FarAfield NEWS FOR THE CANADIAN CHAPTER

Good Morning Musandam (Oman)

Vol.3, No. 1 Summer 2011

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 1 www.explorersclub.ca

Message from the Chapter Chair – Simon Donato FI’06

Dear Members,

Although our "La Nina" year seems to have delayed the onset of summer, we are getting some hopeful glimpses of better days ahead. I trust that you will all make time to take advantage of this weather to get outdoors and challenge yourself with an exploration goal this summer. Please check with your regional director to see what summer events and expeditions may be occurring in your area that you could get involved in. In addition, if you find yourself exploring with non-members of our great club, we are always looking for more high calibre members. If you have any questions about nominating a member, please contact our acting membership chair Murray Larson for guidance.

For those of you who might find themselves with some free time, I welcome you to contact me, as we have several volunteer opportunities for members who wish to become more active within the Canadian Chapter.

As always, I wish you a summer of safe travels and memorable exploration.

Best Regards,

Simon

Issue Month Deadline

Winter December November 15

Summer June May 15

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 2 www.explorersclub.ca

Communications Director – Jason Schoonoer FI’86

Newer members may well wonder why I’ve nicked the name of Glorious Leader (GL for short) on Joe Frey. It’s because BJ (Before Joe) this chapter was one in name only, a cardboard box, like so many, especially in the US. And I’ve been a member since 1986. In fairness, it was extremely difficult to coordinate—pre-email—a chapter with the breadth geographically of ours. The internet revolution is a revolution in communications and information—and this created the potential for the chapter to blossom. And that’s what happened when a few minds got together.

In 2003 Glorious Leader Joe took our chapter in a Great Leap Forward and created the Taj Mahal it is today. He organized it by regions, created our executive and our directorship and spawned a Club and chapter culture. Due to his efforts we won the Best Chapter Award at ECAD in 2004. It hasn’t been awarded since.

He created one of the most vibrant chapters of the some 32 in the world. Thus, he is justly due the nomenclature of Glorious Leader and I expect you to bow and humble yourself in His presence. Today, GL’s on our Club Board of Directors as Vice President of Chapters—a position he’s supremely qualified for and in which he is making major positive changes to many of our lagging associations. GL is a supremely talented organizer.

Likewise, our current chair – Simon Donato – has been designed OPO by Prairie-NWT Director Murray (Lil’ Mur) Larson. OPO meaning Oh Perfect One. When you meet Simon, you’ll see why. He’s young, tall, handsome, an athlete and recently nailed his Ph.D. He’s the future of The Explorers Club and it’s in good hands.

What follows is a history of our chapter, written by GL Joe:

History of the Canadian Chapter 1979 - 2010

The Early Years 1979 - January 7, 2003

The Canadian Chapter was co-founded in during 1979 by Norman Elder, FI 79 and Colonel Peter Lewin, OMM, CD, MD, FI 79.

Norm Elder, FI 79 was the Canadian Chapter Chairman for approximately a decade. Under his leadership an annual Canadian Chapter dinner was held at the Windsor Arms Hotel in Toronto's chic Yorkville district. Traditionally the dinner featured a speaker who had returned from a major expedition.

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 3 www.explorersclub.ca Norm was a graduate of Upper College, the University of Western Ontario and the . He was the Curator of the Norman Elder Museum, which included unusual artefacts that he collected from his many travels around the world. He undertook expeditions to Papua New Guinea, the Amazon, the Congo, the and most recently . He represented Canada at the 1959 Pan-American Games where he won the Gold and Bronze medals in the Equestrian events. He also represented our country at the 1960 and 1968 Olympic Games. Norm died on Wednesday October 15th, 2003 in Toronto and was buried in Muskoka, Ontario. www.explorersclub.ca/_memoriam.htm

Colonel Peter Lewin, MD, FI 79, was an explorer, paediatrician, medical archaeologist, soldier and humanitarian. Having grown-up in Egypt during the Second World War Peter developed a fascination in Egyptology and he developed the concept of performing autopsies on Egyptian mummies to see the types of diseases that were common in ancient Egypt. Peter's picture hangs on the wall of the Egyptology Department of the Royal Ontario Museum.

Peter joined the British Army through whom he received his medical degree. Upon immigrating to Canada he joined the Canadian Forces and was posted to Germany for 15 years, upon returning to Canada he joined the Canadian Forces Medical Reserves and became a paediatrician at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children and also taught medicine at the University of Toronto. His last major expedition was to Spitzbergen Island which was led by Dr. Kirsty Duncan, FI' 05 to find viral evidence of the 1918 Spanish Flu. During 2002 Peter sponsored Joseph Frey, FI' 02, the Canadian Chapter's third Chair into the Club. Peter died of cancer on June 7, 2005 in Toronto and was buried at Toronto's Mount Pleasant Cemetery on June 10th. www.explorersclub.ca/_memoriam.htm

The second Canadian Chapter Chair was Duane Robertson, MI’ 88, who served for approximately a decade until January 7, 2003. During the pre-internet period it was a real challenge to organize a Chapter that is 5,000 km wide (3,000 miles), has six time zones and has two official languages. So when Duane had the Chair of the Canadian Chapter suddenly passed on to him, he found that the Chapter was really Toronto-centric and the far-flung membership of the Canadian Chapter referred to it as the Toronto Chapter. Duane gallantly held the Canadian Chapter together.

The Canadian Chapter between January 8, 2003 - December 31, 2009

During December 2002 Peter Lewin approached Joseph Frey and Billy Jamieson, MI’ 97 with a suggestion that the Canadian Chapter be rebuilt. The meeting took place on January 8, 2003 in attendance where Peter Lewin, Norm Elder, Billy Jamieson and Joseph Frey. That evening an Interim Executive was set up that consisted of Joseph Frey, Chairman, Peter Lewin and Billy Jamieson as Deputy Co-Chairmen. The Interim Executive evolved, new members were recruited into the Interim Executive that ran the Canadian Chapter until December 31, 2004.

During the rebuilding process Joseph decided to divide the Chapter into six regions (four regions as of 2005) and to draft a new charter that ensures no one person or region can dominate the Canadian Chapter. The Charter also contains safeguards to prevent the Canadian Chapter from breaking up. An arrangement was negotiated between HQ, the Chapter and Outpost magazine for free subscription for Canadian Chapter members. Likewise, Peter Lewin and Joseph Frey worked out a reciprocal club arrangement between HQ and the Royal Canadian Military Institute in Toronto (we also have a reciprocal agreement with the St. James

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 4 www.explorersclub.ca Club, Montreal). Billy Jamieson financed the development of the Canadian Chapter’s website www.explorersclub.ca as well as hosting the first Canadian Chapter National Annual Event, which he continues to do.

With an outdated, mistake-laden Canadian Chapter membership list provided to Joseph Frey by the Club it took six months to sort out who the active members of our Chapter were. Eventually the list was narrowed down to 54 members. During this process Joseph came across individuals such as Anthony Dalton, FI' 85 of Vancouver who volunteered several months of his time to help Joseph follow up with members in British Columbia. Joe also got in touch with Nat Rutter, FI'78. Nat quickly volunteered to set up the Prairie-NWT Region and his annual three-day field events are amazing, especially the 2005 palaeontology field event. Eduard Reinhardt, FI' 04 and John Geiger, FI' 04 assisted with the running of the Ontario- Region. John went on and spent a great deal of time on developing the Stefansson Medal. George Burden, MI' 03, stepped up to the plate to oversee the Atlantic-Quebec Region.

Joseph first met Rosemarie, FI' 02 and Pat Keough, FI' 02, during the 2004 ECAD. Rosemarie serving from 2004 – 2009 went on to become the British Columbia – Yukon Region Chair. Rosemarie has done a marvellous job running the BC-Yukon Region whose membership proportionately grew the fastest within the Canadian Chapter.

Together Rosemarie and Pat developed the best Explorers Club event outside of ECAD. Their organizing and hosting of the annual 3-day Salt Spring Symposium is brilliant and has attracted participants from across North America, Europe and Australia. Rosemarie also organized an annual top-notch spring event on Vancouver Island which Barry Glickman, FI’ 05 has been assisting with.

Jason Schoonover, FI' 86 volunteered to become the Canadian Chapter’s Communications Director during 2004 and holds that position to this day. In addition to his regular internal communications with the Chapter, he also co-ordinates our Chapter’s contribution to The Explorers Log (one of the few chapters to have a 100% contribution rate to the publication), and he wrote the book “Adventurous Dreams, Adventurous Lives” which outlines the lives of 120 contemporary explorers and field scientists most of whom are members of the Club.

