U.K. man becomes oldest to climb Kilimanjaro

by Kraig Becker on

On July 14th, 82-year old British climber George Solt reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa, and in doing so he hiked himself into the record books as well. By successfully completing the climb, Solt became the oldest person to reach the “Roof of Africa”, something that he hopes will eventually be officially recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.

Climbing with five members of his family, Solt and his team went up the mountain along the Machame Route, one of the more popular paths to the summit, and one that is widely regarded as the most scenic on Kilimanjaro. Unlike the more popular, and crowded, Marangu Route, which has primitive huts along the way, climbers on the Machame Route stay in tents all the way to the 19,340 foot summit.

Before attempting the Kili climb, Solt prepared by embarking on a rigorous workout program designed by his doctors. The program obviously payed off, as evidenced by the successful climb, which was was also made through the support of Action Challenge, a group that helps organize adventurous activities around the globe, many of which are aimed at raising funds for a variety of charities.

Joining Solt on his climb were his son and daughter-in-law, as well as his three grand kids, the youngest of which was just 12-years old. Having three generations on one adventurous journey surely made this a family trip that they’ll all remember for the rest of their lives.

[Photo credit: Muhammad Mahdi Karim via WikiMedia Commons]

Cruise ship hits whale off Alaska

by Kraig Becker on

For the third time in the past decade a Princess Cruises luxury ship has struck and killed a whale in the waters off the coast of Alaska. That latest incident occurred last Tuesday evening just south of Juneau, where the ship the Sapphire Princess apparently hit the creature, whose corpse was discovered attached to the hull on Wednesday morning. Last year, the same ship arrived in Vancouver following a routine voyage, with a fin whale stuck to its hull.

This current whale was an adult female humpback that measured more than 43 feet in length. Humpbacks are found in waters all over the world, but in the summer months they tend to feed in colder, polar waters. The species is an endangered one and the giant mammals are protected under U.S. law, with stiff fines levied against those who do them harm. It is unclear at this time whether or not Carnival Corp., the parent company of Princess Cruises, will face any fines for this latest incident. They paid out a settlement of $750,000 for a similar incident that occurred in 2001.

On Friday, investigators were still studying the whale’s carcass to determine the exact cause of death. They have not ruled out the possibility that the beast was already dead when the ship struck it, and that the Sapphire Princess played no role in killing it.

[Photo credit: D. Gordon E. Robertson via WikiMedia Commons]

Acadia Night Sky Festival scheduled for early September

by Kraig Becker on

The second annual Acadia Night Sky Festival is scheduled to take place in Bar Harbor, Maine this September, offering a chance for stargazers to take in the most spectacular views of the night sky along the entire eastern seaboard – from one of the most spectacular national parks in the entire U.S. no less. The event will offer both day and night time activities, with plenty to offer the entire family.

Official activities will get underway on Thursday, September 9th with a panel discussion, photography workshop, and stargazing at the Jackson Laboratory. The festival really gets going on Friday, September 10th however and will continue through the weekend, ending with the sunrise creeping over the 1532 foot tall Cadillac Summit on the morning of Monday, September 13th. In between, you’ll find seminars on understanding our universe, photography exhibitions and classes, picnics, star parties, and much more. Some of the events will be conducted by rangers from Acadia National Park who will offer insights into how to navigate by the stars and what it’s like in the park after the sun goes down.

The festival is used to raise awareness of the increase of light pollution in the U.S. as it is a celebration of the wonderful night skies over Maine, which has the most star filled skies east of the Mississippi River. With urban sprawl continuing to grow, and more urban centers sending light into the heavens, our views of the stars are becoming more and more impeded all the time. The Acadia Night Sky Festival hopes to remind us just how amazing those views above us really are.

Contest offers ‘maybe the best trip ever’!

by Kraig Becker on

A new contest sponsored by Black Star Beer promises to give the winner one heck of a prize, sending them off on a jet setting vacation that will offer everything from outdoor adventure to an unforgettable taste of luxury.

The contest is dubbed “Maybe the Best Trip Ever“, and that seems a pretty apt description actually. The winner, and five of their closest friends, will get things started by heading to Whitefish, Montana, where they’ll not only tour the Great Northern Brewery, but also mix in some outdoor adventure as well. This stage of the trip will include hiking and camping in Glacier National Park, whitewater rafting on the Flathead River, and fly fishing with a master angler. And when they’re finished with their adventurous escape to the Montana backcountry, the group will board a private jet for Las Vegas, where they’ll relax and party poolside, while getting the VIP treatment at the Palms Casino and Resort.

The winner will also have the opportunity to practice with the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. (The press release promises a professional basketball team, but we’ll have to settle for the Kings) They’ll receive a sweet HD video camera to document the entire experience, along with plenty of other swag to outfit the entire group. If all of that wasn’t enough, Black Star is throwing in another six round trip tickets to destinations of your choosing, just in case you need a vacation from your vacation.

To enter the contest, simply go to the Black Star Facebook Page and click on the banner. Who knows, maybe you’ll be sent off on the best trip ever!

14-year old granted permission to sail solo around the world

by Kraig Becker on

14-year old Laura Dekker has waited months for her opportunity to attempt a solo circumnavigation of the globe, and after being denied on several occasions by Dutch authorities, yesterday she finally received permission to set sail at long last. She now plans to begin the voyage, which could take upwards of two years to complete, sometime in the next couple of weeks. The teen hopes to set a new record for the youngest person to sail around the globe alone.

Laura first received attention last year when it was announced that she hoped to make the solo circumnavigation attempt at the age of 13. Before she could set out however, a Dutch court intervened, barring her from sailing. Since that time, she has been under the supervision of child protective services, who have continually recommended against allowing her to sail. That recommendation changed recently however, as the young woman trained to improve her sailing and survival skills, and joined a distance learning program that would allow her to continue her studies while she is at sea. Even Laura’s mom, who had been against the voyage, had changed her tune, now granting the 14-year old her blessing to sail.

The voyage that Laura has planned differs quite a bit from the one that was taken by Jessica Watson, the 17-year old girl who recently set the new “youngest” record and Abby Sunderland, who had to be rescued from the Indian Ocean back in June. Those two sailors faced the perilous waters of Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope, but Laura will instead take a route that passes through the Panama and Suez Canals. While this lowers the risks involved with her having to deal with some of the worst seas in the world, it does increase the amount of ship traffic she’ll encounter, which means she runs the risk of colliding with another ship in those busy sea lanes.

Perhaps more importantly, Laura will have a support ship that will be following her closely and will be on hand in case the need arises. This ship will be there in the event of trouble, but will not aid her in any way as she navigates the oceans. With this plan in place, she’ll have a safety net to help protect her, but one that won’t endanger the “solo” status of her voyage.

Over the next two weeks the teenager will be working hard to prepare her ship, the Guppy, for the voyage. Once it is stocked with all the gear and supplies that she’ll need, she’ll be on her way, and off on a grand adventure on the high seas. What were you doing when you were 14?

[Photo credit: Associated Press]