In fact, I’ve become so obsessed that I am now an expedition guide, spending roughly half the year at sea in Antarctica and the Arctic. And I’m not slowing down anytime soon. I’ve already started a three-month season with Adventure Canada in the Arctic for this summer in Canada and Greenland.
These polar places are almost inaccessible. The easiest and most efficient way to visit is by expedition ship. Most of the year, sea ice locks the Arctic away. Only for a few months in the summer does it melt enough to allow access. Most people get around by small planes, boats, or snowmobiles (in winter). Personally, I find this isolation fascinating.
Here, whales swim by us all the time, polar bears peek out from behind the sea ice, and colorful communities give us the most incredible welcomes. The Arctic is vast, wild, and unpredictable. It gets under your skin.
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Lately, I’ve been reflecting a lot on my work over the years, blogging, writing, and taking photos. I managed to craft a career out of thin air, getting paid to travel the world and write about it. But if I’m being honest, I’ve felt somewhat disillusioned since the pandemic. I’m tired of hustling. I’m tired of the meaningless competition. It’s not good for my headspace or creativity.
Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t change a thing in the past. But I think I’ve grown and stepped onto a new path I’m keen to explore more of. Guiding.
Visiting the Arctic and writing about it isn’t enough for me. Deep down, I yearned to be part of a team again, a community. Adventure Canada feels like family. Owned and operated by three siblings (started by their dad, uncle, and friend), as soon as you step on board, you feel a connection like no other. The same guides always come back year after year – it feels like going to summer camp and reuniting with all of your friends. And it’s the same with the passengers.
On most trips, half of the passengers are returning, having traveled with AC before. I mean, you can’t invent that kind of loyalty.
I know it sounds super cheesy, but working in the Arctic fulfills me in a way I didn’t know I needed. It’s freaking hard work but so worth it. I feel like I belong here. It’s an area I know really well, and I love sharing it with others.