Other invaluable Directors who joined the Chapter’s leadership since 2005 are Denis St-Onge, who is a former president of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Denis is Co-Chair of the Awards and Honours Committee and his views on Chapter affairs are both insightful and level headed. Amanda Glickman, FI’ 05, and John Pollack, FI’ 06, have both put countless hours into the Canadian Chapter having pulled together our first annual Roster. Both have provided invaluable advice to Joseph Frey and Amanda also is the Chapter’s webmaster and developed our database.

Without the above individuals the Canadian Chapter would not have achieved what it has, such as almost quadrupling the Chapter’s membership and being the first Chapter to be run on the concept of Regions which is an efficient way to effectively maximize scarce leadership resources. Ours is the only Chapter with its own logo (Peter Lewin) and flag (Murray Larson, FI’ 05), and a magazine arrangement. The introduction of the Stefansson Medal in 2007, and the Canadian Chapter Citation of Merit (John Geiger and Denis St-Onge), beginning in 2008 the Canadian Membership Roster (John Pollack and Amanda Glickman), and during 2009 the Canadian Chapter’s successful annual film festival (Elaine Wyatt, MI’ 05). 2009 saw the interdiction of the Chapter’s new newsletter “Far Afield” (Wilson West, FI’ 08). Progress is in the DNA of the Canadian Chapter.

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 5 www.explorersclub.ca

Canadian Chapter – January 1, 2010 to present

January 1, 2010 was a historic occasion for the Canadian Chapter. It was the first time since January 8, 2003 that the Chapter's entire Executive was replaced. The incoming Executive consists of Canadian Chapter Chair, Amanda Glickman, FI' 05 along with Region Directors, John Pollack, FI' 06, BC-Yukon Region, Murray Larson, FI'05, Prairie-NWT Region, Elaine Wyatt, MI' 05 Ontario-Nunavut Region and David Sawatzky, FI' 07, Atlantic-Quebec Region.

HISTORIQUE DE LA SECTION CANADIENNE

La Section canadienne a été établie à Toronto en 1979 par Norman Elder (FI 79)et le colonel Peter Lewin, OMM, CD, MD FI„79.

Norm Elder (FI 79) fût le président de la Section canadienne pour près d’une décennie. Sous sa direction, un dîner annuel avait lieu à l’hôtel Windsor Arms dans le quartier chic de Yorkville à Toronto. Traditionnellement, un conférencier fraîchement de retour d’une expédition faisait partie de cette réunion. Norman était particulièrement intéressé par l’anthropologie en particulier en Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée, le Congo, l’Amazonie, l’Arctique et plus tard, Madagascar.

Le deuxième président de la Section canadienne fût Duane Robertson qui servit jusqu’en 2003.

La Section canadienne fût revitalisée en 2003 par Bill Jamieson, Peter Lewin et Joseph Frey qui nommèrent un exécutif intérimaire qui assuma la direction de la Section du 8 janvier 2003 au 31 décembre 2004. À ce moment, la Section comprenait 54 membres. Bill fût énergique dans son appui pour le renouvellement de la Section. Il en finançait les activités à Toronto en plus de voir au développement du site web.

Dans un effort de restructuration, il fût décidé de scinder la Section en 6 régions (maintenant 4) et d’élaborer une nouvelle charte qui assure qu’aucune personne ou région ne puisse contrôler la Section. La charte contient également des garanties pour prévenir la dissolution de la Section. Une entente fût négociée entre le Siège social et le Royal Canadian Military Institute de Toronto.

La réaction fût impressionnante; en moins de quatre années le nombre de membres tripla. C’est maintenant la seule Section à être divisée en régions, la seule avec son propre logo (grâce à Peter Lewin), son drapeau (grâce à Murray Larson) et avec une entente pour le journal. Le lancement de la médaille Stefansson (John Geiger) en 2007, les certificats d’Excellence et finalement, en 2008 le tableau des membres sont des exemples concrets de la vitalité et du succès de la Section canadienne.

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 6 www.explorersclub.ca Regional Director : BC/Yukon – John Pollack FI’06

Hello BC-Yukon explorers!

It is a busy year.

