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Coppermine River 1997 An unsupported, canoe based expedition on a wilderness river, by a team of three disabled and three able bodied people. A 340-mile journey over eighteen days from Point Lake to the Arctic Ocean at the settlement of Kugluktuk.

Summary

Coppermine River Expedition July - August 1997 Canadian Arctic - North West Territories. Six men with seven legs undertaking a 370-mile journey down the Coppermine River in Canada’s North West Territories, 8,000 miles from home.

Aims

• To prove that disability need not be a barrier to full participation in mainstream scientific and adventure expeditions.
• To complete the journey as a team, unsupported.
• To assess the SOCS and SHOES postural support system developed by the expedition team in conjunction with the Adventure Designs project at Brunel University, under expedition conditions.
• To evaluate the daily living experiences of the disabled members of the team in relation to the challenging Arctic environment and the specialist equipment.

Conclusions

The expedition proved not to be about able bodied or disabled participants but about a successful bonded team. It could be said that this integrated water based expedition required no more planning and preparation to reach its aim than any other scientific or adventure expedition.

The team was able to complete the journey in record time, due to the two years of training prior to the fieldwork phase of the project.

The thorough development and testing of the SOCS and SHOES system, by the team, prior to the fieldwork phase, enabled all the members to participate fully in all aspects of the expedition.

Care and attention needs to be taken when gathering data on the personal experiences of team members, during an expedition, to ensure that the needs of the individuals are not compromised during the research.

Measured against our aims and objectives, the expedition was a complete success. None of the problems encountered during the fieldwork phase were as a result of disability and could be attributed to other factors common to all scientific or adventure expeditions. It is important to remain flexible, tolerant and understanding of others during all phases of an expedition including planning, preparation, execution and return home. The successful completion of any expedition relies heavily on pre-planning regardless of the make up of the team.

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Full report

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Report details

Full Report Title and ISBN

Adventure Designs Expedition Reports: Volume 1
A report by the Coppermine River Expedition Team
Compiled by Suresh Paul FRGS
Editor: John Matthews

ISBN 1-902316-06-1

A six-person integrated Canoe-based on the Coppermine River in Canada’s North West Territories.

Foreword by

Nigel de Winser

Deputy Director

Royal Geographical Society

Summary of Foreword

Expeditions are about discovery, about challenges, about reaching out to find the limits of ones equipment and one’s self.

Thanks to

Sadly, it is impossible to name every person involved in the project to whom we owe thanks but to everyone who has listened to the story of hope, of needs, of aims, of objectives, and who has supported us in some shape or form, we offer sincere thanks. In particular we offer special thanks to the following supporters of the Coppermine Expedition:

• Col. John Blashford Snell - Patron
• One Stop Supplies
• Regatta
• Yak
• Canland UK
• Chas A Blatchfords and Son
• Royal Geographical Society
• Paul Vander-Molen Foundation
• Army Benevolent Fund
• Rupert Conoley
• Design for Life Centre at Brunel University, Runnymed.