Wave made the cover of Surfer magazine, accompanied by the caption: “oh my god…”. Afterwards even Hamilton admitted that even he was pushing himself to the “max, max, max, max”. Such is his humility that he broke down and cried after riding it.

Is this the greatest big wave surfer ever?

It could be argued that no one has changed the face of a sport more in the last twenty years than Laird Hamilton has for surfing. He is a throw back to that time when surfers prided themselves on being all-round waterman. He is also known as the guiding genius of crossover board sports. He is truly amazing in the water. He has been instrumental in pushing stand-up paddling, foilboarding, windsurfing, kitesurfing and long distance paddling, as well as his surfing and he and some friends invented the tow-in, which in one winter seemingly doubled the number of waves that could be surfed in the world.

Laird has been a major ambassador of his sport, spreading his love and respect for surfing around the world.

A Surfer’s History:

Laird was born in San Francisco on March 2, 1964. He moved, with his mother, to Hawaii when he was still an infant, and even as a child showed an unquenchable thirst for adrenaline - footage has been released of him jumping off a sixty foot cliff into deep water at just 7 years old.

While a young boy, Laird met legendary 1960s surfer Bill Hamilton on Pupukea beach of the North Shore of Oahu; and introduced Hamilton to his mother. Bill Hamilton went on to marry Joann, and become Laird’s adopted father. What better father, mentor and coach could a boy like Laird have? and to top it off to have been brought up in one of the greatest surf locations in the world - north coast Oahu.

By the age of twenty, Hamilton had already become an accomplished surfer and could have easily pursued a career on surfing’s World Championship Tour. However, competitive surfing and contests never appealed to him and he is quoted as saying, “Contests are less about the one big wave than about your performances. Surfing is about your body of work. It’s about art. I would snap if I was letting someone other than the audience determine my fate. How does a musician judge his thing? By how many people love his music?”

In late 1992, Hamilton with some of his companions, such as Darrick Doerner and Buzzy Kerbox, started using inflatable boats to tow one another into waves which were too big to catch under paddle power alone. The technique, which would later be modified to use jet skis, was a revolutionary innovation. Tow-in surfing, as it soon became known, pushed the confinements and possibilities of big wave surfing to a whole new level, although they met with mixed reactions from the surfing community, some of whom felt that it was cheating and polluting. Hamilton explained that tow-in surfing was the only way to catch the monstrous sized waves such as those that can be seen a  Peahi (Jaws) off the coast of Maui and the coastline of Tahiti.

In 1999 Hamilton sailed his windsurfer between the Hawaiian islands of Oahu and Kauai, some fifty miles away, in just under six hours. He later sailed his windsurfer back again.

He has also been credited with inventing the foilboard. The foilboard is an innovative surfboard which incorporates hydrofoil technology allowing a higher degree of precision and effectiveness of aerial techniques within the water.

Most recently, he has become the most public practitioner and proponent of stand-up paddle surfing, an ancient Hawaiian technique that requires an enormous longboard and a long-handled paddle, as well as considerable skill, strength and agility. Some “purist” surfers have blasted him for this, but Hamilton has called it a return to an old, traditional Hawaiian way of surfing.

However, it was his drop into Teahupo’o, which is widely considered to be the most dangerous wave ever ridden, which became the benchmark in his career and his life.

He has often been credited for being able to conquer such enormous ‘big wave’ surf because of his exceptional physical condition and stature. At 6′3″ (1.90m) and 220 pounds (102kg) he is able to take on larger waves which many smaller surfers could not physically handle.

Hamilton is now widely regarded as the “best of the best” at big wave surfing, regularly surfing swells of 35 feet (11 m) tall, and moving at speeds in excess of 30 miles (48 km) an hour and successfully riding other waves of up to 70 feet (21 m) high, at up to 50 mph (80 km/h).