STOP, BREATHE, RELAX, AND LISTEN AGAIN, AN INTERVIEW WITH DANIEL FOX

Photos courtesy of Daniel Fox

As explorer, photographer, and storyteller, Daniel Fox looks to the power of nature to energize the mind and soul. Over the past decade, he has preached his mantra of STOP. BREATHE. RELAX. LISTEN to help us all reconnect to the natural world around us. As the founder of WILD.ECO, a group offering mentorships and opportunities for young adults from a disadvantaged background to experience nature as a framework for personal transformation and empowerment.

As FUJIFILM X-Photographer, his work has been appeared in Outside Magazine, Canoe Kayak Magazine, Adventure Kayak Magazine, Sea Kayaker Magazine, along with many others. His inspiring talks on FEEL THE WILD have been given at the Commonwealth Club, REI stores, universities and schools across the country.
Outside Adventure to the Max first caught up with Fox back in April of 2015 for a very insightful Q/A. But after Fox announced last month his book FEEL THE WILD has been acquired by RMB | Rocky Mountain Books, a publisher that is unique in the world of Art & Photography and would be released in Fall 2019. We shared our excitement of the news by reposting our archived interview with Fox and congratulating him.
Fox emailed back words of thanks and approached us about updating our interview. We, of course, said that would be really cool.

OAM: You seem somewhere between a modern-day Thoreau and adventurer Daniel Boone always looking over the next horizon. You said "Nature is more than a destination. It is a teacher, a meditation, it is food for the soul and the body, inspiration for the arts, a healer, a mentor, a lover." What drives you in your pursuit of finding nature?
DF: First of all let me thank you for referencing my work to both Thoreau and Boone - what an honor! I did use to watch the TV show when I was young - I still can remember singing the intro song!
About your question. We are a product of nature. Our species is just one of many that has inhabited this planet. And we won’t be the last. It is believed that the Neanderthal was around for 200 000 years before being ousted by the Homo Sapiens. It is fair to expect that one day in the future, the Homo Sapiens will be regarded as a past and extinct species, ousted by a more adaptable and new one.
In the grand scheme of the universe, we are nothing more than just a footnote in the history of evolution. We haven’t even proved our worthiness as a species. We have been around for what, thousands of years? That is nothing compared to others.
Sometimes I contemplate the thought that perhaps intelligence will turn out to be a counterproductive evolutionary tool. It is amazing what it can create and accomplish but it is also incredible to see how unsustainable it can be.
But again, isn’t life’s goal to expand, evolve, reach out to new worlds? We migrated from Africa for some reasons. Our species spread over continents. We risked everything and crossed oceans trying to escape what we had created, to start anew. Perhaps it is part of life to mess things up so that it forces the future generations to seek new places and the old ones to wise up. We learn through the consequences of our actions - and right now we are learning about the fragility of our species and that the act of totally disrespecting the environment is a strategy that will backfire and blow up in our face. Spending time in the wilderness reminds me that there is a world beyond ourselves.
That I am not at the center of everything. It brings me perspective and puts me back in the right place, giving me the gift of humility. It is so easy to think of ourselves as gods when we live in cities, disconnected, in awe of our prowess, but out there in the wild, you realize that there is so much more to life.
How can we look up to the stars and believe even for one second that we are special? It is that feeling of vulnerability that I seek that drives me to explore the wilderness and spend time in nature.

OAM: Tell us about W.I.L.D. Wilderness, Immersion, Leadership & Discovery to help make the wilderness accessible to underprivileged youth. Why did you start this cause?
DF: We consume nature the same way that we consume everything else - with ease, quick and in quantity. We want the benefits delivered instantly and in the shortest time possible. We want that adrenaline rush. We want to conquer that river. We want to finish that hike. And then go back to our houses and computers. It is hard in that way to truly connect with nature and receive the big lessons and insights it has to offer. It is hard to get that deep transformative experience when you are only skimming the surface.
It is like trying to experience the richness of the ocean only by swimming at the surface. Impossible! You need to dive in. Going camping for a weekend is great, but you don’t get to disconnect. Your mind and body are still attached to the conveniences of our modern world. We experience the wilderness through senses that are not in tune with nature. There are many studies that have proven and showed that it takes a minimum of 2 weeks for your senses to tune in with a new environment.
So with that in mind, I believe that immersion in nature is an important part of our development, especially during our early, formative years when it is so critical to discover who we are, develop strong self-esteem, begin to adopt leadership skills, challenge our physical well-being and acquire the capacity to live a balanced life in a world dominated by technology.

