New York State Division of Tourism's UK office has teamed up with British expeditioner Richard Harpham and fellow adventurer Glenn Charles who will together embark on an epic journey of more than 500 miles by kayak across the beautiful landscapes of New York State.
The expedition, which will commence in April 2012 is estimated to take around a month and will focus on the heritage, culture, wildlife and iconic locations along the route. The journey begins at world-renowned beauty spot Niagara Falls. Harpham and Charles will kayak along the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Erie Canal with its 36 locks, before reaching Albany and joining the Hudson River. They will then paddle south to Manhattan, completing the expedition at the iconic Statue of Liberty.
Richard himself has completed 5,000 miles of human power, kayaking, canoeing and cycling. He has kayaked The Inside Passage (Seattle to Alaska), canoed the Yukon River and kayaked and cycled from London to Marrakech via Gibraltar's Ocean Village. He also managed the Ghana Ski Team to the Vancouver Winter Olympics.
Richard said: "We hope that this expedition will inspire a great many people to explore their dreams, adventures and possibilities in their lives. Part of the intrigue of the Spare Seat Kayak Expedition is who will join, what will their stories be and how the entire story will end. It will also be a fantastic journey across some of New York States most beautiful scenery and both Glenn and I are looking forward to the challenge."
The expedition has been given the name 'The New York State Spare Seat Kayak Expedition' as both Richard and Glenn will kayak the route in doubled seated kayaks, inviting members of the public and media to join them along the way. The project will be photographed and filmed and a dedicated website and social media feeds will allow the public to follow Richard, Charles and all those that join them every stroke of the way.
New York State Division of Tourism UK PR Manager, David Gale said: "We see this as a great opportunity to showcase what New York State has to offer. It will be an amazing experience for the people who will join the expedition and for the communities that the expedition passes through along the way."
The New York State Spare Seat Kayak Expedition is offering two lucky competition winners the chance to join the team for three days in the spare seat followed by two nights in the 'Big Apple'.
The money-can't-buy prize is courtesy of New York State Division of Tourism, Delta Airlines and Travelbag. Runner-up prizes include Vango rucksacks, Paramo Clothing, Olympus Cameras and even a day paddling in the UK for four with canoetrails.co.uk
To find out more about this exciting project and how you can be a part of it log on to www.thespareseat.com or contact David Gale, PR Manager New York State Division of Tourism on 0207 6446121 or dgale@aviacircle.com
| Overall experience | |
|---|---|
| Green values | |
| Location | |
| Value for money | |
| Service |
