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Photo: I try my best to catch a ride at 3am with one car passing by each hour

LIFE LESSONS FROM HITCHHIKING

I’m sitting by the side of the road with my backpack and a book in my hands. I could be here for only minutes more, or all day, I just don’t know. I’m supposed to be at my new workplace a day’s drive south by tomorrow, I should be stressed as I’m not even half way there, but I’m surrounded by giant glaciated mountains in Patagonia on an incredibly rare sunny day. I haven’t spoken English for a week and my novel in English is a welcome comfort. I can’t count how many times I’ve dreamt about finding myself in this kind of place when I was sitting in my high school class and now to be here I couldn’t be happier.

Hitchhiking was something I started to do when I was travelling and had little money. Generally, every time I leave, my dreams and ambitions are bigger than my bank account. This meant visiting places as cheaply as I could, and the best way to do that I thought was to hitchhike where I could. Along the way, I’ve made great friends, found local secrets, been taken out for meals and cruised down some of the most scenic roads in the world. I’ve been in trucks, caravans, the back of utes and just been piled into an already clearly full car.

Hitchhiking may have very varied reputations around the world but in my experiences overseas it has left me with some of my most fond memories of my life. The last time I was hitchhiking I was thinking, as challenging as it can be at times, I’ve certainly learned a lot from standing on the side of the road with my thumb out. Here I have compiled a short list of a few things I’ve learnt about life, from hitchhiking.

1/6   The importance of patience

Hitchhiking is maybe one of the best tests of patience I feel. It really is a waiting game I believe. The first car might just pick you up or you may have to wait an hour, or like one time, while in the Canadian wilderness all night for a ride. My friend and I used the white lines on the road as markers for shuttle runs to keep us warm during the night until the sun came up. We did eventually get a lift back home before I had to start work in half hour.  It’s a true test of patience and to not get too frustrated as car after car drives on by without giving a glance.

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PHOTO:  Sure the scenery is great but getting dropped off here 100km from the nearest town in winter isn’t ideal, luckily I got the next car. 

2/6    The importance of living in the moment                                                 

When I have my car, I can leave when I want and go where I want, I have a pretty good idea of where I’m going to be when. If I want to go camping two hours down the road at my favourite spot, I can easily do that. While hitchhiking, you are almost forced into living in the moment. You may end up where you started out and never successfully catch a ride like when I tried hitchhiking in the snow (the sympathy card didn’t work), or get stuck halfway in between where you wanted to go, or even sometimes to your final destination! You can never afford to be looking too far into the future because at the end of the day you have little control over where you’ll end up.

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 PHOTO: Hitchhiking through the incredibly diverse Chilean Patagonia. 

3/6    To trust people

I feel as though the world is full of good people, with good intentions. Yes, sometimes the odd person may not be so great, but I truly believe that the 98% are nice people. Hitchhiking has forced me to put trust into people, and I’ve been rewarded for it many times including one lady in southern Chile, despite her disgruntled husband, insisted that he drives an extra 3 hours further down the road and change their accommodation just to get me where I need to be. I was so stoked considering I was already late to work. I really believe that once we put our trust in people, more often than not we are rewarded for it.

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PHOTO:  Technically I didn’t have my thumb out, but I did meet the right people in the community then waited on the airstrip until a free seat was available. 

4/6    it’s the journey, not the destination                                                       

It’s a classic one, the one Dads say too much, but honestly, I feel it’s true. Many times when hitchhiking, the journey getting there and meeting people along the way in different cars has been more memorable than where I was actually headed. In particular, when hitchhiking through Alaska, it was a great opportunity to meet locals. I learnt how different people cope with the endless darkness including just partying the entire time, talking to people who hunt grizzly bears with just a bow and a knife and being given leftover food from climbers coming off the mountain!

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PHOTO: Getting left at the Chilean border while crossing into Argentina because of visa issues was worth it when I finally made it here.

5/6   Life is more exciting with less money

Something I believe, within reason, is that life is more fun with less money. You’re forced to be more creative and spontaneous when you don’t have solid funds behind you. At times, even when I could afford a bus I just decided to hitchhike because it’s that much more fun and it’s a good chance to meet the locals and learn the language as everyone wants to know your story which means you’re practising the basics a lot! Hitch hiking from Chile into Argentina and walking across the border before throwing the thumb out again gave me a sense of pure freedom and excitement that a bus has never come close to.

