Adventure Travel Briefs: A Cruise Ship in the Northwest Passage and Is Adventure Travel Endangered?

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There have been a number of interesting stories to come out of the adventure travel industry lately, not all of which are worth their own post, but together they make an interesting story to share with readers. For those of you out there who enjoy pursing some adventures of their own, here are a couple of things to have on your radar.

Luxury Cruise Ship Sails the Northwest Passage
In recent years, climate change has allowed the famed Northwest Passage – an area of open sea in the Arctic Ocean above Canada – to become far less treacherous and more navigable by boat. In the past, the ice would either stay locked in place even during the summer months, or the route would remain dangerous due to large ice bergs choking the path. That isn’t the case any longer, and for several months each year it is possible to sail from the Atlantic to the Pacific via the Arctic.

Now, a luxury cruise ship by the name of Serenity has embarked on a 32-day journey across the entire passage. The ship set sail from Seward, Alaska last week, and is now making its way towards New York City. While small ships have made their way along the legendary route in recent years, this is the first time a large ship has done so. The Serenity can carry more than 1700 people.

Hopefully the cruise goes off without any major issues. The Canadian Coast Guard estimates its response time to an emergency at 11 hours. That’s a long time should anything go wrong. Fingers crossed this doesn’t become a major trend either, as the Arctic Ocean is still a very fragile ecosystem.

Richard Bangs Takes Us to Madagascar
Mysterious and enchanting, Madagascar is high on my places to visit that I haven’t been lucky enough to get to just yet. I’m even more intrigued after reading Richard Bangs’ recent article for The Huffington Post, in which he delves into the history, culture, and people that live on the island country just off the coast of Africa.

In the incredibly well written piece, Bangs paints an impressive picture of the place, which is at a crossroads environmentally, and yet is still a fascinating ecological preserve filled with creatures that aren’t found anywhere else on Earth. Amongst those creatures are Madagascar’s famous lemurs, which are held in high regard by the locals and it is strictly forbidden to kill. But in his travel through the land, Richard goes in search of a rumored restaurant that allegedly serves lemur on the menu. Does he find it? And what other wonders does he discover there? Read on to find out.

Is Adventure Travel an Endangered Species?
Our final adventure travel story come from the blog at Tusker Trail. The article was written awhile back, but still asks an intriguing question – Is adventure travel an endangered species? In the article, the author indicates that fear and a desire for safety and security are causing many travelers to abandon their hopes of living an adventurous life, with many now playing it safe and sticking close to home.

With terrorist attacks taking place all over Europe, strange diseases like Ebola and Zika, striking Africa and South America, and other potential threats making headlines, it is easy to get caught up in the belief that danger is lurking around every corner when you start to wander too far from home. But, in reality, we all know that isn’t the case, and that these are mostly isolated incidences that are far from the norm.

Yes, travelers do accept that there is always the potential for danger when setting out on an adventurous excursion. But, isn’t that a part of adventure travel? As the Tusker article says, adventure travel may be compromised, but it is far from dead. There are still plenty of amazing places to go, things to do, and sites to see. As the author says, study your destination thoroughly, do your homework ahead of time, and know what you’re getting yourself into. Chances are, you’ll be better prepared to deal with situations as they arise, and probably avoid danger altogether. At the very lest, don’t let fear keep you from traveling the world and seeking out adventure.

Something I agree with wholeheartedly.

Kraig Becker