Adventure Dreams – Around-n-Over

Erden Eruç had the notion to circumnavigate the world.  To support that dream and insure a solid educational component, he developed and incorporated Around-n-Over.  Around-n-Over is a Seattle, Washington, non-profit group dedicated to dreams and honor.  The organization wants to help people realize their dreams while honoring fallen adventurers.  Their mission is “to educate and to inspire through human powered journeys.”  Their work focuses on education with adventure as the centerpiece.  Eruç currently serves as president of the organization.

Six Summits Expedition

The main project of Around-N-Over is the Six Summits Expedition.   It includes two components:

1. Circumnavigate the world with human power,
2. Climb six peaks:  Denali in North America, Kosciuszko in Australia, Kilimanjaro in Africa, Aconcagua in South America, Elbrus in Europe and Everest in Asia

Eruç is the adventurer carrying out this project. The journey involved crossed the oceans in a rowboat, bicycling as much as possible, using kayaks and canoes as needed and covering part of the trip on foot.  So far he has circumnavigated the world to the standards of the Guiness Book of World Records for around-the-world surface journey as well as the special case of “circumnavigation by surface travel” that includes hitting at least one pair of antipodal points.  He began the circumnavigation on July 10, 2007 and completed it on July 21, 2012. Completing circumnavigation by surface travel means he:

• started and finished at the same location [Bodega Bay near San Francisco],
• crossed the Equator [north of Analton Island in the Pacific and in the mid-Atlantic] ,
• crossed all lines of longitude,
• resumed each leg of the journey from the exact point at which the last one ended,
• covered a minimum distance equal to that of the Tropic of Capricorn, which is 22,859 miles (36,788 km) [ He traveled 41,196 mi (66,299 km).],
• proceeded in one direction, east or west, any distance doubled back must be deducted from the total [He traveled westward.],
• hit at least one pair of points on the earth’s surface that are located diametrically opposite of each other [He hit 12 pairs of antipodal points.].

So far Eruç has also climbed Denali, Kosciuszko and Kilimanjaro.

Setting Records

Along the way he set a number of records and firsts:

•  record for longest time at sea for a solo oceanrower: 312 days
• first person to have rowed three oceans
• first mainland to mainland crossing of the Indian Ocean
• first transoceanic crossing by human power from the southern hemisphere to the northern
• longest distance by human power on the Atlantic Ocean
• most experienced oceanrower alive in the world: 876 days and close to 29,000 nautical miles
• first person to complete an entirely solo and entirely human-powered circumnavigation of the earth

Converting the Experience to Education

 

The educational component involved two avenues.  First,  funds were raised during the expedition and used to support several projects including providing funding to a Turkish group, İLKYAR, for two, rural, school libraries; supporting the addition of classrooms at the Mateves Secondary School near Mt. Kilimanjaro; and contributing to the nonprofit organization Bridge To Türkiye to build a dormitory to accommodate K-8 girls in a rural area in southeastern Turkey.

Second, Eruç has spoken to students at schools around the world and made many public presentations to carry the message to a wider audience.  He is a poster child for sacrifice and perseverance, two of the attributes he is trying to instill in the kids he addresses.

For more,  check out the Around-N-Over website.

Documentary Film

A documentary film titled Castaway with Purpose is currently under development.  The filmmakers have been organizing and combing through 120 hours of footage.  The current plan is for a rough cut of the film to be completed this year with public release in 2016.  Here is a trailer for the film:

For more on the film as well as more video clips see the project website.

Please Share