Encounters from a Kayak

Encounters from a Kayak

Author: Nigel Foster

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2012-11-20

Total Pages: 267

ISBN-13: 0762790164

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What makes travel special? Perhaps the chill realization that a polar bear's eyes are fixed on you. Maybe it is the chance meeting with a man who buries sharks in a beach, only to dig them up months later, not out of morbid curiosity, but for food. Perhaps it is the undulating wing-beat of a dark shell-less gastropod in the canal of a 17th Century French sea port, or the criminal history of a rusting ship with a tree growing from its hold.Encounters in a Kayak brings the reader along on the magical experiences that surround sea kayaking. It’s about the animals, people, and special places around the globe that have grabbed the attention of renowned kayaker and writer Nigel Foster. His irrepressible curiosity drives him to tease out the unexpected stories hidden behind his subjects. These nuggets from around the world are bound together by water and a centuries-old form of sea travel: kayak. The result is a book of broad appeal for those interested in kayaking, traveling, and adventure.


Book Synopsis Encounters from a Kayak by : Nigel Foster

Download or read book Encounters from a Kayak written by Nigel Foster and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2012-11-20 with total page 267 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What makes travel special? Perhaps the chill realization that a polar bear's eyes are fixed on you. Maybe it is the chance meeting with a man who buries sharks in a beach, only to dig them up months later, not out of morbid curiosity, but for food. Perhaps it is the undulating wing-beat of a dark shell-less gastropod in the canal of a 17th Century French sea port, or the criminal history of a rusting ship with a tree growing from its hold.Encounters in a Kayak brings the reader along on the magical experiences that surround sea kayaking. It’s about the animals, people, and special places around the globe that have grabbed the attention of renowned kayaker and writer Nigel Foster. His irrepressible curiosity drives him to tease out the unexpected stories hidden behind his subjects. These nuggets from around the world are bound together by water and a centuries-old form of sea travel: kayak. The result is a book of broad appeal for those interested in kayaking, traveling, and adventure.

Around Madagascar On My Kayak

Around Madagascar On My Kayak

Author: Riaan Manser

Publisher: Jonathan Ball Publishers

Published: 2010-11-15

Total Pages: 340

ISBN-13: 1868424332

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In the last five years Riaan Manser has re-written the definition of tenacity and become the epitome of determination. Riaan rose to prominence when he became the first person to cycle around the entire perimeter of Africa. For over two years, he padalled a mammoth 37,000kms through 34 countries; some of which rank as the most dangerous places on Earth. It was a feat that earned him the title Adventurer of the Year 2006 and made his resulting book, Around Africa on my Bicycle, a best-seller. In July 2009 Riaan again set another world first when he became the first person to circumnavigate the world's fourth largest island of Madagascar by kayak; another expedition achieved alone and unaided. This incredible journey, 5000km in eleven months, was considerably more demanding, both physically and mentally. Daily, Riaan had to conquer extreme loneliness while ploughing through treacherous conditions such as cyclones, pounding surf and an unrelenting sun that, combined with up to ten hours in salt water, was literally pickling his body. The perseverance, of course, brought memorable close encounters with Madagascar's marine life - humpback whales breaching metres away from his kayak, giant leatherback turtles gliding alongside him and even having his boat rammed by sharks. Riaan travelled around Madagascar during a period of the country's political turmoil, which gave him unrivalled insight into the exotic island's psyche and even earned him two nights in prison on suspicion of carrying out mercenary activities. Around Madagascar in my Kayak is packed with engaging stories and beautiful photographs and is set to become another best-seller.


Book Synopsis Around Madagascar On My Kayak by : Riaan Manser

Download or read book Around Madagascar On My Kayak written by Riaan Manser and published by Jonathan Ball Publishers. This book was released on 2010-11-15 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the last five years Riaan Manser has re-written the definition of tenacity and become the epitome of determination. Riaan rose to prominence when he became the first person to cycle around the entire perimeter of Africa. For over two years, he padalled a mammoth 37,000kms through 34 countries; some of which rank as the most dangerous places on Earth. It was a feat that earned him the title Adventurer of the Year 2006 and made his resulting book, Around Africa on my Bicycle, a best-seller. In July 2009 Riaan again set another world first when he became the first person to circumnavigate the world's fourth largest island of Madagascar by kayak; another expedition achieved alone and unaided. This incredible journey, 5000km in eleven months, was considerably more demanding, both physically and mentally. Daily, Riaan had to conquer extreme loneliness while ploughing through treacherous conditions such as cyclones, pounding surf and an unrelenting sun that, combined with up to ten hours in salt water, was literally pickling his body. The perseverance, of course, brought memorable close encounters with Madagascar's marine life - humpback whales breaching metres away from his kayak, giant leatherback turtles gliding alongside him and even having his boat rammed by sharks. Riaan travelled around Madagascar during a period of the country's political turmoil, which gave him unrivalled insight into the exotic island's psyche and even earned him two nights in prison on suspicion of carrying out mercenary activities. Around Madagascar in my Kayak is packed with engaging stories and beautiful photographs and is set to become another best-seller.

