The Adventure of Crewing Aboard Sindbad

Having just passed the half way point of my two months aboard Sindbad, the time was right to sit down and share some reflections. Living on a ship is completely new for me and so far it has been a life enhancing experience, the only problem is that the time is slipping away too quickly!

I joined Doug and Bethanne in Grenada in mid-Oct and we spent a pleasant couple weeks making our way up to Bequia and the Grenadines for the start of their second around the world adventure.

I really enjoyed the friendly locals and beautiful scenery of Grenada, Union, and Bequia. Life moves at a different pace in such places and we had many opportunities to go ashore and meet and chat with the local people.

From Bequia we headed West into the sunset for the islands of Bonaire and Curacao. The Antilles had a different feel from the islands we had just come from and were far more developed and industrial. Before arriving in Curacao we stopped in Klein Curacao, a lovely little island complete with thatch-roof huts, a ship wreck, and and old abandoned lighthouse. The clear waters made for good snorkelling too.

After 12 days in Curacao, we were itching for a change of scenery. By that time, Chris Reed, a relative from Colorado, had come aboard to crew for a couple weeks so the four of us waved goodbye and motored on westward towards Cartegena, Colombia.

If I thought Curacao was developed I was in for a shock pulling into the anchorage in Cartegena Bay, flanked by a massive shipping dock on one side and a Miami Beachesque skyline on the other.

A real nice schooner Alessandra against the high-rise backdrop

We have now been in Cartegena for over a week and have spent our days wandering through the old part of the city, discovering the market places and taking part in the timeless Spanish tradition of the afternoon nap - a much safer alternative for beating the heat than swimming in the brown water.

Me, Doug and Chris discovering the old city

San Pedro church in the heart of the old city

I was able to take a quick two day trip up to Santa Marta, a sea side town in the North of Colombia which was a good launching point to visit Tayrona National Park.

We often had to make way for horses along the trail

Typical beach in Tayrona National Park

Everyday aboard has been a learning experience and keeping an 80+ year old ship in top-notch condition doesn't happen by magic - it requires constant hardwork and maintenance. Captain Douglas 'Crunch' Hazelton always takes the time to explain every aspect of the ship and the work that needs to be done, from scrubbing the deck to painting the anchor with tar apoxy to blasting away rust with a needle gun - it all has to get done.

The hard working crew

Working slightly harder raising the mizzen sail

On a night watch in the wheelhouse (notice the little cat YingYang keeping me company)

Being aboard Sindbad is about living in the moment: feeling the excitement as we pull into an exotic new locale, enjoying a peaceful moment with a good book surrounded by endless miles of ocean, or immersing ourselves in great conversations about life, dreams, and adventures ahead.

Enjoying a nice meal in an old wine cellar

I would highly recommend joining Doug and Bethanne on Sindbad to anyone with a sense of adventure looking to discover the world.

Sailing the Caribbean - Grenada to Curacao

On October 14 I left Costa Rica and flew to St. Georges, Grenada to meet Doug and Bethanne Hazelton.  After a much needed rum, late in the evening I stepped aboard the ship 'Sindbad' for the start of an eight-week voyage through the Caribbean.

Sindbad is a very unique gaff-rigged ketch motor-sailing vessel that was built in Holland over 80 years old.  Doug and Bethanne live aboard the ship and raised their kids on it during their first trip around the world...which took 10 years!  For more on the ship and their adventures ahead (or if you want to join them in some exotic locale check out: www.sindbadadadventure.com).

Sindbad anchored off of the tiny island of Klein Curacao

The first days were spent in Grenada, with its friendly locals, bustling markets, and lush green hillsides.  Bethanne and I found time for a hike to a waterfall in between shopping for fresh local fruit like sugar apples, soursop, and papaya.  A stop by the local fish market was a must when we were in town too.

Drinking fresh coconut water sold on the roadside in St. Vincent with Bethanne

From Grenada we travelled to Carriacou and the Tobago Cays.  Just a few minutes in the turquoise water revealed an abundance of marine life, including parrot fish, barracuda, sea turtles, a nurse shark, and more.  The highlight here was an evening sail in the small boat around the reef with a rum in hand.

