An unbelievable adventure abseiling over 100 meters into the Lost World Cave.
A friend and myself travelled to the Waitomo area of New Zealand to explore the Lost World Cave. After rigging up, we carefully abseiled over 100 meters to the cave floor. It was absolutely massive, magical and out of this world. We then headed underground for just over 2km, navigating through some very narrow gaps, waterfalls and climbs before emerging out the other end. Pictures below the fold.
We’re just back from a mini expedition to the Chatham Islands (including Pitt Island), located 800 kilometres east of the South Island of New Zealand. It’s about as close as we can get to an “overseas” expedition right now. The islands do feel distinctively different from the mainland and offer a rich geological and wilderness experience. There’s an extensive hiking track network, but very little information online. So we hiked them all and have documented our experiences below.
The Arctic Circle, Alaska / January 2020
After our expedition to Antarctica, we found ourselves compelled to visit the Arctic also. A land of beauty, desolation and frigid cold. Cold of -40 degrees C and below. And with a desire to push north was a far as possible, our limits were going to be tested to the max.
Join us as we venture through the northern bounds of Alaska and into the Arctic Circle during a punishing winter.
We’re often venturing to the hottest places on Earth. But this time we’re trading lava lakes for icebergs and journeying to the continent that boasts the coldest, driest, and windiest place on Earth. Antarctica.
On March 14, 2008 we departed Ushuaia (the southernmost city in the world) for a ten day expedition to Antarctica. Led by Dr. Alex Cowan, our voyage would take us across the Drake Passage, towards the South Shetland Islands, and then onto the Antarctic Peninsula.
You can view a expedition report here
Tongariro National Park, New Zealand / November 2017.
Four weeks back, we journeyed to Tongariro National Park to hike the Northern Circuit. This track is one of New Zealand’s great walks (I’ve got one more to complete!). The Northern Circuit starts and ends in Whakapapa and encompasses much of the (more popular) Tongariro Crossing. With fine weather forecast, we set off, only to get caught in a major storm with gusts of 160km/hr.
See my full summary and photos here
Dukono and Komodo, Indonesia / August 2017.
EXPEDITION INDONESIA 2017: We’re back from another insane expedition, exploring the remotest stretches of Indonesia. We had many moments of close escapes, including a super heated ash cloud, lahar and huge lava bombs landing close by us. All up, we took 11 flights, explored two fiery volcanoes and tamed a few fire-breathing dragons!
See our full write-up, videos and more here
Khao Sok National Park, Thailand / November 2016
In early November, I visited Thailand to trek the jungles of Khao Sok. Located in the Surat Thani Province, Khao Sok is the largest area of virgin forest in southern Thailand. The park has more biodiversity than the Amazon Basin and is home to wild elephants, tigers, gaurs, leopards and more. See my full report here
Waimangu Valley, Rotorua, New Zealand. June 2016.
Today, I visited The Pink and White Terraces, devastated by eruption and giving birth to the world’s youngest geothermal valley of Waimangu.
I’ve just returned from an exploration of a tiny, remote island called Niue. View my Niue adventure here
Great afternoon exploring some of the Te Henga Coastline here in Auckland. We look advantage of an unusually low tide, but ended up getting a little too close for comfort.
Always be safe in and around water. Know your limits!