OAM: Sounds like your trying to save the world one kid at a time. What impact do you think it will have on their future?
DF: I am convinced that once you have experienced a month-long wilderness immersion camp, your life is changed forever. And knowing the importance of today’s youth in shaping the future, I want to give them, especially the underprivileged teens, the opportunity to experience first-hand the positive impact nature can have on their lives through wilderness immersion camps.
That immersion is a powerful first step that can help trigger a desire to explore and discover the natural world and to begin to understand how experiencing the beauty and ultimate challenges inherent in nature can lead to enhancing their self-confidence and help them develop valuable leadership skills. Read more about WILD.ECO

OAM: What is the FEEL THE WILD? How long have you been working on it and what has it taught you about nature and yourself?
 DF: I started the FEEL THE WILD (previously the Wild Image Project) back in 2008. It is a bit of a long story, but to summarize it, when I was a kid, my dream was to sail the world and study whales. I wanted to explore the planet. See what Cousteau, Fowler and Attenborough had shown me on the television. I was that kid who would leave in the morning, disappear in the forest and complain when it was time to come back at sunset. In High School, I got the feeling that I needed to get serious with my life expectations and was told to grow up. So I tried. I went to business school, moved to New York and attempted to make it in the corporate world. It was a failure. I was incapable of justifying my future doing something that my heart was not into. So after an unfortunate life episode (it is a longer story), I reassessed everything. If there was time for me to go back to my roots, this was the time. So I sold everything and headed south. I went to Argentina for 6 months and found myself again. I found and connected to that joyful boy I once was. I started to write and do photography and for the first time in my life, I felt like I had a purpose, a reason to move into the future and believe.

OAM: You said, that you want to create a dialog between yourself and your wildlife subjects while photographing them in nature. Why is important to you that they know of your presence?
DF: In some ways, I don’t want to take the photograph, I want to receive it. In the early age of photography, it was believed that a photo stole a piece of the soul. I don’t literally believe the statement but I do feel there is something of an invasion when you capture a moment without the subject knowing. So if I am going to capture these animals on film, I want it to be on their terms, I want their consent.
Also, I don’t want to be a visitor, I want to connect and be present. I want to meet their gaze and share that deep ancestral sense of commonality we have. That is what I seek, that is what I long for.
Importantly though, I don’t want to humanize and beautify them, I want to honor and recognize their spirit. Every single species on earth is exceptional in the sense that it has achieved mastery of its survival by adapting and acutely occupying a specific niche within the planet’s ecosystem.
Everything and everyone, including us, has evolved and survived by becoming the best at one thing. The indigenous cultures understood and honored this way of looking at the world. They didn’t see themselves better or above anyone or anything, but alongside all the others, part of life’s complex cobweb. Animals, plants, and insects were respected, honored and recognized for their particular abilities.

OAM: Your first attempt in 2014 to kayak 1,000 miles from Victoria, on the Island of Vancouver in Canada to San Francisco was unfortunately ended in very harrowing ordeal at Cannon Beach in Oregon as featured in Canoe & Kayak magazine article ALIVE & STRONGER What did you learn from that experience?
DF: There are certain things in life that are not meant to be accomplished on the first try. They demand commitment and failure is part of the experience. A 1,000 miles of solo kayaking along the Pacific Coast is not something to be taken lightly. I am actually glad that my first attempt was unsuccessful. I was extremely fortunate and I didn’t hurt myself and that is the most important thing. Had it been too easy, I would have lost the respect that endeavors like these deserve. Looking back, there are obviously lessons that I learned. First one is that I should have not forced my departure. I was pressured by time and left Astoria knowing that bad weather was coming. Also, I should have never attempted to lend in Indian Bay at night. I didn't know the place and it was obvious that the conditions were way too dangerous for me to maneuver my way into these unknown waters. That first capsize changed everything. Had I just paddled into the night, against the wind, it would have been extremely exhausting and dead tired, but at least I would have not ended up in pieces on the beach crushed by the ocean.

