When we’re not outdoors, we get our adventure fix by exploring social media and the web. Here are some of the best adventure links we’ve discovered this week.
New Solo Sailing World Record: Nicolas Lunven has set a new 24-hour record for sailing a single-handed monohull. In the Vendee Globe Race, Lunven covered 879.6km in 24 hours.
This is Lunven’s first Vendee Globe. Currently, he ranks fifth in the 40-strong race. He was the only competitor to take a daring westerly route early in the race. The route allowed for a remarkably straight and speedy line.
Strava Leaks Give Away Location of Putin’s Bodyguards: Vladimir Putin claims the Kremlin does not own the palace on the Black Sea or the costly dacha on a lake in the republic of Karelia. Yet his bodyguards frequent both properties frequently.
The geolocation settings on the popular Strava app seem to give away the locations of more than one world leader.
Winter paddling
12 Videos To Get You Stoked for Winter Paddling: As winter looms, many people hang up their paddles. Others break out their immersion gear and prepare for some of the most beautiful paddling of the year. From canoe camping in the Canadian snow to winter whitewater in Minnesota to ice-paddling in Norway, here are 12 videos that show what winter paddling has to offer.
Will Bosi Still Isn’t Sure What V17 Means: Will Bosi is the first person in the world to climb four proposed V17 graded boulders. Despite this, he is not sure whether they differ from a V15 or V16. In this interview, he discusses his Spots of Time climb, recent bouldering exploits, and his skepticism about grading.
Photo: Renan Ozturk/National Geographic
Caldwell and Honnold’s long trip to Alaska
Behind the Scenes of The Devil’s Climb: In 2023, Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold biked, hiked, and sailed 4,200km from Colorado to Alaska. Then they climbed The Devil’s Thumb.
Though their adventure has been turned into a documentary, every moment of a months-long trip can’t feature in an hour-long film. Caldwell speaks about some of the pivotal sections that were cut out.
The Ten Hardest V17 Boulders in the World: Sean Bailey has climbed another V17. This means there are now eight V17 boulders. All of the boulders are relatively new to the climbing world. The first was completed in 2016 by Nalle Hukkataival. This round-up contains details on all eight climbs plus two V16/17 conundrums.
Shipwreck Detective
David Mearns, Shipwreck Hunter: Starting as a marine scientist, David Mearns first worked with remotely operated vehicles. After his team was contracted to find a shipwreck at the center of a murder trial, he was hooked.
Mearns had searched for several high-profile shipwrecks. Recently, he found Shackleton’s last ship, Quest. He also holds the record for finding the deepest shipwreck.
Hikers Brought 68kg of Gear to Hike Mount Whitney: Emergency services rescued two hikers who attempted to hike the Mount Whitney trail with 68kg of gear and 19 liters of water. With the water, they were lugging nearly 90kg in total.
The duo covered just 4.5km in nine hours. They set up camp on the trail and by morning, they realized they were out of their depth.
