Sea kayakers at the margins: the liminoid character of contemporary adventures

Varley, Peter

doi:10.1080/02614361003749801

Cited by 46 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Indeed, blisters, sores, sunburn, aches and pains would initially be framed as discomfort, and at odds with the usual tourist product. Yet, the journey becomes inscribed upon the adventurer's body, in salt, sores and sunburn, mud, sweat and moss (Varley, 2011). Dimmock writes of the "comfort" found metres down beneath the waves, cocooned in an alien environment, and in slow adventure too, "comfort reflects one's ability to function easily within an environment where engagement is free from stress and difficulty" ( , p. 279, see also Cater, 2008.…”

Section: Elements Of Slow Adventurementioning

confidence: 97%

Nordic Slow Adventure: Explorations in Time and Nature

Varley

Semple²

2015

Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism

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The potentially paradoxical concept of "slow adventure" is offered here as having a particularly North European potential and a peculiarly Nordic orientation towards outdoor tourism activity. An overview of the relationship between the slow movements and the frenetically paced, technologically wired lived experience of hypermodernity is considered in the light of the rise of the adventure tourism "industry". We contrast the slow movement principles with mainstream, risk managed and rationalised "fast" adventure tourism products, which focus predominantly on thrill and rush. The concept of slow adventure, as distinct from slow tourism or slow travel per se is then further developed to include time, passage, comfort and nature, aligned with Scandinavian concepts of friluftsliv, as determining elements in what have become highly regarded tourist experiences. We conclude that there cannot be an essentialist separation of "slow" and "fast" adventure (or travel, or tourism, or food . . . ) per se. Rather, that these qualitative aspects of self-supported adventurous journeys illustrate significant, and hitherto largely ignored aspects in the analysis of adventure tourism, and point toward opportunities for well-trained outdoor professionals who can make the most of the Nordic great outdoors for small numbers of clients, enabling inclusive, environmentally responsible, high-value, place-specific experiences, all year round.

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Section: Elements Of Slow Adventurementioning

confidence: 97%

Nordic Slow Adventure: Explorations in Time and Nature

Varley

Semple²

2015

Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism

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“…The results o f psychological research on participant m otivation in adventure sports have indicated that par ticipation m otives include, but are not lim ited to: Goal achievem ent (W illig, 2008), social relationships (K err & H ouge M ackenzie, 2012), risk-taking or sensation seek ing (Chirivella & M artinez, 1994;R ow land, Franken, & H arrison, 1986), alleviating boredom (K err & H ouge M ackenzie, 2012), pushing personal boundaries and overcom ing fear (Allm an, M ittelstaedt, M artin, & Goldenberg, 2009;B rym er & O ades, 2009), connecting with nature (Brymer, Downey, & Gray 2010;Varley, 2011), pleasurable kinesthetic bodily sensations from moving in w ater or air (Varley, 2011), and control, m astery and sk ill (A llm an, M ittelstae d t, M artin, & G oldenberg , 2009; W illig, 2001). Sport parachute jum ping or skydiv ing, is an adventure sport that has been the subject of psychological research on participant motivation (e.g., H ym baugh, & G arrett, 1974;Thatcher, Reeves, D orling, & Palm er, 2003).…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

Confidence Frames and the Mastery of New Challenges in the Motivation of an Expert Skydiver

Kerr¹,

Mackenzie²

2014

The Sport Psychologist

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T he main objective was to further unravel the experience o f m otivation in an expert m ale skydiver by investi gating: (1) his general experience o f m otivation and perception o f the dangers o f skydiving; (2) his pursuit of new challenges and learning new skills as factors in m aintaining motivation; (3) evidence o f a m astery-based confidence fram e in his m otivational experience.This was a unique case study inform ed by reversal theory. The participant's perception o f skydiving was that it was not a risky or dangerous activity and a primary motive for his involvem ent in skydiving was personal goal achievem ent. M aintaining control and m astery during skydiving was a key m otivational elem ent during his long career and pursuing new challenges and learning new skills was found to be im portant for his continued participation. D ata indicated that his confidence frame w as based on a telic-m astery state com bination, w hich challenged previous reversal theory research findings and constructs.

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“…The physical and mental challenges of adventure that tests one's limits outside of everyday environs are crucial to "self-making" (Wang, 1999). In the case of adventure tourism, this has the effect of solidifying individuals' sense of self but also one's social relations, as such activities are frequently undertaken alongside others of similar interests and attitudes (see Varley, 2011;Rickly-Boyd, 2012b;Vidon, 2015). Through adventure tourism, intersubjective encounters extend beyond communitas, spontaneous, temporary communities (Wang, 1999), to stronger companionship relations by way of the heightened elements of risk, and therefore trust among adventurers.…”

Section: Authenticity and Adventure Tourismmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Through adventure tourism, intersubjective encounters extend beyond communitas, spontaneous, temporary communities (Wang, 1999), to stronger companionship relations by way of the heightened elements of risk, and therefore trust among adventurers. Adventure tourism offers moments of existential authenticity through challenges that emphasize bodily experience, sense of self, and companionship (see Varley, 2006Varley, , 2011Rickly-Boyd, 2012b), but the embodied practice of adventure can also be used to assess fellow users (see Senda-Cook, 2012).…”

Section: Authenticity and Adventure Tourismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contesting authentic practice and ethical authority in adventure tourism

Rickly

Vidon

2017

Journal of Sustainable Tourism

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This paper examines the discourses of authenticity and ethics used among adventure tourists regarding the use of the natural environment. In one case, full-time traveling rock climbers use their dedication to the sport and annual visits to the Red River Gorge as evidence for their authoritative voice on ethical climbing practice. While they identify the growing numbers of leisure climbers as a problem for sustainability, many also take up temporary employment as guides and are directly involved in the introduction of new climbers to the area. In another case, two groups of wilderness enthusiasts -"ADK 46ers" and "Summit Stewards" -lament the environmental and social impacts of other recreational users in the Adirondack Park. Despite being visitors themselves, Summit Stewards and 46ers use their sense of place and knowledge of Adirondack history and ecology to substantiate their authority as purveyors of ethical practice. In both cases, senses of responsibility are inspired by senses of place, but are articulated through notions of authenticity and used as justification for ethical authority. While validating their presence in these outdoor spaces, the use of such rhetoric also minimizes their own impacts yielding further tensions among user groups.

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Sea kayakers at the margins: the liminoid character of contemporary adventures

Cited by 46 publications

References 20 publications

Nordic Slow Adventure: Explorations in Time and Nature

Nordic Slow Adventure: Explorations in Time and Nature

Confidence Frames and the Mastery of New Challenges in the Motivation of an Expert Skydiver

Contesting authentic practice and ethical authority in adventure tourism

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