Hawaii’s Kilauea eruption and lava flows

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Leilani Estates, Big Island, Hawaii / May 2018

On May 3rd, 2018, a fissure opened up in Leilani Estates (Puna District, Big Island) releasing lava. Over the coming days, more fissures opened up, spewing large volumes of lava skyward. Lava soon began to accumulate and flow towards the ocean. There have been at least three separate ocean entries to date. Fissure 8 continues to be the most vigorous, with fire fountaining extending beyond 200ft.

Extreme Pursuit made the journey to Leilani and captured some extraordinary footage. View here.

Antarctica: Extremes of Earth Expedition (COLD)

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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

Chasing Cyclone Gita

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Westport, New Zealand / February 2018

Cyclone Gita started out as “Tropical Disturbance 07F” near the Solomon Islands, before tracking towards Tonga and intensifying to a Cat 4. Gita was the strongest cyclone to strike Tonga in recorded history. Gita transitioned to strong ex-tropical cyclone as it tracked towards New Zealand. We headed to the West Coast of the South Island to chase this epic storm.

See our chase video and report here

Return To The Fire Expedition

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Vanuatu / December-January 2018

Our fascination with volcanoes has became an obsession. They are an exquisite feature. Anyone who ventures near has felt a blazing sense of mother nature’s disinterest in us. In small measures she exhilarates. In her full form she annihilates.

On this expedition, we returned to Vanuatu, venturing ever closer to the blazing lava in pursuit of peril.

We spent a week on Ambrym Island, renowned for black magic and its out of this world lava lakes. We’re also traveled further afield to explore Ambae, being the first people to climb the summit of Manaro Voui since the recent eruptions.

See our full write-up, videos and more here

Kaikoura Earthquake – A Year On

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Kaikoura, New Zealand / December 2017.

The Kaikoura Earthquake caused massive damage along SH1. A year after the earthquake, it was officially reopened (however, still far from complete). We decided to compare our photos taken just days after the quake and compare them to today. We do wonder if the motorists zipping along the road today have any comprehension of what came tumbling down those hills.

Read more

Stormy weather in Tongariro National Park

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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

Expedition Indonesia 2017

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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

A ferocious winter storm

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Tongariro National Park, New Zealand / July 2017.

The forecast was grim. The worst storm of years to bear down on New Zealand bringing heavy snow and gales. Could this just be more sensationalism by news media? Either way, we packed up our storm chasing gear and make the 5 hr drive to Tongariro National Park.

View our pictures, videos and more here

Cyclone Alert: Cyclone Donna

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On May 5th, a disturbance near Vanuatu intensified and became Cyclone Donna. Her intensity rapidly increased,developing into a massive Cat 5 – as powerful as it gets. Thankfully, it was well away from any land. Over the next few days, Donna tracked between Vanuatu and New Caledonia, before heading south towards New Zealand.  While weakening rapidly, Donna converged with a separate low crossing the Tasman and formed a new system that impacted northern NZ.

While it brought heavy rain and wind, it wasn’t worth the chase.