Defies the dangers of extreme natural phenomena
Famous Greeks

Defies the dangers of extreme natural phenomena

Young George Kourounis idols where Cousteau, but also Indiana Jones. Although he was interested in science and the natural environment since his teenage years, he studied sound technology and worked for several years as technical manager of one of North America’s biggest recording studios. Until a tornado in northern Oklahoma made him grab a camera and rush to record the experience.

What would a normal person do upon witnessing a volcano explode or a storm approaching? Most probably he would run away as fast as he could. Unless he was George Kourounis. After all, when asked what he does for a living, he describes himself as a “storm chaser and explorer”.

In fact, his job requires him not only to watch, but also to record his experience in photographs, film and writing. Young Kourounis idols where Cousteau, but also Indiana Jones. Although he was interested in science and the natural environment since his teenage years, he studied sound technology and worked for several years as technical manager of one of North America’s biggest recording studios. Until a tornado in northern Oklahoma made him grab a camera and rush to record the experience.

Today, Kourounis works for a tourist office organizing “excursions” to places where extreme natural phenomena occur. He insists that this is not a job, but a way of life. He is married, yet has chosen not to have children, because he does not have the time to be sociable when he returns home after one of his long trips.

He has traveled to places such as the jungles of Rwanda to capture photographs of rare gorilla species, to Antarctica, where he he guided his kayak among whales, and to Mississippi to record the destructive passage of hurricane Katrina. And to those who assume that people like him live for danger, he replies that afety is always his first priority whilst organizing an excursion- this is why he has never suffered an injury.

The Greek-Canadian explorer is the first person to explore The Darvaza Crater,  known as the “Door to Hell”. The crater is 65 meters wide and 30 meters deep. The expedition was partly funded by National Geographic.

“The place has always fascinated me. The story behind how it came into existence has been sort of shrouded in mystery, and there’s no other place like it on Earth. It is very unique, in that there’s no other place where there is this pit of burning methane that’s being ejected from the ground at high pressure. It’s fascinating, it’s visually stunning, and there’s a lot that we can learn about this place,” said Kourounis to National Geographic Channel.

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