After a hiatus during the Pandemic, 2022 saw the return of our fundraising charters to Antarctica. Supporting the Polar Collective we welcomed self professed geek and personality Adam Spencer to Antarctica. The theme of this journey revolved around citizen science. Antarctica is a difficult and expensive place for many scientists to visit, hence engaging the Polar Collective initiative we were able to tap into the eyes and ears of our travellers as we encouraged them to collect an array of data to send to important scientific bodies. These included, but were not limited to, images of whale tails for identification, cloud formations, bird counting and phytoplankton studies.
Adam Spencer spearheaded the enthusiasm onboard, encouraging every traveller to get in on the act. With up to 200 sets of data from every trip, citizen science is fast becoming a critical dataset for environmental studies.
This journey was fully carbon offset and raised funds to help expand the Polar Collective's initiatives to reach more travellers to Antarctica, in turn, returning a stronger set of figures to scientists as they piece together the environmental puzzle.
In February 2020 travellers on Chimu's exclusive Antarctica Empowered were in for a treat as they travelled with a very special guest, one of Australia's greats Kurt Fearnley. Proceeds from berth sales were donated to the MAD project where, working directly with Kurt Fearnley, the funds will reach the Kurt Fearnley Centre which operates in the Ruben Centre in Nairobi, supporting education programs for people with disabilities in marginalised locations.
“My education instilled in me the value of expectation. Expectation which I treasure to this day. When travelling internationally, I’ve seen a life without expectation and without education and that can be more disabling than any disability. I hope to play a small part to increase the participation of people with disabilities in marginalised communities around the world. And I look forward to you joining me win that journey.” Kurt Fearnley.
This was the trip of a lifetime for all onboard where travel with a purpose is the motivation and people in need will be the beneficiaries.
We were delighted to have special guests, acclaimed artists Wendy Sharpe and Bernard Ollis, for our inaugural Chimu Exclusive Cruise to the Artic. We had the pleasure of Wendy and Bernand's company back in 2014 when they travelled with us to Antarctica. Whilst on board, they painted and they continued their work after returning home with an exhibition at the Maritime Museum. The proceeds of this went to the Mawson’s Huts Foundation. We look forward to welcoming Wendy and Bernard aboard a Chimu cruise once again in 2019.
Profits from the sale of the work done on their Arctic voyage will go to Chimu's MAD Project where we will donate to polarbearsinternational.org on a mission to conserve polar bears and the sea ice they depend on
This trip departed in June 2019
FROZEN FRONTIER
Chimu Adventure's exclusive Frozen Frontier Voyage travelled to the Antarctic Peninsula on Chimu's annual fund raising journey. This 11 Day voyage carried special guest Peter FitzSimons one of Australia's most prolific authors. Having written the best seller, 'Mawson and the Ice Men of the Heroic age, Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen', he is well versed on the intricacies of history of the incredible men who went beyond their comfort zones to discover this enigmatic location.
Funds were raised for the MAD project via berth sales and onboard auctions on this voyage and everyone on board was part of an historic event in their own right. The recipients of the funds from this journey was
Mision Mexico providing a loving and stable home for children who have been abused, neglected
orphaned or abandoned.
This journey travelled in February 2018
EPIC ANTARCTICA
Travelling to Antarctica with MAD's parent company Chimu Adventures, who hosted Samuel Johnson from Love Your Sister as a special guest, was a mind altering journey for all on board, not only were funds raised from the berth sales for this but many travellers pledged funds they personally raised, through doing the polar plunge, to the cause.
Love your Sister is a not for profit organisation raising funds for cancer research. Samuel recently lost one of his sisters, Connie, to the dreadful disease. A lot of people on this journey had a story to tell and it was an emotional journey to the end of the earth.
The onboard auction also raised futher funds to fight the disease.
This journey took place in March 2017
PURE ANTARCTICA
with Andrew Denton & Jennifer Byrne
Well known to Australians for varied and well respected reasons, Andrew Denton and Jennifer Byrne are best known to Chimu Adventures for their indestructible passion for Antarctica, having travelled to the icy wilderness 6 and 5 times respectively, most recently with Chimu Adventures on their fundraising journey for the Mawson’s Huts Foundation.
Chimu were delighted to welcome them both back as special guests on this, our this exclusive fundraising journey to the white continent for the MAD Project, knowing how much richer the journey would be with the passion and knowledge they will share with us on the expedition. On board, Andrew and Jennifer peppered the normal events of a typical journey to Antarctica with special lectures, insights and a trivia night whilst we travel together to this bucket list destination.
A portion of the profits from berth sales on this journey was donated to the MAD Project where history, humanity and our home, the planet, will be the beneficiaries. Through journeys such as this we are able to gift funds to virtuous projects with limited voices and together we can make a difference.
This journey travelled in February 2017
FROM KIRRIBILLI HOUSE TO ANTARCTICA
recognition for commitment to fundraising
M.A.D directors Greg Carter and Meg Hall were honoured to be selected from thousands of fundraisers across the nation to be invited to Kiribilli House with the Australian Prime Minister, the Honourable Malcolm Turnbull and Mrs Lucy Turnbull AO, in October 2015, in recognition for their fundraising efforts for the McGrath foundation.
In November of 2015, Greg joined Tracy Bevan co-founder of the McGrath foundation on an adventure in Antarctica with our supporting company Chimu Adventures where every berth sold in the journey benefited the foundation. This voyage was sold out and everyone had an incredible time.
