Planning an Expedition

Expeditions are often born in the imagination of creative paddlers. If you’re one of these creative thinkers and planning on going on an adventure in the near future, the following considerations may be of great benefit in your quest for new adventures.
Why the need to organise an expedition?
Expedition may conjure up intrepid adventures, but the fact is what you decide to do on your expedition and how you tackle it decides how dangerous it will be, whether you call it a holiday, adventure or an expedition.
The first thing to ask yourself is what you want out of your future experience;

Is there somewhere in the world you would like to go?
Are you keen to tackle the challenges ahead of you?
Do you feel it’s the right time to take on your chosen challenge?
Would it be better to tackle these challenges with someone else?
Is organising it yourself the only way it can be achieved?
Are you prepared to immerse yourself in a countries landscape and cultures?

To answer these questions you’ll spend time carefully researching the background to your new project, whether that is poring over maps, and organising logistics, raising expedition funds, or liaising with governments or local people in the host country to ensure you are welcome.

I’m Interested – what’s the next step?
So, you are keen to take up the challenge and pull together a team of friends to go off and learn more about yourself and the world’s rivers. But you’re not quite sure yet exactly what you want to, or can, do. Where do you find that spark that will fire you up? Often the hardest part is coming up with that first idea; once you have that to motivate and focus you then everything else will fall into place.
Reading reports and watching documentaries of past expeditions is a great way to get ideas for a project. You may already know which country you would like to paddle in, but are not sure what rivers you could paddle there. Try reading past articles from teams who have been there before. They don’t necessarily have to be of the same paddlesport discipline, as they may have other useful information transferable to your intended expedition. You may find enquiring guide books such as "A Rough Guide", "Lonely Planet” and numerous river guides extremely useful in giving you a lot of background information. Good maps of the country will also be essential to your planning. Alternatively you can use the internet. There are vast amounts of potentially useful articles and advice, although this can at time be frustrating to track down (see our useful links to get you started).

How do I go about planning my expedition?
Once you have an idea of the kind of expedition you want to do, you need to sit down as an individual or a team and define the aim, or purpose, of the expedition. If you planning a solo adventure it’s often worth including essential support persons in the planning process.

Creating a Team
If you do decide on a team adventure you should all be united by a common commitment, as a result of well understood aims and ethos. Make sure you have the right mix of skills the expedition will need. How many should be in the team? This should be decided objectively, not by how many of your friends want to come along. A typical size is 4 to 6 for most expeditions. If you don’t know your team members well, ensure you establish that you can form a healthy partnership that will stand the test of the expedition.
Take in the following considerations when creating your team;

Do you have the right mix of skills in the team e.g. paddling ability, map reading, finance, language, organisation, filming and photography?
Identify who in the team as the highest level expertise/knowledge of the necessary skills needed.
Establish key responsibilities for each member of the team, ensuring that all members also have the ability to take over other members roles in unforeseen circumstances.

Unless there are overwhelming reasons why not, it’s also of great benefit to have a host country counterpart(s) in your team. There are many reasons for this:

A greater understanding of the country.
Reduced language difficulties.
Reduce the suspicion of indigenous people during your expedition.
Obtaining permission from the host country can become easier.
You now have team members based in the country who can chase up paperwork and make a multitude of arrangements that would be difficult if not impossible to do from the UK.
Generally during the expedition day to day life is a little easier and more fun!

Training and Formularisation with Equipment
It’s important that you organise training weekends to prepare your team for any possible challenges that you might face when on the expedition. This will also allow you to iron out any issues that may arise. Think about the skill demands that will be made on your team. If you don’t have those skills, then make sure you acquire them.
You may need to consider the following skills:

Is the team paddling at the right level of ability for the expedition? If not, do you have enough time to sharpen you boating skills yourselves, or should you get some intensive coaching? Taking a few weekends to paddle together will help establish trust, communication and mutual expectations.
Safety and rescue training. This is a great way to practice the necessary skills needed to get each other out of any potentially dangerous situations. This also allows you to identify strengths and areas for improvement within the team’s skill set.
First Aid training. Do you need to update, or refresh your knowledge? It’s worth thinking of some of the worst case scenarios. You may need to do a more advanced First Aid course like Mountain First Aid.
Practise rope and climbing techniques. This vital if you are intending to explore gorges or rugged terrain. If these skills are unfamiliar then we would highly recommend professional training courses.
Each members level of competency in map reading, compass work or using a GPS unit to reach, or operate in, your chosen area. These are vital team skill in remote destinations; don’t fall into the trap of relying on other members of the team. Ensure all members are skilled and confident in their navigation abilities.
Are you in good health? It’s important that you have a health check, and then take the appropriate steps to address any matters that may arise e.g. old injuries, dental work and fitness. Set individualised fitness goals for each member of the team.

Don’t forget to also train for the essentials of day to day expedition life. This too can help ensure expedition success, and safety.

