The Inukshuk Expedition is being attempted by four experienced kayakers who all love the outdoors and enjoy challenging themselves in as many ways as possible.
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Charlie Hunter, former stockbroker, has been keeping himself occupied since leaving the City in 2007. He has set up and is running his own property maintenance business based in and around London.
When he is not working he can be found planning and leading private expeditions to remote locations all over the world, from the extreme Arctic wilderness to the Sahara Desert. Whether it is on foot, kite skis, motorbike or skidoo, Charlie is equally at home and has been making the most of his contacts and skills. He is currently in the middle of setting up an adventure holiday’s business taking small groups of people to some of these remote locations.
“I am very excited about being part of the Inukshuk Kayak Team. The Arctic is a complete addiction, after you have been once you just want to keep going back. This time I am especially excited about getting to meet and learn from the Inuit people along the way. The team I am part of has over one hundred years paddling experience between them. However, I can only account for one hundred hours of that time, but I figure after eighty five days in such an tough environment I should have got the hang of it! What I can offer the team is my extensive knowledge and experience of planning and partaking in extreme expeditions. Yet again, another once in a lifetime opportunity, that I am excited to be part of!"
charliethehunter.co.uk | www.beardodging.com | www.bestofbritishsouthpole.com
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Nigel Foster, British, operates a Sea Kayaking business from the USA (instructing/leading groups around the world, designing kayaks, and writing). His kayak expedition experience includes: 1977 first kayak circumnavigation of Iceland; 1978 kayak trip from Gander Newfoundland to St Johns; 1979 kayak trip to cross France from the English Channel to the Mediterranean; 1981 solo kayak trip from Iqaluit Baffin Island south, crossing Hudson Strait to Northern Labrador; 2004 two person kayak trip from Kuujjuaq Ungava Bay (N Quebec) around northern Labrador to Nain (described in book "Stepping Stones of Ungava and Labrador", Outskirts Press, due November 2009).
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Dave Thom, a semi retired outdoor instructor and coach, and is at present a full time house dad. Prior to the new addition to the family, Dave was running his own expedition training company, Oceanrock Coastal Kayak Expeditions in Pembrokeshire.
Starting his kayaking career back in 1964, Dave had been very active in competitive sprint and marathon racing, white water, and slalom, including first descents of grade 4 and 5 rivers in Norway, also gaining 3rd place in the senior doubles on the Devizes to Westminster Canoe race.
Dave has a great love and a long history and personal achievements in sea kayaking in Scotland, England, Wales, Iceland and Norway.
"I am proud and thrilled to be part of the team, and on this 'once in a lifetime' opportunity. It will be a huge challenge and adventure to complete this journey for all of us through the Northwest Passage, meeting the Inuit people, and hopefully viewing some of the wildlife close up, and in some cases at a goodly distance! Collecting data along the way is also going to be very interesting, as will the photography and history of this famous region. We are all very aware, this is not a walk in the park!"
Glenn Lush, Sales and Marketing Manager at Seaward Kayaks, has had a varied background in the kayaking industry over the past 10 years, starting out as a "boat swamp" with a local outfitter, then guide/instructor before finally moving on to Seaward.
Glenn was also the owner/operator of Cowichan Bay Kayaks, an instructional and retail operation on Vancouver Island. During this time he sat on the Executive Board of the Trade Association of Paddlesports.
"I'm thrilled, to say the least, to be a part of The Inukshuk Expedition and to be working with a team of such high caliber. The opportunity to paddle some of the most pristine wilderness in Canada, or even the world, comes once in a lifetime. I'm looking forward to meeting the local Inuit people along the way and learning everything I can about our Northern lands, and to bring home that knowledge to share with – and inspire – my children and others."
Glenn has sea kayaking experience through trips to Brooks Peninsula on Vancouver Island, multiple trips to Broken Group Islands (a World Heritage Park on Vancouver Island) and leading beginner kayak trips (200+ trips per season at Cowichan Bay Kayaks).
He has been involved in building custom kayaks for multiple expeditions as well as adaptive recreation kayaks for Power to Be Adventure Therapy.