Without a Paddle

Without a Paddle

Author: Warren Richey

Publisher: Macmillan

Published: 2010-06-08

Total Pages: 365

ISBN-13: 1429924330

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As far as Warren Richey knew, his life was on course. A reporter with a beautiful wife and talented son, Richey couldn’t imagine how it could be any better....Then his marriage falls apart and he can’t imagine how it could be any worse. The divorce leaves Richey questioning everything, while struggling to find a way forward. To get his bearings, he enters the first Ultimate Florida Challenge, an all-out twelve-hundred-mile kayak race around Florida. The UFC is less of a race than it is a dare or a threat. The thirty-day deadline sets a grueling, twenty-four-hour-a-day pace through shark- , alligator- , and even python-infested waters. But those twelve hundred miles are only a fraction of a journey that pulls Richey back to when he was embedded with troops in Iraq, reporting on missing children, and hiking the mountains of Montana with his son, and shows him where he went wrong, where he went right, and how to do it better the second time around. Warren Richey’s memoir Without a Paddle is a remarkable physical and emotional journey that cuts to the heart of what it means to be a man, a husband, and a father.


Book Synopsis Without a Paddle by : Warren Richey

Download or read book Without a Paddle written by Warren Richey and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2010-06-08 with total page 365 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As far as Warren Richey knew, his life was on course. A reporter with a beautiful wife and talented son, Richey couldn’t imagine how it could be any better....Then his marriage falls apart and he can’t imagine how it could be any worse. The divorce leaves Richey questioning everything, while struggling to find a way forward. To get his bearings, he enters the first Ultimate Florida Challenge, an all-out twelve-hundred-mile kayak race around Florida. The UFC is less of a race than it is a dare or a threat. The thirty-day deadline sets a grueling, twenty-four-hour-a-day pace through shark- , alligator- , and even python-infested waters. But those twelve hundred miles are only a fraction of a journey that pulls Richey back to when he was embedded with troops in Iraq, reporting on missing children, and hiking the mountains of Montana with his son, and shows him where he went wrong, where he went right, and how to do it better the second time around. Warren Richey’s memoir Without a Paddle is a remarkable physical and emotional journey that cuts to the heart of what it means to be a man, a husband, and a father.

The Art of Kayaking

The Art of Kayaking

Author: Nigel Foster

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2017-04-01

Total Pages: 360

ISBN-13: 1493025716

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The Art of Kayaking is the distilled essence of a lifetime of kayak instruction at all skill levels around the world, with the added insights gained from years of designing kayaks, paddles, and kayaking equipment. This comprehensive kayaking manual by one of the biggest names in kayaking offers more essential detail about commonly used techniques than ever before published in a single volume. Color photo action sequences show how to perfect skills, and how to apply them. Maps, tables, and diagrams walk the reader through essential planning steps. No matter which type of kayak, paddle, or style of paddling the reader prefers, the appropriate techniques are described clearly and concisely. The progression through the book makes it easy to start as a beginner and to access as much information as can be tackled at any stage of development up to and including the expert. It is a definitive manual designed to stand the test of time.


Book Synopsis The Art of Kayaking by : Nigel Foster

Download or read book The Art of Kayaking written by Nigel Foster and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2017-04-01 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Art of Kayaking is the distilled essence of a lifetime of kayak instruction at all skill levels around the world, with the added insights gained from years of designing kayaks, paddles, and kayaking equipment. This comprehensive kayaking manual by one of the biggest names in kayaking offers more essential detail about commonly used techniques than ever before published in a single volume. Color photo action sequences show how to perfect skills, and how to apply them. Maps, tables, and diagrams walk the reader through essential planning steps. No matter which type of kayak, paddle, or style of paddling the reader prefers, the appropriate techniques are described clearly and concisely. The progression through the book makes it easy to start as a beginner and to access as much information as can be tackled at any stage of development up to and including the expert. It is a definitive manual designed to stand the test of time.

