Welcome to The Explorer’s Journal

I would like to welcome you to “The Explorer’s Journal.” This project has been years in the making; it’s simply taken many other forms along the way. At its core, it’s a reflection of something I deeply believe in: the pursuit of the Authentic Self, your True Self, however you choose to name it. For me, this journal is a natural extension of that journey. I won’t go too far into my personal backstory just yet; this is, after all, only an introduction. But I will share a brief snapshot to set the stage.

From a young age, my interests have always centered around two areas of focus: History and the Arts. World history sparked my desire to research, travel, and explore. At the same time, various artistic pursuits appealed to me, including still photography, cinematography, writing, and sketching. Over time, I came to understand that my artistic endeavors held meaning for me only when used as a method to document the findings and experiences of my exploratory efforts. I had spent years feeling torn between these two callings until I finally realized they are one and the same. My true path was to go out and explore, then use my creative skills to document the research, the journey, and any discoveries along the way.

Once I embraced that, I found my role in life, and with it, a lasting peace and motivation. You may have heard the quote by Carl Jung: “The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” That’s true, but only if you act on that knowledge. If you don’t, it becomes more of a punishment than a privilege. I’ve spent years using my experience to tell other people’s stories and build their projects. But this one, this is mine. My voice, my direction, and with no obligation to anyone else’s mission statement.

I have taken some of my earnings and turned them into three self-produced short films documenting my search for Forrest Fenn’s Treasure, the Mayan Temples in the Mirador Basin, and my quest for the most valuable shipwreck in history, the Flor de la Mar. I’ve had the fortune of traveling across much of the world, through both work and personal projects. But The Explorer’s Journal isn’t just another travelogue. Let me explain.

After finishing those films, I shifted to two new projects: a book and a photographic essay. The photo series documented my journey through Egypt’s ruins, often venturing well off the beaten path to lesser-known sites. My book, titled “Libertalia: Stealing Equality,” chronicled my research and expedition to Madagascar in search of the fabled pirate haven of Libertalia.

During that process, I began to feel a strong connection to historical explorers like Sir Francis Drake and Howard Carter, men who documented their journeys through sketches and journals, long before video was an option. Carter, being a skilled artist and photographer, particularly stood out to me. While touring his Egyptian home and Tutankhamen's tomb, I felt a certain kinship to the archaeologist. In contrast to chasing modern video trends, writing, sketching, and photography felt timeless. They enhanced the expedition rather than distracting from it. 

If you’ve found your way here, I suspect you too are an explorer at heart. Maybe you feel the same pull, not just to travel, but to understand, to document, to wonder. The Explorer’s Journal is the perfect banner under which to gather these stories, observations, and discoveries, a tradition as old as exploration itself.

Though I’ll continue pursuing grand historical adventures abroad, this journal will also explore topics closer to home, as long as they fit the spirit of the project. To help organize these entries, I’ve created four key categories, each with its own unique focus:

• Compendium of Curious Destinations: General travelogues, told from an explorer’s perspective- less guidebook, more personal musings.
• Field Notes on Life: Personal reflections, philosophies, and life lessons through an explorer’s lens.
• Chronicles of the Unexplained: Investigations into odd phenomena, from haunted places and cryptids to alien encounters. This isn’t my area of expertise, so we’ll be discovering it together.
• Uncharted Expeditions: Full-scale quests for hidden treasure, lost cities, and sunken fortunes. These take time and resources, so they may appear less frequently, but they’re at the heart of this endeavor.

Inspired by the tools and mindset of the Age of Exploration, I see this project as a classic account of adventure and discovery. Whether you’re a student of history, a traveler in unknown lands, or simply an explorer at heart, I invite you to The Explorer’s Journal.

I look forward to the journeys we’ll take together.

Sincerely,

Rick Langrehr