Follow polar rowing expedition with online map

(Row to the Pole)

Around August 1 a five-man team led by seasoned adventurer Jock Wishart will depart from Resolute Bay, Canada in an attempt to row 724 km (450 miles) to the magnetic North Pole. Throughout the course of the voyage members of the public can track the team online.

Known as Row to the Pole, the expedition is being sponsored by Old Pulteney whisky, and will be led by explorer Jock Wishart - currently the only man to have walked unsupported to a pole and rowed across an ocean. On the expedition's website the voyage is slated to begin around August 1, however a spokesperson noted that the actual day of departure could change due to weather conditions.

Joining Mr. Wishart on the voyage will be Mark Delstanche, Billy Gammon, Rob Sleep, David Mans and documentary maker BBC cameraman Mark Beaumont; the team will also be in close contact with a support crew.

The magnetic pole, as certified in 1996, is located at 78°35.7N 104°11.9W / 78.595°N 104.1983°W and was first reached by Sir James Clark Ross of the British Royal Navy in 1831.

Mr. Wishart and his crew's attempt to row to the magnetic North Pole has only recently become a possibility due to the dramatic climatic changes taking place in the region which have decreased the size of the ice sheets and left large areas of the ocean unfrozen.

The members of the expedition state on the website that they hope their voyage in the specially designed boat, Old Pulteney , will highlight the effect of climate change on the polar regions. 

During the course of the expedition, the crew will be using a satellite-positioning system known as Yellowbrick to track their progress. This satellite-positioning system will then automatically update a map on the official Row to the Pole website, allowing members of the public to track the team's voyage.

Another expedition attempting to draw attention to environmental issues is Cycle for Water, an attempt currently going on by two Dutch men to cycle 30,000 km (18,641 miles) from Alaska to Argentina in order to draw attention to the world's water crisis.

The Cycle for Water duo have, as of July 25, 2011, been on the road for 387 days, covering 15,193 km and are currently in Ecuador, their progress can be followed online via the official Cycle for Water site.

Row to the Pole- http://www.rowtothepole.com/
Cycle for Water - http://www.cycleforwater.com