Giles Moffatt looks the picture of health chatting over breakfast in The White House in Rye. A few weeks ago, that was definitely not the case. Food poisoning and altitude sickness both saw the Peasmarsh man needing emergency care on the world’s highest mountain. In spite of life-threatening illness, he wants to return.
His attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest was part of a fundraising mission for the NSPCC. Other members of the team made it to the top and together they’ve raised over £50,000 for the charity. Giles will be talking about his experience and sharing his love of mountaineering during a talk for the Rye Arts Festival on Sunday, September 22.
He will also be sharing photos and videos of his adventures in the Himalayas, including this amazing drone shot. Giles is in the red jacket.
The assault on Everest began well, after flying out to Nepal on Easter Saturday this year: “It is spectacular. There are so many myths about the mountains, but nothing can prepare you for their beauty. We made good progress towards base camp with few issues.”
The food poisoning hit at around 4,000m. Altitude sickness began to take its toll at 5,200m: “My blood oxygen hit 51%. Normally it should be over 95%. I had to take a break and descend for a bit to try to acclimatize. At 5,700m in the Khumbu Icefall it got really bad – totally debilitating like being a 200kg chain-smoker unable to breath and walk.”
After another descent and more time acclimatizing, he made one final attempt to keep climbing. “I knew something was wrong at about 5,000m. I felt bad, vomited and passed out. Apparently, I asked the people with me ‘shall we continue?’ I don’t remember that. I do remember waking up and knowing it was over.” He descended to Everest base camp to sit things out.
More emergency treatment was needed after another blackout. This time in Kathmandu.
His ordeal didn’t finish on his return to Peasmarsh; “I’m about 10kg lighter because of muscle wastage. It was difficult coming back and I definitely had what’s known as ‘mountain blues.’ After such an intense build up and living on adrenaline whilst climbing it was hard being troubled by everyday trivia back home. I’m absolutely fine now.”
The Everest climb was self funded to raise money for the NSPCC, the charity that helps vulnerable children. Giles and his fellow climbers are part of a support group for survivors of child abuse at Edinburgh Academy. Together they have pursued their abusers through the courts and a public inquiry.
The group is now planning its next fundraising challenge across the arctic.
You can find details of Giles’ Rye Arts Festival talk here.
Image Credits: Giles Moffatt .
Giles deserves our utmost respect for helping to raise £50,000 for the NSPCC and for braving the perilous Himalayas. However, as someone with medical knowledge, and who has visited very high altitudes, I would strongly advise him against “going back”, as the headline suggests he wishes to do. The Everest ‘death zone’ is well-documented. If Giles experienced problems at only 5,000m — especially the issues he reveals — it’s virtually impossible that he’ll be able to summit Everest because it seems to me that his genetic make-up is not conducive to high altitude. It’s nothing to do with effort, willpower or determination. If your body chemistry is not up to the challenge, it’s foolhardy to attempt it, especially after having been given a warning. Giles’ age is no doubt also a factor in the problems he had. So I say, well done Giles, but please don’t return to the Himalayas unless you want to become another casualty statistic.
Thanks Edward for your kind words! I have been considerably higher without any issue so something went wrong this time. I’m not rushing back though – that’s a bit of journalistic licence! Sea level for the foreseeable…