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6/6   How to handle rejection

Handling rejection can be difficult, and it goes beyond just that lovely looking person at the bar saying ‘no’.  Rejection can occur in many different places and times and I like to think that it often leads to personal growth. My first time with my thumb out on the road I felt shattered after every car drove by without slowing down and at the bar I was afraid to ask the girl out, now, I feel a lot less hurt when a car drives by, but still too afraid to ask a girl out at the bar. 

Hitchhiking has taught me a thing or two in the last few years whilst travelling. Between the long waits in the snow and sun, it’s all worth it when that indicator turns on and the car slows down.

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I planned to do a lot more writing while I was away, but due to not having a laptop, very limited access to a computer, and laziness I didn’t write much, none really. So here is a small insight for those who want to know more about my time in South America. Photo: Indigenous Home in Northern Peru

Ecuador

I initially arrived in Quito, Ecuador in early October. Arriving there was quite the shock, being in a new culture and certainly standing out a lot more than the people around me. I went straight into Spanish classes a couple days later, with the idea of learning enough Spanish just to get by. After 2 weeks of classes, I discovered this passion for the language I never I knew I had. Learning Spanish was something I really enjoyed. The classes were intense, and with a lot of homework, but the study certainly paid off many times in the months to come.

Whilst in Ecuador and between classes I visited a range of different spots, because Ecuador is small compared to most other South American countries, it was really easy to navigate around the country, I was able to visit the Cloud Forrest and witness toucans in the wild, visit the largest indigenous markets of Ecuador near the Columbian border and also hike the Quilatoa trail. The highlight of my time was easily the Galapagos Islands a truly outstanding and unique place in the world.

Before leaving Ecuador a good friend of mine who was teaching English in the city, offered me the opportunity to come into his class for half a day. It was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down, and a chance to really see what school is like for so many children in Ecuador. I ended up teaching some Australian slang, and what we like to eat here (thankfully all while speaking English), and I also learnt a lot about Ecuador from the students themselves. After about 6 weeks in Ecuador, I was ready to head into Peru. I was giddy with excitement to surf the north coast and leave the comfort zone I had created in Ecuador.

Peru

Arriving off the overnight bus into Peru was radically different. Ecuador was often lush, green, while the north was easily the driest place I had ever seen. The north really shocked me, there was very, very few tourists and I found myself only speaking Spanish for days at a time. In the north I found some surf, got adopted into a Latino family, suffered from altitude sickness in the high mountains, and really found myself outside my comfort zone a lot of the time. It was a tough but very rewarding part of my journey. 

After about 3 weeks on the north coast, I came down into the south of Peru. This region is far more famous, with ancient sites such as the Nazca Lines, Cusco and Machu Picchu . It was a really spectacular time in Southern Peru, and easily one of my favourite place in South America. The culture and variety of landscapes are truly incredible. For anyone looking for the ‘quintessential’ South American experience, I can’t recommend southern Peru enough.

Bolivia

The next step of the journey was Bolivia. Famous for its incredibly high altitudes and strong indigenous presence. At many times I felt as though Bolivia, was uniquely different, and with lower levels of tourism throughout the country it felt often more authentic. In the 2 weeks in Bolivia, I was fortunate to visit the sprawling city of La Paz and its museums, Lake Titicaca the highest inland lake in the world and the endless Salt Flats. Bolivia was great, and I could’ve easily spent more time there. It’s an incredibly cheap place to live, and due to the highest levels of poverty in South America, the cost in general is very low for most things. but after two months at high altitude, I was ready for the coast and maybe most of all more oxygen.

Chile

After crossing the border into Chile, it was easy to see how different it was.Things were far more expensive, the price in Chile was similar to that of Australia and radically more expensive than Bolivia. I had to be sure to be a lot more savvy with my money, I had to become cheap again like I was in Canada and Alaska. After long bus rides through the Atacama Desert in the North I arrived in Santiago, arguably the heart of Chile.