1. Meetings and Tours / Past: The NUYTCO Research Ltd. Tour was held as planned on March 22 in Vancouver. Hosted by Dr, Phil Nuytten and Donnie Reid we toured Nuytco Research Ltd's plant in Vancouver. Nuytco is a world leader in the development and operation of undersea technology. Nuytco and its sister company, Can-Dive Construction Co., have over thirty years experience around the world. Nuytco designs, builds and operates atmospheric diving suits, submersibles, remotely operated vehicles, as well as specialty equipment for commercial diving. After spending nearly two hours with Phil and Donnie, we relocated to a local Greek restaurant where a long lunch was enjoyed by most of the 16 participants.

2. Meetings and Tours / Future:

A July 15-17 Valhalla Range backpacking trip will be run into the Gwillim Lakes area near Nelson, BC. This is an incredibly beautiful cirque of small lakes located in the Valhalla Provincial Park. The trailhead is located approximately 50 km up logging roads from Passmore on Highway 6. Expect a 7 km hike in and 600 m of elevation gain to a wilderness campsite. Basic first aid equipment, a Spot-2 GPS Messenger, and a group water filter will be on-site. You are responsible for your own gear, food, tentage, and all the rest of it. Contact [email protected] to get further details, GPS coordinates, a trail map, and to reserve a space.

If you have a similar backcountry trip or project that you would like to open to BC-Yukon Explorers Club members, it's easy....put together a short prospectus, send me an email, and it can be send out using our confidential members' email distribution list.

And not to be missed, the Salt Spring Symposium will be held September 8-11 Invitations will be issued in May for this popular retreat. All British Columbia and Yukon members are invited, along with special guests. Explorers Club members from further afield who might wish to be considered a special guest, should be in touch with Rosemarie Keough (FI ’02) at [email protected]. Our sincere thanks to the Keough's for hosting this wonderful event, yet again. You can expect details as the season progresses/

3. Expeditions:

Selena Raven Cordeau (SM ’10) spent five weeks starting this April with a team of glaciologists on the Columbia Icefields, in the Canadian Rockies. See the article that follows in this issue of FAR AFIELD for two spectacular photos, and a description of her project. See Gerry Holdsworth's (FI ’78) article elsewhere in this issue for his description of ancient mountaineers near Mount Logan. This is a fascinating story.

In March John Pollack (FI ’06) led joint team of members of the Underwater Archaeological Society of BC and the Institute of Nautical Archaeology, to the Royston Breakwater on Vancouver Island, in March. In three days nine divers and a historian, added 14 ships to the

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 7 www.explorersclub.ca province's list of underwater archaeological sites. Two of these vessels were rare unstudied examples of Cape Horn windjammers, the 1876 Melanope and the 1894 Riversdale. Although these two tall ships are collapsed amidships, the bows and sterns are intact, and a future project for 2012 is being planned with Dr. James P. Delgado (FI ’97) of NOAA and Joseph Frey (FI ’02) for April 2012. We also stood on the decks of the Gatineau. This forgotten destroyer was the second to last major vessel off the beaches of Dunkirk, and it rescued nearly 1,000 seamen from the capsizing British battleship, Prince of Wales, after it was attacked by Japanese torpedo planes near Singapore in 1941.

Members wishing to share news of their projects or expeditions can send a short clip to john- [email protected]

Regional Director : Ontario/Nunavut - Elaine Wyatt MI’05

The Ontario/Nunavut members of the Explorers Club are currently IN THE FIELD around the world, and will report their adventures and discoveries in the Winter Issue.

Regional Director : Atlantic/Quebec – George Burden FI’ 03

Looking for a Regional Director! Please contact our Chapter Chair if you’re willing to volunteer some of your time to a great organization!

Not much to report in our area. I continue as interim regional director until a further nomination and if needed, election is held. Sherman Hines has kindly agreed to hold this years annual meeting at his newly excavated and refurbished 1699 Acadian foritified church. I should point out that the dungeon of the edifice is aunted but the spirits down there do seem positively disposed toward Sherman's wine collection.

Dale Dunlop (FI ’07) and I are trying to arrange a charter flight out of Halifax Airport to Canada's newest National Park, Sable Island. EC member, Zoe Lucas, lives on the island and has offered to give a tour to take advantage of the incredible flora and fauna including the famed Sable Island ponies and one of the worlds largest gray seal colonies. There is room ofr 2 or 3 more people and it should cost @ $900 each for their share of the charter.

Anyone interested in accompanying us to a rarely visit and exotic part of our own country.