Bequia and St. Vincent were the last stops before the start of the official start of Doug and Bethanne's second circumnavigation around the world (and my journey with them to the San Blas Islands, Panama).  Three days motor-sailing west brought us to Bonaire, part of the Netherlands Antilles, then Curacao (can't figure out the funny accent that is supposed to be under the second 'C' on this keyboard!).

The view of the local bar in the Tobago Cays from the bow

Green Turtle hanging around Klein Curacao

Shipwreck off the coast of Klein Curacao

It is fair to say that since coming aboard, the notion of time has been re-conceived and the days have passed very pleasantly with no sense of loss for timetables and appointments. Many of us find ourselves constantly thinking about the future and what is coming next, or dwelling on matters in the past, when what we really need to do is enjoy the moment we are living.  Seeing different and beautiful parts of the world is a great way to immerse yourself in the now and to start enjoying life to the fullest. 

There is much still to be said about life aboard the ship, so that will be covered in the next entry.   

Chasing the first of many sunsets while sailing west 

Reflections on Costa Rica and Adventures Ahead

As my time in Costa Rica comes to an end, I feel inspired to share a bit about the character of the country. Though there are lots of great things to say about Costa Rica, for me it was the good-natured people and their sense of connection to nature and wildlife that made this a particularly memorable trip.

The People - In all my interactions, the people were friendly, warm, and extremely helpful.  The country seems to have a common understanding of the importance of tourism to their economy and livelihood, and as a result they will often go out of their way to help tourists (in the country-side as well as the cities).  It was not surprising to read that Costa Rica ranked number one for the second year in a row on the New Economics Foundation's Happy Planet Index.  Interestingly, the 2012 survey placed a greater emphasis on environmental concerns, which leads to the next positive aspect of Costa Rican society: the sense of connection with nature.

Connection with nature - Costa Ricans, or Ticos, use the expression Pura Vida (pure life) constantly (as a greeting, as a thanks, etc.) and this epitomizes how their close connection to the natural world.  As with their understanding of the importance of tourism, Costa Ricans know that the vast majority of tourists come to see wildlife and the bounty natural beauty that the country has to offer.  Costa Rica contains no less than 5% of the world's total biodiversity and an impressive 26% of its land area has been set aside for conservation.

Related to the progressive conservation policies is a general appreciation for the amazing wildlife and creatures that inhabit the different ecosystems throughout the country.  I was ecstatic when I read that just a few days ago the President of Costa Rica announced a ban on shark finning, which had been a tarnish on Costa Rica's good environmental reputation (http://www.ticotimes.net/Current-Edition/News-Briefs/Costa-Rica-bans-shark-finning_Wednesday-October-10-2012).   On a more micro-level, many households seem to contain pets that have been rescued and you see less animals living on the streets than in other Central American countries.

In short, it was the warm-hearted nature of the people and the strong sense of almost ingrained environmentalism that made exploring Costa Rica such an enjoyable experience.

Adventures Ahead - tomorrow I head for Grenada which is at the Southern end of the Grenadines in the Southeastern Caribbean Sea.  There I will meet Captain and Artist Doug Hazelton and his wife Bethanne and step aboard their beautiful ship Sindbad for 8 weeks sailing through the Caribbean Sea.  Lot's more to come as I go along!

They move so slowly that they have their own types of fungi and moths living on them...true story

Now then...where to find a spot to stretch out

Up close and personal with a Tarantula...not a Halloween decoration

Can't help but think of Jurassic Park every time I see iguanas

Island off of Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, Pacific Coast

Costa Rica - La Pura Vida

Hola amigos!  It has been far too long since the last post but I have come to realize that if I am not on the move, constantly inspired by new locations, my inclination to write quickly evaporates like the morning dew on the eucalyptus trees here in Costa Rica (poetry for the day).

On September 20, Jane and I departed for Costa Rica with a plan to see as much of the country as possible before she starts a Fellowship program with Kiva (www.kiva.org) for the next few months.

You will not hear a good word spoken about the sprawling capital, San Jose, nor find a positive statement about this place in written text in any language. I would love to offer evidence to balance the negative image of this city but having only spent a couple days here, nothing is coming to mind.