Try out your camping equipment and clothing. Bivvy Bags or Tents? Does your clothing do what it says it should? Are you carrying too little or too much?
Radio communication between team members can be invaluable, ensure, the team is familiarise with its use, that frequency are provided, and fool proof protocols are established.
Cooking skills. Familiarise yourself with cooking equipment, it may be of benefit to customise yourself to the host countries food.
Practice repairing kayak/canoe and other essential equipment. Damage to boats and equipment often occurs not on the water, but during transport. Be prepared!

Equipment Suitability
All equipment needs to be as durable and lightweight as possible. Always consider the environment you will be operating in and the demands that will be placed on the equipment. Don’t underestimate the punishment your equipment will take, especially for those irreparable, difficult to replace items that are essential to the expedition’s success. Start with searching for the best deals online, this may save you more money than buying on the high street.

Food Strategies
At an early stage find out if any of your members have any special dietary requirements. Consider all the different stages of your expedition and work out what kind of rations you will require (will you be in transit and not be able to cook? Do you need special river journey rations? How many days should each ration be for? You will also need to find out what you can buy locally and what special foods you will need to bring with you. Make sure you can import the food you require into your chosen country. Water is a heavy but essential commodity, water purifiers are often a better choice than carrying water. There many brands available, you may want to think about a purifying bottle whilst on the river and other water treatment for larger volumes whilst at base camps.

Photo and Video Cameras Preparation
There are three main considerations for planning. Firstly, the photographic and documentary needs, creating a shot-list that as a priority grading for all the pictures needed. Then plan for the post-expedition needs, this means contacting magazines or sponsors to discuss their basic requirements; and finally, prepare and train on the equipment. The best equipment to take on an expedition is equipment that you trust and are familiar with. If you are not a photographer then you will have to train and practice. This means knowing your cameras every function. Thoroughly test your equipment during weekend training meets and if you discover problems have it repaired and then retest the equipment again.
Additional considerations include;

May need a large supply of batteries
May be easily damaged
May be expensive to insure
May be attractive to thieves

It’s a good idea to research the availability and cost of batteries in your chosen destination to determine the appropriate amount of supplies to take with you. Be aware of unknown brands and inferior quality. There may even be an option for using rechargeable batteries, ensure you have back up charger.

Protect your expedition Records
Recording your experience is the essence of expeditioning. This logs the highs the lows and valuable lessons to be learnt from your adventures. If this information is lost so is the opportunity to educate and enlighten future explorers. Bearing this in mind, rucksacks may get lost or stolen, and notebooks have been known to fall in rivers. One method of protection this valuable information is to duplicate your notebook. This doesn’t have to be a word by word copy of your main notebook, but can be a summary log at the end of each day. At least in the event of loosing your note book you have the key events to jog your memory after the expedition.
If you are using a laptop to manage images or documents, and are not too remote then it is easy and relatively cheap to make backup copies of your records on a memory stick. When it comes to data protection remember the old saying “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”!

What are the main challenges of travel?
As with other major items think out how many different kinds of transport you will require during the expedition. These may include air travel, transport to and from the airport, local hired transport, animal transport, etc. It is always worth getting two or three quotes for your travel requirements. When travelling by air see if the airline will give you extra weight allowance.
The most dangerous part of the expedition often proves to be travelling on the roads. Be very careful of local transport, for it will usually be grossly overcrowded and your luggage may not be safe. When possible try to avoid travelling at night as this is statistically more dangerous time for vehicle crashes. Also remember, if you hire local air or other transport, check to see if your insurance covers you, and that the vehicles are in acceptable condition.

Expedition Set Backs
You may find some frustrating moment ahead. It may be as minor as delayed equipment or as major as being denied access to your expedition area. The norm will be somewhere in between. It helps to split these into two main categories controllable and uncontrollable. This is because they are either fixable or out of our control no matter how well the expedition has been planned.
In order to identify these situations it’s worth indulging in a really negative "what if" session in the planning stages. This will allow you to brainstorm as a team and decide how you will deal with that situation should it happen. It’s almost like going on a virtual expedition in your head but with your worst nightmares popping up. Here are some examples:

Equipment may be lost during transit. Solution: try and take as much with your personal luggage as possible and buy the rest if possible while in the host country.

You might be denied access to the region of your expedition (for unforeseen reasons such as bush fire or civil unrest). Solution: have a backup plan in mind and have the maps.

Seasonal problems such as early thaw that make the rivers too high. Solution: think about how seasonality might affect your expedition, log daily conditions for at least two weeks leading up to your trip.

Control Your Budget
Once your plans have been made you will need to work out a realistic budget. Do not underestimate your budget and always have a contingency of at least 10% - 15% on the total amount. If you intend to fundraise, this can take some time so don't over estimate the amount you can raise. Approaching paddlesport manufactures and retailers for sponsorship is also worth considering for equipment support. We’ll cover more on the subject of expedition sponsors shortly.

What health considerations should I think about?
This is an important subject and shouldn’t be forgotten in expedition planning. We are only going to touch the surface but the following points will help stimulate thought for further information gathering.

Home Contact
This post is a very important one and should, if possible, be filled by someone who will be available in your home area throughout the whole time you are away. In the perfect world they should not be related to any member of the expedition so if some emergency does occur they can be detached and not emotionally involved. They should have accident and emergency forms with full details of all the members, their legal guardians etc. and who the insurance company is covering the expedition and what to do if an emergency arises.

