SIMONE TALFOURD
ADVENTURES
2022
SUP EXPEDITION IN GREENLAND
Greenland, the world’s largest island, is a land of extremes and contrasts.
Harsh, yet beautiful, unforgiving and inspiring. In July 2022 I joined three Swiss-based photographers on this extraordinary expedition to travel by paddleboard through a remote and inhospitable sea of ice for 450 km in a self-supported expedition.
With nothing but the vast, open ocean stretching to the west, we began our paddle in Upernavik and concluded our journey in Kullorsuaq. Our aim was to explore, document, and share what we encountered and experienced. Why go by SUP? A very good question! Another focus of our expedition was to climb up onto the ice sheet in search of the spectacular, and elusive supraglacial lakes and we needed to be able to transport our boards. Mesmerising but also potentially perilous, by midsummer each year, these vibrant blue meltwater lakes appear on the surface of the ice sheet at both poles – a process governed by temperature, topography, and elevation. These lakes can reach kilometres in size and several metres in depth. As far as we are aware I am the only woman to have ever paddleboarded on a supraglacial lake. It was an unforgettable, out-of-this-world trip.
Our work has been featured in multiple international magazines and is proudly included in a stunning new collection of stories titled VOYAGES, published by Gestalten - please see the WORK WITH ME section for examples.
2021
WORLD RECORD ROW AROUND GB
In 2021, I was part of the first ever mixed team to row non-stop and unsupported around mainland Great Britain, earning a Guinness World Record. We decided to undertake this challenge in June, departed in July, and only one member of the team had rowed before - it wasn’t me.
Labelled as "the toughest rowing race in the world," to date, over 1,000 people have successfully rowed across the Atlantic, but fewer than 50 teams have managed to row around Great Britain. Even for the most experienced and prepared teams, rowing around GB is a formidable and daunting endeavour, largely due to its unpredictable severe weather, complex tidal patterns, and the immense physical and mental endurance required.
We were the 9th team ever to successfully complete the circumnavigation and the first ever mixed team to do so. It took 43 long, salty days with no breaks and no showers. We started off as a team of six and finished as a team of four.
For more, sign up for updates on my book launch!
2017-18
SAILING AROUND THE WORLD
The Clipper Race is one of the biggest challenges of the natural world and an endurance test like no other.
Founded in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, it is one of the longest and toughest ocean races, covering approximately 40,000 nautical miles.
During my year at sea we experienced a huge variety of conditions, climates, and challenges - above and below deck. We got to sail in the Atlantic Tradewinds and Doldrums en route to South America, but also endure the epic Roaring Forties, and the mountainous seas of the mighty Pacific.
An unforgettable and life changing year for me which kickstarted everything I have gone on to do since.