Little time was spent in San Jose before heading north west to the Guanacaste region, famous for its cowboys and agricultural way of life.  Near Liberia, one of the main cities, is the Parque Nactionale Rincon de la Vieja, home to impressive volcanoes.  Though the volcano could not be accessed due to activity, hiking through the forest was spectacular; culminating in a hidden waterfall and lagoon which made for some good swimming.

Way past rain jackets at this point!

More pressure than the Commando 450 (the reference is for all the Seinfeld fans)

Next was Tamarindo, a charming surfer town on the Pacific coast that necesitated staying a few extra days. The morning of the first day was spent surfing and the afternoon involved being entertained by a family of howler monkeys and other creatures along a river tour of the wildlife refuge. I've always stressed the importance of balance in life.

Way too much fun...

A black spiny tailed iguana snapping up a small crab a few feet from the boat

Heading back east now to the famous cloud forests (rain forests that exist at an elevation between 500 and 3,500 metres - in this case, trade winds from the Caribbean get pushed up by the mountains creating constant clouds and percipitation) of Monteverde.  The hiking was incredible, including a night hike that revealed lots of creatures/insects that thrive in the forest at night (as well as in the cheaper hostel rooms).  The night walk revealed a giant tarantula, poisionous viper snake, three-toed sloth, racoons, sleeping birds, leaf-cutter ants, beetles, giant stick bugs and lots more.

So...who is the winner of the camouflage contest?

So far Costa Rica has been wonderful, paritcularly the people who are very open and friendly with a natural laidbackness that exemplifies the common greeting here (which is indeed a way of life: Pura Vida).

Sunset over the Pacific in Tamarindo, Costa Rica

Before signing off, I should mention that all the pictures in this post are made more special by the fact that my (well built and waterproof) camera was actually dropped in the ocean by our surf instructor, Luis, when the lesh got caught on the camera and ripped it out of his hand.  We searched the traslucent Pacific waters seemingly in vane, dragging our feet for any sign of it.  Just as I resigned myself to having lost the camera and all picutures, Luis exclaimed 'I've got it' as a wave crashed over his head.  Somehow, he emerged with the camera in hand.  Needless to say, it made the day.

Career Focus: The Social Intrapreneur

The term 'social entrepreneur' seems to have caught fire lately, reflecting entrepreneurs with a social or environmental cause at the core of their venture. From Blake Mycoskie's one-for-one model with TOMS Shoes (which donates a pair for every pair purchased) to Tom Skazy's Terracycle (which sells fertilizer and other products made from over 60 waste streams), few would argue that social entrepreneurs are making a real difference, often filling a gap where larger organizations have failed to act (or created the problem in the first place!).

But what about the legions of socially minded people who work within large, established organizations (and thus by definition are not social entrepreneurs) and seek to be a force for positive social change? Enter the 'social intrapreneur', defined as:

1) Someone who works inside major corporations or organizations to develop and promote practical solutions to social or environmental challenges where progress is currently stalled by market failures;
2) Someone who applies the principles of social entrepreneurship inside a major organization; 
3) One characterized by an ‘insider-outsider’mindset and approach.

A field guide available for free from SustainAbility discusses the concept of the social intrapreneur in-depth and provides examples from across the corporate world. Simply put, intrapreneurship involves "the exercise of entrepreneurial skills and approaches within a company or other large organization". More specifically, social intrapreneurs seek to better align societal needs and business value. Initiatives like Accentures Development Partnerships (develops innovative, cross-sectoral solutions to global challenges) or Microsofts Unlimited Potential (delivers relevant, accessible, and affordable technology to 'the next 5 billion people' around the world) are being led by social intrapreneurs working within these large organizations that operate according to a bottomline.

Though many successful examples were cited, the article is careful to note the serious constraints faced by those seeking to shift company resources towards a greater social good, such as accessing capital, gaining the support of senior leadership, and getting recognition for success.

As the field guide is for 'corporate changemakers', all the examples examined were from large, well-resourced, multinational corporations (e.g. Nike, Vodaphone, Citi, BP, etc.). This immediately caused me to question whether the same potential exists for social intrapreneurs seeking to drive change within:
- smaller companies with less resources; or
- that other world of large organizations that don't operate according to a bottomline, the public sector.

It would be interesting to see a comparison of experiences of social intrapreneurs amongst a more varied selection of organizations, as no doubt the two types mentioned above would pose a different, and arguably more salient, set of constraints.

