Marcus Demuth, a kayaker from New York City, will be beginning a solo circumnavigation of Iceland by sea kayak on June 6th, according to reports in paddlinginstructor.com.
The 1,450 mile trip has only been attempted by a solo kayaker two times. The trip is expected to take two and a half months and has only been successfully achieved once.
Marcus will be using the trip as a vehicle for fundraising for the Icelandic Sea & Mountain Rescue Organization (ICE-SAR), a group which functions entirely with the help of volunteers. ICE-SAR is responsible for 220 rescue teams covering both the mountain and the sea, incorporating thousands of volunteers. In addition to raising funds, Marcus hopes that his trip will raise awareness for the group’s accident prevention and response work.
Iceland is situated in one of the most challenging marine environments on earth. The south western coast is exposed to large swells from the Atlantic, while its northern shore is just two miles from the Arctic Circle. Marcus will be kayaking amidst screaming winds, glacial weather and rapidly changing conditions.
Marcus successfully circumnavigated Ireland in 2007 to raise funds for the Royal National Lifeboat Association (RNLI). That trip took 42 days and covered 1,100 nautical miles. Marcus has already kayaked in Canada, Australia and Patagonia/Chile.