Expedition Limitless Begins 444 mile Canadian Canoe Challenge

The Sea Terminal was busy when I went to see off the Limitless Expedition team. (Not with a rifle. That got taken off me). Bikers bustled here, there, and everywhere. I inwardly started to panic thinking I’d either missed them or wouldn’t be able to find the gang in the thick of leathers. It was becoming my own expedition, equally as strenuous and terrifying as the one the Limitless team was about to embark on no doubt. Then I turned my head 90 degrees and saw the 15 people wearing bright ‘EXPEDITION LIMITLESS’ t-shirts.

Expedition Limitless, for those of you who don’t know, is a team of courageous do-gooders who take on feats of incredible physical magnitude that make me feel inspired and like I’m going to throw up in my mouth a bit in equal measure. Last year’s team took on a 110km unsupported expedition across the Arctic raising more than £65 thousand for mental health charity Isle Listen.

This year, the team has headed off to Canada to take on a 444-mile kayak trek up the Yukon River.  They’ll kayak 8 hours a day, live off a diet of pre-made rations, and camp on the river side at night for 12 days.

Expedition Limitless Founder Phil Quirk – a chap boasting a strong beard, the type only a man about to take on the Canadian wilderness could boast – told me he was apprehensive about going into the unknown but excited to get going. ‘The biggest challenge we face is the wilderness element of it. We are in complete wilderness for pretty much the majority of the 12 days.’ I asked him what made them choose Manx Mencap to raise money for. ‘We wanted to work with a charity that doesn’t get the exposure it deserves. I think there are amazing charities on the Isle of Man, who have amazing marketing and do a brilliant job but there are some that don’t have that same capability. Yes, part of the expedition is about raising money for that charity, part of it is about demonstrating resilience, but part of it this year is about raising the exposure of Manx Mencap and the work that they do within our community. A lot of that goes unnoticed unless you’re directly affected by it so it’s a big thing for us this year is shouting quite loudly about Manx Mencap.’

‘My heart is pounding; my head is buzzing but I’m excited. I’ve never done anything like this before. I’ve been in a canoe twice before’ team member Kimmie Holland told me. She’s tall with long dark hair, a netball enthusiast and someone who’s impossible not to like within 30 seconds of meeting her. ‘I’ve only slept outside for one night, so the wilderness living, the doing everything outside with no facilities, running water, electricity, phone signal is probably the most daunting part for me.’ This I could relate to. My idea of camping is staying in anything less than a 4-star hotel. I asked what made her want to do the expedition. ‘The charity this year means a lot for me. I used to work with young people with disabilities, so I recognise the need to raise awareness of the learning difficulty community as well as the funds that are needed. And I just wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone. I can feel it in my chest right now, but I know it’s probably going to be a life-changing experience for me.’

I knew Team Leader Martin Malone. After doing one of his spin classes I essentially re-enacted that scene from Bridget Jones where she gets off the bike and folds in half like a deck chair. He’s a guy perfectly suited to this sort of challenge and would no doubt punch a bear in the face over a Nature Valley Bar for a teammate when called upon. I asked him how they’ve been training for the expedition. ‘A lot of core stability, gym work, making sure we’re strong. We’ve been doing a lot of flexibility work too to make sure we’re comfortable sitting that same position for 12 days. Canoeing has its own set of challenges; blisters, repetitive strain injury from being on the water for so many days but we’ll deal with it all, we’ll get through.’ I asked him how it feels to see how much the Manx public has supported the team in their fundraising. ‘Once again, the Manx public and the corporate sector have been amazing. We wouldn’t have got to £100,000 without a lot of people helping us, it’s surpassed our expectations. It looks like we’re even going to surpass that target and aim for £120 thousand and keep going. It has been incredible. It’s just the usual Manx generosity when you really ask people to help, they do and that’s just wonderful.’

As we all know from the Snickers adverts, it’s important to fuel your body so as to not turn into Mr Bean. This message couldn’t be more important than during this challenge where people will be pushing themselves physically while battling the elements and fatigue for 12 days straight. Local nutritionist Ben Webb from Fuelled by Webb has been one of the guys behind the scenes helping get the team into peak condition before heading out into the Canadian wild. ‘I’ve been making sure they understand the demands of what they’re going into’ Ben told me. ‘Eight hours a day on the Yukon canoeing for 12 days. It’s a big deal and they’ve got to make sure they’re fuelling their bodies and focussing on carbohydrates and keeping hydrated with electrolytes as well as water. It’s also important for people to look out for each other to make sure they’re eating enough, if someone sees someone else’s energy levels dropping, tell them to eat.’ The food they’re taking is all readily prepared like army rations because if those pesky Canadian bears get a whiff of anything fresh, they’ll be there faster than Winnie Pooh to a discounted honey sale.

Joining the team to wave them off was the charity that all this hard work is in aid of; Manx Mencap, who will be getting a whopping £100,000 (and potentially more) in the bank from the team.

‘Truthfully, it’s life-changing for our members’, Health Advisor for Manx Mencap Francis Tickler told me. A woman who spoke with such gravitas I have no doubt would be capable of rousing hundreds into battle if the occasion ever called for it. I was immediately inspired. ‘That kind of money is giving us the freedom to provide services we’ve never been able to provide in the past. And it will really change their lives. People with learning difficulties die up to 23 years younger than those without a learning difficulty. The cause for that is poor social care and poor health care. We are discriminated against in health settings often. So, this kind of money will raise the profile as well as provide the services and by raising the profile, it will raise awareness, by raising awareness, the services will improve and our opportunities for our members will increase across society. At the moment it’s very difficult to find employment for people with learning difficulties who are gifted in so many ways. They’re a vibrant, lively community but they don’t have the same opportunities as everybody else. We’re not very good at making adjustments for people with learning difficulties on Island but we are changing that and the money and awareness Expedition Limitless has raised is truly life changing. The guys have been absolutely awesome, they’ve put on events for us, they’ve interacted with us, they’ve met some of our members. They’ve been absolutely fantastic and we’re incredibly grateful for what they have done for us. I don’t think they realise the difference they have now made to the 1,700 people on Island who have a learning difficulty.’

And on that mic drop moment, I bid Fran, and the Expedition Limitless Team adieu, grabbing myself a Snickers on the way out for my own 5-minute trek of a drive back to work. You can keep up to date with how the team is getting via their Facebook page and, if you’d like to donate (how could you not, have you NO SOUL. I’m just joshing, I don’t know your financial situation) then you can do so here.