Trish got in touch with Explorers Connect to share a story that very much echoes our ethos of adventure and its positive power.
Trish is a travel and broadcast writer who visited adventurer Randi Skaug; the first Norwegian woman on Everest and a Seven summit holder, to stay on her private island. At this time there are no tourists on the Island, so it is a rare and personal look into her life in the wild. Enjoy her article below.
Weekend Explorer with Randi Skaug – Norway’s first woman to climb Everest
By Trish Conti
‘I didn’t realise the dead ones were this far down’. Everest is an emotional journey, as well as a physical one and I can see those feelings rise to the surface of Randi Skaug’s face, as she takes a sip of wine, still wearing her arctic base layers from our earlier hike.
Randi’s positive attitude and huge smile, almost certainly plays a large part in her strength and success as a modern-day explorer. At 44, she quit her desk job and changed her life forever, not only is she the first Norwegian woman to scale Everest, but the highest peaks across seven continents.
With 70 countries under her travel belt, her thirst for adventure has seen her ski across frozen tundras and paddle icy waters. Randi Skaug’s ‘can do’ mindset is infectious and I feel deeply privileged to be have been invited to her arctic island.
Just a week ago, I had never met Randi let alone share her base layers, I was a stranger, but I’m not sure Randi ever saw me that way or least that is the way she made me feel.
In 2015 Randi brought Naustholmen, an island located in Norway’s arctic circle just off the Vestfjord, near the Lofoten Islands, and over the next 4 days she was going to share this remote destination and her unique experiences with me.
But before I can step foot on the island, I have to battle the arctic weather. I travelled 15 hours from London, which included an ice road trucker style journey to the dock of Nordskot. It might be 11pm, but Randi’s radiating energy pushes us out into the dark Norwegian sea.
My headtorch, which had nearly blinded me on testing, barely bit though the sleet and rain. The Northern Lights danced above us, but the icy waters demanded our full attention. Danger is all around. We wave our headtorches around desperately hoping to catch sight of the reflective markers that would lead us to safety. Instantly we are a team.
If we drift too close to the rocks it could be disastrous, we wouldn’t survive long in these freezing temperatures. Finally, my hand touches the dock and I cling on tight, while the waves fight to capsize us. Randi somehow manages to secure the boat. The only dry patch on my body is under my life jacket, but we are on land and the adrenaline along with the company dissipates any thought of danger.
That’s the magical thing about explorers; their experience with the wilderness makes us feel safe, despite the possible danger. They let us believe that anything is possible. Dreams can become plans and you CAN conquer your own personal Everest. They have long left behind the shackles of your 9 to 5, knowing that they can climb higher than any cooperate ladder.
Away from the arctic elements we sip wine, as if it is any other Friday night. Randi takes us back to Everest. ‘Light as a feather’. Just three steps felt like a hike in itself and with leaking oxygen tanks, Randi was at breaking point, but something inside pushed her onto the summit. I wondered if this island would find my weakness?
A voice quickly interrupts my thoughts. ‘We can’t miss this opportunity to sleep outside’. Just to remind you, this is the arctic and it is winter. I’m not prepared, but something drives me to embrace the challenge and before I can think about it too hard Randi is giving me her base layers, sleeping bag and balaclava. ‘You’ll need this one’. I want to keep my leggings on under the base layers, but I’m told I’ll be too hot and to take them off. As the novice, I obey and hope that I’m not snapping off toes in the morning.
Its darker than night, more like the jet black of your I-phone when it runs out of battery. It’s silent and I can hear myself breathing. There’s no reason for us to be sleeping outside, other than…we CAN. We can share tonight with nature side by side, without harm, with a feeling of excitement and the moment we dared to live outside the box.
The morning brought some confusion, as I excitedly announced that I too had hiked Denali, after last night I feel I have earnt my stripes. Quickly came the note comparing and very soon I realised that when surrounded by real explorers, they will always assume you have done the most extreme…not just walk around the National Park.
The snow quietly clung together under the weight of our boots. Randi strides ahead at commuter pace, but my clumsy footing keeps me at tourist speed. I enjoy the contrasting colours of winter on the beach, while Randi considers adding an arctic dip to today’s schedule. Kindness, however is always in the itinerary at Naustholmen.
Randi’s impressive exploits have led to a wealth of life shaping experiences, something I cannot help feel a little bit envious of. She has dared to turn her plans into actions and reaped the rewards. Now she wants everyone to feel, what she describes as kongefølelsen. Being king of your emotions and feeling like you’re on top of the world.
Randi offers a slice of her wilderness adventures to enthusiasts like myself, because she wants to inspire and help others. ‘When people come together there is an energy that begins to emerge, which it makes us all feel good’. Although, all power sources need a host and Randi could fuel the Northern Lights.
The sky is so clear, I expect to see a smudge left by my cast. My fingers have frosted over; my gloves are perfect for the British country side, just not arctic sea fishing. The closet shop is a boat ride away (when the weather permits) so we’re hoping to pull up tonight’s dinner. My city roots seep to the surface, patience is not something I practice often. I have visions of battling a large cod and I begin to panic; have I over sold my expertise?
To my relief dinner will come from a previous catch, as Randi pulls me off on a hike around her island. It’s a wilderness paradise, I can understand why she feels so free here. I’ve only been here a couple of days and I am already reassessing my life values. Randi is a great adventurer, but now she is looking to create a new experience…one that she can share.
Over 15 years Randi has broken records, become the world’s first and conquered more than most of us will in a lifetime and if that isn’t inspiring enough, she brought an island so that she can share it with you. Plans for the island are continually developing, bringing the surrounding community closer and creating a small utopia.
Even the night brings another opportunity to be an explorer. Our headtorches lacing their way the through the trees; the path is the one our boots are making. The falling snow makes it hard to see the stone stairs that were placed here during the Second World War, my lungs are working hard and I remember Randi’s words, ‘light as a feather’.
The climb teases a magnificent view, but the darkness keeps the landscape hidden from human eyes. But this hike was not about the backdrop, but the night sky and the feeling of owning your own destiny. It’s a sneak peek into an explorer’s life and a chance for me to climb my own Everest.