Mike Horn ready to set sail for the longest leg of Pole2Pole expedition
Earlier this week, we joined Mercedes-Benz to meet famous adventurer and extreme athlete, Mike Horn, as he prepares for the longest leg of his Pole2Pole expedition: The Crossing of Antarctica.
In less than a week from now Mike and his crew will be sailing south from the Waterfront in Cape Town aboard his sailing vessel Pangaea to the Antarctica continent. Once reaching the other side of the continent (the South Pole), Mike would have covered roughly over 7 000 km, and this is only his halfway stop.
Mike has spent the last two months in Cape Town working on the Pole2Pole’s first socio-environmental project. The project is aimed at banishing the negative stereotypes associated with sharks, raising awareness on the global issues our oceans currently face and to engage and connect with existing local South African programs. Mike and his team join the Shark Spotters and the Two Oceans Aquarium and together they successfully managed to tag and release 15 seven gill sharks. The tagging will contribute to long-term data, necessary to help researchers determine the behaviours of the shark population.
The second part of the project was in collaboration with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Together they engaged with local programmes, like Grassroot Soccer and Waves for Change, which empower youth from local townships through beach cleanups, surfing, playing soccer, tree painting and educational programmes.
While listening to Mike’s brave and inspiring stories from previous expeditions we found ourselves marveling at his sense of determination. It seemed nothing could ever be too challenging for Mike and we’re certain he’ll complete the next leg of his expedition with ease.
“The impossible exists only until we find a way to make it possible” – Mike Horn
Mercedes-Benz has been supporting Mike Horn and his expeditions since 2008. While we had the privilege to hop on board Pangaea for a 1.5 hour trip around the Table Bay with Mike, we watched as he ran from one side of the boat to the other, climbing up and down the masts until the Mercedes-Benz logo was resurrected and displayed on the sails.
Once Mike and his team have crossed the continent, Mike will navigate the Pacific through the islands of Oceania to Asia, where he will travel parts of New Zealand, Australia and Papua New Guinea. Once he arrives in Asia on board the Pangaea, a further overland journey will lead him to the summit of virgin peaks in India, followed by a journey through the tundra in Kamchatka, before sailing to the great north. He’ll then attempt another crossing, this time of the Arctic via the North Pole. Following this Mike will cross over the world’s largest island, Greenland, before he concludes his adventure by navigating back to his point of departure, Monaco.
WOW wishes Mike all the best for his adventure ahead and we look forward to following his journey and of course, more great quotes along the way!
If you worry, you die. If you don’t worry, you also die. So why worry?” – Mike Horn
Source: Mercedes-Benz South Africa