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.
Investigating AI Manipulation of Viral Chinese Paraglider Video: Zsolt Ero discusses the authenticity of a widely circulated video featuring Chinese paraglider Peng Yujiang’s ascent to 8,598m. ExplorersWeb has taken down its initial article pending an investigation into whether AI created or altered the footage.
Ero, an experienced paraglider, identifies inconsistencies suggesting that the video comprises a mix of genuine and AI-generated scenes.
What I Learned Walking Britain’s Entire Coast: In 2015, Quintin Lake embarked on a five-year, 11,000km solo journey around Britain’s mainland coast, starting at St Paul’s Cathedral, London.
A photographer, Lake’s expedition resulted in a visual archive of Britain and gave him a deeper understanding of Britain’s history, geography, and identity. Here, he discusses the island’s beauty and regional distinctiveness.
A keyhole arch on the British coast. Photo: Quintin Lake
Everest climber nabbed at airport
‘Quickest’ Everest Climber in Currency Controversy: Nepalese authorities arrested Andrew Ushakov (who reportedly climbed Mount Everest from sea level in New York to the summit in just under four days) at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport for carrying $20,000 in undeclared cash. Nepalese law requires travelers to declare foreign currency exceeding $5,000. Ushakov has since been released and blames the arrest on a misunderstanding.
Hikers Mistakenly Report Companions’ Death: Two hikers on Cascade Mountain in New York’s Adirondacks called emergency services to report that the third person on their hike had died.
However, a state forest ranger found that the supposedly deceased hiker was unharmed. His companions had eaten hallucinogenic mushrooms and imagined his demise.
Aleksander Doba, on one of his epic paddles across the Atlantic. Photo: David Jackson
The greatest kayaking expeditions
Greatest Kayaking Expeditions of the Century (So Far): Paddling Magazine has pulled together a strong list of the greatest kayaking expeditions this century. Their list features Jaime Sharp, Tara Mulvany, and Per Gustav Porsanger, who completed the first recorded circumnavigation of Svalbard’s four main islands in 2015, a 2,300km journey involving several encounters with polar bears, and Jon Turk’s 4,800km paddle from Japan to Alaska in 1999-2000.
What is The Salt Path and Can I Hike It?: Raynor Winn’s memoir The Salt Path has been adapted into a film. Starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, the film brings renewed attention to Britain’s South West Coast Path.
The South West Coast Path stretches 1,014km from Minehead in Somerset to Poole Harbour in Dorset. The Salt Path follows Raynor and her husband Moth as they embark on this trek after losing their home and receiving a terminal illness diagnosis.
Dogsled heroes
How Greenland’s Dogsled Patrol Became the Unsung Heroes of World War II: The Northeast Greenland Sledge Patrol was a small unit of Danish, Inuit, and Norwegian volunteers who traveled northeast Greenland during WWII. Operating in extreme Arctic conditions, these dogsledders traversed vast, uninhabited regions searching for German weather stations, which were critical for the Nazis’ military planning. Despite their significant contributions, the patrol’s efforts remain largely unrecognized.
Tourist’s Photo Shoot with Tiger Goes Wrong: A terrifying incident at Tiger Kingdom in Phuket, Thailand, has reignited concerns over unethical “wildlife” tourism in the country. A viral video shows an Indian tourist being attacked by a chained tiger during a photo shoot. As the tourist kneels beside the tiger for a photo, its keeper uses a stick to get the animal to sit down. The tiger lunges, knocks the tourist to the ground, and attacks him. The man reportedly escaped with minor injuries.
