The Spaniard would become the first person to cross the 3,000 kilometers from Punta Arenas by rowing, sailing and on skis
“I am very ambitious and I do not want to miss the opportunity to carry out one of the few authentic expeditions that remain,” he stressed
MADRID, 5 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish adventurer Antonio de la Rosa will start the Antarctic Expedition alone on November 20, which would make him the first person to row from Chile to Antarctica through the Drake Strait and then emulate the polar explorer Ernest Henry Shackleton and his Endurance Expedition (1914-17) by sailing and touring skis.
It will be a route of more than 3,000 kilometers with waves of more than 12 meters and in extreme temperature and wind conditions. Antonio de la Rosa plans to carry out a first week of training in Punta Arenas (Chile) from November 20 to start the solo journey to South Georgia (Antarctica) rowing, sailing and on skis alone.
An adventure that he himself defines as “daring, daring, ingenious, but dangerous, which will also end up recalling what is perhaps one of the most important polar expeditions in history: Ernest Shackelton’s Endurance Expedition”.
It is a great challenge that involves high difficulty and commitment: “Today, adventure is not where to go, but how to do it and face adversity alone.”
The route, which can be followed live on the internet (www.antoniodelarosa.net), will begin with the crossing of Cape Horn and the Drake Strait to Antarctica. “The objective of this polar adventure is to reach Elephant Island by rowing and then continue to the west coast of South Georgia aided by a small sail as the Anglo-Irish polar explorer, Ernest Henry Shackleton, did more than 100 years ago and finish with the crossing skiing to the East coast. In total it will be 3,000 km in the most complicated place on the planet, with hurricane-force winds, 12-meter waves and extreme temperatures that will be my travel companions for 30 or 40 days, “he commented.
“After more than 12 years of expeditions of varying difficulty and a good sporting career running in the elite of adventure raids all over the world, without a doubt the best moment in my life has arrived, both physically and technically and especially psychologically for to be able to successfully face a unique polar expedition that combines two facets that I think I dominate almost perfectly, the cold and the Ocean, “he explained.
De la Rosa declared himself “very ambitious.” “I do not want to miss the opportunity to carry out one of the few authentic expeditions that can be done, at a time when almost everything is conquered,” he added.
IN MID DECEMBER
The strong wind, which can reach 150 kilometers per hour; the size of the waves, which can exceed 12 meters in height; and, the cold water temperature will be the main difficulties that Antonio de la Rosa will face.
Nothing will be comparable to the dangers that await you near Antarctica, where you must take into account the possible collision with floating icebergs, which could open a waterway in the boat; or the presence of herds of orcas, in these latitudes abound, which could break the daggerboard or rudder and leave you adrift by winds and currents without the ability to maneuver.
“I AM A PISTACHIO DEBORATOR”
The Spanish adventurer plans to conquer Antarctica in mid-December. A determining factor for the success of this expedition is nutrition. For his adventure, Antonio de la Rosa will have freeze-dried food that only requires hydration with hot water; as well as with natural foods such as American pistachios, as it is the only dried fruit with complete plant-based protein that does not require cooking, is biodegradable and has an excellent nutritional profile.
A daily serving of pistachios (49 units) contains fiber, vitamins and 8 percent of the recommended daily value of potassium and magnesium, essential for maintaining blood pressure, reducing tiredness and fatigue, as well as helping to recover from strength and muscle, which will deteriorate day by day in such a hostile environment.
“I trust American pistachios because they are the only dried fruit with complete protein of plant origin, which will provide me with the necessary energy during long hours of rowing and, at the same time, will allow me to combat fatigue and help physical and mental recovery of the body. Well, there will be days I will row between 20 and 22 hours, “explained de la Rosa.
For Antonio de la Rosa it is a pleasure to have the support of the American Pistachio Growers farmers in this adventure, because as he himself stated: “I have always been a pistachio eater, I love them and I notice that they give me energy and satisfaction, this too it’s important, every time I put a handful of pistachios in my hand. Also, since they come in the shell, I enjoy peeling each one. “
To maintain freshness and prevent them from picking up moisture and deteriorating, during navigation, Antonio de la Rosa will keep the pistachios in Sea to Summit watertight bags. In addition, an important fact is that the shells are organic and can be disposed of in the sea maintaining the protection of the oceans, not in vain the ship is called ‘Ocean defender’.
Antonio de la Rosa is a Spanish extreme adventurer, firefighter from the Community of Madrid and entrepreneur of adventure sports www.meridianoraid.com. A 52-year-old from Madrid, he was pioneers of adventure sports in Spain in the 90s and during the first decade of the 2000s and the first Spaniard to cross the Atlantic Ocean by rowing alone (4,700 km) and also the Pacific in a boat of Paddle Surf. He has participated in multiple extreme competitions such as the Lapland Extrem (Lapland, Finland) or the Iditarod (Alaska, USA).