Finding Inspiration to Live Adventurously

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The other day I posted a video to my YouTube channel which led me into thinking about adventure in my life. You can see the film - here.

Ever since I was a child, the idea of living adventurously has been a guiding force for me. I've been fortunate to have had several sources of inspiration fuelling my passion for adventure and exploration. In this blog, I want to share with you three significant influences who shaped my adventurous spirit.

My Father: A Journey into the African Bush

My earliest memories of adventure can be traced back to my father. He was a man who had an insatiable love for the wild. When I was a young boy, he regularly took me with him on his journeys into the heart of the African bush. Those trips were nothing short of magical, as I was introduced to the raw, untamed beauty of nature. Dad instilled within me, a deep respect for the natural world and a sense of wonder for what’s possible within it. This wonderment has remained with me throughout my life.

Watching him navigate the African wilderness with confidence and awe, I learned the importance of being prepared, of respecting the environment, and of embracing the unknown with an open heart. These early adventures with my father ignited a spark within me, a yearning to explore the natural world with curiosity and eternally seek new experiences.

Working for Outward Bound: Embracing Kurt Hahn's Philosophy

As I grew into adulthood, my desire for adventure led me to a career at Outward Bound, an organisation founded in 1941, specialising in outdoor education and personal development. It was here I was introduced to the profound philosophy of Kurt Hahn, the founder of Outward Bound. Hahn believed in the transformative power of challenging outdoor experiences and the development of character through adversity.

Working with Outward Bound, I had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the incredible impact these adventures had on the lives of young people and adults. I saw individuals push their limits, overcome fears, and discover strengths they never realised they had. Kurt Hahn's philosophy emphasised not only personal growth but also the importance of contributing to society, values which resonate powerfully with me today.

Outward Bound became my second home, and it was through this organisation I met a remarkable individual who would further fuel my passion for adventure.

Charles: The Epitome of Adventure

During my time working for Outward Bound in Wales in the mid-1980s, I had the pleasure of meeting Charles Lyster, a man who epitomized the spirit of adventure. Charles is akin to a character from the pages of a British explorer's diary, with a thirst for exploration. His stories of scaling rugged mountains, sailing sometimes tempestuous seas, and embarking on daring expeditions, were nothing short of captivating to me as a novice instructor. (In those early days he was a senior instructor and I was a lowly ‘summer temp’). I was in awe of his presence.

What struck me most about Charles was his unwavering curiosity and his fearless pursuit of the unknown. I learned from him, adventure is not limited to a specific place or time; it is a state of mind, a way of approaching life with courage and enthusiasm. Through his approach, Charles encouraged me to embrace every opportunity for exploration, whether it be in the wilderness or within myself.

Certainly! Charles Lyster's inspiring programme for fathers and sons, known as "Wild Journeys," has had a profound impact on my adventurous spirit and deserves a special mention in my journey towards living adventurously.

Charles Lyster's "Wild Journeys": A Bonding Adventure

Many years after my time working for Outward Bound, I had the privilege to work alongside Charles, on the inagural course of his inspiring programme called "Wild Journeys." This program is designed to strengthen the bonds between fathers and their sons through shared adventures in the great outdoors.

"Wild Journeys" is more than simply a series of outdoor activities; it is a transformative experience encouraging fathers and sons to connect on a deeper level, fostering trust, communication, and a shared sense of purpose. Through activities such as tall ship sailing, hiking, camping, and wilderness skills, fathers and sons are invited out of their comfort zones, encouraging personal growth, and deeper understanding.

What makes "Wild Journeys" particularly remarkable is the mentorship and guidance of Charles himself. As a seasoned adventurer and explorer, Charles serves as a role model for the participants, sharing his wisdom and passion for the outdoors. He helps fathers and sons navigate the challenges of the natural world while imparting valuable life lessons along the way.

The "Wild Journeys" courses not only instill a sense of adventure but also create lasting memories, further strengthening the cores of the father-son relationships. It is a testament to the power of adventure in bringing people together and fostering meaningful connections. In my interactions with Charles and witnessing the positive impact of "Wild Journeys" on father-son pairs, I was inspired not only by the adventures themselves but also by the profound sense of purpose and bonding that they instilled.

This link will take you to his ‘Wild Journeys’ website - here. The date for the 2024 course is Sunday 4th to Saturday 10th August and places fill up fast.