OAM: Are you going to attempt it again?
DF: I won’t say no, but right now it is not a priority. That long paddle had a specific purpose, to fundraise for WILD.ECO. My creative process though is more about immersing myself for 2 to 3 weeks at a time in the wilderness. At the moment, I am focused on preparing for my book launch, set for Fall 2019, published by RMBooks and an upcoming North American Tour with Arc’teryx.

OAM: You travel light and by yourself for long periods of time do you find comfort in the solitude?
DF: I do. I see myself as an artist and the wilderness is my studio. When I go out, my goal is to create something, to capture the spirit of a place and share it with the world. A painter can’t paint when there are other people around. They need that empty space where their mind can get lost and create. It is the same for me. Out there, by myself, I have to face the silence, my mind goes to places that are not always fun, but from these depths, magic happens. I will be honest though, it can be extremely challenging and tiring. There is no one to motivate you. You are responsible for everything. There is no peer pressure, no one to cook while you set up camp, no second opinion, no help if something happens. I wrote about this solitude in this story S2 = C + P (Solitude & Silence = Clarity + Perspective). You can also read my recent trip to the Pemberton ice field, where I wrote about the change.

OAM: What is the most essential item you always bring along while on these odysseys?
DF: My brain! My sanity and optimism! The answer might surprise you but nothing is more important than keeping your calm when you are on solo expeditions. No gear can replace good judgment. No gear can save you unless you know what to do with it. You can survive with very little and through insane and crazy situations if you succeed in not letting the events take over you. Aside from the philosophical answer, my Fujifilm camera is always with me. And if I had to choose the most essential item it would be my SOG multitool.

OAM: Ansel Adams said, "A good photograph is knowing where to stand." You have traveled throughout the world. What was your favorite place so far and what made it so appealing?
DF: There is so much of the world I haven’t seen!!! So many places to visit. So much to discover and explore. Adams’ quote reminds me of Proust’: “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” The truth though is that we are social species. We are wired to connect with others. And in all my traveling, it is the people that I meet along the way that I remember the most. Connecting with the wild places I visit is impossible to do unless I connect first with the people that live there. I am passing through. I am a visitor and they are the ones who hold the key to so many secrets. Their stories and their experiences are priceless and full of treasures.  

OAM: Any place on your list you haven't been yet?
DF: At the beginning when I started, I was attracted to exotic destinations. But to be honest, now I only focus on North America. There is so much right here, in our backyard to discover. From Alaska, the Arctic Circle, the Northwest Territories to Baja California.
From Newfoundland to British Columbia and California, the mountains, the deserts, the rivers, the Pacific and Atlantic Coast, our American and Canadian National Parks are truly some of the most beautiful places on earth.

OAM: One last one... Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Nothing can bring you peace but yourself." What will be your legacy?
DF: We are not a bad species. We are learning. There is so much guilt and negativity in our culture that is is really hard to be hopeful. There is this constant deadline over our head telling us that if we don’t fix everything in 5 years, life on earth will literally end. There is this arrogant and righteous sense of duty that we must save the planet. People are overwhelmed and feel powerless and consequently stop caring or listening. There is, of course, a pressing need to change but we have to believe in ourselves. We have to inspire each other and see the beauty within us. We are a species that rises when facing challenges. We are experts at adapting. Yes, we have done mistakes. And we won’t stop making new ones. That is life. But by accepting responsibility, by finding humility and believing that the strength of our spirit is intertwined with the natural world, I believe that together we can lay the foundations to a world we can be proud of.

I want to make people STOP just for a second. I want them to take a deep BREATH, RELAX, LISTEN and look at the world and nature in a new way. I want them to think. I want them to believe. I want them to be proud. I want them to believe in the power of nature to Nurture, Awaken, Transform, Uplift, Restore and Elevate the human spirit. I want them to understand that we are from nature, that nature is not something disconnected from us. If I can do that, if that can be my legacy, then I will be happy.

Daniel Fox is an artist, solo wilderness explorer, Fujifilm X-Photographer, & SanDisk Extreme Team Member. Through his photography, videos and stories, he seeks to inspire the public to experience nature as a framework, mindset and mentor for personal transformation. He believes in the Power of Nature to Nurture, Awaken, Transcend, Uplift, Restore and Elevate the human spirit.
He is the founder of WILD.ECO, a nonprofit that mentors and raises funds to send disadvantaged students to wilderness immersion camps. Its mission is to foster resilient, empowered, adaptable, curious, and empathetic students of life, using Nature as a framework.
Fox lives in Vancouver, Canada, with his wife Tristan and their dog Kobe.
You can learn more about Fox on his website and follow him on Facebook, Linkedin, and Instagram.