Physical Health Check
As previously mentioned it’s important that you have a full health check, and then take the appropriate steps to address any matters that may arise, e.g. old injuries, dental work, physical fitness and vaccination advice. Doing this will greatly improve your confidence, enjoyment and the successful outcome of your expedition.

Preventing Infection and Dieses
Water is the life blood of any expedition paddler, but water is also one of the greatest carriers of infection into the body. Having the appropriate chemical or filter protection should be considered to safeguard your drinking water.
Contaminated food is a common source of illness, especially if travelling in a developing country. The rule of peal it or cook it or bin it should not be underestimated. You may wish to consider avoiding roadside catering and uncooked foods. If vomiting or diarrhoea does occur, it is important to replace lost fluids and electrolyte using oral rehydration solutions and a safe water supply. If symptoms are severe or persistent ensure you seek medical advice.
If you need institutional medical treatment it is important to consider the sterility of equipment e.g. needles, drip sets and particularly blood, as this cannot be guaranteed in certain countries. Some items of equipment (such as syringes) can be taken with you for medical personnel to use. Consider establishing if any team members have any allergies or medical conditions which would require special attention in the event injuries.
Biting insects can carry a wealth of diseases. Using a combination of appropriate dress, insect repellents and impregnated mosquito nets will help to minimise the insects opportunity to bite you. It’s always worth checking if the area you plan to explore has a reputation for annoying or outright nasty insects, at that time of year.

Know your wildlife
Are there any predatory animals to take into special consideration before your expedition? e.g. safety whilst trekking or portaging, packing of food or disposing of cooking waste, If yes we would strongly suggest seeking the necessary advice on how to deal with these matters.

Health awareness on your return
If you have visited a country with any known diseases, be aware of any known symptoms (such as fever) that may occur long after your return. Make sure you complete the necessary drug courses e.g. malaria tablets. If you have to consult a doctor tell them about the country and region you have recently stayed in.
No doubt you will come back feeling very fit - try to maintain it!

What about travel insurance?
Insurance may seem expensive, and can be viewed as a needless expense if you don’t happen to claim on it. But in the event of something going wrong you will be more than grateful you have adequate insurance. Most incidents tend to happen whilst travelling to and from the area of your expedition and are often mundane injuries (e.g., as a result of loading and unloading vehicles).
Always read the small print of your policy, as they often specifically exclude certain activities (especially grade 5 paddling) and geographical areas which may render any potential claim invalid. It pays to be honest with the insurance company about your aims and objectives as this will provide you good karma through knowing that the level of cover is adequate for all possible eventualities.
Risk Assessment
As they say preventions better than cure. It helps to draft a risk assessment using the ‘what if’ method mentioned earlier.
Here some typical considerations:

Politics can be boring for the vast majority of us, but there may be a local opposition political group that would love to have western hostages.
Check the inoculations you need (some countries will not admit you without an up-to-date immunisation certificate) as well as those which are recommended.
Do you know where the nearest hospital is, how long it will take you to get there, and what facilities it has?
Does your team need to update their first aid skills? If so book on a training course e.g. Wilderness First Aid.
Incident management and rescue techniques are essential, are all team members familiarised with the expedition equipment and its uses.
If the team ends up in a difficult situation it cannot deal with, how will you obtain help?
Do you have a procedure to deal with un-roadworthy vehicles or a sleep deprived driver.

So there you go, there’s no doubt that planning an expedition will require effort and time. But there are few higher motivations to keep you inspired than being fired up by pursuing something you are passionate about. Take it one step at a time and remember that you maybe creating an opportunity of a life time.

What should I be consider on completion of my expedition?
The end of your expedition should not be seen as an anticlimax, your expedition is far from over, and there are still a multitude of tasks to accomplish.
Firstly, the expedition would maybe not have happened without the help of a large number of people. You need to say a big thanks to them, in whichever way is most appropriate. This helps to promote the "feel good" factor in those who helped you so that they are more inclined to help future expeditions. Also, you may have used other people’s money and time to realise your dream and you are morally obliged to show what you have achieved with it.
Some ways of expressing your thanks might include:

Send thank you letter s to supporters in the host country.
Provide photographs, videos and feedback reports to sponsors who provided equipment.
Donate your equipment to co-members / supporting locals in the host country.

Secondly, write an article. You may feel that you are not qualified to write and speak on your achievements. Not so. You are the experts on your expedition; no-one else did what you did. So enjoy the buzz of having something to tell those who could not be there. Many people do not have the opportunity, the time or the vision to embark on such an adventure. They will however enjoy your stories from the front line of the extraordinary world we inhabit but which is unknown at first hand by most people.

A summary (at the beginning) of the aim and objectives of the expedition and what it achieved.
Description key events during the expedition.
A listing of sources of information used.
Acknowledgements of sponsors, advisors, and anyone who helped.
An expedition without recording and sharing your experiences is a holiday.

Another opportunity to share the experience would be to provide talks on your expedition to sponsors, paddlesport clubs or universities.
The Sweetwater coach and guide team would like to wish you the greatest success in your future adventures.