GangesSUP.

[First ever descent of the River Ganges by stand-up paddleboard]
[October 2016 – January 2017]
[India]

Spike recently completed this source to sea journey, after setting off from the glacial source in October 2016 with Shilpika Gautam from India.  Several other team members joined them on the trek and cycle down to Devprayag where they were able to launch on to the water where the Ganges Proper begins.  Kumaran Mahalingham also joined the team there.

They undertook this mission to raise awareness for the challenges facing the river, which supports over 450million people who live within the basin.  A huge amount of human waste is pumped into river by over-stretched sewage systems and tonnes of single-use plastic end up being carried downstream to the ocean each month.  These plastics find their way into our food chain.  Addressing this issue on the Ganges, the most polluted big river in the world, is highly important, as it is to address it on hundreds of other watercourses globally.

The journey on the river began with raging white water rapids (Grade III & IV) before the Ganges left the Himalayas behind and meandered out across the plains of North India.  After 98 days from the start, the Starboard 14ft touring paddleboard glided out into the India Ocean south of Kolkata and long expedition was completed.