Issue 108

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Happy Friday! This is Adventure Fix, the weekly email for people who want to push past the backpacker routes into wilder realms.

Here’s what we've got for you today:

• Wildlife experiences: Spotting jaguars in the Pantanal

• Sailing: Voyaging through the Tuamotu Archipelago

• Natural Wonders: Algeria’s Bath of the Cursed

• Photography: Using the golden ratio to level up your images

Voyaging through the Tuamotu Archipelago

Your boat glides through a narrow passage of coral and you slip into another world. Exotic postcard-perfect landscapes surround you,

That’s how it would feel to voyage through the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. This remote corner of the South Pacific is made up of 77 atolls, rings of coral that form an inner lagoon that is protected from the waves and currents of the open ocean.
 
These lagoons are what make the Tuamotus a dream cruising destination.

Diving into the warm, calm waters of the anchorage is like swimming in an aquarium. Manta rays hover gracefully as small fish clean them, sharks patrol the reef, and colorful fish dart through the coral gardens.

After a day filled with snorkeling and paddling, go for a stroll on a stretch of many white sand beaches, drink a fresh coconut, and soak in the sunset.

Several charter companies run private tours to the Tuamotus or better yet, arrive on your own boat.

Explore more:

• A Voyage Through the Tuomotu Archipelago (video)

   

Meco: Enjoy newsletters in a space designed for reading

Ever stopped yourself from subscribing to a potentially amazing newsletter because you’re worried about cluttering your inbox?

Well say hello to Meco, an app built for reading newsletters that will give your inbox space to breathe.

Best of all, it’s completely free and packed with features designed to supercharge your findings.

Try the app today. Your inbox will thank you.


  

Hammam Meskhoutine

The Bath of the Cursed, how’s that for a name?

Boiling water actively shapes and forms this fascinating natural wonder known as the Hamman Meskhoutine.

The multi-colored travertine walls of the spring have attracted tourists to this place in Algeria since the time of the Romans.

The main attraction is a group of hot springs that formed an enormous 90-foot mound with beautiful rimstone pools and petrified waterfalls. The powerful springs still flow over the flattened top giving it an even wilder effect.

The walls are mostly a bright white but in many places, the iron compounds and microorganisms have colored the travertine in shades of red, orange, and brown.

So how did this fairytale-like formation get its name?

According to local legend, the formation was created when a man married his sister. At the wedding, a curse caused the skies to darken, and the entire wedding party was struck with lightning and turned to stone. The puffed-out shapes of the Hammam Maskhoutine spring are said to come from the still-frozen wedding party and their celebratory robes.

Explore more: 

• Hammam Meskoutine (article)

The fishing jaguars of the Pantanal

Jaguars are known for being elusive, solitary creatures. In most parts of the world, you would be lucky even to get a glimpse as fast as a flash of an eye of these big cats.

But if you’ve dreamt of seeing jaguars in the wild, not all hope is lost.

The best place to spot these animals is deep in the tropical wetlands of Brazil’s Pantanal region.

What makes it the best?

Here, these cats don’t prey on land animals like in other parts of the world, instead, their diet is made up mostly of aquatic animals. Lucky for them, the Pantanal has an abundance of caimans and fish which allows the jaguars to thrive.

Along with the relatively large population and the fact that they come to the rivers to hunt, makes the chances of seeing jaguars are much higher than in places like Belize or Guyana where you have to bushwack through dense jungle.

The abundance of food also makes these cats highly social, something uncommon in this species. Since there’s plenty to eat they’re not territorial and are often seen playing and hunting together.

There’s no question that the jaguar is the star of the show but there’s also plenty of other wildlife that make journeying to the Pantanal worthwhile.

Giant anteaters, toucans, river otters, and the maned wolf are just a few of the incredible animals that call this place home. Also as we told you about in Issue 85, swimming with giant anacondas is a possibility in the Pantanal.



Explore more:

• Pantanal: The Aquatic Heart of South America (video)

• Pantanal Jagaur Safari (article)

Save big at REI’s Anniversary Sale

Looking for awesome deals on quality outdoor gear and clothing?

You're in luck.
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From now until this Monday (May 29th), you can save big at REI during their anniversary sale.

Here are some of our favorite steals:

• 30% off REI Co-op 650 Down Jacket (now only $70 bucks!)

• 25% off NEMO Stargaze reclining camp chair

• 50% off Pau Hana Endurance SUP

• 25% off Deuter Kid Comfort child carrier

• 12% off Garmin inReach Mini

• 25% off Exped Mega Mat

Go on, snag some deals. Get up to 30% off @ REI now.

The Golden Ratio: nature’s favorite number

Have you heard of the rule of thirds? It’s a basic composition technique that gives images more tension, energy, and interest.

It’s a great starting place for beginners but once you’ve mastered it can only take you so far.

If you’re ready to elevate your images to the next level, you’ve got to try new techniques.

To do this, we’re going to apply a concept that shows up in the works of great masters like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Salvadore Dali.

We’re talking about the golden ratio. It’s a way that specific elements can be placed within a piece of artwork in the most aesthetically pleasing way possible.

It’s not just a term, but an actual ratio - 1:1.61803. When drawn out, this ratio creates the golden spiral pattern. Often called the divine pattern because it’s found everywhere around us. It’s the shape of flower petals, pinecones, hurricanes, the human ear, and even our galaxy.

When you use the golden ratio in photography, it draws the eye throughout your frame in the most natural and pleasing way possible.

Explore more:

• This Composition Tool Eats the Rule of Thirds for Breakfast (video)

Wow: Iceberg Alley: where you can watch icebergs drift by your house.

Animals: The hidden sensory world of animals.

Discovery: Brand new species of frog found in Ecuador.

So cute: When you put a microphone on a 4-year-old snowboarder.

Idea: When you feel the need to speed up, slow down.

What’s something you don’t do anymore that you used to love doing, that if you did it again, would bring so much joy and excitement into your life?

Go crazy! Take time and money out of the equation.

Hit reply and let me know 🙂 

Where in the world

Some people said we went too easy on you last week, so here’s a real challenge.

Go on, guess where this pic was snapped.

Stumped? No worries, the answer is at the end of this email.

 ANSWER:  Tuna-Hästberg Mine - Sweden