ICELand

Longboard the entire distance around ICELAND.

The Iceland concept was simple. Longboard solo the entire distance around Iceland (1330kms). The reality was anything but simple! The logistics of getting over to the other side of the world, lugging all my gear (camping, food, clothes, camera gear) on my back whilst skating, all the while trying not to get hit by cars or die from hypothermia. 

This initial trip was self-funded and I managed to align with several local businesses to support me with gear along with a Canadian skate company that backed me with a custom longboard. I also aligned with Sea Shepherd Australia and Captain Paul Watson Foundation. 

A big component of the trip was that I wanted to raise awareness around whaling in Iceland and the trip just so happened to coincide with what was meant to be the last whaling season ever. As part of a small number of different groups and individuals on the ground we managed to have the whaling season postponed for a big portion of the season and potentially saving up to 150 fin whales. 

The trip took me a total of 38 days. With a few of those days including me being stuck indoors during several Code Yellow blizzards.

The Cold. The Wind. The Rain. The Distance. The Cars. The Pro-whalers.

Most days I encountered near freezing temps, hurricane like blizzards, relentless rain and long lonely roads ahead of me. I would average at minimum 8hrs on the road most days and skating up to 74kms in one day. Some days involved long uphills over gigantic mountain passes. Traffic was a real issue with little to no shoulder to the road meaning the chances of getting hit by a car were high. And then I had the time where someone actually tried to run me over… (it just so happened to be the day after I featured in one of the main Icelandic newspapers speaking out against Iceland’s whaling industry).