World-first Siberian expedition over

Ben Kozel points to the source of the Yenisey.
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Thursday, 27 September 2001

Adelaide University Science student Ben Kozel and his group of international teammates have become the first people to row the world's fifth-longest river, the Yenisey.

Kozel completed the arduous five-month journey on Sunday, September 23 and is presently recuperating in the Siberian town of Karaul - which is above the Arctic Circle, with a current temperature of -10 degrees Celcius!

The Yenisey is some 5500km long, and flows south to north from Mongolia to Siberia, where it empties into the Arctic Ocean.

Kozel completed the journey as part of a five-person group, which featured another Australian, two Canadians and a Russian. One of the Canadians, Colin Angus, accompanied Kozel as part of a three-member group which set another new record last year: the first group of people to row the entire length of the Amazon River.

For the Yenisey expedition, the group starting off using rafts and kayaks, but later had to switch to a boat after a tragic incident in a flooded tributary of the Yenisey. They had to deal with freezing weather conditions, treacherous rapids and even missing team members!

One of the trip's highlights was the incredible sight of Lake Baikal, the world's deepest lake. The lake's unique wildlife includes seals, which are 4500km away from the nearest ocean.

Anyone wanting to contact Ben Kozel should visit the official expedition website: http://www.raftyenisey.com/

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