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 8 www.explorersclub.ca Regional Director : Prairie/NWT – Murray Larson FI’05

Annual Field Trip

Leaders – Dr. Philip Currie (FI ’02) and Dr. Eva Koppelhus (FI ’02)

Dry Island Buffalo Jump Albertosaurus Bone Bed Sat. June 4, 2011 – Near Trochu, Alberta

Dino Lab – Biological Sciences Bldg. - U of A – Edmonton, Alberta Sun. June 5, 2011 – Biological Sciences Bldg. – U of A, Edmonton, Alberta

Fri. June 3rd, 2011 – meet in Three Hills, AB. in the PM at the Super 8 Motel (breakfast included), just off Hwy 21, on the main drag into town. I talked to the manager (Mark) and he said he would give the EC members the corporate rate of $106.00/ night. Please make your own reservations, either on line or by phone (403-443-8888). There are a number of good eating establishments in Three Hills but I am leaning towards the Two Brothers Steak House which is across the road to the south and a little west.

Sat. June 4th, 2011 – meet in the parking lot of the Super 8 at 9:15 AM and follow Philip and Eva to the trailhead at Dry Island. (approx. 14 miles (22.5 km) We will then hike in to the Albertosaurus bone bed which will take approximately 45 minutes. Make sure to have adequate gear. i.e. stout footgear and rain gear. Also make sure to bring lunch and water. We will spend some time in the badlands and then take our vehicles northwest to Edmonton (via Hwy 2) which will take approximately 3 hours. Eva and Philip have invited us to a BBQ at their place at about 7 PM. Their address is 9712 – 87th Ave (In the Old Strathcona District; Phone 780-435-0031) All they ask is that you bring some beer and wine. A list of nearby hotels is attached, as well as map showing Eva and Phil’s place, the hotels and the Biological Sciences Building at the university.

Sun. June 5th, 2001 – we will visit the Dino lab at the University of Alberta. Meet at 10:00 AM at the back door of the Biological Sciences Building (building 11 on the map). First there will be a tour of the lab where the dinosaur fossils are prepared out of the rock. This will be followed by a tour of the computer lab where a few students will show you how dinosaur skeletons are brought to life through computer modeling. Lunch can be arranged if anyone is interested.

A fantastic time was had by all!

Also, on June 4 – Robyn G. Usher (FI ’11) was elected a member of The Explorers Club in New York.

Cheers,

Murray

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 9 www.explorersclub.ca Student Representatives: Maeva Gauthier SM’08 and Denise Gabriel SM’09

Hello fellow students!

Here are the news from the Explorer’s Club Student chapter at the University of Victoria for spring 2011. The news are mainly from Victoria because we’re meeting regularly and the group is growing for the past 3 years, but please send me your student activities updates and announcements if you have any ([email protected]). It is the best way to know what’s going on across the country on the student side. Start your own local group by bringing grad students together to share your field work. It starts like that and it’s contagious!

Announcements

Congratulations to Brandon Beatty (SM’09) who successfully completed his Masters degree at UVIC entitled: “The Political Ecology and Ecosystem Services in yerba mate Agroforestry ”. Branden’s cosupervisor was Dr. Barry Glickman (FI’05). Branden is off to Edinburgh to pursue a Masters in Economics and meet up with British Explorer’s Club members

Dr. Sylvia Earle (HON’81), a legend in oceanography and National Geographic Explorer-in- residence spent two days with us in Victoria invited by the Distinguished Women Scholars Lecture Series. She gave two talks on April 18th and 19th. Her call for action to save our oceans and the message of hope that came with it touched many people from the public as well as future scientists. It was a memorable visit.

Plans are in the works to organize the third annual Cortes Island Explorer’s Club Student Symposium. Annie Bourbonnais (SM’09) and Steve McGehee (EF’07) are working out the details. Once again this will be at the home of Barry and Amanda Glickman (FI 05) on Cortes island. Any Explorer’s Club member who is interested to come to Cortes island at the end of August to give a presentation to the students please contact Annie at [email protected]

Maeva Gauthier (SM’08) won two awards for the film “Before the Ice Melts” at the UVic Sunscreen Student Film Festival last April: Best Cinematography and Best Editing. This short film is about research happening on an icebreaker in the Canadian Arctic to document marine ecosystems and monitor climate change. Also, she won the 3rd place with student Carmen Smith from UVic for a film on Aquaponics (hydroponic and aquaculture system) at the national contest TD Go Green Challenge. Part of the award -$10,000- will go for green initiatives on campus.