Nonetheless there is great potential for social intrapreneurs, especially as businesses increasingly realize the limitations of a business model built purely on profit maximization.

If you work within a large organization and spend at least part of your time trying to address a larger social issue, or know someone who does, than this guide is worth a read.

Disclaimer: I am not a social intrapreneur and I still believe the greatest prospect to drive change is by starting something of your own. As Reed Paget, co-founder of Belu Water puts it in the article:

“As an entrepreneur, I have the freedom to pursue an individual and/or environmental mission — unconstrained by the needs of an existing organization.”

Sources:

'The Social Intrapreneur: A Field Guide for Corporate Change Makers' available at: http://www.sustainability.com/library/the-social-intrapreneur?path=library/the-social-intrapreneurs#.UCwIwqBmM_8

'Forbes' List of the Top 30 Social Entrepreneurs' available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/helencoster/2011/11/30/forbes-list-of-the-top-30-social-entrepreneurs/

Career Focus: Lifestyle over Position

Many of us spend a lot of time and energy thinking about our careers and taking on different jobs in the search for meaningful employment, which for people in their twenties is defined as work which provides them with:

1) A connection to the people and the world they serve;
2) A connection to their internal values and passions; and
3) Work which both challenges and engages them (Source: 'How to Make Money and Change the World')

For me, an even simpler equation for 'meaning employment' is doing what you like to do (i.e. skills) for something you believe in (i.e. values).  Connect the skills you enjoy using (e.g. public speaking, creative writing, painting, etc.), and are consequently good at, to a cause, movement, or system that you believe in (e.g. helping children with disabilities, building a sustainable society, saving wildlife, etc.), and you've got it made. Many of us have one side of the equation or the other, but it is rare (though worth pursuing!) to have both.

Much of the conversation about careers/jobs/the future seems to focus on the position: what organization do you want to work for? what positions are they hiring for? who are the leaders in your field and what positions do they hold? In a world that canonizes experts, it can be difficult for a generalist to come up a list of specific positions within specific organizations to apply for.

So, rather than starting with trying to nail down specific positions you may be interested in, why not focus on the type of lifestyle you want to live and let the potential positions stem from that?  Paint the broad strokes of how you see yourself living in the future.  For example, perhaps you see yourself living in different parts of the world throughout the year or working three days a week and spending the other days hiking in the Alps (it helps if you live close by), or organizing expeditions with your children and friends to volunteer in different parts of the world once a year.  In short, rather than focusing on where you want to work, think also about how you want to live.


There are many good ways to start the process: keep a weekly journal with thoughts about the lifestyle you are living and what you would change, collect pictures or images symbolic of the type of lifestyle you want to create for yourself, and meet and surround yourself with people living the type of life you think you may want.

Of course at some point it will be necessary to zoom in on a specific position you will go for, whether it is CEO of your own start-up or a computer programmer for a large firm, but the point is not to focus on position to the exclusion of lifestyle.

Moments in Nature

Whether travelling or at home, often my favourite moments (and those that are most memorable) are spent in nature.  Nature in this sense does not necessarily refer to the expansive, rugged, wild areas unspoiled by humans that few have seen except in a National Geographic magazine - in part because such true wilderness is increasingly rare: according to one study, 83% of the planet's ice-free land surface is now influenced by humans in some way or another.  However, most of us are able to immerse ourselves under a tree canopy or beside a lake within a relatively short distance from where we live, and we should do this, as often as possible.

Homo Sapiens have done an excellent job of  building ourselves out and away from nature, almost as if we exist in our own separate sphere where we can operate independently of the natural world.  Writer Richard Louv coined the term 'nature-deficit disorder' in a 2005 book to describe the decoupling between humans and our natural habitat.  Earlier this year, Timothy Egan wrote about this concept for the New York Times, listing the various health complications in our modern society that have been linked to a lack of exercise and time outside and explaining:

...there is an obvious solution — just outside the window. For most of human history, people chased things or were chased themselves. They turned dirt over and planted seeds and saplings. They took in Vitamin D from the sun, and learned to tell a crow from a raven (ravens are larger; crows have a more nasal call; so say the birders). And then, in less than a generation’s time, millions of people completely decoupled themselves from nature.   

