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Berkeley, May 2008
Volume 2, Number 2 In this newsletter you will find:
Letter from our Chief Exploratory Officer – (CEO)
Dear Fellow Adventurers!
It is time to get the summer outdoor gear out of the closet — to grease up your hiking boots, find your dusty paddle, buy a new memory card for your camera, and start getting into shape for the fun and adventure out there! We at Explorers’ Corner are looking forward to taking you to the great remote spots of our wonderful world this summer!
We are particularly excited about getting several hiking groups off to Greenland in July and August. The facts about global warming and discussions in the press about the melting of the Greenland ice cap have stimulated interest in this great but endangered wilderness. I am personally leading our first hiking trip in July where we will get a first hand look at what is happening to the ice on the edge of Greenland. It should be very exciting to witness, up close, the magnificent power of nature in transformation. My hope is to get a better personal understanding of what is going on with our precious but changing globe! To see more details about our trekking adventure you can click this link: www.explorerscorner.com/greenlandhiking.
Also, we just finished a very successful Belize kayaking/sailing season – one of our clients proclaimed:” The whole trip was first-class, and we shall highly recommend the trip to our kayaking friends.” The tropical waters and coral reefs of the world are yet another habitat to worry about! There is no better way to experience the magic and complexity of these underwater regions than up close from the seat of a kayak or in the water snorkeling. We will for sure offer this trip in 2009 – stay tuned. For more information check out www.explorerscorner.com/belize or call our office and speak with Paul. Our number is 510-559-8099 or toll free 877-677-9623.
Finally, there has been a lot of talk about Galapagos lately – is it getting crowded there, and is the environment being destroyed by tourism? Well – I am happy to inform you that the National Park authorities are still vigilant about enforcing the strict visitation limits (only 1800 sea visitors per day) and visitor regulations remain in full force. In fact, we believe that carefully monitored nature tourism has been good for the protection of the fragile marine environment of the Enchanted Islands – and for sure, every time Explorers’ Corner brings a happy kayaker and snorkeler back from Galapagos, another environmental advocate h as been born! Nobody can be unaffected by the beauty of Galapagos and what is at stake here. To find your vacation in Galapagos, visit www.explorerscorner.com/galapagos.
Happy Trails,
Olaf Malver
Chief Exploratory Officer
Tales from the trail…Irian Jaya, 1994
In 1994, we had the crazy idea of packing up our folding kayaks and heading for the wildest part of Indonesia, to Irian Jaya in the Eastern Indonesian Archipelago. This was (and still is ) “virgin” territory, completely off the beaten path of most tourists. Our goal was to be the first to paddle along the northern shores of this enormous island and in particular we wanted to get a glimpse of the magnificent Lesser Bird of Paradise. I have asked my co-explorer Tim Ahern to share some of that great tale, and excerpted here is his story of crossing the Van Dammen Peninsula.
From Yop we motored to Mai, a small district of the settlement of Wassior on the west coast of the Van Dammen Peninsula. The family of Chris’ wife lives in Wassior and a huge crowd waded out into the water to greet us when we arrived. Chris took us to the house of his brother-in-law, who immediately killed a hog for us. Stewart held the hog as its throat was slit on the patio behind the kitchen. “He was pretty calm,” Stewart said, “He seemed to know what was going to happen, but accepted that his end had come.” Stewart stayed on the and helped our host butcher the hog. We ate some of it that night, and it was a delicious creature.
We woke the next morning, piled into the outriggers, and … (continued…)
Thanks to Tim Ahern for sharing this tale from the trail.
Tale excerpted from Irian Jaya: An Account of a Voyage by Motorized Outrigger and Kayak in Cenderawasih Bay During September of 1994.
Portrait of a Cassowary, denizen of Irian Jaya
Explorers’ Corner supports Global Explorers
Global Explorers is a non-profit organization that is committed to sharing educational, fun and transformative international experiences with teachers and students. At the Colorado premier of the documentary film Blindsight, shown in Denver on March 13, 2008, the raffle prize was donated by Explorers’ Corner — one kayaking trip in the Galapagos Islands! Congratulations to winner Jordy Toleson! Raffle ticket purchases helped raise additional funds for this incredible organization.
On the rocks in Antarctica
Antarctica 2008 Expeditions — both trips almost full…
A few months ago, we got the inspiration of putting together another commercial paddling and camping trip to the Antarctic Peninsula. I personally led an expedition down to these increditble shores five years ago, where we were stunned by the beauty and grandness of the place. We wanted another trip with more kayaking and more time spent in the elements. The concept for this latest trip is to gather a small group of adventurers and sail from Cape Horn across the famous Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula. We plan to spend a couple of weeks paddling and camping along the remote Antarctic shoreline, away from the cruise ship crowds and close to the amazing wildlife. A true adventure of a lifetime!
The response to this new initiative was amazing! We sold out one of the departures in just a few days. Now we have only two spots open on the November 20 departure. Check out the itinerary and detailed description of our 29 day expedition here at www.explorerscorner.com/antarctica.
Baldy (Baldvin Kristjannson) at the edge
2009 – On the Edge of Adventure – Again.
As a taste of the other amazing adventures that we are cooking up for you in our 2009 season, let me tell you that we asked our kayaking expedition leader and maestro Baldwin Kristiansson (Baldy) to dream up his own kayaking expedition in the Arctic. He suggested a paddling expedition around the southernmost point of Greenland, the notorious Cape Farewell — the Cape Horn of the North! This has never been done before, and the expedition is only for experienced polar paddlers! We are excited and a little intimidated by the idea – but hey lets do it! Call our office to inquire. Our toll free number is 877-677-9623.
Summer evening drive in the Arctic
What is your AQ?
Most of you are avid readers and often when we gather around the campfire, stories of Old Explorers and their daring conquests come up. Let’s help sharpen your AQ – the so important Adventure Quotient!
1. Who is the most famous beekeeper and adventurer in the World?
a) Jon Krakauer
b) Sir Edmund Hillary
c) Ed Viesturs
d) Tensing Norgay
2. How long did it take Danish adventurer Vitus Bering’s to complete his last trans-Siberian expedition, from St. Petersburg to Alaska?
a) 4 months
b) 1 year
3. Who was in charge of the second expedition ever to reach the South Pole?
a) Roald Amundsen
b) Robert Falcon Scott
c) Ernest Shackleton
d) Douglas Mawson
4. When was the first, last, and only encounter with Northeastern Greenland Inuits by Captain John Clavering?
a) 1120
b) 1790
c) 1823
d) 1911
5. In 1800, the German explorer and naturalist Alexander von Humboldt circumnavigated the Guyana Shield via
these two rivers:
a) The Paquare and the Reventazón
b) The Orinoco and the Amazon
c) The Rio da Duvida and the Maranon
d) The Bio Bio and the Futaleufu
Answers
Peregrinations charm our senses with such unspeakable and sweet variety, that some count him unhappy that never traveled.
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About us
Explorers’ Corner endeavors to foster a community of explorers that dare to make their travel dreams come true – only limited by the world and our imaginations. Explorers’ Corner is a mostly-referral specialty adventure travel company offering unique destinations and/or experiences, custom adventures and “old-world” one-to-one customer service.
We’re here to answer any of your questions about this trip or other trips Explorers’ Corner offers. Don’t hesitate to visit our web site at www.explorerscorner.com, call us toll free at 1-877-677-9623, or at 510-559-8099. You can email us at info@explorerscorner.com.
The World is Ours to Explore!
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