The Trail Less Traveled

Jon Turk earned a Ph. D. in organic chemistry at the University of Colorado, in 1971. The same year, in honor of Earth Day 1, he co-authored the first environmental science textbook in the United States. Jon is the author of 25 text books and 4 adventure books. in addition to circumnavigating Ellesmere island, solo kayak missions in the Solomon islands, biking across Tibet to the birthplace of the Dalai Lama, multiple kayak expeditions from japan along eastern Siberia eventually walking across the Siberian tundra and so much more... for more information and to buy Jon's new book CROCODILES AND ICE visit jon turk dot com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded on moving ice while trekking the Franz Josef Glacier on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island. Featuring the glaciology of New Zealand & The Himalayas with Franz Josef Glacier Guide, Ollie Clark. Originally from the UK, Ollie has been working as a glacier guide in NZ for the past three years. Ollie studies geology with a focus on glaciology."Heli-Hike" (Helicopter-Hike),

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An interview recorded in the vineyards & sheep stations of Central Otago on New Zealand’s South Island. Featuring two farmers, Di & Draft Somerville. Di & Draft are both native South Islanders who have a passion for growing grapes, olives, wool, mussels & vegetables. During this interview, recorded on their land, they share the art of making a fine Pinot Noir & incredibly soft, light weight, warm & fine Merino Wool in the glacier shaped landscape around Lake Wanaka. ​

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carl is a nature guide in Fiordland National Park who has been based in Queenstown for the past two decades. Carl is also a multi talented adventurer who loves snowboarding, sailing, kayaking & exploring everything his country has to offer with his closely knit tribe of fellow explorers. Carl has been featured on fly fishing T.V. programs & helped organize/manage the filming of all three Lord of the Rings & Hobbit films. Carl's ancestors have been in the mountains & forest of New Zealand for the past 10,000 years.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded in Te Anau, the gateway to Fiordland under the shadow of the Southern Alps next to the largest lake in the southern hemisphere (by volume due to depth). Mandela interviews Lord of the Rings actor, storyteller, historian, musician, traveler & radio pioneer, Evan Campbell. Evan is a native South Islander who has been chasing summer for much of his life... living part of the time in New Zealand, Europe & the UK. Evan starred in the 2nd & 3rd movies of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He is proud of the fact that he didn't have to wear any makeup for his role in the two movies. Evan shares an in depth history of adventure tourism in New Zealand's South Island's west coast, particularly Fiordland & Te Anau.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded in a 70s series Land Cruiser while navigating the gnarly 4x4 track on top of Mount Prospect in the Southern Alps on New Zealand's South Island's West Coast. Mandela interviews Rosco Gaudin, the "Mayor of Milford" & self proclaimed "Motor Head". Rosco has had passion for adventure, motorcycles, off road vehicles & enduro racing since he was a small child. Today he builds his own Land Cruisers for multi-day off road racing in New Zealand. Rosco will tell us about (while driving) his dream rig, a 70s series Land Cruiser named "Homer", all the while navigating a burly 4x4 track. Later on he articulates the view of Fiordland from the summit of Mount Prospect. Rosco is also the owner and operator of "Roscos Milford Kayaks", New Zealand's most spectacular sea kayaking destination.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded in sea kayaks in the Milford Sound on New Zealand's extremely remote west coast while the kayaks get blown around & surfed during recording. Mandela interviews fellow sea kayak guide, Courtney Quintrell. Courtney is an international adventure guide specializing in sky diving, sea kayaking, whitewater kayaking, motorcycle touring, sailing, orienteering & beer brewing. Courtney spent many years in Alaska but now calls New Zealand home. She is passionate about Maori culture & is the ultimate outdoor babe.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded 28 feet below the surface of the water, join Mandela in the Discovery Center's Underwater Observatory for an interview with Daniel Crook & Andrea Ferris. Daniel & Andrea are nature guides in The Milford Sound of Fiordland National Park on New Zealand's South Island's West Coast. The Discovery Center is a floating building which gives visitors the chance to view extremely rare species usually found between 50-5,000 feet deep in the ocean.Overlaying the sea water in the fiord is a layer of fresh water, the result of high annual rainfall in Fiordland. This combined with the narrow shape of the fiord causes a phenomenon known as deep water emergence where light is not allowed to penetrate past the fresh water. This creates a similar environment to the deep ocean at a much shallower depth, allowing visitors the chance to see deep sea species close up.Unlike an aquarium, the fish are free to come and go; it is the people who are contained. This provides a unique opportunity to observe real life situations deep below the surface of the fiord, quite different from the artificial environment of an aquarium.​

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An American living in Queenstown, Lisa Sackville, has been an active international adventure guide all over the world for almost two decades. Specializing in whitewater, mtn. biking, sea kayaking, ice climbing & alpine skiing. She has guided in Mama Africa, South America, New Zealand, Canada, Europe & Alaska to name a few... This phenomenal woman survived temperatures downwards of -60 degrees for upwards of 3.5 hours. She shares her stories, lessons & focus with us.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olive Butcher is a sea kayak guide in The Milford Sound, the most northern Fiord on New Zealand’s South Island’s west coast. Guiding in the Milford Sound is considered class V sea kayaking due to the most extreme wind, waves & weather in New Zealand and potentially the entire world. It’s a typical day to guide in 30+ knots of day breeze, 3-10 meter swell from the Tasman Sea, dead zones for radio contact & solo guidiing beginner kayakers upwards of 15 kilometers from base at any given time. This said, it is by far the most spectacular and best sea kayaking in New Zealand (& potential the entire world). Olive grew up in water of the Marbourgh Sounds on the South Island. Her parents sailed the world for six years & raised her in a life of water adventure including sailing, kayaking & swimming.Olive studied outdoor education at University in Auckland with a focus on whitewater kayaking. Olive is now changing her focus to whitewater & plans to guide rafting expeditions outside Missoula, Montana on the Clark Fork River this summer.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.