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We are New Zealand based adventurers in pursuit of mind-blowing experiences and moments of close escapes. Often to far-flung places, in pursuit of Mother Nature at her worst.

We’ve chased destructive storms, descended into fiery volcanoes and explored remote locations from the Arctic to Antarctica. While Mother Nature is sometimes a very destructive and fearsome force, she puts on the best show on Earth. It’s this connection which we love to explore and share.

The driving force behind Extreme Pursuit

Matt Davison, the driving force behind Extreme Pursuit, loves all things earth sciences, with a special focus on exploring and documenting remote volcanoes across the South Pacific. He stands as one of the world’s most prolific volcano chasers, having ventured to over 200 volcanoes across every continent, including Antarctica. Notably, Matt holds the world record for the “Most number of volcanoes visited in a 24-hour period,” an astounding 53. Matt’s extensive experience goes beyond personal exploration; he’s led numerous expeditions, guiding countless individuals to some of the planet’s most remote and challenging environments. His work and observations have also been used in numerous scientific publications.

  

Exploring New Zealand’s Wild Side

Beyond his work with volcanoes, Matt has dedicated his life to exploring NZ’s wildest places. These adventures have led to remarkable discoveries and brought to light wonders never before seen in the country. While many of these finds stay secret to protect them, some are documented here.

 

Caving and Caving Discoveries

Matt’s drive to explore goes deep. He’s a dedicated caver, having discovered and mapped many lava caves in the Auckland Volcanic Field, along with larger limestone caves on New Zealand’s South Island. The New Zealand Speleological Society has formally recognised many of these. You can learn more about his cave discoveries here.

 

Documenting Geothermal Wonders

Above ground, Matt also has a keen interest in New Zealand’s extraordinary geothermal features. He’s painstakingly documented and mapped hundreds of unique and impressive examples, each with scientific explanations. What makes this work especially notable is that most of these features were previously undocumented, hidden away in very remote and hard-to-reach locations. You can see some of these features here.

 

Chasing Storms and Earthquakes

Matt’s adventurous spirit also extends to nature’s raw power. He’s an avid storm chaser, having tracked and documented numerous cyclones, major floods, and even earthquakes.

   

Capturing Natural Light Phenomena

When night falls, Matt’s passion for the natural world doesn’t fade. Instead, you’ll often find him outside, capturing the ethereal glow of both the sky’s aurora and the mesmerising “aurora of the sea” – bioluminescence. You can see some of his images here and here.

 

Global Media Coverage

Matt’s adventures have captured global attention, appearing in media outlets like The New York Times, the BBC, PBS, the Daily Mail, The Mirror, and The Weather Channel, among many others.

 

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