The Expedition
The adventures and antics of two Canadians as they travel to the remote and beautiful landscape of Auyuittuq National Park, on Baffin Island, Nunavut. Their aim is to raise awareness of such remote regions and how climate change plays an important role to the natives’ dependency on the environment through a film, photos, and stories captured during the travels.
Our aim is to raise awareness of dramatically changing conditions and how that affects the indigenous people that live in those remote regions of the world. Approximately 2.6 million hectares or 0.2 percent of the total land area of Canada is occupied by indigenous people, that seems quite alarming to how imperative that little bit of land is to them. Interviews and footage of some of the local regions and individuals that live on these lands will be conducted with their permission.
The Team
Mario Rigby
Mario Rigby was born in Turks and Caicos Islands and spent his childhood in a small village near Stuttgart, Germany, before moving to Toronto, Canada at age 16. He has always had a tremendous drive to push the limits in athletics, exploration, and almost anything he puts his mind to. It was never enough to be the norm. Rigby recently completed his Crossing Africa journey, a two-year trek walking and kayaking from Cape Town, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt – all while sharing his experiences on social media and inspiring people across the continent, and the globe, to get out, be brave, and see the world.
Prior to embarking on Crossing Africa, Rigby was one of Toronto's top fitness experts and group training specialists. Among Mario's other accomplishments, he is a former professional track and field athlete representing Turks and Caicos Islands. Mario has broken a provincial record in Ontario, Canada for the 400-meter sprint and successfully coached more than 40 athletes (five at the provincial level) in various sports, including cross country, track and field, football, and basketball.
Currently, Rigby is working on his book, conducting speaking engagements, and preparing for his next expeditions. To support Mario as he's preparing for his upcoming expeditions
Mark Scherle
Mark Scherle has a passion for creating and sharing visual stories. Drawing his inspiration from the natural world. He is known for his ability to capture beautiful images while in extraordinary locations. He quickly realized the potential photography has to inspire others to get outside and be active.
Mark began his career in 2008, and currently works as a commercial/editorial photographer and content creator. His work is balanced with his love for rock climbing and adventure sports.
In 2012 Mark was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, a chronic digestive disease that affects his everyday life. Living with UC has changed Mark’s perspective on life. Stopping to smell the roses is now a normal part of his life. Using his photography Mark aims to inspire others with Crohn’s and Colitis to get outside and be adventurous.
When We Return
We will be posting this short film on Youtube with a big viewership. The audience will be people who are concerned about the outdoors, climate change, and indigenous cultures in Canada. Perhaps an even newer audience since our team include a member that doesn't fit the stereotypical role of the traditional white male explorer. This has potential to reach a far broader audience.
What We Need
An expedition like this isn't cheap, and we're looking for support. Things like airfare, chartering boats, accommodations, and even food all cost money. With your support we can make this expedition a reality. Details are available upon request.
In return we can offer advertisement within the film, on social media, and during the tour. Smaller donors can receive limited edition prints from the trip, as well as personalized postcards sent from