This website illuminates my life and adventures. My longing for freedom has led me to over 2600 of the world’s 3978 provinces, to every country on earth and to the summit of the highest peak on each continent (thank heaven for good weather!). In my travels, I learned to respect the intelligence and ingenuity of people of all races and callings both past and present. Come see the world as I see it: as a peaceful place, full of nature and beauty. With the right spirit and intent, we can make our world a virtual Garden of Eden.
DISTINCTIONS: BBC 2017 Travel Pioneer • Journal Articles • Explorer’s Club Flag Expeditions
World Parks Project • Walk Across South America • Jeff Shea Travel Map
Madagascar, Mouse Lemur, 2003 - In Ranomafano, a guided night hike gave a portrait of nocturnal life. This mouse lemur was lured by the banana, bait set by the guide. This tiny lemur was barely as big as his quarry.
Telly (José Luis Rodríguez Castillo) first pointed the Bactrophora Dominans out to me as we moved upriver in our raft. I photographed then collected this remarkable insect deep within the Meseta de Ichúm. (I was carrying vials and preservative alcohol for the collection of insects.) I later showed the photo to famed Venezuelan explorer, Charles Brewer-Carias. He took an interest in it, then assembled a team of entomologists, who identified it as the only specimen of B. Dominans ever found in Venezuela. A paper was published in Check List, the journal of biodiversity data in 2015.
Thailand, Ranong Prov, Umbrellas
Philippines, Masbate Prov, Spear Fisherman
Cambodia, Phnom Penh Prov, Fables Of The Exotic East
Azerbaijan, Masalli Prov, Fish Oven
Bangladesh, Bogra Prov, Large Load
Slovenia, Duplek Prov, House With White Flowers, 2006 -
Atlantic Ocean, Total Eclipse, 2006 - On March 29, 2003, at a point between St. Helena and Cape Verde, our ship, the Alexey Maryshev, passed deliberately in the path of a total eclipse. I had seen a partial eclipse before, but that could not possibly prepare me for what I saw that day. As Dick McConnell, our resident astronomer had described, it was one of the most spectacular sights I would ever see, a moment when three colossal heavenly bodies position themselves in perfect alignment. It so happens that the size of the moon, given its distance from the earth, is coincidentally perfect to just block out the sun. During totality, as depicted in this photograph, one's eclipse sunglasses can be removed. For a period of two minutes forty seconds, with glasses removed, I could see the sun's
Slovenia, Piran Prov, Falling Leaf