I won't go into the myriad health issues that plague us as a result of this withdrawal from the natural world, but I do encourage everyone to seek out your own special moments in nature so that you can feel the connection to a bigger system.  Whether you are on a holiday or at home in the back garden, taking this time can be energizing, revitalizing, or calming...really whatever you need it to be to help find balance in an otherwise hectic world.

Here are a few pictures that remind me of the importance of these moments from recent travels:

Arches National Park, Utah, U.S.A.

Kayaking in Clayoquot Sound, Vancouver Island, B.C.

Camping under the moonlight in Lac du Possion Blanc, Quebec

Caterpillar close-up in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, U.S.A.

Sources:

• Lynas, Mark. 2011.  'The God Species: Saving the Planet in the Age of Humans'. The National Geographic Society, Washington, DC.
• Egan, Timothy. 2012. 'Nature Deficit Disorder'. New York Times Online (http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/29/nature-deficit-disorder/)
• Louv, Richard. 2005. "Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder". Algonquin Books.

From the Rockies to Vancouver Island

On June 4, 2012 my Dad and I met in Calgary for a 12+ day trip through the Rockies and over to Clayoquot Sound on Vancouver Island to kayak one of the most beautiful places on earth. 

One of the amazing things about taking serious time away from work is the freedom and ability to actualize trips with family and friends that would otherwise remain distant dreams, to be discussed as a future possibility year after year.

For quite sometime, my Dad, Richard, and I had been discussing doing a big trip together - something outdoorsy and adventurous as we both share a love for nature, albeit from different approaches of how best to sleep in nature (i.e., the Chateau Lake Louise vs. MEC's Wanderer tent).

On June 4 we met in Calgary, AB for the "short" drive to Canmore.  Calgary has changed so much in the past few years that our Garmin GPS device landed us in the parking lot of a rather nice golf course instead of the TransCanada #1 Highway to go west.  A lesson learned in not over-relying on technology.

The next day we arrived at Lake Louise and hiked up to the Lake Agnes Tea House (which luckily was open), before returning for a round of Caesars at the Chateau Lake Louise.

(Chateau Lake Louise)

The drive to Vancouver was interrupted by a mudslide that closed a major section of the TransCanada Highway, forcing us to backtrack and take the longer northern route through Jasper.  Not such a hardship when I consider that we saw black bears, big-horn sheep, and deer along the way.

(The appropriately named Big-horn sheep)

It was a scenic drive the rest of the way to Vancouver, then ferry to Nanaimo, and finally another 3 hours driving on to Tofino, Vancouver Island - famous for its surfing - where we embarked on the real purpose of the trip: 4 days kayaking Clayoquot Sound.

We joined our guide Liam and Dean and Shauna from Calgary, and as a group covered over 65km by kayak around Meares Island in the Clayoquot Sound region. You may have heard of Clayoquot Sound in the context of the opposition to logging in the 1990s that drew major attention to the region (note the battle is not over and the area is under constant threat from different forms of development).

First Nations have inhabited the area for thousands of years and it is truly remarkable: forests thick with giant Western redcedars and the great Douglas Fir, innumerable inlets and mudflats, great birds (like Osprey and bald eagles) with a backdrop of snow-capped mountains in the distance.

(Group shot using the auto-pic function and the advanced Nalgene water bottle tripod)

The last few days of the trip we spent in Campbell River (famous for its Salmon fishing), Victoria (famous for its high retiree to non-retiree ratio - which is what attracted me to it :), and spending time with family and friends in Vancouver (famous for...I don't know...being the coolest place ever). The West Coast is pure magic.

Though the most exciting part of the trip was the kayaking, what I will remember the most is the fantastic chats we had along the way; driving in the car, waiting for a ferry, or avoiding getting up and out of warm sleeping bags in the tent. We both agreed that life is too short not to make the most out of every opportunity there is to have fun and connect with family.  I'm already looking into kayak trips for next year, which my brothers have made clear they would like to be a part of!  

(Plenty of time for pictures when your not actually catching fish)

For those of you who like to visualize places on a map, you can check out a google map with all the places mentioned: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid= 207108962984417257908.0004c2d8efa20e882dc7f

On Richard Branson's "Losing My Virginity"

I recently finished reading Richard Branson's action-packed biography Losing My Virginity: How I Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way.  Prior to reading this book, I had of course heard of Branson (now Sir Richard) and the Virgin label, but knew very little about how the Virgin group had evolved and the incredible adventures Richard Branson had along the way, both personal and professional.