Lady of Avenel

The Adventure Within

My friendship with Charles has continued to evolve, and I am thrilled to share the exciting news of a new adventure we are embarking on together in the summer of 2024. We are teaming up to deliver a week-long course for adults in the summer aboard the magnificent tall ship, the Lady of Avenel. This unique program aims to explore the profound notion of adventure in our lives and how it can benefit us in countless ways.

Our course isn't just about the thrill of sailing; it's about embracing adventure as a way of life. Adventure has the power to rekindle our inner spirit, boost self-esteem, and enhance our problem-solving skills. It reminds us of our innate resilience and resourcefulness, traits which serve us well both on and off the ship.

Further details will be posted very soon.

Conclusion

Aboard the lady of Avenel, inaugral ‘wild journeys’ course.

Incorporating Kurt Hahn’s philosophy into my own journey towards living adventurously has been a source of inspiration and a reminder of the importance of fostering meaningful relationships and personal growth through shared experiences in the great outdoors. The sources of my inspiration to live adventurously have been deeply woven into the fabric of my life. My father introduced me to the wonders of the natural world, Outward Bound and Kurt Hahn's philosophy showed me the transformative power of adventure, and my friend Charles embodied the spirit of exploration and curiosity. Together, these influences have shaped me into the adventurous spirit I am today, always seeking new horizons and embracing the unknown with open arms.

Endurance

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Lying awake at 3am under a wildly flapping tarp, the icy rain spattering an ear bursting discordant tattoo in gusting bursts, I began to wonder what all this was about? At the tender age of 56, why do I continue to seek out moments of difficulty and hardship for the sake of doing so? A bivouac on a small Scottish island simply just to say I’ve done so - why? Not only this, but a bivouac a month on different islands. Ah, this begins to make some sense of the why. There is a pattern here. Add in the mix a fundraising angle, and the reasons become clearer. But still, bivouacking in some of the worst winter weather to realise these abstract goals? Why do I choose to do this to myself - push myself physically and psychologically?

A straightforward answer quite glibly is; “Because it’s there.”

To Serve, To Strive and Not to Yield.

One notion is seeking the heroic quest, placing myself in the role of hero. Here I am the protagonist in search of adventure. Seeking goals I set for myself and setting about attaining them. The tale of the hero is as ancient as time itself. Humans thrive on such stories and many of us dream of these occurring for ourselves. The heroic ancient tale of Odysseus inspired the emergence of the Outward Bound movement and their motto; “To serve, to strive and not to yield” is attributed to Tennyson’s poem of that Ancient Greek adventure. Working as I did for twelve years as an Outward Bound instructor, I could not help imbuing this tenet of the motto and taking it to heart, many of my decisions to immerse myself in adventure guided by those simple principles. To serve - my community (fundraising), to serve myself. To strive - to reach out beyond the normal in my life. Not to Yield - this then is the crux; face the risks, the hardships, the solitude, the discomfort and the joys with equanimity.

Courage is one attribute at the heart of this drive within me. It manifests itself in how I explore for myself how far I’m willing to go before courage gives way. In achieving this, I discover the possibility of extending preconceived limitations which then serve to strengthen a healthy view of myself. Through placing myself in situations where my resolve is tested, I gain insights into my ever-developing personality. I am fascinated by this evolutionary process and I’m eager to understand it all the more.

Endurance on its own is a fascinating subject. The ability to endure is an attribute all people manifest many times in their lives; living with an illness, living though loss, a difficult work environment, unhappiness, loneliness, and more. There are those though who willingly seek endurance; ultra-distance runners, Himalayan mountaineers, deep sea divers, and many more. I am in awe of the many who test themselves to the limits.

Sea kayaking is not in my mind an extreme sport where endurance counts, but there have certainly been high endeavour achievements where the kayakers will have faced extreme challenges; crossing the Atlantic (3 times by an elderly Polish man), crossing to New Zealand from Australia, a woman kayaking alone from Europe to Australia, a woman paddling solo around the Americas having already circumnavigated Australia, and those of the crossings to the Faroes from Scotland and crossing back to Scotland from Iceland! There are many more fine achievements I haven’t listed here.

The severity of these sea kayak challenges are beyond me, but they illustrate what sea kayaking has to offer me and fulfil my desire to experience my tenacity in the face of hardship - to test my endurance.