Fearless

Fearless

Author: Joe Glickman

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2012-01-24

Total Pages: 211

ISBN-13: 0762783060

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Like the instant classic The Last American Man, Fearless is the story of a remarkable individual who accepts no personal limits—including fear. Freya Hoffmeister, a forty-six-year-old former sky diver, gymnast, marksman, and Miss Germany contestant, left her twelve-year-old son behind to paddle alone and unsupported around Australia—a year-long adventure that virtually every expert guaranteed would get her killed. She planned not only to survive the 9,420-mile trip through huge, shark-infested seas, but to do it faster than the only other paddler who did it. As journalist and expert kayaker Joe Glickman details the voyage of this Teutonic force of nature, he captures interminable days on the water and nights camped out on deserted islands; hair-raising encounters with crocs and great white sharks; and the daring 300-mile open-ocean crossing that shaved three weeks off her trip. For 332 days Glickman followed Freya’s journey on her blog—along with a far-flung audience of awestruck, even lovesick, groupies—as she took on one terrifying ordeal after the next. In the end, he says, “her vanity and pigheadedness paled next to her nearly superhuman ability to master fear and persevere.”


Book Synopsis Fearless by : Joe Glickman

Download or read book Fearless written by Joe Glickman and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2012-01-24 with total page 211 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Like the instant classic The Last American Man, Fearless is the story of a remarkable individual who accepts no personal limits—including fear. Freya Hoffmeister, a forty-six-year-old former sky diver, gymnast, marksman, and Miss Germany contestant, left her twelve-year-old son behind to paddle alone and unsupported around Australia—a year-long adventure that virtually every expert guaranteed would get her killed. She planned not only to survive the 9,420-mile trip through huge, shark-infested seas, but to do it faster than the only other paddler who did it. As journalist and expert kayaker Joe Glickman details the voyage of this Teutonic force of nature, he captures interminable days on the water and nights camped out on deserted islands; hair-raising encounters with crocs and great white sharks; and the daring 300-mile open-ocean crossing that shaved three weeks off her trip. For 332 days Glickman followed Freya’s journey on her blog—along with a far-flung audience of awestruck, even lovesick, groupies—as she took on one terrifying ordeal after the next. In the end, he says, “her vanity and pigheadedness paled next to her nearly superhuman ability to master fear and persevere.”

On Polar Tides

On Polar Tides

Author: Nigel Foster

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2016-09-23

Total Pages: 384

ISBN-13: 1493025694

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In 1981, Nigel Foster flew to Canada’s Baffin Island to begin a solo kayak trip south toward northern Labrador. After crossing the 40-mile wide Hudson Strait in howling winds and fighting a 10 knot tide race, Foster crash-landed on a small island in the dark. He had frostbitten fingers and was 300 miles from the closest village. With unimaginable good fortune, eight days later he ran across an oil tanker and hitched a ride south. He had survived—marking one of the most notable solo crossings in history—but the failure of the second portion of the trip he had originally planned haunted him. In 2004, Foster returned to northern Labrador with his then girlfriend (now wife) Kristin Nelson. Launching from Kuujjuaq in Northern Quebec, the couple paddled the Ungava Bay coast—which has one of the largest tidal variances in the world—to the place Foster had boarded the oil tanker 23 years earlier. From this remote location, the couple completed the trip to Nain that Foster originally planned for 1981. They encountered more polar bears than people. The story of the two trips forms the backbone for On Polar Tides—Originally self-published as Stepping Stones in 2009—which offers an intimate and insightful view of Ungava and Labrador. The new, revised edition includes gripping recollections of the polar adventures and 54 color photographs.


Book Synopsis On Polar Tides by : Nigel Foster

Download or read book On Polar Tides written by Nigel Foster and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2016-09-23 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1981, Nigel Foster flew to Canada’s Baffin Island to begin a solo kayak trip south toward northern Labrador. After crossing the 40-mile wide Hudson Strait in howling winds and fighting a 10 knot tide race, Foster crash-landed on a small island in the dark. He had frostbitten fingers and was 300 miles from the closest village. With unimaginable good fortune, eight days later he ran across an oil tanker and hitched a ride south. He had survived—marking one of the most notable solo crossings in history—but the failure of the second portion of the trip he had originally planned haunted him. In 2004, Foster returned to northern Labrador with his then girlfriend (now wife) Kristin Nelson. Launching from Kuujjuaq in Northern Quebec, the couple paddled the Ungava Bay coast—which has one of the largest tidal variances in the world—to the place Foster had boarded the oil tanker 23 years earlier. From this remote location, the couple completed the trip to Nain that Foster originally planned for 1981. They encountered more polar bears than people. The story of the two trips forms the backbone for On Polar Tides—Originally self-published as Stepping Stones in 2009—which offers an intimate and insightful view of Ungava and Labrador. The new, revised edition includes gripping recollections of the polar adventures and 54 color photographs.

Dancing with Death

Dancing with Death

Author: Jean-Philippe Soulé

Publisher: Jean-Philippe Soulé

Published: 2019-01-14

Total Pages: 397

ISBN-13: 0984344829

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“An unforgettable escapade of ultimate danger and discovery…” - Readers' Favorite Fans of Jon Krakauer will devour this gripping tale of adventure, survival, and a search for life’s deeper meaning. Two men, three years, seven countries, 3000 miles… The Central American Sea Kayak Expedition 2000 is an inspiring journey of exploration, endurance, and self-discovery that takes Jean-Philippe Soulé and his traveling partner Luke Shullenberger from Baja California all the way to Panama. During this unfathomably grueling expedition, they face every manner of threat, from sharks, crocodiles, and bandits to stormy seas, malaria, and their own mortality—all in search of a deeper connection to Mother Nature and the indigenous people who revere her most. This riveting memoir of physical and emotional endurance will leave you breathless as you experience their victories, misfortunes and sacrifices. An evocative, gripping narrative coupled with award-winning photographs that is a must-read for those who love travel, outdoor adventure, and cultural exploration—and for the dreamers who've been told they can't, but stubbornly refuse to listen.


Book Synopsis Dancing with Death by : Jean-Philippe Soulé

Download or read book Dancing with Death written by Jean-Philippe Soulé and published by Jean-Philippe Soulé. This book was released on 2019-01-14 with total page 397 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “An unforgettable escapade of ultimate danger and discovery…” - Readers' Favorite Fans of Jon Krakauer will devour this gripping tale of adventure, survival, and a search for life’s deeper meaning. Two men, three years, seven countries, 3000 miles… The Central American Sea Kayak Expedition 2000 is an inspiring journey of exploration, endurance, and self-discovery that takes Jean-Philippe Soulé and his traveling partner Luke Shullenberger from Baja California all the way to Panama. During this unfathomably grueling expedition, they face every manner of threat, from sharks, crocodiles, and bandits to stormy seas, malaria, and their own mortality—all in search of a deeper connection to Mother Nature and the indigenous people who revere her most. This riveting memoir of physical and emotional endurance will leave you breathless as you experience their victories, misfortunes and sacrifices. An evocative, gripping narrative coupled with award-winning photographs that is a must-read for those who love travel, outdoor adventure, and cultural exploration—and for the dreamers who've been told they can't, but stubbornly refuse to listen.

Spirited Waters

Spirited Waters

Author: Jennifer Hahn

Publisher: ReadHowYouWant.com

Published: 2009-08-12

Total Pages: 484

ISBN-13: 1442998199

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In this insightful account of her solo voyage in a sixteen-foot kayak, Jennifer Hahn vividly relates the ecstatic moments and terrifying predicaments of paddling against the wind through Alaska's Inside Passage. Hahn's adventures include dramatic encounters with animals and heartwarming experiences with coastal characters. Much more than a memoi...


Book Synopsis Spirited Waters by : Jennifer Hahn

Download or read book Spirited Waters written by Jennifer Hahn and published by ReadHowYouWant.com. This book was released on 2009-08-12 with total page 484 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this insightful account of her solo voyage in a sixteen-foot kayak, Jennifer Hahn vividly relates the ecstatic moments and terrifying predicaments of paddling against the wind through Alaska's Inside Passage. Hahn's adventures include dramatic encounters with animals and heartwarming experiences with coastal characters. Much more than a memoi...