Santiago is a giant and unfortunately very smoggy city nestled in the mountains. Great hospitality kept me there, but it was Patagonia in the far south which more than any other place in South America initially made me want to visit the continent. Hitchhiking through the mountains there was an unreal experience and some of the best days of my life. Spectacular mountains, speaking lots and lots of Spanish everyday while receiving amazing Chilean hospitality, which I come to know well.

I was also able to catch a couple weeks of work in Patagonia working at an Eco resort or ‘glamp ground’. I got paid in food and accommodation for a few hours work each day. It was a great deal, I was eating the same food as the guests, and a lot of the work just involved me helping out in the kitchen, or helping the guides with kayaking or mountain biking. As far as I was concerned I was living the dream. From there I hitchhiked across the border into Argentinian Patagonia, than back into Chile. I ended up hitchhiking close to 2000km in Patagonia.

Falklands Islands

Getting to the Falklands islands was a logistical nightmare. With only one flight out a week to the islands from Chile there was a high demand for the flight and it’s hard to get a ticket. The flight was also more complicated due to the war between Argentina and the Falklands Islands, making it almost impossible to catch a flight to the Falklands from the closer Argentina. Even when I made it to the airport, initially they wouldn’t even let me on the plane.

Once I made it there, I was able to stay there with my extended family, which made me quickly forget about the challenges of making it to the Islands. The Falklands islands were radically different to Latin America, and it felt unbelievably weird to be speaking English all day, in fact in many ways it still does now. During my time in the Falklands, I was able to witness the incredible diversity there particularly of the animals. The Falklands is home to 5 different species of penguins, many whales, dolphins and seals. Often I felt as though I was lost in a nature documentary, particularly because of how the animals were not at all alarmed by people. The sub antarctic islands were a really special place.

Overall

This trip was radically different to other trips I had done in the past. Whilst in Canada and Alaska, I was working almost 90% of the time, and I just made the most of my time on the weekends, and in between seasons I travelled as far as I could with minimal money. In a lot of ways it was there, where I was able to learn how to travel really cheap and far.

This trip will maybe be the most memorable for me, as it forced me to learn a new language and really go outside my comfort zone every day. It sounds cliché but I certainly learnt a lot about the world and myself on this journey.

A few things I learnt:

•        People may speak different languages, eat different foods and live different lives but we are all not that different from one another. We all want love and happiness.

•        I am unbelievably fortunate to have been born in Australia, a land of opportunity. Given this wealth of opportunity, I can’t afford to squander that, instead go after my dreams to the furthest extent.

•        I didn’t know my own language. Whilst I learn a lot about Spanish, I also learnt an unbelievable amount about how we speak English.

•        South America is giant, Brazil alone is bigger than Australia, and it has everything you could ever want, from big mountains, epic surf, rain-forest, history, culture… It has it all.

•        It always sounds scarier than it actually is when reading about a place back home. South America is a surprisingly safe and welcoming place.

I’m truly grateful and genuinely happy with my time in South America. A huge thanks to everyone out there. Lots of love!