Outward Bound Aberdovey

Why is this important to me? Again it’s an existential matter - I experience discomfort and pain, therefore I am. By sitting with discomfort I’m seeking enlightenment. As a result, I will enjoy clarity of thought and visionary insights pertaining to myself, my world and my relationship with others. In many respects I’m not unlike a 9thC monk seeking solace through the hardship of a contemplative cell in a dark cave or perched on a sea stack on the west coast. The rigours of the experience expunge the distractions of everyday life and help focus, in that moment, what really matters. Attempting a similar level of meditative practice in a benign setting does not allow for deeper insights. My mind skitters across the surface of any deeper thought, too easily distracted by perfunctory matters.

When I worked for Outward Bound, we used an activity called ‘Solo’ as a means of encouraging course participants to consider more deeply their Outward Bound experience and hopefully how this reflects in their lives in general. The activity was designed to provide an element of hardship which would encourage resourcefulness from the student. They were provided the means to construct a rudimentary shelter, a basic set of rations and the means to make a hot drink. Of course they had spare clothing and their sleeping bags. They were not allowed to wear watches, carry phones, use cameras or have any other means of unwanted distraction. They were allowed their course log-book and a pen. An Outward Bound solo occurred, whatever the weather. For many participants, this experience was the highlight of their course. This was because for 36 or 48 hours they endured complete solitude, with bare essentials throughout whatever weather conditions occurred at the time. For all of them, this was a totally unique and novel experience, probably never to be repeated. At the course end, I heard many times students describe the enlightening insights they gained from their solo.

It is not lost on me I seek to emulate this process for myself during most of my sea kayaking journeys. I choose solitude for this main reason. I choose simplicity without the encumbrance of extraneous equipment. I choose difficulty over easiness and I choose remoteness and wildness. The feeling of accomplishment after completing a gruelling solo challenge is a most pleasant reward. With every accomplishment and setbacks too, my wisdom incrementally increases. My tenacity in the face of hardship and possible danger is possible because I have accrued the wisdom to understand these difficult moments will eventually pass. Probably more important than cognitive understanding is an all encompassing acceptance. Accepting the difficulty as an impermanent experience, no matter how intolerable it may be. Nevertheless, there will be times when the level of discomfort overrides my ability to see it through. This is when I have to be even more vigilant because it is in these moments I may make a poor decision. There follows an internal dissonance choosing whether to follow on with the course of action or abandon it altogether.

The ability to be tenacious is not only about physical prowess but overcoming the mental challenges too. My mind is continually assessing the situation, the course of progress, the risks and possibility of failure. Throughout the day I will be forever questioning myself and checking I’m essentially doing the right thing, always seeking an opportunity to escape but never following this option. Overcoming negative thinking is as strong a process as coping with the physical discomfort. Facing these thoughts head on and challenging self-limiting perceptions requires an almost constant internal dialogue where the wise-self within me encourages the nervous-self to take the chances.

Cape Wrath 2015

The rewards for tenacity and endurance are for me, sublimity. Invariably I will find myself on the sea in a situation I would not have attained if it weren’t for the effort I had exerted. Rounding Cape Wrath on my own during my 2015 kayak journey around Scotland is a fine example. I was fearful right up to the point I arrived at the Cape. A number of times I tempted myself with a return to the sheltered waters of Kinlochbervie. Instead, beginning before sunrise, I set off with purpose on a day’s paddling which I knew would test me to my limit. The fear was real and so were the temptations to turn back. When I arrived at the cape, I found myself swallowed by the glorious immensity of the place, the indefinite oceanic landscape, the neck arching cliffs, the cacophonous birds, dervishly wheeling above, the exhalation of the waves gently spending themselves on the cliff bases, and the great arch - the portal I would kayak through marking the end of my journey up the western seaboard to the northern. My innate endurance had brought me to this point. An endurance informed by wisdom, tenacity and willingness to face risks.

I choose to endure the difficult because I know this difficulty is impermanent, beyond which wonderful new experiences may lie. I choose to endure because I am offered enlightening insights into my self. I choose to endure because I enjoy the challenge, setting myself against myself, never a competition with the sea or nature. I choose to endure because from this experience, I realise I’m able to endure other aspects of my life, primarily my fight with depression. So often I remind myself to sit with my depressive discomfort because it will pass. I do not endure to show off or to seek fame. This is a private and personal process for me. Some challenges may appear impossible but these are only limited by my imagination. Facing the challenge no matter how arduous this may be, adds the flavour to the recipe of achievement.