The Adventure Blog |
- Video: Night Lights - Saudi Arabia In Timelapse
- 67-Year Old Kayaker Completes Atlantic Crossing
- Video: Paddler Sets New Record For Biggest Drop In A Canoe
- Everest 2014: Picking Up The Pieces
- North Pole 2014: Yasu Ogita Abandons Expediton
| Video: Night Lights - Saudi Arabia In Timelapse Posted: 21 Apr 2014 02:00 PM PDT Saudia Arabia is not a destination that typically comes to mind when you think of adventure. But the country has some spectacular landscapes and beautiful places to share with visitors who do venture there. The video below captures some of that beauty in a wonderful timelapse. The mood-setting music adds to the effect, inspiring viewers to want to visit these destinations for themselves. |
| 67-Year Old Kayaker Completes Atlantic Crossing Posted: 21 Apr 2014 11:00 AM PDT Doba set out from Lisbon, Portugal on October 5 of last year, with the intention of kayaking the Atlantic at its widest point. That meant arriving at Cape Canaveral, which he did on Friday. But his ultimate destination was New Smyrna Beach, where friends were waiting to greet him Saturday. By the time he stepped ashore, he had spent 195 days alone at sea, and paddled an estimated 6700 miles (10,782 km) in total. The journey was not without its challenges. Back in February, bad weather damaged the rudder on the kayak, forcing Aleksander to stop in Bermuda to make repairs. That same bad weather knocked him hundreds of miles off course, so once repairs were complete, he caught a ride aboard a ship, which returned him to his original position, so he could resume the journey where he had left off. That was on March 23. Less than a month later, he was crossing the finish line in Florida. In staying true to the nature of his solo expedition across the Atlantic, Doba did not restock his boat with food and other supplies when he stopped for repair in the Bermuda. Instead, he continued to use the items he brought with him when he set out from Portugal back in October. This is a pretty impressive accomplishment at any age, and I respect Aleksander for sticking to the "rules" of the challenge that he set down for himself. Inspiring stuff to say the least. |
| Video: Paddler Sets New Record For Biggest Drop In A Canoe Posted: 21 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT Last fall, paddler Jim Coffey made an epic drop in an open canoe, going over the 60-foot (18.2 meter) La Cascada de Truchas on the Alseseca River in Mexico. In doing so, he broke a 20-year old record, and wrote his own name in the annals of paddling history. The video below shares his story and gives us some unbelievable footage from his run. If you thought big drops in a kayak were scary, wait until you get a load of this one. Don't try this at home kids. There is a reason the previous record stood for so long. |
| Everest 2014: Picking Up The Pieces Posted: 21 Apr 2014 07:30 AM PDT  While the efforts to retrieve the bodies of the fallen continue, climbing on the South Side has come to a complete standstill. The Sherpa community is in shock, and mourning the loss of their brethren. As a result, they have asked for a 7-day moratorium on operations on the mountain, while they sort through their grief and come to terms with how to proceed. That means, none of the clients are moving up the slopes at the moment, while everyone waits to see what will happen next. Over the weekend, the Sherpas met in BC and discussed their plans moving forward. Out of that meeting came a list of demands that they wanted to see fulfilled before they would resume their work. Alan Arnette summarized those demands, and they are as follows:
If these demands are not met by the end of the week, there is a real chance that the Everest climbing season could be cancelled this year. The Sherpas are essentially threatening to walk off the mountain, which would bring a halt to the vast majority of expeditions. It is unclear at this time, what the response to these demands will be. In the wake of the tragic accident, the Discovery Channel has cancelled its planned coverage of Joby Ogwyn's attempt to summit, then jump off the top in a wing-suit. Ogwyn says that he is still going ahead with his plans, it just won't be televised now. The rest of the teams are in a holding pattern while they decide what to do. There are some reports of climbers already leaving BC and heading back to Kathmandu, while others wait to see how things will unfold. Dave Hahn, one of the top guides in the world working for RMI, said in a dispatch: "Our Sherpa partners love their jobs and love to climb, but nobody is climbing now and all are struggling to come to terms with how to proceed in a way that honors those lost and protects those left alive." Similarly, my friend Gulnur Tumbat, who is in Base Camp now, posted this to her blog: "The mountain is shut down at the moment and this season is to bedeclared as "Black Year" with the deadliest day ever. We are exhausted and broken. We are trying to figure out what to do." Both quotes give you an idea of the mood on the mountain right now. Word of the tragic events that occurred on the South Side, spread quickly to the North as well, where, the Sherpa teams are mourning the loss of friends and family too. But teams like the 7 Summits Club and Adventure Peaks have begun to arrive in Base Camp there, and work is proceeding on that side of the mountain. There are preliminary plans for the first climbers to head up to Advanced Base Camp today, as the acclimatization rotations begin. There will be further reports from the North Side as things unfold. As you can see, it is another strange year on Everest, with tragedy creating unusual circumstances. What will happen over the next few days remains to be seen, and it is possible that even if he Nepali government meets on the requirements of the Sherpas, that the season will be cancelled anyway. It is a sad, uncertain time on the mountain, and my heart goes out to everyone who is there right now. |
| North Pole 2014: Yasu Ogita Abandons Expediton Posted: 21 Apr 2014 06:01 AM PDT  Reportedly, Yasu is in good physical and mental condition, he simply ran out of time. After setting out from Cape Discovery back on March 7, Yasu has spent the last 44 days traveling north. Unfortunately, rough ice, bad weather, and negative drift have conspired against him. Now, as he's running low on food and fuel, he knows that he won't be able to complete the journey. As of now, he is located at 86º 16'43.8"N, 63º 38'43.8"W, although drift won't keep him there for long. Weather forecasts say that a blizzard is bearing down on his position now, and that would have prevented him from making further progress. Now, it'll keep the pilots from Kenn Borek Air from getting to him as well. Hopefully they'll be able to safely extract him in a day or two. With Yasu's departure, on the the American team of Ryan Waters and Eric Larson remain out on the ice. They are still attempting to reach the North Pole, and while they still have 240+ miles (385 km) to go, they have been picking up speed in recent days. They have enough fuel and food to last for about another two and half weeks, so there is still a chance they could complete the expedition as scheduled. I'll post an update on their progress in the next day or two. |
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