Branson's story resonated with me and his approach and outlook to life validated many of the core beliefs I hold and for this reason, I thought it worthwhile to share the key lessons I took from this book that at times had me jumping up shouting "yes I totally understand" or "that is so true!".

Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained - this is the motto Branson's parents impressed upon him from a young age and it became a cornerstone of his approach to life, from new business ventures to record-setting balloon adventures. For example, Virgin took a massive risk when it entered the airline industry with the launch of Virgin Atlantic, going up against the powerful and well established British Airways. As you read his story, it seems that Branson and Virgin as a whole tended to overcome one challenge or risk by upping the stakes and taking an even bigger risk.

Being a risk-taker doesn't mean acting recklessly without thought of consequence.  Branson correctly notes that "if you are a risk taker, then the art is to protect the downside" (p. 427). But it does mean you need to be willing to step into the unknown and be confident enough in your own capacities to face what awaits on the otherside.

There is no formula for Virgin's success - good on him for saying this! He explains part way through that there really was no magic formula for Virgin that can be copied. 

This is the core of the message of Peter Block's book The Answer to How is Yes: Acting on What Matters, which emphasizes the importance of taking action on what you believe is important (rather than trying to copy other peoples approaches).  This sentiment is further echoed by Umair Haque in a blog posting for the Harvard Business Review, who states:

In our messy muggle world, there are no magic formulas. So, while many of you have been asking me for a roadmap to prosperity — and I've tried to offer a blueprint of a better kind of business — it might be that, despite what late-night infomercials and endless banner ads suggest, there's probably no framework you can pick up off the shelf, pay a few bucks for, do a little dance around, and (voila!) prosper. The plain fact is that great achievement, deep fulfillment, lasting relationships, or any other aspects of an unquenchably, relentlessly well lived life aren't formulaically executable or neatly quantifiable. First and foremost, they're searingly, and deeply personally, meaningful. The inconvenient truth is: you'll probably have to not just blaze your own trail — you'll also probably have to plot your own map for own journey (Source: (http://hbr.org/hbrg-main/resources/html/marketing/partner_center.html)).

I have seen 'paralysis by analysis' over and over again: there is always one more book to read, one more report to wait for, or something else to know about a subject.  At some point you just need to go for it...whatever that 'it' is.

Fun and adventure are important -  fun and adventure were at the core of everything Branson did (and continues to do).  He said he wouldn't even entertain a business idea unless there was an element of fun.  Life is too short to do it any other way.  It's not like we can alot the first thirty years of our professional lives to 'work', then bet on a few good years of retirement to "have fun" - that's just crazy!  How can you even know what fun is if you spend X number of years doing something you are not passionate about?

Social/environmental causes - particularly towards the later part, after many of the Virgin companies were well established, Branson began putting his energy and resources towards tackling some of the most difficult and intactable issues we face, from HIV/AIDS to climate change to the declining populations of Africa's great mammels. Branson understood that he is connected to the world and the planet and is therefore part of a broader system and as such, the companies he created have a responsibility to operate in the most sustainable way possible.

His outlook on life and boundless energy are inspiring, and he ends with: "...whatever the future holds, I am as excited and curious about it as I have ever been. It is that curiousity and sense of adventure about the unknown with all its challenges that drives me." Well said Sir Richard!

Note: If your thinking of picking up a copy of this book, consider getting it from http://www.betterworldbooks.com/

Cruisin the U.S.A. Wrap-up and Adventures Ahead

The past week in Ft. Myers, FL has been spent with my bros, Mike and Brian. They were kind enough to accommodate my restlessness and we packed a lot into the week, including: a road trip to Miami, kayaking through the mangroves off Sanibel island, hitting a few different beaches, world-class golf (without the world class scores), and more.

Mike and Bri, the great explorers

We had an awesome week and ended with a pledge to make it an annual affair.  Really the point is to hang out, catch up, and have fun, so in that respect it wouldn't matter much where in the world we go. It always strikes me how different we are, but that is what makes spending time together so great and I always appreciate the different perspectives Bri and Mike bring to the table.

