A Patagonian Adventure

This October, whilst most of us are enjoying the last few warm days of our Indian Summer (it's best to remain optimistic) former Cox & Kings employee Pablo Basombrio will be braving the icy conditions of Patagonia, located in the southern tip of South America, on an expedition to traverse the continent. Pablo is attempting to cross Patagonia from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, along more than 660 kilometres of fjords, lakes and ice-caps. If successful it will be the first such crossing without external support.

Pablo and his brother Juan will first navigate the Chilean fjords to penetrate the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in their double kayak. Next they will pull the kayak as a sledge across 330km of snow, ice and crevasses, to reach Upsala Glacier. Finally, and paddling again, they will cross Lake Argentino and descend the Santa Cruz river to the Atlantic Ocean. The route follows the journey made by legendary explorer Eric Shipton in 1960/61, although the fact he approached the ice by ship is what makes this expedition, using a kayak, a unique crossing from Pacific to Atlantic.

For more information on the expedition please click here.

Pablo has organised and led two big expeditions before; Cape Horn in 1999 and Isla de los Estados in 2001. Currently living in South London, Pablo has been preparing for the expedition by taking kayak sessions at Richmond Canoe Club, as well as walking with a 15kg rucksack whilst pulling a sledge made out of car tyres around Bushy Park, which must be an unusual sight for the locals.

“We have been training and preparing for this challenging expedition for two years now,” said Pablo, who is still appealing for sponsors to help with the costs of the expedition. “This biggest challenge is likely to be the weather, which in this area is often described as the worst in the world. Winds easily surpass 100kmh and temperatures fall well below sub zero. Added to that the challenge posed by giant crevasses hidden by the snow, and it is easy to see why this region is so under-explored.”

Good luck from all at Cox & Kings Pablo.