Like most everyone at this time of year things are getting hectic. For some reason it feels like you must fit in a great deal of stuff into less than 2 months of time. To round off my year I have a bunch of talks to give before heading back to Kilimanjaro once more to lead a group of sports ambassadors up the mountain for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. The group is headed up by none other than Martina Navratilova and is being filmed for broadcast. You will no doubt see me in the background trying to get on camera before being asked to move. In any case I am rather looking forward to going back for my 3rd summit in the last few months.

Otherwise some potentially big and exciting things in the pipeline both regarding my little paddle next year and some hush hush action sports related gigs. Stoked for now, but we will see where it leads!

Finding ace clips for the Stoke each week is sometimes a mission. Trolling through the so-so stuff to find the gems, while enjoyable, takes up a lot of time. Narrowing down the field to find the winner is even tougher. Today's installment came down to 2 clips. One was a little more exciting and to be fair the other clip was an ad, albeit a pretty cool one! If you want to see second place (which after you watch the clip is kind of ironic!) click here. Otherwise enjoy the below, take a long lunch and leave work early!

Which is the greatest of all time?

"We had suffered, starved and triumphed, grovelled down yet grasped at glory… We had reached the naked soul of man.” E. Shackleton, South

Survival stories have it all - blood, gore, emotion, toil and triumph, and the chance to see humanity at its finest and fiercest. For lessons in how climb up from crushing defeats or overcome the most extreme and impoverished conditions, they ooze offerings. There are some really wonderful and incredible stories out there.

Having pitched my piece as a 'Which is the greatest…?', I imagine that brains will already be ticking through the files of stories you have read or heard about, and perhaps a handful of you are already standing up and waving your story flag at the screen, shouting the title of your favourite Great.

Life or death

I'm talking really fundamental and basic, where the outcome of a survival bid is digital, yielding either life or death as prize or price. That simplicity is neatly summed up here by Dougal Robertson when he wrote, 'There are no failures in the School of Survival'.

And he ought to know better than anyone, having been there, done that and lost his t-shirt to show it. 'Survive the Savage Sea' tells the tale of his English farming family, disgruntled by a poor economy, selling up everything to buy a 40 foot schooner and heading out to sail around the world on the mother of all adventures. (What a way to be home-schooled, eh?)

All went well for the first half of the world, as they hop scotched their way across the Atlantic and down into the Southern hemisphere and the Pacific Ocean, taking with them a handful of student hitchers along the way. They had their four children on board too, twin boys of eleven, and a teenage boy and a girl - the latter deciding to stay in Cuba as they passed through.

The Robertson's fight for survival started off the coast of South America, just hours after the Lucette had left the coast, bound for the other side of the ocean. The boat had been struck by killer whales and sank within a minute. Sixty little seconds. That's all, one tiny minute - precious, frantic moments in which to salvage anything and everything possible from the boat, deploy the life raft and get everyone overboard and safely into the raft.

This all happened in the days before EPIRBS (satellite rescue beacons) and satellite phones, or at least before they were available as consumer priced products, meaning that the five Robertsons and their student compadre were utterly alone. No one knew where they were or what had happened, making rescue a statistical blip of improbability. Stores included a bag of oranges, lemons and onions, a limited ration of water and biscuits and a basic stock survival kit in the raft; besides that, there wasn't much else. For clothing, it was all they were wearing at the time, namely t-shirts and shorts or just swimming trunks.

An epic

The challenges and triumphs of six people squashed together in a leaking raft for an unknown number of days in the open ocean would make the book a good read even if it were written by the most mundane of authors, but Robertson's writing is rich and full. Every cold wave is felt; every long hour of boredom and hunger gnaws and numbs in equal measure, and the sleepless nights of the skipper calculating the likelihood of rescue stabs as though it were you lying awake in the puddled raft wondering when you will starve. It is savage and brutal at times with some real tummy-turning moments, the sort that will make any vegetarian wince and anyone not knowing what an enema is reach for the OED. I turned the last page feeling exhausted but elated, having journeyed to the depths of despair, starved and parched with them, but having swam in the good moments and victories too.

Humanity at its rawest and best, there are examples of leadership and followership that all would do well to read in or out of the adventure world, with moments of ingenious innovation and adaptation that should inspire anyone with half an interest in overcoming challenge, and beautiful exchanges of love and belief that made me smile and cry in swift succession. All of this is threaded with hope, determination and a quintessentially British sense of humour and stubbornness and, I am pleased to add, a happy lack of cannibalism.

I am even more pleased to write that all crew survived, including the young twins, and after a period of rehab and refeeding, all six bounced back to be healthy, fine and fit. Physically and emotionally, this addition of children must have added layers of challenge to their plight and, undoubtedly a focus for hope and commitment to effort, too. For me, it is this element which ranks it up there as one of the Greats and Dougal Robertson in particular as Skipper of the crew, as something of a hero. Mr Robertson, I salute you, Sir - yours was an epic.

