Howard Rice
Encyclopedia
Howard Rice sailed and paddled a sailing canoe solo around Cape Horn
, Chile
considered by many sailors to be the Mount Everest
of sailing challenges. Articles about his expedition have appeared in Outside Magazine, Sports Illustrated
, Yachting Magazine, many international newspapers and is referenced in numerous books on the subject of ocean kayaking and canoe sailing.
He utilized a 15 foot Klepper folding canoe
often referred to as a sailing canoe in 1989-1990. His epic expedition covered three and a half months solo in Tierra Del Fuego
in the austral summer although winter conditions, snow, sleet, ice storms and high winds prevailed. His route took him down the Beagle Channel
through the Wollaston Islands
to
Hornos Island
and back as far west as Timbales in the western Beagle Channel. He prepared for the effort by extensive training for two years including sessions with ocean kayaker Eric Stiller
including a number of canoe sailing trips in extreme winter conditions. His training with Eric Stiller included paddling and sailing the Hudson River
in New York
in winter conditions at times with temperatures below zero. Other training venues included Key West, Florida
with US Army Special Forces and Navy SEAL MAROPS
groups whom he worked with as an instructor/trainer in small boat handling techniques and marine operations. He authored the US Army Special Forces MAROPS manual for small boat operations pertaining to one and two man kayak operations.
According to the Armada de Chile
naval records he is the only person to have solo paddle/sailed east to west and west to east, doubling Cape Horn. His journey is considered one of the epic small boat roundings of Cape Horn. He battled three months of high winds and heavy seas, two capsizes and injury requiring medical attention in Argentina. On Cape Horn he experienced winds in excess of 90 mph and was forced to await his rounding until conditions improved.
Howard Rice was awarded a certificate of merit commemorating his feat by the Armada de Chile (Chilean Navy) at Puerto Williams Chile on March 11, 1990 as the first solo sail kayak/canoe to successfully round and double Cape Horn. Previous to his Cape Horn expedition he raced in both one design and offshore sailing classes. He has made numerous open ocean, open water voyages in small boats including both sailing canoes, cruising dinghies and small sailboats. He is an instructor in small boat handling techniques and has taught at numerous symposia in North America and Europe. Since the rounding of Cape Horn he has continued ocean sailing in small boats with the focus on sailing canoes. He has conducted US Army and Navy SEAL small boat operations training with Eric Stiller at both Fort Campbell
, Kentucky and Key West, Florida.
Howard Rice currently resides in the Federated States of Micronesia
and is a former Associate Professor at the College of Micronesia-FSM
. He is now founder and CEO of Lookfar International, Inc a firm focusing on human resource development, sail training, sustainable community development, sustainable tourism
development and the interface between economic development and environmental protection. He continues to be an influence in small boat development, micro cruising sail boat development, sailing canoe design, sail training programs, boat building and use. He has a background as a member of the IOC, IYRU, US Olympic Sailing Committee, and was the former US One Design Class Director for the Mistral Class. He has officiated numerous World, US National, Caribbean, European and other sailing championships including Olympic games.
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
considered by many sailors to be the Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
of sailing challenges. Articles about his expedition have appeared in Outside Magazine, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, Yachting Magazine, many international newspapers and is referenced in numerous books on the subject of ocean kayaking and canoe sailing.
He utilized a 15 foot Klepper folding canoe
Folding kayak
A folding kayak is a direct descendant of the original Inuit kayak made of animal skins stretched over frames made from wood and bones. A modern folder has a collapsible frame made of some combination of wood, aluminium and plastic, and a skin made of a tough fabric with a waterproof coating...
often referred to as a sailing canoe in 1989-1990. His epic expedition covered three and a half months solo in Tierra Del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of a main island Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego divided between Chile and Argentina with an area of , and a group of smaller islands including Cape...
in the austral summer although winter conditions, snow, sleet, ice storms and high winds prevailed. His route took him down the Beagle Channel
Beagle Channel
thumb|right|300px|Aereal view of Beagle Channel. The Chilean [[Navarino Island]] is seen in the top-right while the Argentine part of [[Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego]] is seen at the bottom-left....
