(Chile, Argentina, October 6, 2023) After seven weeks battling the icy, evil waters of the Southern Ocean, Project Zero expedition leader Geoff Wilson and his crew of three have completed the first leg of a two-year environmental sailing and polar odyssey, which will take them from the South Pole to the North Pole, recording the effects of climate change in real time.

The crew arrived in the port city of Southern Chile, Puerto Montt on October 1, having travelled 6621 nautical miles (12,288 kilometres), since departing Southport, Queensland on August 13.

Their mission is to inspire change through carbon-neutral exploration, documenting the true, untold stories about climate change aboard their specially adapted steel-hulled, carbon-neutral boat, Nanook X, powered by solar, hydro and wind power.

The Project Zero crew ended the first of seven legs in Patagonia, where Geoff summed up the past seven weeks in two words – ‘angry and grey’. He could also add ‘sleepless’ and ‘stressful’ as the four adventurers, who include Geoff’s son, 22-year-old videographer Kitale, landed in Argentina with four days to recover, carry out repairs, reprovision, and refuel before setting off again.

Geoff described the first leg as the “single most exhausting and challenging journey he had ever undertaken”, with unrelenting seas and the “stress of keeping four souls alive” while in a constant state of sleep deprivation.

Point Nemo translates to ‘No One’ in Latin, and as they ventured to one of the most remote places on earth, the closest people to them were none other than the International Space Station 450 miles above them, below them a 5000-meter-deep ocean abyss with the nearest landmass 2688 kilometres away.

To arrive at this point was definitely something other than plain sailing. After leaving the calm shores of New Zealand with a brief pit stop in the Chatham islands for some good Kiwi Pies, the crew continued forth on their adventures into the unknown.
With the calm before the looming storms, the crew worked nonstop, tying down everything on deck, securing items below deck and triple-checking that the Nanook X was ready for what was to be her toughest test to date.

With such a tight window, the team at Nelson Marine Services went above and beyond to get the job done. No job was too big, no problem too daunting, and with the right amount of skills, equipment and Kiwi ingenuity, they were an integral part of the Project Zero mission. Their cheerful faces were at the dock as the Nanook X limped into Nelson to welcome the crew and get stuck into repairing the boat after such a brutal beating across the Tasman.

It was a beating that Geoff and his crew were ultimately grateful for as it highlighted all areas of the boat and equipment that required attention, as well as proving just how tight-knit the crew was, banding together in times of real adversity and showcasing their strengths and abilities to work as a team.

The awesome foursome have since left Nelson and have started the onward journey of traversing the vast 4575 nautical miles of the Southern Pacific Ocean to Patagonia. This immense stretch of ocean will no doubt push the Nanook-X and the crew to their limits through more storms, high seas and winds as they navigate the uncertainty and unpredictability of 30 days in the deep blue, a feat that only a few brave have dared to achieve.

Dr Geoff Wilson is a world-class polar explorer, veterinary surgeon, Ted talker, and environmentalist and was recently appointed a member of the Order of Australia. A man of many firsts, he is no stranger to breaking new ground, and in keeping with his pioneering spirit, Geoff has teamed up with Erth Points to become our first Patron and Ambassador. We are delighted and honored to have someone of Geoff’s caliber on board and proud to sponsor his next epic, sustainable sailing adventure Project Zero.

Project Zero has been two years in the making with his son Kitale and the help of experienced sailors Jordan Pearson and 1st mate Alistair “Cursty” Burton. They aim to tackle this carbon-neutral adventure over two years, travelling from the South Pole to the North Pole, leaving as little trace as possible. Together this awesome foursome will set sail on August 13th to venture to some of the most remote and dangerous places on earth; Patagonia, Antarctica and the Arctic in their tough steel-hulled vessel, Nanook X, a carbon-neutral boat powered by solar, hydro and wind power.

Budding filmmaker Kitale will film their Project Zero adventures to highlight the accelerating changes that global warming is causing in these vast, hostile, yet extremely vulnerable environments.