Kamchatka Project Update

Friends and Supporters of the Kamchatka Project,

It has been an exciting time amongst the group with many updates to tell you about. Before getting to some of our recent achievements, we want to inform you of the team’s decision to postpone the mission to Kamchatka until 2010. This decision is largely based on a team consensus that with this additional time our objectives will be more fully realized. From the moment we announced this project, we have been overwhelmed by the amount of positive support and opportunity presented by this exploration, and we anticipate that adding a year to the overall project will further advance and refine our objectives.

Now on to some of the many recent opportunities and achievements the project has accomplished lately. On April 8th, Mountain Equipment Co-op (more commonly known as MEC) of Canada awarded us with a $1000 grant toward the project. MEC is a tremendous organization in its ability and willingness to give back to its community, and we are honored to have them on board with the Kamchatka Project.

We also had our National Geographic Inquiry Grant application approved. This is essentially the gate keeping process of National Geographic’s grant process, and getting this approval is a major accomplishment in itself. We are currently working on the more extensive application to pursue an Expedition Grant with this incredibly prestigious organization.

We also added another member to the team – Jeff Hazboun. Jeff is working on his PhD in physics, is an accomplished expedition kayaker, and is now working hard as the team’s primary science coordinator. His experience as a field biologist will provide proficiency in fisheries and wildlife management research techniques and facilitate our communication with scientists researching the salmon of Kamchatka.

While the economic state of our nation and the world has been quite tenuous lately, the support of our friends and supporters has kept our spirits high. We continue to receive kind donations from friends and friends of friends, and we truly appreciate these contributions as our primary source of funding, which will ultimately make this project a reality.

Thank you for your help, your interest, and your involvement.

The Kamchatka Project
Andy, Bryan, Ethan, Jay, Jeff, Robert, and Shane

Russian Stand

Hours after Obama won the presidency last night, President Dmitry Medvedev promised to install missile launchers capable of hitting American soil if the US doesn't back out of Bush's missile-defense program. Those missile launchers would most likely be installed on -- you guessed it -- Kamchatka Peninsula. I have a feeling Obama knows better than to get entrenched in Cold War part deux.

On the bright side, Medvedev granted Obama a 'fresh-start' with Moscow. Let's hope this guy is as smart as we all think he is, and takes on this diplomatic challenge with ease.

Read the NY Times article here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/world/europe/06russia.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink