Life’s Tough, but Chris Nicola is TOUGHER… This Rugged Caver Uncovers an Amazing Story of Survival
Life’s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!
Release Date: 05/27/2021
Life’s Tough, but JR Harris is TOUGHER… Learn How This Man from Queens Became a Wilderness Trekker!
Life’s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!
When asked what inspired him to get started as a solo backpacker over fifty years ago, JR Harris will tell you it was Richard Burton… and the movie “Alexander the Great.” He was sixteen years old and recalled that Socrates asked Burton’s character if he wanted a short, exciting life or a long, dull one. Thinking about this later that night, he decided he would choose a short, exciting life for himself. Listen as he shares with the host of the Explorers podcast, Richard Wiese, and tells us of his pursuit of “Mountain Man” status! As he made some decisions about the...
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Life’s Tough, but Geoff Green is TOUGHER… Learn How This Explorer Uses Trips to the Polar Region to Teach About Environmental Science
Life’s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!
He’s led over 120 expeditions to the polar regions. Many of these trips have been in the company of students, educators, artists, and leaders. While others are planning family holidays, Geoff Green prepares to take sixty teenagers to Antarctica with the Students on Ice Program. He took some time to talk with the host of our Explorers podcast, Richard Wiese, and share some of what he’s learned. He’s got “stuff” in warehouses all over the place—heavy-duty clothes and equipment which can be pressed into service on short notice. Geoff tells us that the way to keep kids...
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Life’s Tough, but Leela Hazzah is TOUGHER… This Champion Defender of Wildlife Reveals Her Winning Strategy to Save Lions
Life’s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!
From her earliest recollection, Leela Hazzah has loved animals of all types. Still, she has been wildly infatuated with lions and elephants. She was raised in Egypt, where Barbary Lions lived before they became extinct. Leela took some time to sit with the host of the Explorers podcast, Richard Wiese and shared some insights into wildlife conservation. After working in conservation for over twenty years, Leela has discovered that her most significant learning was from spending time living in the Maasai community. In the community, she has been recruiting traditional Maasai...
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Sean Meagher, Super Yacht Captain Explains How Yachts Help the Environment
Life’s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!
When we think of yachts, most of us think of the “idle rich” spending days in the sun and surf without care. When Super Yacht Captain Sean Meagher sat down with Richard Wiese, the host of the Explorers podcast, he revealed some surprises that yacht technology provides to the rest of the world, specifically how they help the environment. Captain Sean Meagher wants you to know that the one thing all Super Yacht designers have in common is that they are innovative and forward-thinking. Yachts must be built to a stringent code, and the areas that they sail in often have...
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Life’s Tough, but Brandi DiCarli is TOUGHER… This Innovator is Making a Difference in the Planet’s Food Production!
Life’s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!
She used to volunteer at a food bank. Today, she’s expanded that role and is the CEO and Co-Founder of Farm From a Box. This innovative company provides parts of the world with everything they need to grow the food they need. The host of our Explorers podcast, Richard Wiese, interviewed Brandi DiCarli about the project and her views on world hunger. What followed is an exciting look into what’s possible for our planet. Brandi DiCarli and her Co-Founder Scott Thompson saw food access throughout the world as a problem for which they had a solution. What resulted was a...
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Life’s Tough, but Richard Garriott is TOUGHER… This Explorer Reveals What’s Next in the World of Exploration
Life’s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!
You might say exploration runs in the family. Richard Garriott, astronaut, and pioneer of private space flight is the son of astronaut Owen Garriott. When he spoke in an interview with Richard Wiese, the host of the Explorers podcast, they discussed the fact that when it comes to exploration, paradigms have changed. We’ve exceeded previous boundaries, and yet there is still so much more to learn about. In addition to being an astronaut, video game developer, and President of the Explorer’s Club, Richard is a record holder. He is the first man to fly in space and...
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Life’s Tough, but Rachel Graham is TOUGHER… This Shark Expert Explains Her Work in Preservation of Shark Species
Life’s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!
Dr. Rachel Graham is practiced in the art of connecting with people. She has a love of sharks and a passion for the preservation of sea life that transcends any fear she might feel. In fact, she’s always had a love of maligned animals. And, when she sat down to speak with the host of the Explorers podcast, Richard Wiese, she talked about her vision of preservation and the team she’s put together to make it happen! Raised in Tunisia, she had the opportunity to camp with her family in the Serengeti and to observe the wonders of nature. Her parents were perpetually curious and...
