First catamaran made from plastic

9 October 2014 by admin
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In spring 2009, David de Rothschild (UK), founder of Adventure Ecology, will set sail in a 60-foot catamaran, made from plastic bottles, self-reinforcing plastic (Polyethylene terephthalate) and recycled waste products on a 10,500 nautical mile voyage across the Pacific from San Francisco, USA to Sydney, Australia. The aim of the voyage is to show how waste can be used as a resource by utilising a highly consumed item, such as the plastic bottle, and by sailing through an area of pollution that is popularly termed Continue reading →

First circumnavigation

9 October 2014 by admin
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The first ever circumnavigation of the world was accomplished on 8 September 1522, when the Spanish vessel Vittoria, under the command of the Spanish navigator Juan Sebastian de Elcano, reached Seville in Spain. The ship had set out from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Andalucía, Spain, on 20 September 1519, along with four others as part of an expedition led by the Portugese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. They rounded Cape Horn, crossed the Pacific via the Philippines, and returned to Europe after sailing around the Cape of Good Continue reading →

First circumnavigation by aircraft without refuelling

9 October 2014 by admin
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Richard G ‘Dick’ Rutan and Jeana Yeager (both USA) circumnavigated the world in a westward direction from Edwards Air Force Base, California, USA, in 9 days from 14 to 23 December 1986 without refuelling. The key to their success was their specially constructed aircraft Voyager, which was designed and constructed by Dick’s brother Burt Rutan, owner of the company Scaled Composites, which achieved the first private space flight during 2004. Their flight took 9 days 3 mins 44 secs and they covered a distance of Continue reading →

First circumnavigation by amphibious car

9 October 2014 by admin
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The first and only circumnavigation by an amphibious vehicle was by Ben Carlin (Australia) in a modified Ford GPA amphibious jeep called Half-Safe. He completed the last leg of the Atlantic crossing (the English Channel) on 24 August 1951. He arrived back in Montreal, Canada on 8 May 1958, having completed a circumnavigation of 62,765 km (39,000 miles) over land and 15,450 km (9,600 miles) by sea and river. He was accompanied on the transatlantic stage by his ex-wife Elinore (USA) and on the long Continue reading →

First circumnavigation by solar-powered boat

9 October 2014 by admin
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MS TÛRANOR PlanetSolar (Switzerland) circumnavigated the world in a westward direction from Monaco in 1 year 7 months and 7 days from 27 September 2010 to 4 May 2012 on solar power only. The boat had accumulated 32,410 nautical miles (60,023 km; 37,296 miles) on its arrival in Monaco. MS TÛRANOR PlanetSolar crew included founder and expedition leader Raphaël Domjan (Switzerland), engineers Christian Ochsenbein (Switzerland), bosun Jens Langwasser (Germany), captains Patrick Marchesseau and Erwan Le Rouzic (both France). Raphaël Domjan, engineer Christian Ochsenbein and bosun Continue reading →

First circumnavigation via both Poles by helicopter

9 October 2014 by admin
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The record for the first circumnavigation via both Poles by helicopter was achieved by Jennifer Murray and Colin Bodill (both UK), from 5 December 2006 to 23 May 2007, in a Bell 407 helicopter. The journey started and finished in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. It is also the fastest circumnavigation, of course, lasting 170 days 22 hr 47 min 17 sec. The record has been recognised by the Federation Aviation International (FAI). FAI requirements for the world record require that the aircraft covers more thant Continue reading →

First circumnavigation by walking

9 October 2014 by admin
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The first person reputed to have walked round the world is George Matthew Schilling (USA) from 1897 to 1904. The first verified achievement was by David Kunst (USA) from 20 June 1970 to 5 October 1974, who walked 23,250 km (14,450 miles) through four continents.

First city

9 October 2014 by admin
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Dating back to around 3200 BC, the world’s first city was Uruk, located in southern Mesopotamia (modern Iraq). Home to some 50,000 inhabitants, it was the largest settlement of its time, covering 450 hectares (1,112 acres) and encircled by a 9.5-km (5.9-mi) city wall. Thriving as a result of trade and agriculture, Uruk also became a great artistic centre, featuring many elaborate mosaics and monuments.