 

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Stop. Breathe. Relax. Listen. An Interview with Daniel Fox

Photo provided by Daniel Fox

Between the Water's Edge...An Interview with Darin McQuoid

 Darin McQuoid grew up exploring and hiking river canyons. Little did he know he would turn it into a career. It was only a matter of time that he would learn to photograph and kayak those same whitewater-filled valleys and share that perspective with the world.

 McQuoid, a California based photographer and white water paddler, has kayaked most of the world on international expeditions to Africa, Pakistan, India, Chile, Argentina, Slovenia, France, Japan, along with trips into Mexico and Canada as well as the USA. With an eye for action, his photographs have been published in National Geographic, Outside, Canoe and Kayak, Kayak Session, Paddler, Rapid Magazine, Kanu and many other publications. Last week we talked to McQuiod about his kayaking, photography and passion for adventure.

NC: How many days did you spend kayaking last year?
DM: The drought made last year tough, but I managed to get out about a hundred days, thanks in a large part to British Columbia.

NC: You are an accomplished kayaker and photographer that enables you to mix both worlds of exciting images and daring exploits. Which came first, the love of photography or whitewater kayaking?
DM: When I started kayaking I was amazed at how little information I could find on rivers I was curious about, so a camera was purchased just to share some of the great places we get to see. 

NC: I try to get a good picture every time I go out on the water.  How about you? Do you need a picture or do you try something new every time you go out? 

DM: I always bring my camera on the river, and most days take at least a couple photographs I've been thinking about. The camera gets left behind two or three days a year. That's added up to 160,000 kayaking shots since I started. 

NC: In your portfolio, it looks like you hike into some pretty remote places to get images of your fellow kayakers. How does it all work? Do you plan out the image and have them make several runs or is all timing & luck?

DM: High end kayaking is dangerous business. I've never asked anyone to run a rapid or waterfall twice, yet I wouldn't consider getting the shot luck either. Whitewater photography lends itself to previsualization. In class V there is generally one line, and as an experienced kayaker I'm able to see that line and know where the fundamental moment of expectation and action will happen. Then I wait for the paddler to get there and it's all about timing. Long term previsualization is knowing what time of day to shoot certain angles for good light.

NC: You have gone down some major whitewater rivers throughout the world as both a photographer and a paddler. Are they all different experiences?
DM: For sure they are. I feel a lot more stress on a paid trip where I need to produce results. It's still fun but a very different experience than paddling with friends for pure fun. It also tends to up the class of a river. On top of dealing with logistics for navigating the river there is a lot of energy spend hiking around to get a good angle for photographs, and mentally you always have to be on and thinking, anticipating the next shot.

NC: What is the strangest thing you have seen on the river?
DM: I have not seen anything too crazy, just some great wildlife moments like bears swimming across and a reindeer swimming in Newfoundland. The strangest things seem to happen while running shuttle, there are some interesting people out there.

 NC: You have been around. However, is there a river or area you want to photograph & paddle that you just haven't been to yet? 
 DM: Oh too many to list, Myanmar would be number one, Réunion Island would be incredible, Kamchatka peninsula and there is still a lot more stuff in Patagonia that would be great to explore. 

NC: You said, "Being a great kayaker is not just about kayaking skill. It's also about being an ambassador for the sport on and off the water, as well as being a true team player on the water." Like you, I find everyone is pretty much your friend when they have a paddle in their hand. Why in  such a competitive world is there such alliance in the world of kayaking? 

 DM: It's such a small fringe sport it lends itself to a tight knit community. Plus unlike skiing, just because someone else went first doesn't mean the line is tracked out.

