Kokatat Supports Argentina Sea Kayaking Expedition

In March 2009, Diego Lamas, Agustin and Luis Garcia Albarido will attempt for the first time to paddle the entire length of Argentina, a distance of more than 4,000 nautical miles. Starting at La Quiaca, a little town settled at 14,000ft in the northern Andes Mountains, the team will cycle and paddle for approximately 10 months to reach the end of Patagonia- the city of Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego province.

The expedition will be broken into 2 parts. First the team will cycle 410 miles, with their sea kayaks in carts, to reach the waters of the Bermejo- a constantly changing river with plenty of crocodiles, snakes, and piranhas. Next they will paddle along the big Paraguay and Paraná Rivers that originate from the Brazilian Amazon River, and many miles later they will reach the Atlantic Ocean where the second part of their journey begins. “The hardest part of our expedition begins when our sea kayaks head south in search of the Patagonia coast, full of rocks and ridges, cold temperatures and strong winds,” says Agustin. The team will paddle the Atlantic Coastline of Argentina to reach their final destination at the tip of Patagonia.

Why paddle 4,000 nautical miles? “Our intention is to generate conscience and make people understand that we can solve any problem if we act,” explains Agustin. “Working hard locally can lead us to global solutions. The daily effort and a positive mind can make the difference, so we will do what we know best, paddle and show people that everybody can do something to solve problems on a local scale.”
These three companions from Tigre, Buenos Aires, Argentina will be paddling to raise awareness for rural schools and environment preservation. Rural schools in Argentina have little resources and are settled in the middle of nowhere; walking, horse riding and rowing are the only means to get there since there are no school buses available in these remote areas. These types of schools need to feed the children that spend all day far away from home. “Our help is needed. By raising awareness we hope to increase donations of food, clothes, books, computers and many other supplies these schools are in dire need of,” explains the team. “Environmental problems are also important to us; we paddle for clean rivers and healthy ecosystems, for the respect of wildlife, global warming, against industries breaking the laws and many other threats that nature is suffering.”

For more information and to follow the team on their journey, visit www.argentinakayaking.blogspot.com

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