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NORTERN PERÚ I received one of the kindest acts of generosity today. After finding out my bus was delayed 8 hours from a town near lobitos, a surf spot. I wasn't sure what to do so I jumped in a cab to the nearest town, Negrito, id never heard of it and I think few tourists have. I show up and it's one of the harshest landscapes I can imagine. The beach is so hot I can't take my thongs off the dark brown sand and wind whips sand across my face. In town everyone is covered fully to protect themselves from the sun and sand top to toe. Only their eyes peering through. I start to understand why tourists don't come here, there's really nothing to see. I wander around the streets figuring I have to kill time before my bus leaves. It's so harsh, and having lost my hat it's hard to get by. I also cover myself top to toe in hope to shade myself from the sun. I walk under a construction site down the street and a man out the front offers me 'cafe', coffee in Spanish. I insisted that I'm fine so he offers me bread instead, he ushers me inside. Here I go again I think to my self, getting ripped off being a gringo. What are they going to try and sell me. I walk inside and to my surprise it isn't a restaurant instead a family home, where I meet the whole family. They insist I take a seat, and they give me a cola and some bread before I know it.In my broken Spanish I start to realise that this really is a caring family. I had rightfully been hesitant after past experiences, where random acts of generosity were just in search of money. Still, im a little wary. Soon I find myself on the back of the man 'pablo's' motorcycle as he shows me around town. To my surprise the town had a lot to offer. We visit pink lakes, see flamingos, and walk to the most western point in South America. My Spanish was so poor I didn't even realise that I was so far west, I thought pablo's just wanted me to take photos there. The town had a lot of industry, oil, salt and seafood. Pablo himself worked on the offshore oil rigs. Still not 100% trusting him, I check back at my bag (no valuables in there) that he hasn't taken off with them. 'Can someone really be this generous' I think to myself. He hadn't taken them and there was never a plan to. He continues to show me around town before grabbing ceviche (traditional Peruvian dish) and beers with me in his favourite restaurant. He insists to the resteraunt staff that I'm his new amigo. It certainly seems that way. After the tours wraps up we go back go his families place where his wife and daughters have prepared yet another lunch. They offer me more food and beer as we talk more about who we are. I'm not sure what it was but my Spanish felt totally insufficient. It was as if I wasn't use to talking to someone in Spanish for so long that my mind switched off. It was killing me inside, I just wanted to be able to connect better with such a lovely family. After lunch, they wanted me to take photos with the family and despite my offers to help clean up they all want to do it themselves. After a few selfies and family photos before I know it they have small gifts for me, my mother and sister. Thankfully I have photos of home and my family, they couldn't have been happier to see them. I write a kind note in my Spanish on the back explaining who is in the photo and how thankful I am for them taking me in. I hand the picture over to them with a giant smile. Pablo had arranged a lift for me to go back into town to catch the bus, I wave goodbye to the lovely family while Pablo stays with me to see me off at the station. In the past I haven't gone searching for waves while I'm travelling as I can always surf back home. Ive come to learn that on the search for waves I find places, meet people and have experiences which wouldn't have been possible otherwise. The search goes on... Location: Lobitos, Northern Peru

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WAVES & WILDLIFE Surfing here is like nowhere else I have seen to date. The waves are here, the water is warm and there is abundant wildlife constantly surrounding you in the water. Despite this, getting to the waves is the mission. Intense conservation efforts have left much of the islands understandably off limits, and the other waves which are accessible, local knowledge is essential. With no surf atlas of this place, the age of surf exploration is alive here. Locals are the key to this place. As I write, I'm waiting for a local in San Cristobal to hopefully get me through the naval base where ID and having a local with you is needed to pass. The galapagos has been like nowhere I have travelled to before. It is as though the animals here enjoy your company, it's seems as though they fight for your attention. Whilst you look at a sea turtle gliding by, a seal will cut in front, just for fun I like to imagine. It's as though the animals here are not aware of the food chain, from the outside they all look as though they are living in harmony with each other, which I'm sure cannot be the case. In a single day, it feels as though that I have been able to see the entirety of the animal kingdom. From flamingos to penguins, sharks to sea horses all in a single day. The diversity of life here really is incredible, and I'm starting to understand why these islands are so highly regarded. Location: Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

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WILDLIFE & WAVES Surfing here is like nowhere else I have seen to date. The waves are here, the water is warm and there is abundant wildlife constantly surrounding you in the water. Despite this, getting to the waves is the mission. Intense conservation efforts have left much of the islands understandably off limits, and the other waves which are accessible, local knowledge is essential. With no surf atlas of this place, the age of surf exploration is alive here. Locals are the key to this place. As I write, I'm waiting for a local in San Cristobal to hopefully get me through the naval base where ID and having a local with you is needed to pass. The galapagos has been like nowhere I have travelled to before. It is as though the animals here enjoy your company, it's seems as though they fight for your attention. Whilst you look at a sea turtle gliding by, a seal will cut in front, just for fun I like to imagine. It's as though the animals here are not aware of the food chain, from the outside they all look as though they are living in harmony with each other, which I'm sure cannot be the case. In a single day, it feels as though that I have been able to see the entirety of the animal kingdom. From flamingos to penguins, sharks to sea horses all in a single day. The diversity of life here really is incredible, and I'm starting to understand why these islands are so highly regarded. Location: Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

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I’ve got my blog up and running again now that I’m on the road again and my studies have eased off for the time being. Hope you enjoy!