Amazon Woman

Amazon Woman

Author: Darcy Gaechter

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2020-03-03

Total Pages: 304

ISBN-13: 164313387X

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An extraordinary and inspiring chronicle of one woman’s harrowing journey to become the first female to kayak the entire Amazon River. Part memoir, part feminist manifesto, Amazon Woman shows what incredible feats we are capable of and will encourage people, especially women, across all backgrounds and ages to find the courage and strength to live the life they’ve imagined. This 148-day journey began on Darcy Gaetcher’s 35th birthday. The emotional waters that would fester and erupt on the ensuing journey was often more challenging to navigate than the mighty river itself. With blistering lips and irradiated fingernails, Darcy would tackle raging Class Five whitewater for twenty-five days straight, barely survived a dynamite-filled canyon being prepared for a new hydroelectric plan. She and her two companions would encounter illegal loggers, narco-traffickers, murderous Shining Path rebels, and ruthless poachers in the black market trade in endangered species. In a desperate attempt meant to give her some pretense of control, Darcy even cut off all her hair before entering Peru’s notoriously dangerous “Red Zone” in hopes of passing for a boy and being seen as less of a target. At once a heart-pounding adventure and a celebration of pushing personal limits, Amazon Woman speaks to all of us feeling trapped by our desk-bound, online society. This a story of finding the courage and strength to challenge nature, cultures, social norms, and oneself.


Book Synopsis Amazon Woman by : Darcy Gaechter

Download or read book Amazon Woman written by Darcy Gaechter and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2020-03-03 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An extraordinary and inspiring chronicle of one woman’s harrowing journey to become the first female to kayak the entire Amazon River. Part memoir, part feminist manifesto, Amazon Woman shows what incredible feats we are capable of and will encourage people, especially women, across all backgrounds and ages to find the courage and strength to live the life they’ve imagined. This 148-day journey began on Darcy Gaetcher’s 35th birthday. The emotional waters that would fester and erupt on the ensuing journey was often more challenging to navigate than the mighty river itself. With blistering lips and irradiated fingernails, Darcy would tackle raging Class Five whitewater for twenty-five days straight, barely survived a dynamite-filled canyon being prepared for a new hydroelectric plan. She and her two companions would encounter illegal loggers, narco-traffickers, murderous Shining Path rebels, and ruthless poachers in the black market trade in endangered species. In a desperate attempt meant to give her some pretense of control, Darcy even cut off all her hair before entering Peru’s notoriously dangerous “Red Zone” in hopes of passing for a boy and being seen as less of a target. At once a heart-pounding adventure and a celebration of pushing personal limits, Amazon Woman speaks to all of us feeling trapped by our desk-bound, online society. This a story of finding the courage and strength to challenge nature, cultures, social norms, and oneself.

The Pacific Alone

The Pacific Alone

Author: Dave Shively

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2018-10-01

Total Pages: 184

ISBN-13: 1493026828

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In the summer of 1987 Ed Gillet achieved what no person has accomplished before or since, a solo crossing from California to Hawaii by kayak. Gillet, at the age of 36 an accomplished sailor and paddler, navigated by sextant and always knew his position within a few miles. Still, Gillet underestimated the abuse his body would take from the relentless, pounding, swells of the Pacific, and early into his voyage he was covered with salt water sores and found that he could find no comfortable position for sitting or sleeping. Along the way he endured a broken rudder, among other calamities, but at last reached Maui on his 63rd day at sea, four days after his food had run out. Dave Shively brings Gillet’s remarkable story to life in this gripping narrative, based on exclusive access to Gillet’s logs as well as interviews with the legendary paddler himself.


Book Synopsis The Pacific Alone by : Dave Shively

Download or read book The Pacific Alone written by Dave Shively and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2018-10-01 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the summer of 1987 Ed Gillet achieved what no person has accomplished before or since, a solo crossing from California to Hawaii by kayak. Gillet, at the age of 36 an accomplished sailor and paddler, navigated by sextant and always knew his position within a few miles. Still, Gillet underestimated the abuse his body would take from the relentless, pounding, swells of the Pacific, and early into his voyage he was covered with salt water sores and found that he could find no comfortable position for sitting or sleeping. Along the way he endured a broken rudder, among other calamities, but at last reached Maui on his 63rd day at sea, four days after his food had run out. Dave Shively brings Gillet’s remarkable story to life in this gripping narrative, based on exclusive access to Gillet’s logs as well as interviews with the legendary paddler himself.