After dropping the guys off at the airport, I was going to spend a quiet day cleaning the place but quickly aborted mission and took off to Sanibel to try paddleboarding for the first time.  It is exactly as the name suggests: stand up on a modified surfboard and paddle around with a long paddle.  It is one of the fastest growing sports and I can see why: it's a killer work out (particularly for those wanting to strengthen the core) and its quite relaxing.  I totally recommend trying it and there is no need for a lesson - I opted to watch a 2 minute intro Youtube video instead and that's all that was needed (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WakICTRuWoI).

Taken just before the arm workout of the century

 

It turns out that the most dangerous part was not the paddleboarding itself, but getting the board to and from the rental place on a car that is not designed to transport one.  Driving back the rigged up strap slipped off and the board just about flew away, but I managed to grab it with one arm.  Three attempts pulling over to fix the rigging failed but damned if I was about to be late and pay for extra time.  So I did the only logical thing and drove as fast as I could holding the board down with one arm.  

This worked well and I had nearly made it off the causeway when a strong gust of wind caught the board, which acted effectively as a sail, and nearly ripped me out of the seat, leading to my last course of action: to hold the board down with both hands and steer with the wheel between my knees for the remainder of the drive.  Hands-free in the truest sense of the term. I have chosen this blog as the most effective medium to tell my Mom, the owner of the beloved family car that was passed down from my grandmother, about this episode - sorry Mom.

I recounted the story to the guy at the store who had rigged up the board, and he casually said 'Yeah I thought it was about 50/50 whether it would stay on".  This is why I don't go to casinos.

As for adventures ahead, stay tuned for a post from my next destination: the Rocky Mountains and kayaking off of Clayoquot Sound, Vancouver Island with my Dad, as well as some thoughts on Richard Branson and what he can teach us about life.

Cruisin the U.S.A. Part II - Washington, DC to Ft. Myers, FL

On Saturday April 28, I said farewell to my uncle and flew to Washington, D.C. to meet up with Amin Asadollahi and commence Part II of travelling in the U.S.A.  We spent a couple days in Washington checking out museums and preparing for the trip ahead to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with a final destination of Ft. Myers, Florida.

Washington is a fantastic place - it is easy to navigate (very logical street layout and has a metro) and there is alot to see and do.  We hit the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of National History, and the Botanical Gardens (all of which are free!), with the requisite pictures around the White House, Capitol Hill, and the Pentagon.

(Capitol Hill on a glorious, sunny day)

On the topic of the Pentagon, Amin and I stood from the back corner of the furthest parking lot (a solid mile from the actual building) and took a casual picture with the Pentagon far in the distance.  No sooner did the flash go off when a Pentagon Security officier on a speaker demanded that we don't take pictures, giving us a stern reply when we asked why.  National security aside, I couldn't help but think "pretty sure everyone already knows the building is in the shape of a pentagon"..but hey, we all have a job to do.

We left Washington and headed to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at the Tennessee-North Carolina border.  The route we chose to hike was only 20 miles, but with steep elevation changes along the Lakeshore Trail which hugs Lake Fontana in the South-West section of the park.  We took a boat up the lake then spent four days, almost entirely under tree canopy, hiking back to the marina.

(Cades Cove in western end of the Park)

(Amin and I on the boat en route to site 77, the start of the backpacking)

(The best part of camping, having a drink by the fire)

We fell into a pleasant routine of drinking tea and eating oatmeal really early in the morning, hiking through the morning, then setting up camp/purifying water/swimming and napping in the afternoon. Bugs/animals were hardly an issue (some ticks and giant milipedes being the exception) and for one of the most popular national parks in the country, we didn't see any other hikers until the last day.

A straight 16 hour drive from the Smokies brought us into the final destination, Fort Myers, Florida.  The past few weeks here have consisted of beach camping at Cayo Costa State Park, biking in the Everglades, finding awesome local hang outs to write blog entries from (like Bennett's Fresh Roast which has the best donuts ever!), helping to clean the beach on Sanibel Island (see separate blog post), and generally relaxing and having fun.

One of the best things about travelling is meeting great people along the way - everyone has a story to tell and travelling tends to bring out the best in people.