through the Wollaston Islands
Wollaston Islands
Wollaston Islands is a group of islands in the extreme south of Chile near Cape Horn. The islands are inside Cabo de Hornos National Park, belonging to the Commune of Cabo de Hornos in Antártica Chilena Province of Magallanes y Antártica Chilena Region....
to
Hornos Island
Hornos Island
Hornos Island is a Chilean island at the southern tip of South America. The island is mostly known for being the location of Cape Horn. It is generally considered South America's southernmost island, but the Diego Ramírez Islands are farther south...
and back as far west as Timbales in the western Beagle Channel. He prepared for the effort by extensive training for two years including sessions with ocean kayaker Eric Stiller
Eric Stiller
Eric Stiller is an author and kayaker based in New York, USA.Eric Stiller is the co-founder of a Manhattan Kayak Company in 1995 and author of Keep Australia on Your Left , the story of an attempt by Tony Brown and Stiller to kayak all the way around Australia...
including a number of canoe sailing trips in extreme winter conditions. His training with Eric Stiller included paddling and sailing the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in winter conditions at times with temperatures below zero. Other training venues included Key West, Florida
Naval Air Station Key West
Naval Air Station Key West , is a naval air station and military airport located on Boca Chica Key, four miles east of the central business district of Key West, Florida, United States....
with US Army Special Forces and Navy SEAL MAROPS
United States Navy SEALs
The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...
groups whom he worked with as an instructor/trainer in small boat handling techniques and marine operations. He authored the US Army Special Forces MAROPS manual for small boat operations pertaining to one and two man kayak operations.
According to the Armada de Chile
Chilean Navy
-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...
naval records he is the only person to have solo paddle/sailed east to west and west to east, doubling Cape Horn. His journey is considered one of the epic small boat roundings of Cape Horn. He battled three months of high winds and heavy seas, two capsizes and injury requiring medical attention in Argentina. On Cape Horn he experienced winds in excess of 90 mph and was forced to await his rounding until conditions improved.
Howard Rice was awarded a certificate of merit commemorating his feat by the Armada de Chile (Chilean Navy) at Puerto Williams Chile on March 11, 1990 as the first solo sail kayak/canoe to successfully round and double Cape Horn. Previous to his Cape Horn expedition he raced in both one design and offshore sailing classes. He has made numerous open ocean, open water voyages in small boats including both sailing canoes, cruising dinghies and small sailboats. He is an instructor in small boat handling techniques and has taught at numerous symposia in North America and Europe. Since the rounding of Cape Horn he has continued ocean sailing in small boats with the focus on sailing canoes. He has conducted US Army and Navy SEAL small boat operations training with Eric Stiller at both Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astraddle the Kentucky-Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Clarksville, Tennessee...
, Kentucky and Key West, Florida.
Howard Rice currently resides in the Federated States of Micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia or FSM is an independent, sovereign island nation, made up of four states from west to east: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. It comprises approximately 607 islands with c...
and is a former Associate Professor at the College of Micronesia-FSM
College of Micronesia-FSM
The College of Micronesia-FSM , which began operation in 1963 as the Micronesian Teacher Education Center , is a multi-campus institution in the Federated States of Micronesia....
. He is now founder and CEO of Lookfar International, Inc a firm focusing on human resource development, sail training, sustainable community development, sustainable tourism
Sustainable tourism
Sustainable tourism is tourism attempting to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate future employment for local people. The aim of sustainable tourism is to ensure that development brings a positive experience for local people, tourism companies and the...
development and the interface between economic development and environmental protection. He continues to be an influence in small boat development, micro cruising sail boat development, sailing canoe design, sail training programs, boat building and use. He has a background as a member of the IOC, IYRU, US Olympic Sailing Committee, and was the former US One Design Class Director for the Mistral Class. He has officiated numerous World, US National, Caribbean, European and other sailing championships including Olympic games.