Capturing the Moment

  Waking up excited about work is a reality for me. I lead expeditions around the world onboard adventure cruise ships and privately to destinations like Hawaii, Alaska, Antarctica, and Africa. Sharing these wild places with excited guests is an extremely rewarding experience. I constantly see the locations, wildlife, and adventures through their eye....like I'm seeing it for the first time. I feel very lucky to be in this position and I do not take any of it for granted. I've worked many different jobs that have culminated in being able to excel in this career.... teacher, marine biologist, boat captain, naturalist, whale researcher, photographer, lifeguard, guide. Something I heard once as a young man and took to heart was, "If you do something you love long enough, someone will start to pay you for it."   It makes the 14 hour days, the bad weather, the unruly guests, and the last minute contingency plans all worth it. Here are a few pictures from the last couple of...

  High above the crowded beaches of South Maui lies a hidden secret adventure that only those in the know will ever experience. Hidden only a thousand yards or so off a well traveled road around 4,000ft in elevation sits a massive cave which angles slowly down the side of Haleakala volcano. The amazing formations inside and the cave itself were formed by lava, creating an underground tube to transport the lava farther down the slope of the volcano. The same thing can be seen actively happening on the Big Island currently. Luckily this lava tube is all dried up making it much safer to explore. However the loose rocks and obvious cave ins leave some cause for concern.   Part of this adventure is just finding the entrance. This included a dirt road, a jeep trail, jumping an old stone wall, then bushwhacking through dense brush for about tweny-five minutes before finding the lava tube entrance. It was surrounded by ferns, just like the famous Thurston Lava Tube in Volcanoes ...

Best Hikes on Maui: The Big Three Adventure Hikes Maui is full of amazing hikes. I am going to go over some of my favorite that I have done over the past three years but keep in mind there are still many hikes left for future exploration.  The Commando Hike   This is the biggest secret hike on Maui. I get dozens of people everyday trying to find out information on my blog about this hike. I am still inclined not to give the location of the starting point but just know that if you find someone who will take you prepare to be blown away. This hike is on the road to Hana but not too far from the bamboo forest hike. For the adventure seeker this can be the ultimate hike. You have creek hopping, waterfall climbing, swimming, lava tube spelunking,   giant cows on the trail, a jungle gym of vines, and the possibility of cliff jumping at the end. Not to mention it’s the only hike where you will have to face a waterfall in a lava tube.Be prepared for some tough mo...