October 29th, 2012. A couple of days before Halloween. New Yorkers were told to prepare for this day starting the week prior. Hurricane Sandy had formed in the Western Caribbean Sea on October 22nd, and meteorologists feared for the worst for residents nearest to the coast. Kim Joyce, a resident of Staten Island, was one of those told to evacuate her home on the weekend preceding that Monday. Kim resided in the Great Kills section of Staten Island, and for 15 years she lived in a bungalow right there on the beach. Kim had a boyfriend, but the home was her own. She wasn’t alone however, she lived there with quite a number of cats. Nine, to be exact. Truthfully though, she wasn’t convinced of the severity of these warnings. Just one year prior, Hurricane Irene had hit the same region. Some of you may remember Governor Chris Christie of nearby New Jersey sternly warning residents to, “get the hell off the beach.” During Irene though, Kim’s small beach bungalow went unscathed. Sandy would be different, however.

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New England is a huge area of the Northeast in the U.S. consisting of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Although these states all possess their own unique charm, scattered throughout them you will find some of the most amazing hikes that our country has to offer. These hikes are far from the big city, and out in the wilderness. Many would agree that the fall season is the most beautiful time of year for the area, where you will find endless trees of magnificent color painting the scenery. This seemingly infinite mass of leaves scattered about however, along with unpredictable weather conditions, can create great danger for those looking to explore. Especially those who are not prepared.

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Bruce Gordan, a wildlife enthusiast and adventurer, became widely known for his remarkable friendship with a polar bear. Bruce grew up in a small town in Alaska, surrounded by the beauty and magnificence of nature. From an early age, he developed a deep love and fascination for wildlife.

As a young boy, Bruce would spend hours observing animals in their natural habitats, often venturing into the wilderness alone. His passion for the animal kingdom led him to pursue a degree in zoology, where he learned extensively about different species and their behaviors.

After completing his studies, Bruce embarked on a journey to explore the Arctic regions, particularly focusing on polar bears, one of the most majestic creatures in the world. He spent months studying the behavior and habitat of these bears, gaining insights that few had experienced before.

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Kristie Cataffo-O’Brien was visiting Bahia Beach with her husband Thomas over this past summer of 2023. A beautiful area with clear waters and of course palm trees, a staple of The Sunshine State. Thomas and Kristie’s trip to Bahia was about as far from the daring adventures of Steve Irwin as you could get, both geographically and in the events planned. The couple took a 40 minute drive from their home in Tampa to try a new spot for lunch followed by some relaxation in the sun, and cooling off in the water. That was about it. They weren’t in Bahia to surf, dive, or partake in any type of thrill-seeking activity. On August 25th, while sitting in only knee-deep water, Kristie felt a painful sting dig into her right shoulder blade. A jellyfish maybe? She wasn’t quite sure.

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The wilderness can be an unforgiving environment. While you may be just miles from civilization, if something unexpected happens, you need to deal with the matter utilizing your wits and tools, supplies, and preparations you made for the trip. Some are ill-equipped for such difficulties, while others will rise above the situation and display extraordinary courage and determination. 

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When we hear of shark attacks, the species we think of most often is usually the deadly Great White. This could be due to movies so deeply embedded in popular culture (specifically “Jaws”) or even the focus on Great Whites in the highly popular Shark Week series that has aired every July for an amazing 35 years. If you’re a huge fan of Shark Week, a host that you might even recognize from the annual series is Paul de Gelder. You might be familiar with him from his distinct Australian accent, but the most distinct thing about his appearance would be his prosthetic right arm and right leg. These limbs were brutally taken from him in a shark attack. This was no Great White however, this was the lesser known but certainly no less vicious bull shark.

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While urban areas populate the state of Maine, particularly along the eastern coast of the Atlantic Ocean, there are vast wilderness areas across the state, even along the oceanside coast. Popular with tourists, the state and local economies benefit from an influx of $8.2 billion in outdoor recreation dollars. Acadia National Park, called the Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic Coast, draws 4 million visitors annually, ranking in the top ten most-visited national parks in the United States. The park features 27 historic roads, 158 miles of hiking trails, and 45 miles of carriage roads.   

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Established in 1934, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park covers parts of North Carolina and Tennessee and features some of the highest mountains in eastern North America. The Great Smoky Mountains are part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a division of the Appalachian Mountain Range. The Appalachian Trail, which runs from Maine to Georgia, passes through the park's center for 72 miles. Clingmans Dome is the park's highest summit, reaching 6,643 feet. Sixteen mountains in the park reach higher than 5000 feet. The park covers over 522,000 acres or 816 square miles, making it one of the most extensive protected tracts in the eastern United States. 

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What does it mean to live off the grid? Living off the grid means operating one's life without a physical connection to public utilities—self-reliance with your own energy sources, often renewable such as solar and wind. Off-grid living frequently means living in a secluded area, away from the country's population—actual wilderness survival, supplying your needs, and growing your food. But off-grid living today is much different than over a hundred years ago…

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Though you may feel you are in a safe location, you never know when you will be faced with a survival situation. There are no formal boundaries between the wilderness and humanity. Nature has a way of encroaching into areas which may surprise us. 

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