Explorer Tim
Jarvis and his crew will be setting off on the most challenging expedition of
their lives on 2 January 2013.

The Shackleton
Epic expedition aims to honour and celebrate Sir Ernest Shackleton’s remarkable
800 nautical mile voyage across the Southern Ocean, made from 1914 to 1916.

Mr Jarvis and his
crewwill sail Alexandra
Shackleton, a purpose-built, exact replica of Shackleton’s 22.5ft (6.9m)
lifeboat, James Caird across the same stretch of open ocean and then
attempt to cross the rugged peaks of South Georgia.

The crew, which includes
speed sailing record breaker Paul Larsen of the Vestas Sailrocket 2 team, will
be using 1916 gear without assistance from modern navigation aids or any 21^st
century equipment.

Mr Larsen said he
was excited to be part of another big challenge, straight after breaking the
Nautical Mile and Outright World Speed Sailing records.

He added: ‘It’s
the closest I’ll ever get to walking in Sir Ernest Shackleton’s boots.’

The Tall Ship
Pelican, which had been preparing to be a support vessel in the historic
re-enactment, has now pulled out of the project.

The
square-rigger, left Weymouth last September 23, with the intention of providing
a filming platform, communications and safety support when the adventurers sail
the lifeboat across the treacherous Southern Ocean.

A spokesman for
Adventure Under Sail Ltd said: ‘It is with regret that due to extreme
unseasonal conditions in the Antarctic, TS Pelican has been forced to withdraw
as the support vessel for the Shackleton Epic Adventure.”

The spokesman
said Antarctic pack ice had 
‘reached its greatest maximum extent since satellite measuring began’,
forcing the charity to reluctantly withdraw from the venture for safety
reasons.

Adventure Under
Sail would like to wish Tim Jarvis and his expedition team ‘every success in
their extraordinary challenge’.

Visit the expedition website here.