By Karen Paul, adviser to the Royal Geographical Society
The Great Explorers of the last few centuries have captured the respect and imagination of all, from those who aspire to follow in their footsteps to those whose idea of adventure is reading about it from the safety of their sofa.
Living in our largely inaccessible world with a disability is an adventure of sorts in itself, but the physical barriers of the wild environments inevitable to exploration make adventuring into the depths of nature challenging and often prohibitive for an explorer with a disability…or does it?
An individual’s motivation for exploration may vary – whether it is to escape the claustrophobia of urbanisation and materialism that pervades the western world, to re-energise one’s souls with long doses of wilderness, or go in pursuit of scientific understanding or conservation – disabled people have the same diversity of aspirations and drive – and those who truly crave adventure, chase it further.
Three such examples are Caroline Walsh, a law student with paraplegia, who formed an organisation called Access to Marine Conservation for All (AMCA International), Steve MacDonald, a registered blind explorer who after significant personal exploration has established a charity called Ability Explorations; and Karen Paul, paralysed in a rock-climbing accident and inspired to create Interventure, a charity which develops inclusive outdoor and wilderness opportunities.
Steve MacDonald, Blind, Ability Explorations
"I am an explorer who has been registered as blind since birth, having organised and lead such expeditions as a circumnavigation of mainland Britain by sea kayak, a crossing of the Australian Outback with camels and a record breaking crossing of the English Channel in a Dragon Boat, among other things. With this experience I decided to set up Ability Explorations (AbEx). AbEx is a national charity project that aims to give disabled people opportunities to take part in adventurous, cultural and creative expeditions in order that they may gain greater confidence, new skills, and lasting memories that influence everyday life. AbEx is now growing at a manageable rate and has completed expeditions from weekend canoe expeditions to a climb of Mount Kenya. Our emphasis is on inclusivity with people who have a disability due to physical or mental ill health, a bodily impairment or functional disorder. AbEx believes that disabled people should be given the opportunity to work along side able bodied people as equal members of an expedition.
On a recent expedition to Kenya where a mixed team of visually impaired and fully sighted people climbed Mt. Kenya there were a number of measures taken to ensure that everyone took an equal part. Firstly everyone was treated as an equal member of the team. This may seem like stating the obvious but if a situation becomes serious, often the able-bodied members of the team huddle together to discuss the various courses of action and then present these to the disabled participants as a "fait accompli". Secondly it was ensured that as well as having enough sighted guides for those that needed them everyone was asked to bring walking poles. These were for stability but were particularly useful for those with a visual impairment in replacing the white cane. A number of the visually impaired participants using two poles for stability and probing walked a great deal of the climb unassisted.
People with learning difficulties are often neglected when it comes to inclusive expeditions. Although this group has no physical barrier to trekking, canoeing, etc there is a lack of understanding of their capabilities and therefore trepidation on the side of the organisers. Remember everyone is an individual, the person with the disability is so often the expert on their own needs, and if you have the courage to ask questions the process of inclusion will be so much easier."
This summer, Ability Explorations are organising many expeditions from Canoeing and Artistic Canal Boat Expeditions to a Summer Mountain Skills Course and a trek along the Great Glen Way. The next international expedition, planned for September, is a trek in search of Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail of Peru on horse back.
Contact
Ability Explorations
Birdlip Suite C, Spread Eagle Court, Northgate St., Gloucester, GL1 1SL
Tel: 01452 526526, Fax: 01452 506555
http://www.ability-uk.org/explorations/home.htm
Caroline Walsh, Paraplegic, AMCA International
Access to Marine Conservation for All International (AMCAI) is a group of international like-minded scientists, educationists and other interested individuals who share the commitment to develop and promote a shared vision of enabling all persons, regardless of physical ability, to participate in marine conservation.
Our vision is that all persons regardless of physical ability can participate in Marine Conservation, and to make people aware of the direct and indirect economic, tourist and educational benefits of encouraging physically challenged and other identified groups to participate in Marine Conservation.
