EBTSOYP Flags
Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants Flags are sent around the world with scientists, explorers, conservationists and adventurers as they explore the frontlines of our changing planet. There are currently 5 flags, here are some of their journeys!
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Expedition 1: Peru and Ecuador
The first journey of this flag was with Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants founder Joe Grabowski to Ecuador and Peru. On this journey, the flag first visited Cusco Peru before hiking up to the Sun Gate and exploring Machu Picchu. From there, it travelled through the cloud forest of Manu National Park and into the Amazon River basin, travelling along the Madre de Dios River and into the rainforest. Along the way, much wildlife was encountered including jaguars, harpy eagles and tapirs. After leaving the Amazon Rainforest, the flag boarded the historic tall ship Oosterschelde and joined the Darwin200 expedition in Ancon, Peru. The journey concluded after sailing to Salinas, Ecuador.
Live Broadcast
Expedition 2: Galapagos
In May 2024, the flag journeyed back to Ecuador, this time Joe brought it to the Galapagos with the Darwin200 expedition. There the islands of San Cristobal, Santa Cruz and Bartolomé were visited. A series of live events for classrooms took place in the Galapagos and a lot of incredible wildlife was encountered, including giant tortoises, penguins, sea lions, green sea turtles, hammerhead sharks and marine iguanas to name a few!
Live Broadcasts
Expedition 3: Australia
In November of 2024, the flag headed to Australia with Joe to catch up with the Darwin200 expedition. While in New South Wales and Tasmania, there were several live broadcasts, scuba dives and encounters with Aussie wildlife including kangaroos, wombats, platypus, weedy seadragons and much more!
Live Broadcasts
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Expedition 1: Antarctica
Jonny Huntington made history by becoming the first ever person with a disability to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole. Just 52 people have ever successfully skied to the South Pole without support. Jonny is the first explorer with a disability to do so, covering the 911km of Antarctic tundra with limited mobility down his left-hand side; a feat he completed in 45 days, 14 hours, 15 minutes.
At just 28 years old, the stroke left Jonny with complete left-side paralysis from the neck down. After years of intense rehab, today Jonny lives with permanent brain damage resulting in a significant lack of strength, mobility and control down his left side.
On average, Jonny was skiing for 11 hours a day and dragging all his equipment and food in a sled which weighed more than 90kg, with everything he needed to survive the expedition. Throughout the expedition he battled Arctic temperatures as low as -40 C and blistering 24-hour sunlight; huge ice formations called sastrugi and soft snow making progress challenging.
Live Broadcast
Expedition 2: Aconcagua, Argentina
Hari Budha Magar took the flag to the summit of Aconcagua, the highest mountain in South America! This mountain is in Argentina and is part of the Andes mountain range.
Hari has now reached the summit of 5 of the 7 summits, the highest mountain on each of the 7 continents. His final 2 summits will be Puncak Jaya in Indonesia and Vinson Massif in Antarctica.
In 2010, Hari last both is legs to an IED blast in Afghanistan. He’s now determined to change perceptions of what is possible for people with a disability.
Expedition 3: Puncak Jaya, Indonesia
Hari Budha Magar took the flag to the summit of Puncak Jaya, the highest mountain in Oceania! This mountain is found on the island of New Guinea in Indonesia.
Hari has now reached the summit of 6 of the 7 summits, the highest mountain on each of the 7 continents. His final summit will be Vinson Massif in Antarctica.
In 2010, Hari last both is legs to an IED blast in Afghanistan. He’s now determined to change perceptions of what is possible for people with a disability.
Expedition 4: Union Glacier, Antarctica
Hari Budha Magar took the flag to Union Glacier in Antarctica. This location serves as a crucial logistical hub for Antarctic exploration, housing a private camp (Union Glacier Camp) for scientists, mountaineers (like those climbing Mt. Vinson), and adventurers during the summer months.
Hari is preparing to attempt a climb or Mount Vinson the highest mountain in Antarctica! This would be the final summit of his quest to climb the 7 summits!
In 2010, Hari last both is legs to an IED blast in Afghanistan. He’s now determined to change perceptions of what is possible for people with a disability.
Mount Vincent, Antarctica
Hari Budha Magar took the flag to the summit of Mt Vincent, the highest mountain in Antarctica!
Hari has now reached the summits of the highest mountains on each of the 7 continents! He is the first double amputee above the knees to accomplish this incredible feat!
In 2010, Hari last both is legs to an IED blast in Afghanistan. He’s now determined to change perceptions of what is possible for people with a disability.
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Expedition 1: Zambia
This flags first trip was to Zambia in Africa, with Joe Cutler. Joe is an ichthyologist, freshwater ecologist, and an African river explorer. As a National Geographic explorer he studied volcanic crater lakes in Cameroon and Gabon’s Ogooue River.
The expedition was paddling the length Kafue River, the longest river entirely within Zambia. It flows for over 1,600 km! Joe and his team are padded the entirety of the Kafue to study biodiversity, water quality and conservation of the system.
Live Broadcast
Expedition 2: Angola
After the expedition on the Kafue River in Zambia, Joe Cutler headed to Angola to paddle the Cuito River, a river that flows into the mighty Okavango Delta in Botswana. With his team, he studied biodiversity, water quality and conservation of the system.
Expedition 3: Zambia
Joe Cutler held onto the flag as he lead another river expedition on the relatively unexplored Kabompo River in Zambia! They paddled the length of the river, which is a tributary of the Kafue River, which Joe explored on a previous expedition. Along the way the looked at the health of the river including biodiversity, water quality and how people use the river.
Live Broadcasts
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Expedition 1: Indonesia
This flags first journey was with Rannva Joermundsson and Maria Bollerup to Muna Island in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. On expedition Buteng, the team explored and documented a remote cave system beneath the Indonesian island, uncovering vital insights about an aquifer that could hold the key to fresh water for the people of Baubau. Their work was about so much more than exploration; it was about protecting a life-giving resource for generations to come.
Live Broadcasts
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Expedition 1: Japan
In summer of 2024 EBTSOYP’s VP of Education, Jesse Hildebrand went on a journey across Japan, starting in Tokyo exploring the world’s largest city and its neon lights, taking the bullet train down to Kyoto to explore a bit of Japan’s history and exemplary temples and ancient gardens. Finally, and featured in these flag pictures are the floating torii at Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island just outside of Hiroshima, and halfway up Mt Fuji where as a responsible explorer Jesse did not get to the summit due to the mountain guides turning his party back due to dangerous conditions on the top.
Expedition 2: South Pole, Antarctica
Explorer Sarah Bouckoms took the flag to Antarctica to the U.S. National Science Foundation-funded IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica to work on the IceCube Upgrade! The IceCube Neutrino Observatory detects neutrinos through a network of over 5,000 individual light sensors that have been installed in the Antarctic ice sheet.
