Video: First Descents In Michoacan, Mexico

I posted a teaser trailer for this expedition awhile back, with the promise of more to come. The video below fulfills that promise. It features paddlers Rafa Ortiz, Dane Jackson, and several others, as they go looking for whitewater and waterfalls in the Mexican state of Michoacan. They found everything they could have asked for and more. Looks like an amazing place to paddle.

Video: Paddler Sets New Record For Biggest Drop In A Canoe

Last fall, paddler Jim Coffey made an epic drop in an open canoe, going over the 60-foot (18.2 meter)  La Cascada de Truchas on the Alseseca River in Mexico. In doing so, he broke a 20-year old record, and wrote his own name in the annals of paddling history. The video below shares his story and gives us some unbelievable footage from his run. If you thought big drops in a kayak were scary, wait until you get a load of this one. Don't try this at home kids. There is a reason the previous record stood for so long.

Video: Seasons In Flight - Climbing In El Salto, Mexico

This short film is an 11-minute documentary on El Salto, Mexico, one of the best spots in the country for rock climbing. It is beautifully shot and reveals just how amazing this destination is for climbers.

Seasons in Flight : The Sound of the First Season from Ulric Rousseau on Vimeo.

Video: Dane Jackson Makes 60-Foot Waterfall Drop

While we're on the subject of big waterfall drops, here's a successful one. Dane Jackson went over the 60-foot La Tomata waterfall in central Veracruz, Mexico, adding to his already impressive paddling resume. The best part about this video isn't the big drop. We've seen plenty of those before. But this particular one is caught on video in so many ways including GoPro, remote drone, and a variety of other methods. The result is some spectacular looks at a very impressive drop.

Video: Celebrating Life In The Socorro Islands

Located off the west coast of Mexico, the Socorro Islands are a tiny, remote set of volcanic archipelagos with a stunning array of marine life on display. The video below gives us a glimpse of what that is all about, with a glimpse of what visitors to that place can see, including whales, sharks, manta rays, and literally hundreds of others of species of fish. It is quite a beautiful setting with an amazing collection of creatures to share. It looks like truly wondrous place.

Celebrating Life - SOCORRO ISLANDS from Adil Schindler on Vimeo.

Video: First Descent In Michoacan

The video below is a teaser of bigger things to come. It gives us a glimpse of a recent paddling expedition to the Mexican state of Michoacan, a dangerous part of the world that offers intriguing opportunities for a team of kayakers. The full movie for this expedition is due out next Tuesday, March 11. For now, we'll just have to enjoy this brief look at their adventure, which seems like it was everything they were hoping for, and then some.

Video: Alex Honnold Free Solo of El Sendero Luminoso - Full Video

Last Friday I posted a teaser video of Alex Honnold making the first free solo ascent of a 5.12 rated big wall in Mexico called El Sendero Luminoso. That short clip was enough to make most of us get an adrenaline rush just by watching it, but the full video, which you'll find below, will really get your heart pumping. Honnold once again shows why he is the best business. Crazy stuff that is best left to someone with his talents.

Video: Alex Honnold Make First Free Solo Of 5.12 Big Wall In Mexico

Alex Honnold continues to redefine what is possible in terms of free soloing big walls. In January, he traveled to Mexico to take on El Sendero Luminoso, a tough route rated as a 5.12 in terms of difficulty. In typical Honnold fashion, he completed the first ascent and the video below gives us a glimpse of him working the wall. As usual, he looks impressive doing it.

Mexican Castaway's Story Supported By Officials Back Home

Yesterday I posted the compelling story of Jose Salvador Alvarenga, the El Salvadorian man who lived in Mexico and claims to have been adrift at sea for more than a year, living off fish, small birds, and turtles, while capturing rainwater to drink. That story was accompanied by a healthy dose of skepticism by many, who said that he looked far too fit and healthy to have spent more than 13 months at sea. Now, there is some evidence being presented from his home country that is helping to corroborate the castaway's story.

Some of the speculation against the story came about not just because of the relative health of Alvarenga, but also because his story continued to change as he told the tale. It was also noted that there wasn't any fishing gear aboard his boat when he washed ashore, calling into question his ability to actually catch fish to eat. But doctors have said after so long at sea, his mind wasn't as focused and sharp as it would normally be, which helped to create the inconsistencies in his story. It is also possible that he lost his fishing gear somewhere along the way due to storms or other circumstances.

Back home, there are now reports surfacing about a small boat that went missing in a storm back in November of 2012, which is about the time that Alvarenga says he set out on his ill-timed fishing trip. His name was mentioned in regards to the incident, although the boat belonged to his boss, who originally alerted authorities.

The storm forced the small 24-foot boat out to sea, where the Pacific currents carried it away from shore. With no navigation equipment onboard, there was no way for him, or his teenage companion, to know how to get back home. The boy that was with him reportedly died a month into the ordeal, leaving Alvarenga to drift more than 6000 miles on his own.

Adding more credence to the story, Alvarenga's family says that they were alerted to the fact that he had gone missing, and they had given him up for dead. They were relieved and overjoyed to see his photos from the Marshall Islands in the newspaper, and are looking forward to a long overdue reunion. Jose hasn't seen his parents in more than eight years.

The castaway is due to be released from the hospital today and will soon make his way back to Mexico, before eventually going home to El Salvador. He is said to be suffering from swollen ankles, but other than that, there is little indication of the long journey across the ocean that he endured. That is leaving some still questioning the story, although there hasn't been any other plausible way to explain him turning up on the far side of the Pacific months after he disappeared.

Video: Secrets Of The Cenotes

One of the more interesting adventure opportunities for visitors to Mexico is the chance to go swimming and diving in the Cenotes. A Cenote is formed when limestone bedrock collapses, creating a sinkhole that is filled with ground water that often flows in from an underground river. That water was a source of life for early civilizations in Mexico and today they grant access to some amazing underground cave systems that simply have to be seen to be believed.

Our friend Richard Bangs recently visited the Cenotes and in the video below he gives us a glimpse at this subterranean wonderland. It is a beautiful tour into a world that few of us ever get to seek.

My bucket list has once again gotten a little longer.

Video: Richard Bangs Swims With Whale Sharks

Our friend Richard Bangs of Adventures with Purpose fame has shared a wonderful video with us today. It was shot off the coast of Cancun where Richard had the opportunity to go swimming with whale sharks, something he describes as the underwater equivalent of going on safari. This looks like an amazing experience and one that has now been added to my bucket list. Really amazing stuff.

"Lost" City Discovered In Mexican Jungles

Not long after archaeologists discovered a lost city hidden in a remote area of Cambodia a similar find has been unearthed in Mexico as well. The settlement is believed to date back as far as 600 AD and was once one of the largest cities in the Mayan Empire.

A team of researchers first spotted the ancient site in ariel photographs but had to actually get on site to confirm their speculation of a hidden Mayan city located in the Yucatan region. It took a group of explorers three weeks to hack their way through ten miles of jungle just to reach the place that they call "Chactun," but when they got there, their efforts were well rewarded.

The archaeologists have only just begun to clear the site but they have already found a stunning array of structures. So far the site spans some 54 acres with stone structures stretching out across the area. They have discovered 15 pyramids so far, the tallest of which is over 75 feet in height. They've even discovered a couple of ball courts used in a Mayan sport that is not unlike basketball. The inclusion of such buildings indicate that this was an important city that likely had a population of between 30,000 and 40,000 people at its height.

Researchers are hoping that the city can provide some clues as to what happened to the Mayans. Ranging from 600 AD to 900 AD they were the dominant civilization in the region. But after that they started to decline very rapidly and it didn't take long for the empire to collapse. Exactly why that happened remains a mystery.

The journey to find this lost city must have been like something out of an Indiana Jones movie. The team that made their way through the Yucatan jungles no doubt faced some serious challenges on their way to the site. Taking three weeks to cover ten miles must have tested their resolve at times but their persistence payed off and when they arrived in Chactun they were rewarded with an amazing find.

I continue to marvel at these stories and I love that we're still discovering things like the city in Mexico and the one in Cambodia. I would love to be a part of either of these teams as they explore these ancient sites. Who knows what wonders they'll uncover at either location and how they will impact our understanding of our ancient ancestors.

Video: Beyond The Drop - Kayaking Mexico's Rio Tulijá

I haven't come across a really great kayaking video for awhile but the wait for the latest short film from Teva was certainly worth it. The video below is entitled Beyond the Drop and it features a team of six pro-paddlers who travel to Mexico to take on the Rio Tulijá, an amazing looking river with a series of five amazing drops. But the film is more than just that as it mixes local culture, the fun of exploring a river and joy of like-minded people coming together for a common goal. Excellent stuff.

Thanks to The Goat for sharing.

Video: Jr. Filmmaker Captures Close Encounter With A Whale

I've always thought that whales are some of the most amazing creatures on our planet. That opinion is only reinforced by the video clip below which features a playful gray whale that approaches close enough to a boat to let its inhabitants touch the large mammal. The footage gives us some great shots both above and below the water and was shot recently by 13-year old Eric Lindblad while on an aquatic adventure to Magdalena Bay.

It looks magical there.

Kayakers Drop Five Successive Falls In Mexico

Over the past couple of years we've become accustomed to paddlers making some daring white water runs and dropping over some extremely big waterfalls. But recently three paddlers pushed the limits even further by going over five successive waterfalls in Mexico that combined to make one very big descent.

