Mount Roraima on the border between Guyana, Venezuela and Brazil

Link to full size image.

Mount Roraima is the highest point in Guyana, the plateau standing at 2700 m with the peak at 2810 m in Venezuela. Roraima is the tripartite border of Guyana, Venezuela and Brazil, and at the moment can only be approached from the Venezuelan side. Part of the ancient Guiana Shield, which extends into Brazil and Venezuela and was once part of Gondwanaland before tectonic activity moved apart the continents of Africa and South America, Roraima has developed unique flora which huddles for shelter in pockets on the exposed, windswept plateau. Amazing rock formations have been carved by wind and water, and the ground is uneven and rocky with frequent crystal clear pools of excruciatingly cold water (good for the circulation apparently!) There are crystal beds that contain large, individual crystals in interesting shapes, and stunning views from the top over the Gran Sabana of Venezuela, provided the cloud cover lifts. A good guide should give you the opportunity to see all of these features once on the top.

Map of Venezuela, showing Mount Roraima

Diver Craig Clasen grapples with a 12ft tiger shark to protect a friend

Craig Clasen was hunting yellow fin tuna with fellow fisherman Cameron Kirkconnell, photographer D.J Struntz (DJ Strunz’s portfolio) and film maker Ryan McInnis in the Gulf of Mexico when a 12 ft. Tiger Shark aggressively approached and circled Ryan McInnis in deep waters south of the Mississippi River’s mouth. Regarded by many as two of the world’s best free diving spearfishermen, Craig and Cameron have come into contact with thousands of sharks.

Craig Clasen immediately swam to his friend with his spear gun.

‘I positioned myself between Ryan and the shark and I tried to watch it for a second, hoping it would pass us by,’ explained 32-year-old Mr Clasen.

‘I noticed that the shark was getting tighter and tighter and just kept trying to get a back angle on us and behaving in an aggressive manner.

‘The shark made a roll and looked like it was going to charge us so I just went ahead and took the conservative route and put a shaft through its gills.

‘Cameron and I have been around sharks for years and we all have a lot of experience with them but this encounter had a different feel to it.

‘Down in my core I really felt the shark was there to feed. I didn’t want it to come to that.’

Craig spent nearly two hours wrestling with the giant 12ft shark, spearing it seven times and even attempting to drown the beast before eventually finishing it off with a long blade knife. (Rest of the story at SurfThereNow.com)

Australia is now offering the “Greatest Job in the World” as an island caretaker in the Great Barrier Reef. The job pays $105,000 (US) and includes free airfares from the winner’s home country to Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.

In return, the “island caretaker” will be expected to stroll the white sands, snorkel the reef, take care of “a few minor tasks” — and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.

The successful applicant, who will stay rent-free in a three-bedroom beach home complete with plunge pool and golf buggy, must be a good swimmer, excellent communicator and be able to speak and write English.

“The fact that they will be paid to explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, swim, snorkel and generally live the Queensland lifestyle makes this undoubtedly the best job in the world.”

Sounds rough. Here’s more on the job description, responsibilities, and photos of the island on their website: www.islandreefjob.com

From National Geographic: “Speed riding is the sport (if you can call it that) of rapid descent. Adherents leap from mountaintops and fly down sheer faces at near-free-fall speeds, guided only by a small, specialized paraglider. When the grade flattens, they touch down briefly to ski ridiculously fast before taking off again over the steeps. Bon, 36, is the grandfather of the sport. In 2006, he leapt off the Eiger and Mont Blanc. In 2007, he made some riotous runs in New Zealand’s Southern Alps.”