For more information on Sarah's exploits check out www.sarahouten.co.uk

1. Santarem, Brazil - Such an awesome town. Sat on the confluence of the Amazon and Tapajos Rivers deep in the jungle this place is like a surf town 1000km from any waves. The vibe of the town is just so laid back and the people who live there very cool. I hung with a student communist who smoked the biggest joints I have ever seen here and was lectured on the benefits of his political leanings. Not far up the Tapajos are white sand (river) beaches complete with bars and hammocks to kick back in. Well worth a visit if you are ever around. Don't forget the half litre Brahma beers!

2. Kashan, Iran - I walked through this small city (pop. less than 300 000) as I headed south across Iran on my little wander to the Persian Gulf. Sitting on the edge of a desert it is an oasis of sorts which provides a lovely contrast. Life here is fast enough to keep you interested but sit in one of the town's central squares for the old men and time slows right down for sure. Duck down a tiny alleyway and get lost after a few turns. Push through a wooden door and all of a sudden a hidden sanctuary awaits - beautiful houses with fountains, gardens and hosts plying you with tea and fresh fruit.

3. Cape Town, South Africa - Not exactly a hidden gem but a place that holds fond memories for me. I have lived on the Western Cape on and off for months at a time over the last decade and the place just rocks. After spending a month out in the desert guiding on the river and returning to civilization you tend to make the most of things. A short drive to Llandudno Beach with sick waves (in crazy cold Atlantic waters), blazing sun and views (I don't mean the sunsets!) hard to beat. Party on Long Street or down at the Marina. Had enough of the city life? Head to out of town to the mountains or wineries and be back in time for dinner. Love it!

4. Da Lat, Vietnam - I found Da Lat on a wander through Vietnam a good few years ago now (almost a decade!). Having ended up in one of my least favourite places on earth - Da Nang - made famous as an R & R favourite with US troops during the Vietnam War the place is still a bit of a cess pit - I had to escape. Leaving two boozing mates behind who were in their element, a deathtrap minibus took me up to 1500m in the mountains. I spent a week there mountain biking and cruising the roads on an old Russian motorcycle. Good times.

5. Lake Langano, Ethiopia - Talk about glamping! My time on the lake was spent kayaking, chewing ghat, lying semi-comatose by beach fires and chowing down on BBQ feasts. Being within easy reach of Addis Ababa the British and US Embassies had "retreats" here. No electricity but definite luxury when compared to the other surrounds. Bilharzia free swimming is also a bonus!

A good mix of locations and memories here for sure. Care to reveal your own? Or perhaps you want to keep them under wraps!

Perversely, undertaking these activities in training puts me at a much higher risk of injury which would prevent me from setting off on an expedition at the drop of a hat! Go figure.

Now, having fractured my right clavicle over the weekend while kayaking I must once again go through the process of recovery. Physically this is always pretty straight forward (lots of injuries means lots of rehab over the years). I struggle much more with the psychological side of the process. The frustration at not being able to do the things I love is killer! That is the barrier I must break through.

Like some sort of Groundhog Day I wrote about this exact issue just after I had my shoulder reconstruction in March this year. Going back and reading this post just now was a great help and will for sure get me through yet another period of recovery. Check it out here - Get Off Your Ass!

What techniques do you use to get through an enforced lay-off from doing what you love?

I have probably teased long enough now about my next expedition plans and I just know the suspense has got everyone on tenterhooks like a world cup match (I can dream can't I?). Next week I am going to put us all out of our misery and make a bit of an announcement. I just have to get up the courage to do so. Once it is out there, no chance of turning back!

Interest in the Expedition School has jumped this week after some great exposure. There are only a couple of spots left so if you are keen do not hesitate. Come join us in the French Pyrenees for 3 days of fun and learning!

As an aside, the next big (and I mean big!) expedition project has been decided upon. Must be the season for it. It is a huge one and it gets my heart racing just thinking about what lies ahead. Stoked! Rest assured, a proper announcement coming up soon!

Today, those of us undertaking expeditions seem required somehow to justify our reasons behind doing so. Almost as though we are off on a jolly, big holiday and people want to know why we are going. With the emergence over the last few years of "cause" expeditions, which have achieved their goal of maximum publicity, it is now almost expected that setting off on expedition must be in the pursuit of some lofty goal - raising awareness, a first, for charity etc. I applaud these expeditions wholeheartedly (if their goals are pure). If not, then I still applaud them somewhat for their marketing skills. However, must I have a higher calling? An altruistic reason for departing on my journey? I reckon not.

I work hard and have worked hard to continually better myself, improve my knowledge and skills as an expeditioneer and conduct myself as a professional (I am digging this journey as much as any expedition!). To then be asked "Why?" or "What for?", in my mind, is akin to asking any professional, in any industry the same questions and requesting they justify their existence? Ask your GP if he turns up to his clinic each day for charity. What about a premier league footballer? A lawyer? City worker? I know for sure that a lot of these guys might work for charity or for a cause at times, but it is certainly not their reason for being.