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 10 www.explorersclub.ca Local Meeting reports

Our first student meeting “A Whale’s Tale” happened on January 16th and was held at the home of Branden Beatty (SM’09). After a potluck that could have fed an army of Explorers, 20 UVic students and friends heard talks by two graduate students at UVic’s school of Earth and Ocean Sciences. Marie Noel, who is working on a PhD, discussed her research with Beluga Whale hunters in the Arctic. Marie is investigating contaminants in marine mammals of the far north. Then Amalis Riera who is doing her Master’s at UVic, shared her field experience studying whales last summer. Amalis spent hours observing orcas around the straight of Juan de Fuca. Amalis uses passive acoustics to monitor the occurrence and behavior of different ecotypes of orcas.

Our second student meeting “The Spell of the North” happened on March 27th where twenty-five students met at the basement apartment of Selena Cordeau (SM’10) for an evening. Selena who is completing her bachelor’s degree at UVIC, rents an apartment in a house located along the Straight of Juan de Fuca. Everyone brought a favourite dish so we had beautiful views of the San Juan Islands as we dined. Then we had 3 students present on their recent adventures:

1. Erin Latham is a UVIC Grad student in Department of Geography. Erin spoke on her bear research in remote areas of eastern Russia. She discussed her work with a pilot non-invasive study on Asiatic black bears and brown bears that inhabit the Russian Far East.

2. Steve McGehee (EF’07) addressed the contribution of seabirds to available nitrogen in the trees of coastal British Columbia. Steve discussed his research into the importance of seabirds in nutrient cycling for BC forests on remote islands.

3. Eva Hellstrand, who is a visiting exchange student at UVIC from Uppsala, Sweden in the UVIC Department of Geography, gave a power point presentation on her journey through Scandinavia. Eva talked about the folklore and perspectives of the people of Sweden and Lofoten, a remote northern archipelago above the Arctic Circle in Norway.

Selena –who was hosting- will be going on a school exchange year in Uppsala, Sweden in September (meeting Eva over there!) and is very interested in starting local student explorers club meetings there as well. Spread the word if you know people there!

Submitted by Maeva Gauthier (SM’08) and Steve McGehee (EF’07)

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 11 www.explorersclub.ca Explorer Reports & Updates

Beyond Roads: The Musandam Oman Flag (#71) Expedition Simon Donato FI’06 EXERPT FROM A FORTHCOMING ARTICLE “With Richard safely en route towards our second camp location, Jim and I began our ascent back to the ridge. This day, we would have to traverse a jagged isthmus to reach our next camp. With high winds and exposed ridge tops, the day was as mentally exhausting from extreme concentration as it was physically. During the trek (which lacked any sort of trail), we gained and lost 100s of meters at a time, walked along narrow limestone ledges high above certain death should we slip.

We also encountered a number of archaeological sites, including walls, scattered pottery sherds, and even crude lookouts built atop high points on the ridge. After nearly 8 hours of walking, Jim and I hit the wall. Literally. We were cliffed out. After a day of scrambling on highly technical terrain, we had met our match. 2 km from our camp a mountain rose over 500 m above the fishing camp named Marwani. It had a near vertical face and from where Jim and I intersected it, it still towered nearly 200 m above us. Physically and mentally drained, we evaluated our options. We could risk a very dangerous scramble, or accept defeat and down climb to Marwani. As much as I hated to deviate from our plan, the down climb was really the natural choice as the risk to scramble/free-climb on tired legs was far too great. We backtracked several hundred Site 1: An incredible site located at the top of a ridge with meters looking for a suitable wadi to enter. a view of the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Hormuz. Unfortunately, we were in a very narrow point of the isthmus and the drops were steep, so we entered the main wadi above Marwani, dubbed the descent 300 m of terror on account of the loose boulders that occupied the upper 100 m of the wadi and the two 30 m high waterfalls that had to be solved on our way down. I was thrilled and grateful to be alive by the time we reached the beach. We were spent, but now had to convince the fisherman in the camp to boat us the km across the bay to our camp.

