Summits to Seas - a travel blog for mountain and ocean adventurers - Stories

On the Tasy Day Trails

17/5/2021

As we approach the Australian winter and Tasmania’s albeit unpredictable weather, we ditched our overnight packs and instead did some epic day hikes in and around the Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park area. Here’s what we discovered.

Diving Deeper into the Sunshine State.

13/4/2021

There’s a place where the world’s oldest rainforest meets the world’s largest coral reef, and where millions of years of isolation has created a place for ancient culture, unique flora and fauna to thrive – and it’s right here on our door step.

Enter the Dragon - A Guide to Seeing the Weedy Seadragons of Flinders Pier, Melbourne Australia.

28/1/2020

A Weedy Sea Dragon peers into the blue starry night sky

Like many people, we hadn’t really thought much about diving in our local temperate marine environment. Cold water, kelp and often low visibility didn’t really sound appealing when compared to the clear, warm, tropical waters we so regularly dive. Yet in the green shallow waters just over an hour from Melbourne, Australia; you’ll find one of the most incredibly fascinating creatures, the Weedy Sea Dragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus).

Ever wondered how that magnificent liveaboard you’ve just been on was constructed? Meet the ship builders of Sangeang Api, Indonesia

14/1/2020

As the shores of their home village of Wera become ever more crowded with boats, this generation of ship builders finds space for their biggest achievement yet. It just happens to be at the base of an active volcano.

The hidden diving paradise you’ve likely never heard of

13/1/2020

Enviously located between Raja Ampat and the Lembeh Strait lies a challenging diving destination that’s surprisingly still off the radar, even for the most adventurous divers.

From Summits to Seas - 10 places to unleash your inner adventurer.

17/12/2019

Craving adventure but can’t choose between the mountains and the sea? Who said you should choose? From high altitude peaks where precious air is scarce, to deep blue lagoons and delicate coral reefs, here’s 10 breathtaking places to ignite your fearless spirit.

3 things we’ve learnt from becoming scuba divers.

13/11/2019

There is no doubt that scuba diving has been life changing for us. It has improved our emotional well-being, self esteem and confidence; given us a much stronger connection and appreciation of nature; and we’ve been lucky to establish new life-long friendships. But it’s also taught us a few things that we never expected.

The Maldives - an inconvenient truth

6/11/2019

Ok, so even if you’ve never been to the Maldives, chances are that you’ve dreamily visioned yourself there. Every computer screen-saver comes up with that dreamy picture right?

From Depths to Dragons. Diving Komodo aboard the Mermaid II

16/10/2019

Our driver weaves his way through the chaotic traffic leading to Bali’s Benoa Harbor and pulls over, “we can get out here,” he says. In a flash, our dive and camera gear are whisked down to the harbour by a friendly smiling Balinese gentleman, who I’m sure can’t believe how much gear we’ve got as he struggles with our bags.

Could this be Europe’s finest alpine trek? The Tour du Mont Blanc

3/9/2019

10 days, 3 countries, 170 km, 11 passes, 11,000 meters of up, 11,000 meters of down, and more cheese and charcuterie than you can poke your trekking pole at! Could this just be Europe’s finest alpine trek?

Diving the last paradise on earth - Raja Ampat, West Papua

12/7/2019

When we mention the words ‘West Papua’ to our non-diving friends, we get a look of ‘Huh? Where? Why go there?’ But to our diving friends, well their faces light up with dreams of uninhabited islands, pristine reefs and verdant green pinnacles rising from the blue.

Head over heels for Alor

29/4/2019

The thing we love about scuba diving is that it takes us to places way off the radar, and our recent trip to the magnificent Alor Archipelago In Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province was no exception.

Ain’t no mountain high enough - training for high altitude trekking above 5,000 meters

1/4/2019

You’ve got a murderous headache, nausea and you’ve lost your appetite. Your nose bleeds, and the dry air has opened up cracks in your skin. The cold hurts your lungs and even with two pairs of socks your toes are numb - but one look at the view burns your retinas and you wouldn’t dream of being anywhere else

Valparaíso - What a wonderful mess!

24/1/2019

A place that has long inspired poets and writers, Valparaiso is (in the words of famous Chilean poet and politician Pablo Neruda), a wonderful mess! It’s maze of Cerros (hills) with winding, steep and narrow streets; dilapidated and quirky architecture; endless staircases; and a gritty bohemian vibe makes it a must see stop on any visit to Chile.

Ocean Emocean - our connection to the sea

14/1/2019

My earliest memory of the ocean is flying on an old-school 80’s surf mat with my brother and cousins at Australia’s 90 mile beach - the rhythmic waves rolling in and out, and the foam getting up my nose. I only have to look at this photo (that’s me in the red) to know that the pull of the ocean has never left me. In fact, it’s only gotten stronger.

Manta Magic - protecting the million dollar fish

9/1/2019

If you’ve ever been lucky enough to encounter a Manta Ray you’ll agree that they are one of the most fascinating, intelligent and enigmatic creatures in our oceans, but they are also one of the most vulnerable. Having dived with them for the first time recently, we are now captivated by the plight of their ongoing protection and survival.

Travelling responsibly - tips on what works for us

5/12/2018

If your reading this, then your probably eager to engage seriously with the concept of travelling more mindfully and responsibly. Like us, you’re probably one of those people who feels guilty about flying, and finds the whole idea of sustainability and travelling challenging. We get it, the CO2 emissions per-passenger are huge! But there is a lot you can do to minimise your impact and travel more sustainably and responsibly. Here are a few of the things we try to do:

You make my shark beat. Beqa Lagoon,Fiji Islands

13/11/2018

We had not been scuba diving for that long, so when we embarked on our most adventurous dive yet at dive number 16 we weren’t quite sure what to expect. How would we feel about coming face to face with a Tiger Shark, would it be scary or would it instil in us a love for them forevermore?

Don’t be a gortex ninja - our top tips on Patagonia’s W Trek

8/11/2018

If you love the outdoors like us, then you’ve probably already hiked, or at least heard of the W Trek in Chile’s Patagonia. Here's our top tips on this epic trek:

Diving Sulawesi Indonesia - a review of the Bunaken Marine Park and Siladen Island Resort & Spa

25/7/2018

There is no doubt that Indonesia boasts a marvelous array of natural beauty and undeniably some of the world’s most spectacular marine eco-systems, but there's one place that keeps drawing us back!

Avoiding the crowds and staying safe on the Mt Everest Base Camp Trek

25/7/2018

In recent years Nepal, and in particular the Everest Base Camp Trek has become hugely popular. So how do you experience the thrill of visiting Everest Base Camp without feeling like you’re at the circus?