Quick Update

Today, I been offered the flooring for my shelter (nice Christmas present). I just need a whole load of fibreglass and gelcoat now! In addition, I have a verbal offer for a quarter of my boat charter costs, which I'm in the process of clarifying. All good news! Hopefully, once finalised, this offer of cash will lead to others...

Merry Christmas!

Buffing Up!

Towards the end of last week Buffwear very kindly agreed to support the expedition with the supply of their new polar Buffs to help keep me warm in the cold and wet North Atlantic. Thanks very much to Sam at Buffwear.

Construction/conversion of the RockPod is moving forward very well. I am now actively seeking financial sponsors to pay for/contribute to the costs of transportation to Rockall and supplies for my stay on the Rock.

Medical kit supplier agreed

When your playing field is located far from the luxuries of modern life; electricity, telephones, running water & professional medical help, you need to be self sufficient. Adventure Medical Kits are designed to fulfill this, offering a wide selection of medical solutions perfect for outdoor adventuring.

I am very pleased to say that Adventure Medical Kits have agreed to supply the Rockall Solo Endurance Expedition with medical supplies, which is a great relief to my wife and Mother!

Silver clouds

After the disappointment of next year's trip to Rockall being postponed, morale is higher today as the hatches for the RockPod have arrived from Lewmar.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank Lewmar for their kind support for the Rockall Solo project. The conversion of the RockPod can now commence, with the instalation of the hatches and deck vent.

Further disappointment

Unfortunately, due to the unexpected, and until recently unannounced, Belgian expedition to Rockall last month, the MS0INT IOTA team have decided to postpone their trip to Rockall next year by one year. This means they, and myself, will now be heading out into the North Atlantic in May/June 2013.

All change...

Well, that was a VERY eventful weekend:

First of all, my son Freddie was born. He sleeps and eats, sleeps and eats. Seems to have life pretty sorted. He's great (so far)!

Secondly, the Belgians (www.rockall.be) finally managed to land some of their group on Rockall and transmit from there. Well done to them for what they achieved.

To top it all off, my Waveland Passport arrived today along with stamps and stickers. They're like hen's teeth, so I'm really chuffed about getting it (although Freddie's obviously better!).

Moving Forward

I'm please to announce that due to a generous donation from Trailer Engineering, the first part of my solo expedition cost-saving exercise is moving forward. I now have the super-structure for the RockPod (TM) and have placed my order with Lewmar who have kindly (and patiently) agreed to supply the access and ventilation hatches for the shelter. Once these have arrived and been fitted, along with the fixing points previously supplied by William Hackett, I just need to insulate the RockPod and decide on a method of levelling it out once on Rockall.

The other half of the cost saving exercise, boat charter, continues in the background...

Good Bit of Press

I managed to get a good bit of press for the upcoming EU-189 and my own Rockall Solo expedition today albeit local to my home area. Hopefully some financial sponsorship may come of it...

MS0INT Rockall 2012

I have been asked to join a team of four highly experienced IOTA (Islands On The Air) amateur radio activators who are planning to operate from Rockall (EU-189). We aim to land and stay on Rockall for 48 hours in May 2012. The four radio operators are all part of the larger and highly successful MS0INT IOTA adventure group, which has had previous transmitting success from St. Kilda, the Monach Islands and the Flannan Islands.

Rockall Ownership Dispute Disputed...

I have, off and on, been speaking to Ken Hitchen, formerly of the BGS regarding Rockall, the expedition, and issues of ownership. Ken has carried out quite a bit of research into the resources below the Rockall area, and is possibly the only true expert on the Rockall region (above and below the waterline) around today.

The reason I raise this is that Ken has assured me that there is no dispute at this time as to the ownership of Rockall! Re-reading the relevant reports and research in the light of his comments, I have to say he has point:

All the disputed claims relating to 'Rockall' (UK, Ireland, Iceland and Faroe) are actually relating to the sea bed within the Hatton Basin (or the Hatton-Rockall Basin as it is sometime known, hence the confusion). This lies to the West of the Rockall Bank, of which Rockall itself is the exposed summit. There is no definite boundary defining where the bank ends and the basin begins, just as there are no boundaries defining the glens from the mountains in Scotland. However it is fair to say that being the summit, Rockall is not in the valley/basin and is therefore outside the area of dispute.

