The Lost Island of Pygmy Mammoths – Kayaking in the Channel Islands

Dressed in a skin-tight wet suit, a blue helmet and a bright red life jacket, I clumsily paddled my way into the pursed mouth of a narrow limestone cave. Snarls of foamy saliva-like waves lapped up against the rock’s jagged jaws, and – as a tidal surge swept over my sit-on-top kayak shoving me towards a serrated stucco cave wall – there was nothing left to do but duck limbo-style and hope for the best.

SUP Craze Let’s You Sightsee As You Sculpt

Balanced atop a wobbly 11-foot board, knees bent, arms wielding a long angled paddle, I took a deep breath and braced myself for the boat wake that rip curled towards me. Not far from the kelp forests, rock cliffs and sandy white shorelines of Newport Beach California, there I was, a student at Stand-Up Paddle Boarding Boot Camp, trying my best to learn a new sport, get some exercise and not topple face first into the freezing cold waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Canyoneering in California

Drive just 20 minutes from downtown Los Angeles and you’ll find yourself in Rubio canyon. A with a series of waterfalls that cascade across the San Gabriel mountains, it’s the perfect spot to try canyoneering! Now, for those like me who are new to the sport, a simple explanation of canyoneering is when you rappel into a canyon, down waterfalls using ropes, harnesses and other technical climbing gear.

Cowboy Bootcamp in California

Strap on your chaps and giddy up for Cowboy Bootcamp in Southern California’s Palos Verdes Peninsula! Just an hour’s drive from Los Angeles’ Hollywood, in the rolling green hills of a quaint equestrian community, owner Jim Moore offers wannabe cowboys a chance to ride horses and learn about the art of horsemanship.

Antarctica: The Last Frontier of Travel

Antarctica. Remote, unpredictable, inhospitable with snarling winds and an unforgiving frost. Despite the potential for danger, seasickness and extreme frostbite, I’m happy to report that I’ve returned safely from my 11-day expedition aboard the Antarctic Dream, a former Chilean Navy vessel turned luxury cruise ship.