We thoroughly surprised this group, who were relaxing after a day on the water. After we convinced them that we were not soldiers, they were amazed to discover that we were walking through the region. Generous and welcoming hosts, they served Jim and I sweet tea, apples, and oranges, which after a day of eating energy bars was a welcome treat. After our meal we asked our hosts if they would help us by boating us to our camp. They obliged and then refused any payment. Truly hospitable people.

And so, for the next 4 days, Jim and I would rise early, and scramble 300-400 m upwards to the interior plateau to explore for sites and artifacts. Richard would examine the coastal areas near

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 12 www.explorersclub.ca where we camped for both tsunami deposits and archaeological sites. We would compare notes in the evenings, discuss theories about age of the sites, time of abandonment, etc. When it was time to move camp, we’d hike to the nearest fishing camp and negotiate a ride. The only downside to this strategy was that we would be unable to complete our expedition as initially planned, and in the end, hired a fisherman to shuttle from the male-only village of Sharayah back to Khasab.

As alluded to in Falcon’s 1973 report, the Musandam interior plateaus were indeed rich with archaeological sites. During our weeklong expedition, we discovered numerous villages, farming sites, cemeteries and graves, intact pottery, ancient tools, and even a German made gin trap – a metal leg trap for capturing animals. Its size would suggest that it would have been used for trapping a large carnivore, possibly the now extinct Arabian leopard, as Omani shepherds attempted to protect their flocks. What we didn’t find up

Cooking dinner after a hard day at camp Richard and Jim in picture.

there were people. We were alone. It was quiet. Oddly, we did have cellular reception, but for most of the time, we felt entirely alone with the ghosts of these ancient settlements.”

Simon displaying flag #71. Photo is looking northward from Site 1.

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 13 www.explorersclub.ca

Tsalam – The Ancient Salt Route: The Route of White Gold - Jeff Fuchs

Who – Jeff Fuchs, Michael Kleinwort Where – Southern Qinghai (Amdo) province What – Tsalam – The Ancient Salt Road

One of the ancient world’s great and unheralded trade routes was the eastern Himalayas’ Tsalam, or Salt Road. Known to many Tibetans as “The route of white gold”, much of it’s desiccated remains rest at close to 4 km in the sky upon the eastern Himalayan Plateau.

Traversing some of the planet’s most remote and daunting terrain, the Tsalam passed through the snowy homeland of the fierce Golok nomads, notorious wolf packs and beneath the sacred Amye Maqen mountain range of southern Qinghai province (Amdo). Largely forgotten it remains culturally, historically and geographically one of the least documented portions on earth. The memories of a few traders carry on its almost fabled tale.

The route itself has never before been acknowledged (nor travelled) by westerners, and the last remaining traders who traveled its length are passing away and with them too, the memories of what for many was the only access path into the daunting nomadic lands.

Leading the expedition and transcribing the tale of Tsalam will be Canadian explorer and writer Jeff Fuchs, with English entrepreneur and endurance athlete Michael Kleinwort joining him. Along with local nomadic guides and the odd mule Fuchs and Kleinwort will attempt to travel the most isolated and unknown portion of the route – a remote path from Honkor to the Maqu area.

The expedition in May of 2011 will be done entirely by foot leaving as little carbon footprint as possible. It will also access many of the last nomadic traders to document their precious recollections of travel along the Tsalam. The expedition is another in Fuchs’ desire to bring Asia’s long lost trade routes to light.

______

Other News

From Matty McNair (FI ’10)

It has taken 85 days and 3,300 km, but Sarah and Eric McNair-Landry have attained their goal of kite skiing the Northwest Passage. The brother sister team arrived in Pond Inlet on Saturday evening. Eric says after two days of rain and sloshing through puddles, it was nice to be welcomed into the community.

"People were out. They had the sirens on the police car going. And it was a good 20 or 30 people down on the seashore there who had come out to greet us. Say hi, shake our hand, and congratulate us. And also just welcome us to Pond Inlet."

McNair-Landry says he has a lot of good memories from the trip but also some bad ones.

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 14 www.explorersclub.ca Especially a polar bear attack near the Gulf of Boothia. He says a bear pounced on their tent while he and his sister were sleeping. He had to fight it off with a shovel. His sister Sarah was finally able to scare the bear off with some gunshots. Eric says they didn't mention the bear attack earlier because they didn't want to worry their family and friends or re-live the nightmare. They plan to spend a few days in Pond Inlet now before returning home to Iqaluit later this week.

