AUT adventurer to continue Sir Peter’s work

AUT adventurer to continue Sir Peter’s work regardless of boat bid success

Adventurer and environmentalist Mark Jones says the success of his bid to buy Sir Peter Blake’s boat Seamaster and keep the vessel in New Zealand hands, will not affect his quest to highlight the degradation of the earth’s waterways.

An accomplished adventurer and Senior Lecturer in the Auckland University of Technology’s Division of Sport and Recreation, Jones’ bid is on behalf of ‘Adventure Philosophy’, a group of three adventurer/environmentalists who shot to fame earlier this year after completing a world first sea-kayak journey, paddling 800km along the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Jones said he expected to be told if Adventure Philosophy’s bid, which relied largely on contributions from like-minded individuals, was successful later this week. The bid had been made to Sir Peter’s estate.

He hoped to use Seamaster in Adventure Philosophy’s Endeavour project, in which the team made up of Jones, Graham Charles and Marcus Waters would navigate some of the world’s wildest waterways in a three-year series of multi-disciplinary expeditions aimed at highlighting environmental issues around the world.of

"Sir Peter Blake's message was simple but vital. ‘Good water, good life.’ The converse is also true and we have many examples around the world where the quality of life is severely compromised because unsustainable practices have reduced water quality.

"The Seamaster is a remarkable vessel, built to travel any seaway around the globe and it would be a fantastic flagship for the Endeavour Project."

The Endeavour project was conceived well before Jones became aware of Seamaster’s sale and while purchase of the boat was not essential he believed the project was in the spirit of Sir Peter’s work.

"Seamaster is to me a symbol of Sir Peter Blake's vision to make a difference. I would love to see it retained in New Zealand hands and continue the work it began. Right now that depends on like minded people contributing what they are able to and help us pull this venture together."

© Scoop Media