FINDING THE FEET

A few friends and I from Spanish class attempted to hike to the top of Pichincha yesterday, at close to 5000m above sea level it was by far the highest altitude I have ever been hiking. The views were astounding and surprising at every corner of the trail. From llamas, to vultures there was also an array of animals up and down the mountain.

Whilst we didn’t reach the summit due to a storm rolling in, we will hopefully have another attempt soon. Surprisingly this hike, is just out of the city of Quito with most of the views looking over the city following the valley. The city of Quito really is surrounded by volcanoes, and mountains. A beautiful location.

Whilst the mountains provide epic scenery on a clear day, they also unfortunately hold in the smog around the city. The air is tough to breathe, and certainly makes the air that bit better on the trail!

Location: Pichincha, Quito, Ecuador

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OPTIMISM

I’m an optimist. I’m convinced that the weather is going to be better tomorrow than it is today, and that this weekend will be better than the last. In fact, I think most people are optimists by nature. We always seem to be in search of that thing which will make us that bit happier, or what tomorrow may bring.

The last couple of weeks with work and university on break, I’ve been fortunate to spend just about all of it outside. It’s winter here, so I’ve definitely had a day or two, where the weather has been less than desirable, but like anything else, it passes. I hiked for 3 days (50km along the coast), just got back from a week climbing the hard sandstone rock of the Grampians and in between I have been hitting the water for a surf every chance I get for the winter swells. I feel like I’ve spent a crazy amount of time being out there amongst nature. Getting outside and away from due dates, exams and work lets me not only clear my head but to hit reset on my thoughts.

There’re two moments to me which stand out amongst the rest in the last few weeks. The first of which was during a simple day hike through the Otway Ranges a couple hours down the coast.

When hiking through the giant Redwoods, my friend Shane and I came along a gentle river. We knew that there was a waterfall no more than a few hundred metres downstream and we wondered if we could navigate our way through the dense scrub and prickled blackberry to arrive at the top of the waterfall. We wanted to hear the thunder of the water and see the water crash at the bottom amongst the gum trees. After about an hour of weaving, and of course on occasion getting caught in the prickles, we realised that we were quite underprepared for this excursion. We were up to our knees in mud, with our dress pants on, but we were having too much fun to turn back there. We hiked on for another half hour with no prevail as the trial slowly faded away at each bend. We decided to turn  back. The return hike to the car almost turned into a run, as we aimed to get back down to the coast for a surf before the last of the light faded away. We followed our footsteps back and jumped across the pools of mud to make it in time. Along the final stretch, and on the main trail, we were astonished by the how many kids were running between the trees in pure joy. This is almost a secret spot, and to see so many kids with their families enjoying the place was ideal. A father with his two young boys and daughter running around him, hikes on by and asks ‘does that muddy trail go anywhere?’, we both had no luck and I replied ‘we’re not too sure, we couldn’t really see anything’. I figured that they would all turn around and go back the other way, but their father insisted on him and his kids having an adventure and followed the mud filled path. It was as if whatever we said it didn’t matter, his kids wanted to explore anyways.

The second moment for me was in the Grampians where I was 100m up on the red rock leading the third pitch of the classic climb ‘Arachnus’. It was a heart-stopper of a climb, steep and exposed, we were all scared but simultaneously having the best time. An odd combination of nervousness and fun.  I’m mere metres from the next anchor, and keen to rest while I belay up my partners below further down the wall. I see where to set up the belay point, and it was in a distinct cave, perfect to get out of the winter wind. I traverse across, and peer into the cave to find a young kid there named ‘Jimmy’.

Jimmy at age 9 had been out climbing with his Dad and was currently belaying his father from the cave. I was stoked to see a young person, on what was for me a demanding climb. Jimmy was excited, and couldn’t have been having more fun, the grin was easy to see on his face.  He had no fear what so ever and this was easily demonstrated as he reached up high above the overhanging cave to gain back on to the vertical rock.