Added to this is the map below, from Ireland's submission to the UN regarding the dispute, which shows the Rockall Bank in orange to the right of the Hatton-Rockall area, with the region in which Rockall itself lies, the north-eastern tip of the bank, being to the North of the current Ireland-UK continental shelf boundary (black), and hence in UK territorial waters. It is also East of Iceland's claim; Rockall is therefore outside of Iceland's claim, and also outside the Faroese claim (purple).The link to the document this map comes from is here.

The plot thickens...

Ah ha! It seems that the 'new' expedition to Rockall is actually two of Islandman's team who parted ways with him in Denmark earlier this week. The plot thinkens...

A busy place, Rockall...

I was browsing the web for more info on Rockall and came across another expedition which seems to be departing imminently. This will be Russell Hunt's 2nd trip. I wish him the best of luck. Good job Islandman is not now heading there as it could all have become a bit busy in the North Atlantic!

Who owns the Hatton-Rockall Basin? The Mystery deepens...

I finally managed to contact someone useful at the UN regarding their meeting in March to discuss the above topic. I was refered to the Statements of the Chairperson of the Commission (CLCS/70) which 'clearly' sumises thus:

"The Commission decided that, in order to ensure expediency and efficiency in the light of a large number of submissions, two new subcommissions would be established. The Commission noted that the submissions made by ... the United Kingdom in respect of Hatton Rockall Area, and Ireland in respect of Hatton-Rockall Area were at the head of the queue. Recalling its decisions with regard to those submissions...the Commission decided to further defer the establishment of subcommissions for the consideration of any of those submissions. It was also decided that, since those submissions remained next in line for consideration as queued in the order in which they were received, the Commission would revisit the situation at the time of establishment of its next subcommission."

So, I hope that's much clearer now!

Mission Impossible?

Unfortunately it appears that Islandman has had to cancel his expedition for this year: http://missionrockall.com/latest-news

Latest update

Well, long time no blog!

Just been informed by Island Man of his dates for this year's attempt on Rockall. Keep a close eye on his website for the attempt: http://missionrockall.com.

In regard to my own attempt on The Rock, plans are still creeping ahead: I still await the superstructure for the RockPod from the manufacturer. This is being delivered for free by tagging onto the next delivery to my area, so I must be patient. I have also reconfirmed that the sponsored hatches for the RockPod will still be available when I require them. Once this structure arrives, I can get on with the task of building the shelter, which is the first step to bringing the costs of the expedition down.

I am also heading out to the Outer Hebrides next month - part business, part pleasure. The wife and I will be taking a tour of the islands, but I also hope to get out to St. Kilda and to talk to local boatmen in regard to transportation to Rockall in a further effort to cut the expedition costs.

The final bit of news, is that after a couple of training trips to Aonach Eagach and The Cuillin Ridge, Jim and I are due to head to La France in August to attempt Mont Blanc in aid of Help for Heroes. Please consider sponsoring us at: www.justgiving.com/montblanc-2011 and pass the link on to your friends and family!

A New Challange!

Following on from the disappointment of postponing Rockall 2011, I was looking for an alternative challenge to raise funds for Help for Heroes this year. My best man, Jim and I have decided to climb Mont Blanc in August. There's a JustGiving site set up and I'll be blogging/tweeting as we climb (hopefully). The sponsorship page, should you wish to donate, is www.justgiving.com/montblanc-2011

Foiled again!

Following on from the meeting I had on Saturday regarding a possible trip to Rockall this year, I have decided that I am unable to comply with the conditions on my joining set by the expedition team, and so I have decided that this potential option is not a possibility for me. There is one other alternative, which I am following up, which may still enable me to go to Rockall this year.

Further news

I have now confirmed a meeting on Saturday 12th February which will hopefully clarify some points regarding the possible revised trip to Rockall, and may also confirm whether I will still be able to go, albeit in a revised format, this year.

Sparks of life!

This week I have had a very interesting conversation regarding going to Rockall: there may yet be an opportunity for me to land there this year. Its very early days in the discussions, and there are still further chats to be had so I can't reveal much, save to say that because of the proposed format the majority of my more extreme goals would have to be put to one side in order to go for the main and probably hardest achievement of making a landing. Sorry for being so cryptic, but for now watch this space!