The Central American Sea Kayak Expedition 2000 - Ultimate Adventure
 
CASKE2000

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CASKE 2000
Paddling into the past with an eye on the future
A Kayak and Jungle Odyssey

Baja, Mexico to Panama – 3 years and 2500 miles
by Sea Kayak from October 1998 to December 2001

Since I was a child, I’ve always had a fascination for the jungle. This magical call has led me on various expeditions. An experience in the Indonesian rainforest changed my vision of life. The Mentawai people influenced me deeply, sharing with me their intimate understanding of the tropical forest. Experiencing their daily lives, I gained a sense of the true harmony with which they co-exist with their natural surroundings.

This time, my undiminished desire to return to these forgotten worlds has led me to prepare the CASKE 2000 expedition, a kayak and jungle odyssey that I’m inspired to share with all.

Jean-Philippe Soulé

 

Trip Overview

Sea Kayak from California to Colombia:

  1. The full Sea of Cortez from North Baja to La Paz (Baja - Mexico).

  2. From Belize to Costa Rica along the Caribbean coast -- Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua (kayak up the jungle rivers of the mosquito coast of Honduras).

  3. Pacific coast from Costa Rica to Panama (explore the Darien jungles).

  4. Panama Caribbean coast: The San Blas Archipelago.

Goals & Objectives

The main goal of this expedition is to learn and write about the culture and lifestyle of the native peoples (Mayans, Kekchi, Garifuna, Miskitos, Pech, Embera, Wounan, Kuna, Nogbe, etc.). The lifestyles and skills of indigenous peoples are one of the keys to the preservation of our earth’s precious eco-systems. Minimizing our impact upon them, we will learn how to live from the land and the sea to become self-sufficient ourselves. We will document those skills, their lifestyles and the influence of development on their environments and lives. We will use a variety of media to send a strong message that will sensitize the people following our progress to humanitarian, and environmental and cultural preservation issues.

(For additional information, we invite you to visit Native Planet).

It is our intention to share our experiences by:

  • Writing a book narrating the details of this voyage.

  • Writing articles for magazines.

  • Producing a slide show.

  • Maintaining an Internet Web site to show the progress of this expedition.

  • Inviting TV programs and newspapers to feature our expedition.

Why a sea kayak expedition?

Sea kayaking offers one of the best low-impact ways to penetrate untouched jungles via their waterways and approach nature and its inhabitants without disturbing them. It will facilitate our interaction with indigenous people. We won't come as high-tech tourists, but like them: as people living from the land and sea.

Maps & Itineraries

Maps:

Itineraries:

Additional Information

Includes the following:

Participants’ Profiles: Jean-Philippe Soulé and Luke Shullenberger
Potential Risks & Problems, Dangerous Sea Life, Tropical Diseases

Equipment List, Training and Experience, Genesis of a Friendship

We encourage everybody concerned about environmental and Indigenous peoples’ issues to read our document "Indigenous Peoples" on Native Planet. In it, we thoroughly discuss topics ranging from the threats they face, the importance of cultural preservation, our motives, intentions and impact, some ways you can help them, and how our expedition is involved in supporting their cause.