Jon Amtrup is a celebrity in the sailing and arctic community alike. He is a passionate man, and brave one at that. His idea of vacation is adventure, not the kind of adventure you have in Key West at Two in the morning, but the kind you get when the charge forth into a dark and cold world like the heroes of past.
In fact, he has been quoted believing that as it gets colder, there is more adventure to be had. Some people may scoff at this, saying that he is killing or endangering himself for a cheap thrill, that there is plenty of sailing to be had in the Caribbean where there are bikinis and rum, but as the Norwegians say (Jon being a Norwegian himself), “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.”
Jon Amtrup wants to share the thrill of his take on adventure with anybody willing. Explore North is his adventure travel company. Those looking for a little excitement in their vacation, will travel to Norway for a range of outdoor activities such as sailing, skiing, hiking, and other modes of adventure tourism. Vacations don’t have to be about sipping piña coladas on the beach; instead travel to the kingdom of ice and snow, and witness the wonderment of a whole new world. Feel the adrenaline of your survival instincts taking over as you rediscover what it means to survive the elements.
The man has proven himself one tough sailor. He and his crew once faced a polar bear while stranded. He isn’t all brawn and no brain like the stereotypic trope of rugged sailors—for to sail you have to be intelligent, athletic, fast, cunning, and able to endure long periods of solitude—he has written several books, the most recent of which is titled, High Altitude Sailing: How to sail the cold waters of the world.
Jon Amtrup is a passionate yet conflicted man. He wishes for everyone to enjoy the splendor of the arctic as he has, but he also sees the danger of the fragile ecosystem. That magical kingdom is being worn down, and an increase in tourism boats in the area, despite inspiring responsibility through beauty as has worked in other places for adventure travel and tourism, may do more harm than good. The future is uncertain, but it’s good that we have guardians like Jon Amtrup patrolling our waters.
