Project Zero: Update from Dometic Marine Sustainability Sponsorship
The Dometic marine APAC team have had official confirmation that Dometic ambassadors Dr Geoff Wilson and son Kitale have successfully reached the tip of South America after 50 days at sea. While navigating the challenging waters of the Strait of Magellan, they were greeted by the awe-inspiring Patagonia Ice Cap, the world’s second-largest contiguous extra polar ice field, which is receding at an alarming rate.
The first leg of the Project Zero journey concluded in Patagonia. Geoff described the initial leg as the “most physically and mentally challenging journey” he had ever undertaken. They faced relentless seas and the constant strain of ensuring the safety of all four crew members amidst severe sleep deprivation. Battling five unforgiving storms, the Nanook X was pushed to its limits, at times teetering on the verge of capsizing before deploying a drogue.
Arriving in the port city of Puerto Montt, Southern Chile, on October 1, the team covered a staggering distance of 6621 nautical miles (equivalent to 12,288 kilometers) since embarking from Southport, Queensland on August 13.
Geoff says that in this remarkable journey, the performance of Dometic products have played a pivotal role. Throughout the expedition so far, Dometic equipment has withstood the harshest of conditions, in the most challenging environments, true tools for adventurers and explorers.
Geoff and Kitale will disembark to undertake a daring crossing of the Patagonian Ice Cap, journeying from Chile to Argentina. They will later rejoin their crew members on board.
Their mission is to inspire transformative change through carbon-neutral exploration, all while capturing the untold stories of climate change. Their vessel, the specially adapted steel-hulled boat, Nanook X, is powered by a combination of solar, hydro, and wind energy sources.
Their overarching goal is to inspire a new era of adventure where the ethos of “leave only footprints, take only photographs, and generate no carbon” becomes a tangible reality. Their own carbon emissions will be meticulously tracked and shared on the Project Zero website, ultimately offset by tree planting initiatives.
As they prepare for the second leg of their journey, Geoff admits he has no desire to confront the Southern Ocean again, viewing it as a symbolic representation of the chaos humanity could face if we disregard climate warnings. “We can change, and we must.”
Read previous Project Zero article here