You can read more about their expedition on their website: www.pittarak.com

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 15 www.explorersclub.ca

Calendar of Events Please remember that there is a complete Calendar of Events on The Explorers Club’s main website: http://www.explorers.org/calendar/month.php

September 2-14: Muskwa-Kechika Trip on horseback

The plan would be for folks to fly out of Muncho Lake by floatplane to Tuchodi Lakes (an hour flight or so) then ride north along the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains to emerge on the Alaska Highway near Tetsa River 12 days later. This trip is Spectacular, with several high alpine passes and plateaus, lots of wildlife including elk, caribou, moose, mountain goat and Stone's Sheep, with good, (no, GREAT) fishing for Lake Trout in Tetsa Lake. It is a rugged trip, with snow a definite possibility in the high passes. Horse experience is an asset, but not a necessity, while a good level of fitness is a requirement- there is lots of walking up and down mountains, mounting, dismounting, etc. etc... Some call it Wayne's Weight Loss Plan- satisfaction guaranteed.

Contact Wayne Sawchuk FI’09 wsachuk (at) pris.ca for costs and details. See www.MuskwaKechika.com for some excellent images of the area.

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September 8-11: Eight Annual Salt Spring Island Symposium, BC/Yukon Region

You are invited! September 8th through 11th are the dates of the 2011 The Explorers Club Salt Spring Symposium, a highly stimulating four-day retreat for 50 explorers, hosted by myself, EC Director-at-Large Rosemarie Keough along with my husband, EC Fellow Pat Keough, at our Salt Spring Island home in British Columbia. This is our EIGHTH annual symposium!

As registration for this event is limited to 50 participants, please email your response to this invitation at your earliest convenience. I need to know if you will FOR SURE be coming or if you are a MAYBE.

The discussions, the synergies, the fellowship are ever so engaging and satisfying. All activities take place at the Keough home, with short outings for a breath of air on our 65 scenic acres. Everyone is expected to arrive in time to share dinner on Thursday, and to enjoy one another's company through to Sunday mid-afternoon. Also everyone contributes in several ways: presenting a lecture or leading a discussion, bringing along special foods and wines, assisting with the cooking and dishwashing - yes we all take turns in the kitchen and the conversations are great!

For the nine meals, snacks, and a great many incidentals, participants contribute an AVERAGE of $150 each (cash or food or combination). We don't want cost to be limiting, and thus those Explorers for whom this amount is too much, need only contribute what is comfortable. For those Explorers who consider themselves ABOVE AVERAGE we ask that you consider contributing a higher amount.

When you confirm your interest in attending, let me know if you would like to give a presentation, or if you have a special food item you'd like to contribute to the feasting. With

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 16 www.explorersclub.ca receipt of your email, I'll send you accomodation information. Please NOTE: participation is for the entire Thursday evening through Sunday afternoon. If you wish to enjoy this special symposium, but must miss a day, do let me know the situation. Out of courtesy to speakers on Friday and Sunday mornings, priority for registration is given to those who are able to commit to the full retreat.

All British Columbia and Yukon members are invited, along with special guests. Explorers Club members from further afield who might wish to be considered a special guest should be in touch with Rosemarie Keough FI’02 at [email protected].

Images from last year’s gathering

Explorers from near and far, specialists from earth sciences to underwater archeology to linguistics. All are participants of the Salt Spring Symposium 2010

Gerry Holdsworth tells of his high altitude studies of the glaciers of Mount St Elias, his discovery

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 17 www.explorersclub.ca of an ancient cache of wood, and theories as to who and when might have left this fuel

Lynn Danaher returns Explorers Flag #83 to Constance DiFede, V.P, for Flag and Honors, on behalf of Edmundo Edwards and team carried during the 2010 Easter Island Lessor Stone Structures research expedition

Explorer Resources

Have a product or service that you, as a member of The Explorers Club, provide or produce as an experienced explorer? Here is a chance to share with fellow Canadian explorers. Please note that this section is not for commercial advertising, but is intended to provide a venue for sharing the products produced by fellow explorers for fellow explorers. Please keep postings under 100 words and include an internet hyperlink if possible. Photos not accepted.

Classifieds Classified ads are limited to 50 words and are free for Explorers Club members. These classifieds are limited to NON COMMERCIAL usage and are aimed at helping TEC members share resources, communications and contacts.

The Explorers Club – Canadian Chapter 18 www.explorersclub.ca