I feel that now more than ever, it is important for children to being getting outside. In Australia, the average child spends less time outside than an Australian prisoner. In the US, the number of youth in National Parks has dropped by 50% in the last 10 years. Kids need to be outside playing in nature; playgrounds can only teach children so much. Playing outside teaches youth risk assessment skills, improves both mental and physical health and reduces stress to name a few.

It can be a struggle to be optimistic with the challenges we face including climate change, ongoing habitat loss and ocean pollution. We’re reminded of this every time we read the news, the negative seems to far outweigh the odd positive event. Despite this, the last couple weeks has taught me that it’s vital to be creative, excited and most importantly optimistic like children are. I’ve come to learn that at least a portion of today’s youth are getting outside and absolutely loving it more than ever. It’s them and future generations who will become the future care takers of the planet. We’re in good hands.

Further reading:

http://tenplay.com.au/news/national/may/kids-spend-less-time-outdoors-than-prisoners

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/19/us/im-national-parks-older-visitors-morgan-spurlock/

http://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/476490556/the-case-for-optimism

Photo: Maits Rest Rainforest Walk, Apollo Bay (check it out, rad spot!)

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FURTHER DOWN

There is quite a few waterfalls in the Otways, but everyone seems to rush to the same ones. Including me. They’re easy to get to, and impressive despite been jammed in amongst the other tourists everywhere. As nice as these spots can be, there is limited relief and freedom, for me anyways.

I heard someone say that there is another waterfall worth checking out. I had never heard of it, and I figured it couldn’t be too exciting because it didn’t have the hype like the others did. None the less I wanted to check it out, after all I’ve deeply enjoyed every visit to the Otways. This time rather than at the back of a coastal town, or close to the famous Great Ocean Road, it was deep in the Otways. This alone made it more interesting than the other waterfalls.

The drive there took me down a one way old logging road through squalls of winter rain. It felt fitting, for the surrounding temperate rainforest. I didn’t want to experience it any other way. As I travelled further down the undulating road, mist rose up rose up from below. It was as though I was gliding through the clouds and looking down on the hills, as oppose to simply being on a dirt road in a car. I un-winded the car windows, and breathed in the fresh forest air; this is where I’m meant to be. As much I was getting lost in the moment, I remind myself to focus, after all it is winding road and steep drops to the valley bottom on either side.

Arriving at the gravel car park, I quickly tied on my hikers and started hiking down the stairs. I could hear the rumble of the water coming up from below. I picked up the pace to a run, it was wet, I definitely shouldn’t have been running but I couldn’t wait.

Arriving at the bottom, I was astounded, giddy in excitement. I was surrounded in a lush, vibrant green as the water flowed from the top to alongside me via a river. Life was abundant. Everything appeared as though it was thriving in this secluded site.

Photo: Otway Ranges, Victoria

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THE MOUTNAIN

Date: 22/05/2015

On my first day of work we drove north to Talkeetna from the city of Anchorage. Weaving through the forest, the trees they eventually gave way and I got my first sight of the Alaska Range and Denali. Only about one in seven of the visitors to the area get to see the summit, due the mountain creating its own weather pattern hence often cloudy. I was so happy to see it, let alone on my first time during a sunset. I knew we were running late, but I had to ask if we could pull over so that I could take a photo. The sight was beyond belief, with Denali reflecting over the swamp just to the side of the road.

Most places where I have seen amazing scenery is a result of long hikes, or climbs and rarely just to the side of the road. This place was an easy exception, and pure luck that I got to be there at the right time. I don't write a diary but later that night, I felt I had to attempt to write down in words what I just saw. In a broken pencil, on the back of used paper I wrote down.

" Denali, she stands alone,

Like no other, she is prominent, she is the queen,

Raw, exposed and wild,

This is the Alaska Range, this is ALASKA "

Denali (Mt. McKindley) at 6,168 metres, the base to summit vertical gain is one of the highest in the world. Where as many other major peaks in the world almost blend in amongst the other high peaks, this is not the case with Denali. To the local native Athabascan's Denali means 'the great one' or 'the high one' and it's easy to understand why. Denali is also one of the '7 summits', consisting of the highest peak of each continent. Many consider the 7 summits to be the ultimate challenge in mountaineering.