In future I might become so passionate about a cause that I want to use my position, my profession, to raise awareness of(I hope I do!). But, in the meantime, I just do what I do because...? Hell, I don't even know why I do it and you know what? It doesn't matter!

That said, you might disagree. Let me know your reasoning. You might just change my mind!

With that in mind here are a bunch of really badly thought out ideas for what might come next for me. Feel free to pinch them.

1. Full human-powered source to sea of the entire Nile - despite many different expeditions on the Nile or parts of it, to my knowledge this has never been done. Guns, crocs and killer falls being some of the reasons why.

2. A short walk in the Wakhan Corridor, Afghanistan. Big mountains, great people and just enough of a threat of danger to keep things interesting. This was on the cards until I heard that this year 11 teams are attempting summits in the region. Bit crowded for me but still worth considering.

3. A big paddle somewhere. Riaan Manser circumnavigated Madagascar last year. He took 11 months and covered 5000km. It was a tough trip but supremely interesting. Where else might be good?

4. Another decent walk. Walking is hella slow but like cycling gets you up close and personal with the locals. There are a lot of places that might fit the bill for this. Variety is nice, which is why crossing Iran was such a buzz. Hard to get bored with the ever changing scenery. Green hell or Arctic white-outs is not what I am really chasing.

5. I feel obligated for the moment to undertake human-powered expeditions somehow. However my secret desire is to get a really rubbish old Russian or Chinese motorbike and see how far I can get. Worthy of an adventure for sure. Perhaps. Maybe ride the bike to a mountain, climb it and then ride it back again. Mmmm....

]]> http://www.markkalch.com/2010/03/5-expedition-ideas/feed/ 5 http://www.markkalch.com/2010/03/sponsorship-proposals-roi/ http://www.markkalch.com/2010/03/sponsorship-proposals-roi/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:57:25 +0000 Mark Kalch http://www.markkalch.com/?p=2014 Planning for Expedition Amazonas took a lot of years. Nathe was a mad man with maps, routes, logistics, contacts and overall feasibility. I managed to squeeze myself in there somewhere and…

]]> Planning for Expedition Amazonas took a lot of years. Nathe was a mad man with maps, routes, logistics, contacts and overall feasibility. I managed to squeeze myself in there somewhere and took hold of, among other tasks, sponsorship. We knew we were looking at an epic. The task was to convince others that it would be worthwhile backing us and coming on board. Much easier said than done. However, with enough common sense, blind passion and self belief can really help out. I started off with the perhaps deluded and naive assumption that folks would be knocking down our door to sponsor us. Even after those rejection emails, or worse, no replies started to mount up I still felt we were on to something. As we flew off to Peru we had 17 industry leading sponsors on board. Not bad for a first major expedition from a few unknowns I reckon. How did we go about it?

Above is the final draft of our sponsorship proposal which was emailed as a PDF to potential sponsors (click to enlarge). 1 page. Just 1 page. Isn't that a bit short? We started with a 30 page brochure full of graphs, photos, kit lists, breakdowns etc. It never even saw the light of day! 30 pages? What were we thinking! Who was going to read that? Answer? No-one! Potential sponsors do not care about your plans to save the world, end poverty or track climate change by pulling a little box behind you on the ice. They care about three simple words - RETURN ON INVESTMENT. What does an insurance company care about how greenhouse gases could affect the marine life of the Arctic Ocean (despite the marketing blurb)? Sure, your aims must align with their core beliefs in some way. Royal Dutch Shell is unlikely to come on board with your expedition in Alaska to promote an end to off-shore drilling are they? Call me a cynic if you like (I prefer realist), but ROI is key.

If you cannot grab a marketing managers attention in the first paragraph of your proposal then you have lost them. Even after you have piqued their interest you won't hold them very long. Get their attention, show them potential (and highly likely) returns and get out. If they want more information they will ask for it. If not, your proposal is probably in the bin. You can pull out the facts and figures when called for. If you are asking for financial backing you'd better have them, just like with any business plan. Not many companies hand over cold hard cash because they are such lovely people. They may well be, but, they have a business to run. They want to see those three words again - return on investment. The above proposal is not perfect, but it did have at least a few things going for it. It was short, it was to the point and did not take up anyone's time. This tended to delay that short journey to the trash bin just enough.

There are so many other elements involved in the sponsorship game (ROI is just one of them). Elements that after so many years I have a pretty firm grasp of. I am not spot on with sponsorship or propose to be some sort of guru, but I have learnt a few things here and there.

If you have any questions on getting sponsorship, email me and I would be happy to help out. NB. Try not to email questions like - "How do I get sponsorship?". Make it specific. Something that cannot be answered with a quick Google search.

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