Preamble:
Many visitors to the 2011 Darwin Boat & Outdoor Show enjoyed presentations by Craig ‘Crackers’ Hands on his intrepid boating adventures to PNG in 2008 & 2010 and the great work he has been doing since for to connect remote tribes with the outside world. Craig has forwarded an update on his next planned adventure to PNG and he is seeking much needed sponsorship support. He outlines more on this within the following text.

Gill van Hagen
Manager, Darwin Boat & Outdoor Show
13th March 2012

G’day Gill,

I thought that you might like an update of my adventures:

Future Trips proposed
I plan to leave from Darwin by boat on Saturday the 28th April at high tide at the conclusion of performing bands, including one of Australia’s best ever bands “Mental as Anything”, also 2 of Darwin’s best bands “Sex in the Desert”, and “The Bloody Mary’s”. A 4th band “Unbroken Expanse” is driving 1,000klm’s from Tennant Creek to join in! PNG Dancers and other entertainment will also perform at the Darwin Trailer Boat Club with media covering the Event before the boat sets off.

The ABC wants to film the departure and to follow this trip more closely. Local newspapers and radio stations will cover the event and I am expecting a huge turnout of Darwin people in support.

After leaving the Darwin Trailer Boat Club I will follow the Arnhemland coast, The Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape York, PNG and possibly conclude at Cairns. Hopefully vital fuel sponsorship around Australia will become a reality.
The Mayor of Darwin has donated funds towards medical & educational equipment for me to aid the Sibidiri Tribe on my next voyage and I am receiving help and advice from Remote Area Health.

At all ports I will talk about my major sponsors. I would like their logo’s visible on my boat.

I will be Facebooking my adventures out to a growing mass of followers. On my last trip I went from 37 followers to over 650 friends as stories were spread amongst people that I know. I know over 90% of my Facebook friends. As my Facebook site is open and well publicised, there are many more people that I do not know that follow my adventures and want to know more.

I have just started to do YouTube uploads on my new channel and I will be promoting and uploading footage of my trip as I go. I have recently uploaded the Promo Documentary of my last trip to PNG.

I believe that people from all over Australia will want to follow my adventure and with the trip taking approximately 6 months I anticipate that there will be an ever-increasing following.

Over this time I will have no income, no film crew or back up. I have previously travelled for 5 months in remote areas and am prepared for whatever challenges I face. I am currently working out what food, water & medical provisions I need to take.

FFF want updates for their website as I go, as does the national Boat Show Circuit, so the news will be travelling the country with my Promo Doco and YouTube updates of my trip that will also be displayed on monitors at venues in Darwin and across Australia with major sponsors’ recognised on the footage.

Additionally, I will provide updates to the NT News and as many other media outlets as possible.

Combined Communication Solutions in Darwin is going to tag me with a GPS unit so that people from anywhere in the world can follow my path on a map page set up by ESRI Australia, and this will have sponsors listed.

I have had interests from film crews to document the trip but I will need a bigger boat to fit anyone else in.

On my upcoming voyage I will need help from sponsors for fuel to be able to deliver and distribute the charitable goods. My Documentary on this trip will go into production upon my return and I will be focusing on producing video’s with the help of Arts NT and Film NT for distribution within 12 months at outlets including Reidy’s, BCF, Fishing World and at other fishing and outdoor stores around Australia.

My expenses will be:
• fuel $10,000
• oil $500
• food, drinks and supplies onboard and ashore $3,500
• health care and personal items $1,500
• Telstra recharges for my phone and computer $1,000

My car and boat have seen better days but I am just showing people that you don’t have to have everything to get up and have a go.

If you are interested in sponsoring me with this voyage or making a contribution towards my expenses please contact me via the contacts below.

Craig Hand
+61 404 283 250
Facebook “Craig Hand Darwin”
www.friendsofpapuanewguinea.org
www.crackers-remote-fishing-adventures.com
YouTube CrackersAdventures

Note:

I have started to produce a documentary of my adventures. The Promo DVD has been provided to all my current sponsors and will be shown in-store at the Darwin Fish Markets and on Coopers Internet TV throughout Australia.

My first Documentary “Destination: Field Island is now available on my website and Reidy’s have taken stock as well.

I have set up school sponsorship for remote PNG Tribal kids on www.friendsofpapuanewguinea.org  I take no charges or fees for this service.