Kieran McKay,

Expedition Leader

Kieran McKay, one of NZ's top cavers, and possibly it's best known through his involvement in numerous expeditions, training and exploration trips.
Kieran, 42 years old, has been caving for nearly 30 years. An avid explorer, he has discovered and mapped more than 100 km of new passages in NZ caves.

Kieran has worked as a guide for Black Water Rafting, he is a qualified SEHOPC instructor, he runs cave courses and cave rescue courses; and is often in demand as an inspirational speaker on his adventures, to inspire others to get out and achieve. He has led numerous annual caving expeditions in the South Island mountains. Kieran is currently the Operations Manager at the Outdoor Pursuits Centre.

Keen to publicise and involve people in the sport he loves, Kieran has organised filming of caving documentaries with TVNZ and 20/20. He also documents discoveries with his own photographs.

Kieran describes himself as a renaissance outdoor instructor, who can operate in many outdoor disciplines to a high level – caving, rock climbing, mountaineering, tramping, kayaking, sailing, paragliding, rowing, sea kayaking, diving, skiing and mountain biking.
“I class myself as an adventurer, as an inspiration and role model to other instructors and to young people. I continually encourage people to use the outdoors to get fit and stay fit. To get out and dream big dreams, to always say yes when faced with seemingly impossible obstacles."

Jane Furkert

Expedition Organiser

Jane Furkert has been caving since 1999, the trips and expeditions she has been on have involved most NZ caving clubs and caving areas.
She has been on overseas expeditions to caves in France, Wales, Samoa and Borneo.

No stranger to the Ellis Basin area, during the 20/20 filming in the Ellis Basis caves in 2007, she was on the rigging team, and assisted with rope training of the camera crew.

Jane is a qualified Project Manager. She holds current outdoor First Aid and Rope rescue certificates, and is a member of Cave Search and Rescue.

On this expedition she will be utilising her leadership and organisational skills to work on the planning and co-ordination of the expedition.

Ben has been caving for about a year. His previous outdoor skills were focused on alpine and in kayaking, he also really enjoys skiing, mountain biking, rock climbing, and anything else he feels like trying his hand at!

"I started caving in Waitomo then moved onto 2 exploratory trips in the Bulmer cavern. The first trip was 3 days long and the second 8 days. Exploration is what drives me the most to go caving."

Ben is an outdoor instructor. He has been doing this for the last five years, after completing a Diploma in Outdoor Rec, and teaching at Aoraki Polytechnic. He says "I really love the opportunity to take people on their own adventures - encourage them to think and dream big." He has just completed 2 years working at the Sir Edmund Hillary OPC in Tongariro, where he was inspired to take up caving.

Currently he contracts for different outdoor organisations, which is ideal - it allows him freedom and flexibility, with time to adventure.

Chris is a recent convert - "I've only really gotten into caving in the last year but I've jumped right in at the deep end! Lots of day trips in Waitomo & two long expeditions in Bulmer."

Chris completed his NZOIA Cave 1 a few months ago, and has since been assessing caving Unit Standards for school groups.

He works at OPC in Tongariro as an Instructor, and "I love it to bits!"

Aaron was raised in Wanaka, in an outdoorsy farming family. He's spent most of his spare time skiing, kayaking, rock climbing, tramping and mountaineering.

He has worked as white water kayak guide and canyon guide. Aaron has also instructed rock climbing and kayaking, and on general outdoor education programs. He has a degree in Anthropology, a Certificate in Outdoor Education, NZOIA Rock 1, Alpine Ski Stage 1, Avalanche 1, Vertical rope Rescue and PHEC.

During a stint of instructing at the Castle Hill Outdoor Centre (2007), Aaron was inspired by Neil Silverwood, with stories of adventure and exploration underground. He has been caving ever since then! "Most of my trips have been in Bulmer and Nettlebed, I have also been caving on the West Coast. I love the sense of isolation, the always surprising and intriguing landscape, and of course the exploration..."

Troy Watson began caving in the Waitomo region where he grew up, and then progressed to the more challenging caves of the South Island.

Troy is currently at Canterbury University in Christchurch working on his Masters in Cave Ecology. He also works part time for the Legendary Black Water Rafting Company and is involved in cave search and rescue.

Troy brings to the team his expertise in extreme lounging around in the sun (one of NZ's top) and putting off getting wet and cold (also one of NZ's top). Troy encourages his students “To say of what is that it is not, or of what is not that it is, is false, while to say of what is that it is, and of what is not that it is not, is true." -Aristotle

Nicolas is a participant in an ongoing survey and exploration project exploring the Whigpistle-Martin Ridge-Jackpot System in Kentucky (56km, currently 44th longest cave in the world with a likely connection to nearby Mammoth Cave). He was also fortunate enough to take part in a 7 day exploration trip into Lechuguilla Cave's Far East, one of the world's most spectacular (and restricted) caves. Nic will also take part in an upcoming cave expedition to Gunung Mulu in Borneo late 2009.

Now based in New Zealand, Nic has developed a keen interest in the country's caves and the immense potential of caves yet to be found. He has been in caves in virtually every part of New Zealand and especially enjoys caving on the West Coast and Mt Owen. His interest in caves spans science and exploration. Being of a modest stature (and excessively keen), Nic is frequently called on to test the tightest and most unpleasant-looking leads.

Nic is currently working on a PhD in Geology at the University of Otago studying the Alpine Fault in South Westland.

www.ncbarth.com

Dave van der Gulik

Dave is an avid outdoorsman, and has until recently worked as an outdoor instructor at the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre. His true passion in the outdoors is the bush, with caving a very close second, and rockclimbing and whitewater kayaking not far behind. Dave has a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation with an Outdoor Major from AUT University, and a three NZOIA quals (but Cave 1 is the only one that really matters).

Dave was first introduced to caving in Waipu in 2001. Repeat trips to the area continued for a few years until he discovered the wonders of Waitomo. A stint at Tihoi Venture School helped develop some cave specific rope skills, which were well used in 2009 when he headed to the Bulmer System with peers from SEHOPC. His longest cave expedition so far was 8 days underground in the Bulmer Cavern in July 2009.

There are two final frontiers on the Earth: the deep sea, and the underground. Dave is driven to go caving because "there is no other place on this earth where with a bit of training the average person can be the first person ever to explore, and then be sitting in the pub for happy hour at 5"

Outi was dragged into going caving while she was a volunteer at OPC. Before this expedition she had been caving only three times, and these were really easy caves in the Waitomo area. She had never used ropes in a cave before, but now she is an expert!

Outi found the caves in Mt Arthur were really challenging, but very beautiful and lots of fun. Understanding the cave structure and the idea that there is always something that you can learn fascinates her.

She loves caving and plans to find more caving opportunities when she returns home to Finland.

There used to be two things that Outi said she loved to do: climbing and river-kayaking, but caving is now the third!

Dee is a NZOIA Level 1 qualilfied instructor in Kayak, Bush, Alpine and Rock. With Avalanche Stage One and Sea Kayak guiding experience, she has worked at OPC National Park for the last two years. Dee currently works as a contract instructor at outdoor locations around NZ.

She describes herself: "My give-anything-a-go attitude means I have passion and skills in kayaking, rock climbing, mountaineering, mountain biking, horse riding and skiing. Caving seemed to be another great adventure to add to the list!"

"Swept up by Kieran's inspiration and enthusiasm for exploring, I tagged along on the Ellis Basin Expedition. I had minimal cave experience and with the team's expertise the learning curve has been both steep and rewarding. My small frame and possibly my determination dubbed me the 'squeeze technician', which I hope means I will be needed on the next expedition!"