During my time in the wild I have picked up knowledge and experience that can be useful to others who begin to exploit nature more. I am far from an expert but promise you will learn something if you follow along, as I share my own tips, tricks and areas I traverse. As a school teacher and adventurer, I try to live my dreams and encourage others to do the same. Especially if it involves our wild spaces. Whether it be in our beautiful province, country or anywhere else in the world. Outdoor opportunities are rich and diverse.
I want to inspire people to be physically and mentally active while chasing their own adventures. Even to push themselves outside their personal comfort zones from time to time. My belief is that growth and understanding comes from discomfort and that discomfort in nature is about as good as it can get. You keep curious and you are connected to the land. Sometimes you even forget about that discomfort when you are aroused by all the beauty that’s offered. Unfortunately though, not enough of the newer generation is taking advantage of these skills and benefits and are becoming disconnected. It’s time to turn that trend around.
Another thing I want to make people aware of are ways to protect and conserve our environment. Many things are simple and just take a little extra effort for a much greater reward. This is the only way we will continue to have these pristine wild places for our generation and many more to come. The best you can do is play your part, spread the word and hope everyone else does the same.
Basically, promoting exploration of our surroundings and ourselves in a respectful way is the main goal here. It can be a day hike on a favourite trail, a week long trip through pristine wilderness or something far greater! Plan it. Experience it. Appreciate it. Once you take those first steps to immerse yourself you won’t regret it. Fish, hunt, hike, observe wildlife or whatever else tickles your fancy. I hope it provides you with hours of enjoyment and relaxation. Just make sure you are prepared for your voyages so it is not a bad experience. As the great explorer Sir Randolph Fiennes says “There is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing”.
On July 26th 2018, we will leave North West River, Labrador to begin an approximately 1700 kilometre expedition across the Labrador Peninsula by foot and canoe, towards the shores of Hudson Bay. For this trip I am extremely proud and honoured to have received support from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and MEC – Official Outfitter for the RCGS Expeditions program. During the project you will be able to track us as I send out GPS coordinates and a short message daily. Hopefully you can join us for the ride. It’s going to be wild! I will share more in the coming weeks.
This dream project is not only the perfect test for me, and Saku, but it is also going to be a learning experience. It will be an effort to view and record some of the last untouched wilderness areas within the Labrador Peninsula, Canada, to share with the world. Hopefully by revealing this beauty, and sharing my passion, I can inspire others to better appreciate and respect wilderness, nature, and the many valuable lessons it can teach us. Maybe you will even dare to chase your own dreams.
Follow Justin :
- On Instagram as @nlexplorer88
- On Facebook as @NLExplorer
- https://newfoundlandexplorer.com/