Video: yachtsman spends 11 days as castaway on world’s newest island

26 June 2015 • Written by Sophia Heath

Ian Argus Stuart decided to have the ultimate castaway experience by becoming the first man to spend 11 days on the world’s newest island in the South Pacific.

The 64 year old, who owns ‘No Man’s Land Fort’ in the Solent, UK, and has previously owned yachts, made history by staying on the island, which was created as a result of an eruption at the Hunga Tonga volcano. The island, which is 2,200 miles away from Sydney, Australia, could disappear back into the sea at any moment according to experts.

Ian survived on seagull eggs and squid and took a video camera with him to record the experience.

The footage captures his reaction when he first arrives on the island, which he describes as a “lunar landscape”. It goes on to show him finding shelter and discovering the first signs of life on the island.

"The first sign of plant life has started from the volcanic ash. No doubt seeds was brought there by sea birds,” he says. “Also I noticed long legged spiders in the cave as well as crabs. One day I saw three butterflies.

"It’s really amazing to see how life is starting here on this remote island lost in the ocean. Most of it was brought by sea birds but some probably came floating in on the sea from miles and miles away. The other day I found a coconut laying on the beach.”

The first sings of new life on the island

The adventure was organised by a travel company Docastaway, that specialises in providing holidays to remote desert islands.

A spokesman from the company told press: "Ian is not even a client anymore, he has become our explorer.

"We use him as a guinea pig in the most remote and dangerous islands on earth. He takes all the images for us and also gives us feedback on the isolation level.

“He is a millionaire that was very bored with his life and needs high levels of risk. In one year he has already visited five desert islands from 11 to 21 days at a time.

"The funny thing is that he doesn't even know how to swim, and this last island is actually sinking.”

If you fancy a slightly less adventurous trip to the region consider discovering New Caledonia by superyacht or chartering a superyacht in Fiji.

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