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Biography:
George Kourounis is a renowned global adventurer, storm chaser, explorer and television presenter. Based in Toronto, his efforts to document nature's worst weather conditions have taken him all over the globe, into places most normal people are fleeing from. Whether it's a tornado outbreak in Kansas, a monster hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, forest fires in British Columbia, or even an erupting volcano, he's usually in the middle of the action with his camera rolling. His efforts have been seen around the world on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic Explorer, BBC-TV, CNN and of course, his own adventure TV program Angry Planet which has been broadcast in over 100 countries. The program airs on OLN, City TV, The Travel Channel, The Weather Channel, Halogen TV & others.
He started chasing tornadoes and other storms 20 years ago and has continued to expand his explorations to include all types of extreme natural phenomena.
In January 2005, George brought his camera
to the remote Danakil Depression in the harsh Ethiopian desert
and was lowered 60 feet into the smoking crater of the active
Erta Ale volcano. He spent a half hour filming on top of the freshly
hardened surface of the lava lake wearing a protective heat suit.
This event made him the first person to have ever filmed from
the inside of 3 of world's most fearsome forces - Inside a tornado,
the eye of a hurricane and inside an active volcano. 2005 also
turned out to be his busiest hurricane season yet. He was able
to intercept all 4 of the major U.S. land falling hurricanes,
including devastating hurricane Katrina in Gulfport, Mississippi.
While he filmed the storm, the city around him disintegrated in
the incredible winds and storm surge.
When asked about his scariest experience:
"Getting caught in a tornado was truly frightening. It was after dark and we were on the outskirts of Oklahoma City when the 2X4's and pieces of aluminum siding started flying towards my vehicle. The only thing I could do was to floor it and take shelter behind a shopping mall. The debris in the air was incredible. It was like driving through a swarm of bees. After it had passed, I was able to make out the cone shape in the darkness illuminated by blue-green explosions where it was destroying power lines."
The question he is most often asked is simply: Why?
"There is very little of this Earth left
to explore. The North and South Poles have been reached. Even
Mount Everest is the scene of regular traffic jams on the side
of the mountain during climbing season. I like to think of myself
as an explorer that goes to new places in this world when they
are under extraordinary circumstances. When the harshest storms
are lashing the area or when the mountain is spewing molten rock.
These are the new frontiers of exploration in the 21st century."
He is also the host and co-creator of a television series that
focuses on his experiences with extreme weather and other natural
phenomena. The show "Angry Planet" is currently airing
worldwide.
George's explorations of our planet have included
some truly unique experiences. In 2007 he became the first person
to ever rig ropes across the Boiling Lake in Dominica and explore
it from above.
"During the traverse, I was able to position myself directly
above the most violently boiling section of the lake. To look
straight down into what is essentially a giant witches' cauldron
was as frightening as it was exhilarating."
In 2009, George was able to set foot on the newest land on Earth when an undersea volcanic eruption created a new island near the south pacific nation of Tonga. Having to swim ashore due to the rough seas, he discovered a crater lake that was still scalding hot from the recent eruptive activity.
His travels have taken him to such far-flung places as:
- The jungles of Rwanda to witness rare mountain
gorillas.
- Into a cage surrounded by Great White sharks off the coast of
Mexico.
- Flying in a helicopter over huge forest fires in Northern Ontario.
- The remote island nation of Vanuatu in the South Pacific where
he got married on the crater's edge of the exploding Yasur volcano!!
- Dog sledding above the Arctic Circle and kayaking with whales
in Antarctica.
- Space flight training, including a zero gravity flight and being
subjected to extreme forces inside 2 centrifuges.
- The fabled Timbuktu, in the Sahara Desert, documenting sand
storms.
- Reactor #4 at Chernobyl, the site of the worst nuclear disaster
in history.
- Into the Naica Crystal Cave in Mexico, home to the largest crystals
in the world where the environment is so hostile that the heat
and humidity can be deadly.
- And much, much more.
By sharing these adventures with the world, George hopes that he can inspire people to break out of their routines and do something that they consider a little bit scary.
"I'm not saying that people should run
into hurricanes or take a rubber raft out onto a lake of sulphuric
acid like I do, but just to step out of their everyday life and
do the things that they've always wanted to do but were too afraid
to actually try. It is amazing what people are capable of if they
just face their fears and go for it. Overcoming personal obstacles
like that makes for some of the best memories and proudest moments
of our lives. Your comfort zone is a terrible place to be.
George is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (UK), the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, and served 2 terms as chairman of The Explorers Club Canadian Chapter. He's also a member of the Canadian Council For Geographic Education, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society, and is on the board of directors for "Exploring By The Seat Of Your Pants" an educational non-profit that brings explorers, scientists and researchers into North American classrooms via video-conferencing. He's also a National Geographic Certified Educator, and has delivered 5 TEDx talks.
He was awarded:
- 2021: The Citation Of Merit from The Explorers Club, Canadian Chapter.
- 2020: The Leif Erikson Exploration Award from the Exploration Museum in Iceland.
- 2019: Canadian Geographic list of Canada's 45 Greatest Living Explorers.
- 2019: Awarded the 90 Anniversary Medal from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.
- 2015 Medal from the Explorers Museum in Ireland "for courageous contribution to scientific research"
- 2014: Stefansson Medal from the Explorers Club "for outstanding contribution to science and to public education by documenting extreme environments through film making."
- Listed by Canadian Geographic Magazine as one of Canada's Top 100 Explorers.
- Nominated for Gemini awards in 2008 and 2009 for his work hosting the Angry Planet TV series.
email:
george@stormchaser.ca
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