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Life’s Tough, but Luca Parmitano is TOUGHER… This Italian Astronaut Shares the Adventure of His Journey!
Life’s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!
Luca Parmitano has the distinction of being the first Italian astronaut to walk in space. On his second spacewalk, he nearly drowned when his helmet filled with water. During the Explorers podcast, he talks with host Richard Wiese about the thrill of the spacewalk and what he’s learned about what’s important. Luca had a wonderful childhood in Catania, Sicily, and didn’t realize that this place was special. It’s a vacation destination for people around the world. His parent were both teachers. The first recollections he has of interest in space was...
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Life’s Tough, but Wade Davis is TOUGHER… This Cultural Anthropologist Talks About His Life as a Storyteller
Life’s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!
Although he certainly has a way with words, as evidenced by his success as a writer, it will surprise most people to know that he never thought of himself as a writer. As the author of 23 books, and countless articles, Wade Davis sits down with host Richard Wiese on the Explorers podcast to tell us about where he came from and what he’s passionate about. Wade Davis grew up in Canada, and that’s where he lives today. He made many alternative choices that others might not have but felt he didn’t get much direction from his parents when he was young. Later in life, on...
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Life’s Tough, but Austin Gallagher is TOUGHER… This Marine Biologist is known as the “Tiger Shark King!”
Life’s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!
Suppose you’re a fan of “Shark Week” on the Discovery Channel. In that case, you’re likely to be familiar with shark expert Dr. Austin Gallagher. Austin spent some time with our podcast host, Richard Wiese, for our Explorers are Tougher Podcast. They talked about ocean conservation, and we learned that sharks could be so much more than the subject of marine studies. They can actually be partners and collaborators to help us gain new scientific insights into the oceanic world. Dr. Gallagher has always had a keen interest in marine biology, even from a young age. He...
info_outlineWhen you’re inside a cave, there’s a chance you will see something that no one else has ever seen. Cavers look for darkness beyond void – nothingness.
In a fascinating recent episode of our Explorers podcast, Chris Nicola revealed an incredible story. It’s his recounting of how one cave exploration in Western Ukraine led to the journey he’ll never forget. Our host, Richard Wiese, spoke with Chris during the podcast about this story's pursuit and the challenges he overcame to tell it.
It is the story of how 38 Ukrainian Jews beat the odds and survived for 511 days underground in a cave during World War II.
Chris spent his earliest years in Northwest Massachusetts, where he loved being outdoors. When his family relocated to New York City, he would create “caves” with a blanket over the dining room table.
Richard reminds us that cavers are a different breed. Chris says that as an adult, caving became second nature to him. Where most people would find it claustrophobic, he came to feel that caves started fitting him “like a glove.”
Ever the explorer, Chris maintained his passion for caving even after a heart attack in 1993. That same year, he made the acquaintance of a Ukrainian caver he met on Coney Island. When he visited his friend and explored the caves in Western Ukraine, he studied a cave called “Priest’s Grotto.”
It was there he began to find household artifacts that were obviously decades old and sparked his curiosity. When he started to ask around about the origin of these finds, nobody wanted to discuss the possibilities. Finally learning from an older woman that there were Jews who lived in the cave during World War II. During this time, a Ukrainian Jew had a 5% chance of surviving the war.
Although he remained dedicated to his quest for information, it wasn’t until 2002 when he had a breakthrough. He received an email that began uncovering the truth about the survivors who lived in the cave for nearly a year and a half.
Chris did not have the families' cooperation when he began putting together the book and documentary film detailing the ordeal the families went through at that time. Through patience and perseverance, he eventually got the story out. In the process, he gained the love and trust of a family through this story of triumph.
To learn more about explorer Chris Nicola and his adventures as a caver and explorer, visit his website. The dedication to his book The Secret of Priest’s Grotto is to the Human Spirit – It’s Strength and It’s Endurance. Watch the documentary film for an in-depth study of this exploration. To hear about other explorers, join us for new episodes of Life’s Tough: Explorers are TOUGHER! At https://www.lifestough.com/podcast/explorers/.
Richard Wiese, the host of this podcast, is an American explorer. He is the author of the guidebook, Born to Explore: How to Be a Backyard Adventurer. He became the youngest person to become president of the Explorers Club in 2002. Richard is also Executive Producer and Host of the PBS weekly television series Born to Explore with Richard Wiese.