Our key current activities are to adapt approved scientific research techniques so that those with physical disabilities can contribute to the collection and analysis of research data. It is anticipated that scientific research techniques such as Reef Check will be used. Practical manuals and training videos to demonstrate the ways in which such research techniques can be adapted for disabled divers and snorkellers will be published, hopefully encouraging disabled people to consider careers in marine conservation.
Caroline Walsh writes "for someone who is physically challenged diving may not be a first choice of recreation but it is a truly equalling sport. The feeling you get just floating mid- water looking over the corals is exhilarating! I am paraplegic and have been diving for 12 years, since the age of 14. I got so hooked on diving that it spurred me on to study Environmental Sciences and Environmental Conservation for my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees respectively. I used my diving skills to undertake my dissertation and thesis on ‘The Health of the Coral Reef, Aqaba, Jordan.’ My dream became to want to promote Marine Conservation for All.
In 2001 in collaboration with Prince Raad bin Zeid of Jordan, we promoted an initiative in Jordan to encourage disabled persons to get involved in Marine Conservation. In addition, it is envisaged that SCUBA Instructors will train so that they can teach disabled divers and introduce them to the marine environment and encourage involvement in marine conservation.”
AMCA International also has other international projects, notably in Cyprus and Bonaire. "
Contact
amca.international@btinternet.com
Karen Paul, Paraplegic, Interventure
“I was paralysed in a rock climbing accident when I was 21. At first I thought I was destined for a land of concrete and tarmac, but my heart couldn’t separate me from the mountains and the wilderness, and so I began to find new ways to continue by enthusiasm for outdoor environments.
For me, one of the hardest things was to find activities that I could participate in on an equal basis with my able-bodied friends. Skiing, cycling and kayaking became my new ways of accessing wilderness environments. Water and snow offer the perfect mediums for equal adventure experiences, as wheels aren’t needed! Handcycling is also an ideal way of keeping fit and seeing the countryside, and as long as the terrain doesn’t become too hilly, some reasonable speeds can be maintained which don’t frustrate a friend on a regular bike.
I soon dreamt of visiting the Himalayas, where I had once wished to climb, but I didn’t want to visit in a passive, non-active way. I knew that would leave me frustrated. I wanted to feel the thin air in my lungs, and feel a part of the mountains and stunning scenery – I knew that viewing it from a vehicle wouldn’t suit me. With a hand-pedalled tandem and 3 friends, we journeyed from Central Asia, through Kyrgyzstan and the Tien Shan mountains to China, and then over the Karakoram mountains to Pakistan. Other handcycling adventures have included the length of the Japanese archipelago, Turkey, New Zealand and various Spanish and Scottish destinations.
The down-side is that one piece of specialized equipment such as a sit-ski or a hand-bike costs in the region of £1500 - £2000.
After some years of recognizing the logistical, financial and attitudinal barriers to inclusive outdoor sports, I formed Interventure, a charity which aims to provide and develop opportunities for disabled people to participate in adventure sports and outdoor activities. By working closely with existing outdoor and adventure sports organizations, we help dissolve physical and social barriers to inclusion. Activities range from handcycling to sea kayaking, usually based in Scotland, and are primarily tailored for people with physical disabilities as we have a pool of appropriate equipment. We also run occasional International expeditions with the aim of providing integrated opportunities to explore a variety of challenging wilderness environments.
This coming summer, Interventure is organizing a challenge to celebrate the European Year of the Disabled. A team of paraplegic and able-bodied sea kayakers will be the first inclusive team to embark on a 1000 mile, 3 month journey following the historical Inside Passage, along British Columbia’s coastline to the fjords and glacier-draped mountains of Alaska.
Contact
So if you have a disability and crave adventure and exploration, whether your dreams be on land or sea, opportunities are plentiful. The Royal Geographical Society & Institute of British Geographers (RGS-IBG, with support from Shell UK and Shell International) have been working to develop a database of information and examples of inclusive fieldwork and expeditions. See their website at www.rgs.org/inclusive
The RGS-IBG have also introduced an annual workshop run by Equal Adventure Developments, www.equaladventure.co.uk on Inclusive Fieldwork and Expedition Practice.