The mountains in Alaska, were significantly different to what I had become use to in Canada. In Alaska, you could see the distinct range the mountains belonged to, sticking right out of what was almost flat ground and towering over the landscape. The pinnacle for me was getting a free seat to fly over the Alaska Range and land on Ruth Glacier towards the end of my time in Alaska. Without the flight it would be more than a 3 week trek to reach this part of the mountain range. Flying through on a 6 seater plane, the scale of what was around me was hard to comprehend and only increased my passion and interest for the mountains.

Photo: South Central Alaska

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WAVES OF CHANGE

The ocean has shaped the life that I live today. The feeling of being in the water waiting for a wave is as special to me as riding one to the shore. I can’t help but want to protect something which has become such a big part of me.  Following the best winter of surfing I’ve ever had, I was excited about catching more waves throughout the summer. But as the season got going, surfing started to feel self-centered. I would pull up in the car, catch the best waves I could, then jump right back in the car to head home. I wanted more out of surfing, not more waves, but a way to give back to what has given me so much. 

When, I discovered on the ASC website that only a handful of samples had been collected in the entirety of Australia for their Global Microplastics Initiative I was genuinely shocked. I surely thought with Australia having such a famous, and rugged coastline that more sampling would have taken place along its endless shores. I wanted to change that so I made it a simple goal for my summer to collect one sample each time I went for a surf at a different beach. ​​

It became a routine. Prior to paddling out, I attached a 1L water bottle to my leg rope. Duck diving under the waves and paddling over the surf became little more tense since I could no longer rely on my leg rope. I would be in for a long swim if I lost my board. Once successfully ‘out the back’ with my board and bottle, I collected a sample, usually thankful for the chance to catch my breath after a heavy paddle out. Bottle capped and reattached to my leg rope, I would ride my board back to shore and quickly fill out the data sheet on my phone before paddling back out to catch a few waves for myself.

 Joining the ASC Microplastics project added purpose to my surfing by allowing me to make a positive impact on the health of South Australia’s waters. It motivated me to check out different surf breaks I wouldn’t have otherwise, just to sample a different location. I felt like I was a kid riding a bike for the first time, excited and full of wonder about the new places I could explore. With the ability to give back to the ocean through surfing, I am more motivated to be in the water than ever before.

Also appears on: http://www.adventurescience.org/field-notes/waves-of-change

Photo: Port MacDonnell, South Australia

[the-infinite-search]

THE SEARCH

Living on the surfcoast there is no shortage of quality surf. Everything from perfect beginner beaches, to pumping large surf, it has something for everyone. With good surf close by, people stick to what they know best, everyone seems to have their favourite spot. We get to know the breaks well, and can understand the line-up, where to sit and where to catch waves. These surfs are great, but there isn’t is that sense of wonder whilst searching for that perfect wave.

Over the weekend my housemate and I drove along the Great Ocean Road in search of empty waves, we knew there was surf on our backdoor, but we both wanted something different, and where there would hopefully be no one out in the water. After driving down the coast for a couple hours, and constantly pulling off the road to check the waves, we eventually found our spot.

We pulled over on the side of the road just prior to roadworks behind a red steamroller. I peeked over the cliff and got my first real glimpse of the wave. A fun, reeling point break running down the coast, and only one guy out! We open the back of the car, and slide into our wetsuits as quickly as we can whilst keeping one eye on the surf. We wax our boards and run down along the road as cars zoom by searching for a place to access the beach.

We find our spot, and after a sketchy paddle out requiring perfect timing we were out. Looking back to the beach it looked raw, rugged and wild. Recent bush fires, had left the tall eucalyptus trees without any leaves, and a cool mist bouncing off the cliffs put us both in awe. I had a quick chat to the other surfer in the line-up, and he didn’t know what this place was called either but had been getting good waves throughout the afternoon. He was in search of freedom from the crowds to.

Soon after, he paddled in to shore, and left it all to us; overhead surf, at one of the most rugged surf spots we had ever seen. We decided to name the spot Steamrollers after the red steam roller by the road. Before I even caught a wave, I was overwhelmed with joy. This was what we were searching for. Then I caught one….

