About Sean

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.

Since 1992, film-making has seen Sean working on M-Net’s “Carte Blanche”, 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 filmed Mike Horn's traverse of South America along the Amazon River from source to mouth on a hydrospeed (a compartmentalised "boogy" board). In 2000, he filmed "Latitude Zero" - Mike's traverse of the globe along the Equator unmotorised.

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 - Mt 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 Mt Kilimanjaro and reached the highest point in Africa on the 19th of February 2004. Since then Sean has climbed 'Kili' 27 times.

Sean acquired a well-known racing yacht and when he wasn't climbing, rebuilt her over three years. Yacht "Kiga" has embarked on many great adventures in the Indian Ocean and around the Cape since then.