User:Seanwisedale

User:Sean Wisedale

Sean Wisedale is the first South African to achieve the "Seven Summits". A unique

mountaineering prize consisting of summiting the highest mountain on each of the seven

continents. He is the first person from Africa and the 79th person in history to have

climbed the Seven Summits.

From his achievements Sean has created a very successful motivational talk, written a

best-selling book and produced a series of eight broadcast documentaries. Sean also

personally guides expeditions up mountains such as Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Everest Base Camp, Aconcagua and Mount Kenya

You can experience for yourself what makes this surfer, yachtsman, adventure specialist and

international filmmaker a unique individual. Sean's powerful motivational talk lets

everyone experience the essence of high adventure and share the climax of success through

his presentation. Sean turns the lessons of Mother Nature into the lessons of life. His

corporate presentation shows audiences what it takes for an "ordinary individual" to stand

head-and-shoulders above the rest – and why it is totally possible for you to reach the

summit of your own Mount Everest. Furthermore, a feature which is unique to Sean's presentation,

is the world-class footage which he took on every mountain.

Sean first book, "Freeze Frame" is a best selling hard cover. It covers his personal story

of great adventures to the most inhospitable wildernesses on earth. Linked to the book is

the first ever 'Seven Summits' series of eight one-hour documentaries - all on a single

volume of four DVD's.

About Sean Wisedale

Sean earned provincial colours for Surf lifesaving, at the same time developing a deep love

for the ocean. In 1989 he registered at the Technikon Natal Video technology department

where he graduated in 1992 with a National Diploma in Television production.

After graduating, Sean left his home on the South coast of Natal and relocated to

Johannesburg to further his career in the television industry.

Since 1992, film-making has seen Sean working on M-Net’s Carte Blanche (TV series), local SABCTV3,

Discovery and National Geographic networks and the production of many of his own

adventure-related documentaries. But his fascination with mountaineering was born when he

accompanied Derek Watts as a filmmaker and Cathy O’Dowd to Mount Everest.

In 1997, Sean followed Mike Horn's traverse of South America along the Amazon River from

source to mouth on a hydrospeed (a compartmentalised "boogy" board) and in 2000, he filmed

"Latitude Zero" - Mike's traverse of the globe along the Equator unmotorised. During the

making of the film, Sean undertook a three-month sailing adventure to Madagascar and the

mid Indian Ocean region.

The allure of the mountains combined with his spirit of adventure led to greater

challenges. Sean went to Antarctica and became the first South African to climb the highest

mountain on that continent - Mount Vinson. The documentary he shot 'The Mountain of the

Midnight Sun' was an award winner and is still broadcast on the SABC.

In January 2002 Sean reached the summit of Mount Aconcagua, the highest in South America at

6959m. Then in June, he reached the summit of Mount McKinley (Denali) in Alaska, the

highest mountain in North America at 6194m.

On the 30th May 2003, Sean reached the summit of the highest of all mountains, Mount Everest

at 8850m. It was a hugely emotional and celebratory moment. The team had struggled

for two months against the worst weather seen on the mountain for decades and finally

succumbed to defeat. Sean's last minute decision to take advantage of a very late weather

window (and try once more) paid off and he got to the top. Preparation, perseverance,

determination and a will to succeed at making a series of films of the 'Seven Summits' had

become Sean's trademark.

3 months later Sean went on to climb Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe in the

August of 2003 and, only another 2 months thereafter, Carstensz Pyramid, the highest

mountain in Australasia and then the Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps.

Saving the best for last, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and reached the highest point in Africa

on the 19th of February 2004.

Since 2004, Sean has guided groups to Everest Base Camp twice and to Kilimanjaro eight

times.

Sean acquired a well-known racing yacht and when not climbing, rebuilt her over three

years. Yacht "Kiga" has embarked on many great adventures in the Indian Ocean and around

the Cape since then.

http://www.seanwisedale.com More on Sean Wisedale here