Photo: Great Ocean Road, Victoria

[the-infinite-search]

AN ODE TO ADVENTURE

Our headlights have been on for the last half hour and I’m standing 100m up off the ground on a small ledge. The stars are out in full effect, and it’s easy to get lost amongst them, but we aren’t here to stargaze. It’s time to climb again, I step across the void to a natural chimney in the rock face, it’s steep and exposed, a part of me is glad that it’s dark; the height never seems as bad. I start clambering up the wall trying to light the area in front of me, with a fading headlight I’m second guessing myself on every move, complicating the simple. I’m run out, my last piece of gear was about 20m below me, a potential fall of close to 40m before my rope catches if I slip. I think rationally, I know I can climb this grade easy, but my head spins back to my fading headlight and the amount of rope dangling below; this is adventure I think to myself.  

Before we even started up the wall I knew it was an audacious attempt. Starting up a four pitch climb in the mid afternoon during autumn with both teams having members of limited experience, with one person climbing for the first time. Those of us who had climbed here before knew if we were to make the most of the weekend away this was the best way to do it.

The first two pitches were easy and exciting, plenty of light, and coming into the late afternoon I was in total awe. The warm orange light bouncing off the rock, and the magic of seeing my friends below me and on the adjacent route having the time of their lives, spirits were high. About half way up the climb, my climbing partner and I had to do a minor rappel to be able to continue the climb. We both have experience rappelling so we weren’t worried, my only concern was that we were rapping off a rocky pinnacle. I wasn’t worried about the possibility of the sandstone pinnacle breaking, but the possibility of my ropes getting stuck.

My partner and I made it safely down from the rappel, and I pulled on the rope hoping it simply slides around and off. What I didn’t want to happen, happened, my ropes were stuck. After exhaustingly trying for half an hour to get the ropes unstuck in the dying light I knew I had to ascend the rope again to reach the top and find a new way down. Past experience told me to forgo the rock as an anchor, and leave a couple pieces of climbing gear behind. A small cost, to be able to keep the climb going. I set up my rappel, and I was confident that it was going to be a smooth descent down. I leaned back over the overhanging ledge, and felt my feet suddenly slip. Instinct took hold and I grasped the top of the cliff to ease my fall, and I instantly felt the burning pain of the rope running over the top of my hand with all my weight on it. I couldn’t just slide my hand out either, I needed to take all my weight off the rope. I had never found myself in this situation before.

I nervously summoned the strength to lunge up to the overhang with my right hand and slide my other hand out swiftly and rappel the rest of the way down safely but slowly. My hand looked mangled, I was frustrated, exhausted; my head just wasn’t in the right place. My climbing partner, insisted I rest and regain my composure despite the sun setting. He then pulled a chocolate bar out of nowhere, a true hero. I rested up and re-focused as the light finally faded away.

All this effort to find myself in this position. A fading headlight 100m up a wall.  As soon as our lights are on, everything else seems so much darker. I keep on climbing, as my torch illuminates what feels like a bubble of light around me, it’s as though I’m in space. I now need to get to the top, and use the anchor the other team has set up for me where the two routes converge at the summit.  

I make it to the anchor, and I wipe away the sweat from my head, and calm my breath; this is pure adventure. The hardest part is done, and the both of us belay the rest of our team up to the anchor to the top. We’ve all made it safely to the summit, and like a kid finishing school for summer we all have a cheeky grin of both pure joy and a sense of relief on our face. We slowly hike back down from the summit, along a steep meandering path of which seems to be going off into nowhere, or at times, off a cliff. Making it to the top, as it turned out was only half the journey. The hike back down as it eased off gave me the chance to think about not only how hungry I was, but also made me reminisce some of my past adventures.

But what is adventure? Everyone seems to have a different understanding. Is it stumbling back from the bar at 3am and getting lost on the way? Is it jumping in a car and heading up the unknown road, or going to a theme park? Or is it an extreme solo trip to the South Pole? Everyone’s definition is different, but I feel as though it doesn’t matter as to how we define it, but whether we have adventure in our lives or not. Hiking down, a quote from Yvon Chouinard, a renowned adventurer, resonated through my head, and to me may well define adventure best:

“The word adventure has gotten overused. For me, when everything goes wrong – that’s when adventure starts.”

 Location: Mount Arapiles, Victoria