Web Site and/or Blog Site Link: www.darinmcquoid.com

Over The Bow: The Otter Tail River

 
The first river you paddle runs through the rest of your life. It bubbles up in pools and eddies to remind you who you are.  -- Lynn Noel

It was an uncommonly warm day in March of 2012. That year's winter was unfamiliar, to begin with. It had been a snowless Christmas for the area for the first time in 50 years and only a few snowstorms followed into February.  The Red River Valley's rivers weren't on the rampage for the first time in years and their winter top coat of ice was being shed easily. Temperatures were racing into the 70s,  making it hard to resist my first trip kayaking that year. I ordinarily started in late April while living in Fargo, N.D.  Paddling in the upper Midwest is a seasonable transition. Break the kayaks out in the late spring. Paddle as much as you can all summer long. Dodge the leaves, rain then snowflakes during autumn and grumble about the cold while stowing the boat away for the long winter.
The Otter Tail River was clear, low and running slow. I always kicked off my paddling seasons on that river. It is a delightful waterway weaving through woods, marshes and farmlands in the heart of Minnesota's lakes country. I would be paddling upstream from the highway access off 210 just east of Fergus Falls. Its popular put in and take out spot along the river during the summer for canoeists and tubers alike. However, that day I had the river to myself.
 I would loop in and out of the channel going up river. In the shadows, snow was still clinging to the banks of the river. Around a bend, I came across the large sheet of ice spanning most of the river. It had the look of a glacier. The March sun, however, was taking control.  The ice was being rapidly melting away with each drip falling back into the river. Spring was on its way and the paddling season had begun.

Over the Bow is a new feature from Outside Adventure to the Max, telling the story behind the image. If you have a great picture with a great story, submit it to us at nickayak@gmail.com

Foul Weather Fan

  No epic adventure started with "On a bright sunny day. . ." tweeted adventurer Sean Conway.

We were grateful for the rain. It has been very dry since Christmas. Raindrops bounced off the windshield in big thuds before the wipers could push them away. We were driving down a winding road to the lake after leaving the highway. Gray clouds were everywhere as the lake came into view.  As we parked and began unloading the sky unloaded on us.

What is about adverse weather that makes my boat trips more memorable? A man vs nature type endeavor.  I'm not saying, I don't like bright sunny days. I really do. Nothing is better than kayaking along while being kissed by the sun. In a state known for its sunshine, I have experienced lots of dazzling days this past year. However, across most the country unfavorable climates and kayaking coexist. Snow, rain. sleet and fog are paddled through heartily.

Both Canoe & Kayak and Adventure Kayak magazines always publish photos of boat men and women manning up against the harsh environment. Sarah Outen and Justine Cugenven pounding through heavy wind, rain and waves while making their way through the Aleutian Islands, while kayak adventurer Daniel Fox's expedition from Victoria B.C., to San Francisco experienced a full blast of nature making his trip come to an end.
"The wave literally fell on me, and within a second the kayak was broken in two below my  knees," Fox told, Canoe & Kayak, "It was quite a swim."

The heavy rain didn't last long. Just long enough to send two fishermen running for cover and get our gear and kayak seats a little wet. This was the first time my kayak partner Erik Allen had brought me to Rollins Lake. The lake at 2,100 elevation is on the western side of the Sierra near Colfax, California. It is 900 acre reservoir with 26 miles of shoreline, perfect for paddling year round. Erik was on mission to scout out some trails near the mouth of the Bear River. Our plan was to kayak up the lake and river as far as we could before the current pushed us back.
 The water looked like green emerald under the gray skies. We kayaked along the rust color shore, breaking up the quiet water. Around the bend loomed a bank of mist hanging over the lake. Erik, who grew up close by has paddled the lake many times before, but for him there is always something new.
"Rollins Lake is always changing," whispered Erik, "It never looks the same."

Lakes are like that. I thought back to my paddling days in Minnesota, remembering the way the snow looked along the shore of Red River Lake and the way the rain came down in the early spring on Beers Lake in Maplewood State Park. The day's conditions has framed many of my paddling memories. My sons will always start their tale of camping with, "Remember how cold it was or how it rained when we went to..." The day's weather has added to our experiences whether it was fair or foul.    

A layer of fog engulfed us as we paddled farther along.  It was like floating on a cloud. I let Erik  paddle up farther ahead so I could get a photo. Before long he disappeared in the white haze dropping into the unknown.      

Our paddle through the mist added to the magic of our trip to the lake. The rainy and foggy weather are now etched into another paddling memory.
If you wait for the perfect day. You will never go. "Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating," said English writer John Ruskin, "There is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather."