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Canoe Africa has
ended!
The Canoe Africa team, began their journey on
Sunday November 9th 2008.
Unfortunately, a hippo attack sunk the canoe
and the team are
returning to the UK. Brian, Geoff and Mike are safe and well.
Tom Varcoe was not with the team at this stage.
Read more on the G7IZU RRD Blog:
Canoe
Africa
View BBC Spotlight report (may only work in UK)
Canoe Africa is a unique project launched by Cornish scout leader
and astronomer Brian Sheen from Par in Cornwall, UK.
Brian and a small team of scout leaders will purchase a Canadian
dugout canoe
in Guinea and proceed to travel down almost the entire 2,500 mile
length of one of the longest rivers in the world, the River Niger. They will pass through the countries of
Guinea, Mali, Niger, Benin and Nigeria, stopping about 100 miles
short of the end in the massive Niger Delta.
The River Niger (map
courtesy BBC)
They'll start on foot from the source in the mountains of Guinea,
then proceed in a locally purchased canoe. From there, they will
meet local scout groups who will provide support and accompany the
team along sections of the journey.
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Brian Sheen |
The team will be promoting the UK Scouting Movement and Brian
will take every opportunity to introduce astronomy to anyone
who wants to listen! He has done this in the past and has had
great success in explaining the wonders heavens to audiences
who have never observed the stars in such detail ever before!
For this journey, Brian will be taking a trusty pair of high
powered binoculars. In the super-dark skies the viewing
conditions will be second to none.
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Brian
is no stranger to West Africa, having worked there with a Red
Cross relief team in 1968/9 during the Niger Crisis, and returning
with a team in 1981/2 to canoe 150 miles through the Delta from
Onitsha to Port Harcourt - the first canoe to be paddled along the
route since the crisis.
Further Information
Departure from the UK is due to be late October 2008. Sponsorship is urgently
needed!
Brian Sheen can be contacted at
brians@roselandobservatory.com or on +44 (0)1726 813602.
Link to official press release (Cornwall Scouts)
The
Roseland Observatory
Reports will be carried on
BBC
Spotlight TV,
BBC Radio Cornwall and the
BBC
Cornwall website.
More information on how to track Brian and his team will appear on
this page.
Andy Smith, 29.08.2008 |