(Amin, Andrew, Pascal, Van, and Jeff.  Van and son Andrew played guitar for us on Cayo Costa)

 

(Us with brothers Brent and Aaron, who joined us at site 90 - where none of us had the required reservation)

 

Picking up trash for Sea Turtles on Sanibel Island

On May 12, Amin and I travelled to Sanibel Island to meet the nice folks at the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SSCF - http://www.sccf.org/), grab a few plastic bags, then hit Bowman's beach to clean up litter.

Our impetus was that it is currently sea turtle nesting season (the majority being loggerhead sea turtles) in South Florida.  Adults and hatchlings face a gaunlet of threats both natural and man-made (e.g. long-line fishing nets; predation on hatchlings from racoons, crabs, seabirds, etc; illegal poaching of turtles; motor boats hitting turtles, and so on) during this stage.  The commonly quoted statistic for the mortality rate is that only about 1 out of every 1,000 sea turtles makes it to adulthood and the evolutionary response of the loggerhead has been to lay a large number of eggs (counted in the hundreds) to counter this.

Like many species under threat, nature already throws enough challenges at them, and it is the additional antropocentric pressures that drive populations towards extinction.  The one in particular we wanted assist with, if only a little bit, is the pain and death caused by the ingestion of plastic trash, which to a turtle that naturally feeds on jellyfish, can often look like food.

We arrived at Bowman's Beach on Sanibel Island which by most standards is a relatively clean and remote beach.  At first glance there seemed to be very little to pick up, but a mere 2 hours of cruising the beach yeilded two very full bags of trash, ranging from cigarette butts to a cell phone.

Along the way we met Amanada who was in the process of re-locating a turtle nest.  We watched her recreate the nest the adult turtle had dug then carefully place the eggs inside, and add a little sand from the original nest.

Not only did we learn more about a particular issue by doing this, we met cool people along the way and discovered that most people are well intentioned and want to help (we even asked parents to ask their son who had built an impressive sand castle to fill in the hole when finished, and they said they would be happy to). This short activity greatly enhanced our experience at Sanbel Island and was alot more fun than laying around the beach...though we will do some of that too.

Cruisin the U.S.A. - Part I - Palm Springs, CA to Minneapolis, MN

Description: From April 21-28 I travelled with my uncle, Bob Phillips, over 3,000 km from Palm Springs, California to Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Highlights

• staying with Brian and Joan on their beautiful ranch in Nemo, South Dakota, and seeing a mountain lion!
• hiking alone through the desert in Arches National Park, Utah.
• long chats along the way about life, career, the family company, balance sheets, and more!

After arriving in Palm Springs, we spent an easy day touring the city.  In the evening I met friends of UB's, Alan and Nielle, who were getting geared up to drive across the country in a convertible - very inspiring.

We left early the next day for destination #1 - Sedona, Arizona.  Passed through beautiful desert along the way.  Stayed at a great motel called the Skyway Inn. 

The next day we decided to see the Grand Caynon in style and took a fixed wing plane to the west part of the Caynon, where we then dropped in by helicopter and went on a boat on the Colorado river.  The view was spectacular. 

We drove on that night to Monument Valley, Utah, where we lucked out getting the last hotel room available (Johnny Depp was in town filming the 'Lone Ranger').

We then put lots of miles behind us and drove all the way up to Vail, Colorado - which looked like a bit of a ghost town since they hadn't had any snow for weeks and weeks. Found a great restaurant (the Terra Bistro which was essentially empty).

Onwards to Nemo, South Dakota. About 20 miles before arriving at the ranch, I saw a beautiful mountain lion off the side of the road. We pulled up at a great local burger joint and started jabbing with the locals - who were very impressed I saw the big cat. I think they were more interested from a hunting perspective, so I was intentionally vague about where exactly I had seen it!

We then stayed two nights with Brian and Joan at their beautiful ranch in a valley in the Black Hills (with their two horses and dog Kia) and during this time visited Deadwood, SD and Mt. Rushmore.

The last day driving was a marathon through wind and rain and we arrived late in Minneapolis, where I said goodbye.

All in all an amazing start to a year of adventure and I learned alot along the way.  I was especially impressed by my Uncle's ability to speak to ANYONE about pretty much anything.