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Why do people love taking risks? Joseph Campbell, an American mythologist, said “I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances with our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive.” The one who is courageous enough to take a chance always surpasses himself with every risk he has overcome. People would find out the value and meaning of life and being alive through the process “hit the road – on the way – go back home.” The purpose of this study is to realize the journey of traveling around Taiwan with ocean kayaks and analyzing the risks in the journey, and ocean kayakers’ attitude toward life after the journey. This study is based on qualitative research, so the research method is semi-structured interview with four members from the ocean-kayaked journey. Besides, taking the way of joining the journey and document analysis is another two methods, to stand in the ocean kayakers’ shoes, to support qualitative research. The study includes analyses of the ocean-kayaked journey, the risks during the journey, and the ocean kayakers’ attitude toward life after the journey, and here are three results: I. The participants were keen in exciting outdoors recreations and courageous to take risks and challenge themselves, and they used what they had learned from recreations to make a new challenge. Therefore, the participants had an idea of traveling around Taiwan with kayak. The plan was 24-days journey of traveling around Taiwan with kayaks and launched on Jul. 21st, 2012 and from Taitung Fu-gang Fishery Harbor. However, the journey was not going swimmingly because of weather which plays an important role in successful kayaking. The kayakers experienced the custom in different tribes and saw beautiful Taiwan, and they realized how hard and dangerous ocean kayaking is. II. Because of the changeable weather and the various environments, the journey became more unpredictable and brought risks to the participants. Although the participants were each other’s anchor in the journey, they also had conflicts to bad communication. A kayaker would feel uncomfortable with kayaking alone in a long period, and it would affect a kayaker’s mind. III. After the journey, the participants would pursue their dream step by step and take responsibility for what they did. They care their surroundings very much. Moreover, the participants understood what the emphasis in their life is. Hence, and they will love their life and be positive to face any trap and challenge in future.
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