The team, which consisted of Rafa Ortiz, Evan Garcia, and Rush Sturges, ran a stretch of water along the Rio Santo Domingo that included waterfalls that are 80-, 90-, 60-, 20-, and 40-feet in height, all in rapid succession. That's a total of 290 feet (88.3 meters) in one quick go, with very little time for recovery between each drop.

There isn't any video on this paddling expedition yet, but considering that it was sponsored by Red Bull, you know that it has to be coming soon. I for one can't wait to see what this looks like when you catch it all in motion. Hopefully from a helmet cam that shows each of the successive drops. But for now, we'll just have to settle for some the amazing still photos that are posted on the Red Bull website.

Video: Extreme Photography - Chasing The Perfect Shot With Tim Kemple

Photographer Tim Kemple often goes to some extreme measures to capture the perfect shot, particularly if he is shooting images of his friends as they paddle over waterfalls. In the video below he shares some of those photos while also telling us about what drives him to push himself and his gear to the limits, just like the extreme athletes that are his subjects.

Filmmaker Set To Sail The Pacific In Search Of Adventure And "Guapo"

I have to admit, I have a soft spot for expeditions that plan to set off in search of nebulous adventures. The kind that don't have a lot of concrete goals per se, but are just looking for adventure in what ever form it arrives. That happens to be exactly what three filmmakers have in mind when they launch their "Finding Guapo" voyage later this year. The team is setting off to shoot a documentary on what they say will be "about life, adventure, nature, sailing, diving, freedom, but mostly about madness."

The men will be joined on this voyage by a mysterious adventurer who is simply named "Guapo." I don't know a lot about Guapo, but from what I have heard, he sounds a bit like he Dos Equis Most Interesting Man In the World.  In addition to being both a scuba and sky diving instructor, he is also a mountaineer who has climbed the big mountains of the Americas. A few years ago he also sailed solo from New York to New Caledonia, a tiny island located in the South Pacific, which he ended up making his home. In short, he is a free-spirited adventurer who goes where his wanderings take him.

It turns out, Guapo was planning on being in Mexico for a short time later this year and our intrepid filmmakers at KRAKEN decided they wanted to make this documentary with him during which they would be sailing across the Pacific Ocean. The current plan is for them to set sail for Australia, but as you'll see in the video below, those plans are in flux. They four men are going to see where their whims, and the tides of the Pacific, take them as they go looking for the adventure of a lifetime in the hopes of making a film about their travels.

To help fund this endeavor the men have set up an Indegogo campaign. They hope to raise $15,000 towards creating the project, although they're off to a bit of a slow start at the moment. With nearly a month to go however, they'll hopefully reach their goals.

Good luck to Guapo and the rest of the crew!


Finding Guapo - Indiegogo from Kraken Productora Tentacular on Vimeo.

Video: CASCADA - Running Waterfalls In Mexico

Here's a short paddling film that you definitely don't want to miss out on. It is a beautifully shot video that follows a group of paddlers who go in search of the perfect waterfall in the Mexican jungle so that they can capture a spectacular run on film. The results are quite spectacular in every sense of the word. Nearly every frame of this film is masterpiece. Amazing stuff from the gang at Forge.

CASCADA from NRS Films on Vimeo.

Video: Another Crazy Downhill Mountain Bike Race

As if that crazy downhill mountain bike video from a few weeks back wasn't scary enough, here's another one that was shot in Taxco, Mexico last week. The video is a bit low res (Someone buy these guys a NEW GoPro!) but you'll definitely get the gist of what's going on. Lots of jumps, drops and otherwise insane riding. Looks like fun! For someone else. I don't have the skills for this kind of ride.

Heading To ATMEX In Veracruz, Mexico

It's a short week for updates on the Adventure Blog as I'm headed to Veracruze, Mexico today to attend the ATMEX Conference. Over the next few days the focus will be completely on adventure travel in Mexico, which has a lot to offer outdoor enthusiasts. The country has fantastic mountain biking, sea kayaking, climbing, whitewater rafting and more and the conference is designed to help tour operators connect with travelers and market their options more fully.

I'm honored to be taking part in a couple of panel discussions at the conference mostly focused on blogging and how tour operators can work with the online community to get the word out on what they have to offer. I, and my fellow panelists, will be speaking about how we work with various brands in the travel industry and how online travel writers and those brands can work together to promote their destinations. It should prove to be a fun and interesting experience and I'm so happy that the Adventure Travel Trade Association asked me to be a part of the event. If you happen to be attending as well, be sure to track me down and say hello.

I'm not sure what kind of Internet access I'll have while I'm away. If I have a reliable connection I'll try to post some updates. Otherwise we'll be back to the usual routine next Monday. While I'm away, everyone have a great few days and be sure to get outside and enjoy some adventures of your own.