adventure

Ian Finch - Podcast Interview with Natalia Komis - Happiness In Simple Treasures (Copy)

Listen to Podcast here: Happiness in Simple Treasures

“A conversation with Ian Finch, who’s mantra – entertain, educate, inspire – not only describes his way of showing up and living his mission but also this conversation. Former Royal Marine Commando Ian Finch, is an adventure and outdoor brand photographer, expedition guide and journalist whose been travelling to remote environments for over 10 years.  He is dedicated to sharing and creating stories that depict a simpler way of life, bring to light our connection with nature, teaching us about ancient traditions, inspiring others to find their own adventure and give back in the process. This is a journey of limitless possibilities, of human potential, cultures, expeditions, timing and our right to harvest amongst other things.”

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Top 3 Weather Apps for the Outdoors & Adventure - By Ian Finch

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Climate, weather and local conditions play a huge role in the outdoor adventure experience. Love it or hate it, smartphone technology has come a long way in 20 years – Our devices are now a detailed one-stop hub of navigation, weather, photography and communication apps that bring vast amounts of information to our fingertips anywhere at any time. Where technology is an increasingly relied upon tool, should we be careful not to rely on it solely as a source navigation or weather predictability? – Possibly. Technology has its down days, batteries die, glitches in the program can delete data or we can lose vital information if it gets damaged or lost. So, without doubt, outdoor technology is positively changing the way we interact with the outdoors, but we shouldn’t forget to learn and apply fundamental outdoor skills where we can combine traditional methods (learning about weather fronts, clouds and local signs) alongside the modern smartphone technology to make a stronger and more present outdoor adventure experience.

One of the main aspects in the preparation phase of any outdoor journey is knowing and understanding weather and the conditions you will encounter. Weather dictates clothing, clothing dictates how comfortable you will or will not be and this can dictate the successful outcome of your journey. Choosing the correct clothing to suit the weather not only comes with time and experience but can mean the difference between life and death. Fundamentally having an understanding of weather and how to access reliable local information prior to and during your journey is a great skill to acquire. Never before have we had access to so much weather data provided by NASA satellites and global communication systems. It’s here at the apex of knowledge and technology that we can bridge the gap and ensure we know what conditions we will be up against.

To aid in that journey, here are my top 3 weather apps for the outdoors and adventure.

Dark Sky

An advanced weather app providing local and global mapping and radar services showing you exactly where weather fronts and storms are and where they are going. Drill down and explore the details of your forecast and get the exact information you need and care about.

Windy (free)

Windy is an extraordinary tool for weather forecast visualisation. It’s fast, intuitive, detailed and accurate weather radars are trusted by professional pilots, paragliders, skydivers, kiters, surfers, boaters, fisherman, storm chasers and weather geeks. It’s also used by the government, army staff and rescue services.

My Lightning Tracker (free)

My Lightning Tracker is the best app for monitoring storms and lightning strikes all around the world in close to real-time. With a super sleek, interactive modern design you can watch thunderstorms as they occur and see detailed locations of actual lightning strikes.

Regions of Discovery - Travel Destinations for a Gap Year Student - Ian Finch (Written for www.blacks.co.uk)

Every journey we take has the potential to inspire, challenge and teach us. These journeys can be as simple as a hike in the fertile lowlands of the Austrian Alps or longer cross-continental trips across countries or to the foothills of the world’s highest mountain ranges. There is no doubt that the magic starts from the spark of an idea and continues through every single stage of the journey - from planning logistics to the physical undertaking of the adventure to sharing your gap year story with the wider world.

I have been blessed to have visited and met people from the world’s far away regions. The lessons that come from the landscapes and from those that call it home are always vast and far-reaching. They have shaped the way I live and taught me, in depth, about a world and our relationship to its fragile environment.

I hope the following destinations will inspire you to see that adventure and travel, in all its forms, is everywhere. I also hope the lure of these countries will encourage you to undertake journeys of all shapes and sizes during your gap year, they truly are one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll have in your life - let’s get exploring.

Austria

To me, the Alps are the younger brother of the Himalayas and are one of the most beautiful and rugged landscapes in Europe. There is easy access to the equally beautiful regions of Italy, Switzerland and Slovenia with a simple border crossing.

Myanmar

Possibly Asia’s best-kept secret. There are still areas of this wonderful and culturally rich country that have rarely seen a western tourist. A new overland route to Thailand is now open.

Mongolia

For a taste of an ancient culture and nomadic lifestyle Mongolia is unsurpassed. Fly from Ulaanbaatar west to Olgii, then further west for an authentic experience of the Steppe, horse, and eagle culture.

New Zealand

Two islands of immense and geographically diverse national parks, rich Maori culture and world-renowned landscapes, New Zealand’s (Land of the Long White Cloud) mild Pacific climate makes it ideal to explore for any length of time by bike or on foot.

Alaska

Northwest from Canada sits the US’s most least populated state at 1.3 people per square mile. Alaska is a wilderness of unrivalled vastness, human history and culture. Take a small plane from Anchorage into the tundra to hike (with qualified guide) or paddle a section of the Yukon River for an authentic taste of this untouched region.

Ian Finch & Caroline Cote Documentary - Pull of the North - A 2000 mile canoe descent of the Yukon River

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“When I was growing up, the salmon looked much healthier, the water would be clear. Now today the salmon are very small and unhealthy, down to mining impact upriver. I want our fish and for our salmon to be healthy again.” - Frieda Alfred, Northern Tutchone, Yukon River.

For a first major expedition it was bold - To paddle the entire watercourse of the Yukon River, stopping in remote communities whilst sitting and listening to the people that call it home. The impact of mining, commercial fishing and government restrictions on what and when they can fish has left its mark on cultures that have lived on the land for thousands of years. Our 2000 mile journey was to explore that relationship of old and new and further understand our place within it all.

Chuffed that our film, edited by @caro.line.cote, has made it into numerous film festivals worldwide - yet, most importantly the film has been well received by those people who gave their valuable time and shared their culture and traditions with us along the vast course of the river. To me, those are the only reviews that matter. I’m indebted, to those, until then end of time.

Deeply grateful for @martin_trahan_canoeist for his knowledge, logistics and skillset, for @jaykolsch for his creativity and beautiful imagery and @caro.line.cote for her strength, creativity and attitude putting up with me in a canoe for nearly 3 months. To all again, I’m forever indebted