Blind adventurer Erik Weihenmayer found himself in an odd situation a few days back. Canoe & Kayak magazine is reporting that Erik was detained by locals in Peru while kayaking down the Marañón River, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon River. Weihenmayer is in South America with a group of 20 paddlers training for an attempt on the Grand Canyon next year and the team was mistaken for a group of scouts looking for suitable locations to build a dam on the Marañón. This is a highly controversial plan in Peru that has many of the locals up in arms.

According to the C&K report, the kayaking team was held overnight after being confronted by locals who warned them if they had proceeded further down river they would have been met by hostile villagers at the next location. Fortunately, the situation was resolved when it was revealed the paddling team's leader – James “Rocky” Contos – is a conservationist who is campaigning against damming efforts and has even made a film about the situation.

Weihenmayer is best known as the first blind person to summit Everest, but if you check out his website, you'll see that is just one of his many adventures. Erik has also climbed the rest of the Seven Summits, raced in the Leadville 100, competed in marathons and adventure races and a host of other activities.

After it was determined that the paddlers were not part of a dam survey team they were allowed to go on their way. But the situation underscores how passionate many Peruvians are about this topic. Commercial organizations have reportedly identified 20 locations to build a dam on the river, which will substantially alter its course and the landscapes around it.

These kinds of water rights issues are major points of contentions in South America at the moment. Chile is also facing similar resistance to several of it's rivers as well.

North Carolina's Green Narrows is one of the finest pieces of white water in the U.S. So why would anyone want to run it in a kayak? With apologies to George Mallory, because it's there. Recently pro kayaker David Fusilli did just that, taking his long and more ponderous boat into a stretch of the river that is meant for something short, fast and agile. The results can be seen below.

Demshitz sea kayaking the Green River narrows from David Fusilli on Vimeo.

Back in August and September I posted a couple of time about the TitiKayak expedition. For those who don't recall, that was the attempt by Belgian adventurer Louis-Philippe Loncke and Peruvian explorer Gadiel "Cho" Sanchez Rivera to become the first people to circumnavigate Lake Titicaca by kayak. The lake, which is located at 3812 meters (12,507 ft) in altitude and falls along the border of Peru and Bolivia, covers an area of 8372 sq. km (3232 sq. miles) and is widely considered to be the highest navigable lake in the world. Lonke and Rivera set out to paddle 1100 km (683 miles) around Titicaca's parameter while taking photographs if its shoreline and GPS coordinates of its current position. The hope is that the data will allow researchers to study the impact of climate change on the lake in the years to come by having baseline numbers to compare their readings to.

The expedition actually wrapped up in late September but due to busy schedules and other commitments, it has taken a bit of time to upload the photos from their journey and share details of what it was like out on the water. All told, it took Lou-Phi and Cho 38 days to paddle around the lake, staying close to the shore for most of the way. Stopping frequently to take photos and gather GPS data, the two men were meticulous in their approach and stuck closely to their plan as much as they could. They did run into some issues when attempting to cross the border into Bolivia, as law enforcement at the checkpoint between the countries were reluctant to let them pass, in part because they had never seen a kayak before. It took two days to sort out the paperwork, but eventually it came together and the adventurers were allowed to continue on their way.


Dealing with immigration officers were the least of their worries however and there were plenty of other challenges to keep them on their toes. For starters, August and September are winter months in the Southern Hemisphere and this was one of the coldest winters in recent memories. The boys faced freezing temps for much of the way and the Puno region through which they traveled received its highest amount of snowfall in the past 30 years. Cold temperatures, snow and a big lake don't always make for the best of conditions.

The primary focus of the expedition was to not just paddle around its shores but to also survey the health of the body of water. What Loncke and Sanchez Rivera discovered is that Titicaca is facing some serious challenges. The water was littered with garbage and is contaminated by chemicals and sewage dumped into into it from the surrounding communities. In short, the lake faces some major issues in the future and with no regulation or proper water treatment in place, it is going to get much worse before it ever starts to get better.

You can read more about the expedition and the team's experiences on the TitiKayak blog. You can also review the photos they took along the way in their Photo Inventory. All of the images have been uploaded and organized, but GPS coordinates have not been matched to them just yet. That is a big job that will be completed sometime early next year, completing the full data set of the inventory.

Congrats to Lou-Phi and Cho on completing this amazing adventure. Great effort on both the exploration and environmental front.

It looks like December is shaping up to be quite a month for unique expeditions and adventures. Take for example the recently announced Peak 2 Peak 2013 expedition which is set to get underway on December 1. This impressive undertaking will send Kiwi Grant Rawlinson and Aussie Alan Silva on a human-powered odyssey across New Zealand that will have them climbing, paddling and cycling their way across both the North and South Islands.

The journey will begin with the two men first attempting to climb Mt. Ruapeahu (2797 meters/9177 ft), the tallest peak on the North Island. After that, they'll paddle 240 km (150 miles) down the Whanganui River before proceeding 60 km (37 miles) across the Cook Strait. Arriving on the South Island, they'll next get on their bikes for a 900 km (560 miles) ride to the foot of Mt. Cook, the tallest mountain on the island at 3754 meters (12,316 ft). They'll wrap up their journey with a climb to the summit, thus complete their Peak to Peak aspirations.

Grant and Alan will make this journey completely unsupported and on a small budget. They were both drawn to this unique challenge because of its grassroots nature and the fact that it could inspire others to undertake their own adventures that don't require a large time commitment or cost a lot of money.

Both of these men are experienced mountaineers, each with a successful summit of Everest under their belts. Alan climbed the world's tallest peak from the South Side back in 1998 while regular readers of this blog followed Grant's successful climb from the North Side back in 2012. That experience will come in handy as they push themselves to the limit on this particular expedition as well.

To follow along with the team's progress, visit Grant's website at axeoneverest.com. They'll get underway in just a couple of week. Good luck guys!

I first blogged about The Crazy Kayker last week when he announced his plan to kayak the length of the Mississippi this Summer. Well, our friends over at The Oudoor Weblog have gone a step further by posting aninterview with him.

In the first installment of a new section entitled "The Outdoor Enthusiast Next Door" they put the questions to Jacob van der Merwe, a.k.a. The Crazy Kayaker. This is part one of the interview, and Jason answers questions about how he got his nickname, why he loves kayaking, and why he wants to kayak the length of the Mississippi River. His answers are interesting and insightful and give us a nice glimpse at his personality.

It should be fun to follow his progress this Summer, and if I still lived along the Mississippi River, maybe I'd head out to join him for a day on the water.

Update: Part 2 of the interview has now been posted as well.

Just a quick programming note for what could be a very cool TV show. The Discovery Channel will air a special called Adventure Bhutan that promises to be quite interesting for anyone who is the Himalaya and that part of the World. The show will air this Sunday starting at 9 PM Eastern/ 8 PM Central time.

The tiny Kingdom of Bhutan has been diffucult for Westerners to gain access to in general, and some areas are completely shut off to Westerners altogether. But for the first time, cameras were allowed into the Mangde Chu River valley as Discovery Channel expeditions kayaks this remote and largely unexplored area.

The two hour program will be reaired later in the evening as well, and will likely feature some amazing scenery and wiil probably chronicle an incredible adventure for the paddlers. I'm guessing that they'll encounter Class V+ rapids and crazy conditions. The only downfall is that I don't see it listed on the Discovery HD channel, so I guess we'll have to settle for our first glimpse of this amazing place in standard definition. Bummer. So set your Tivo's and enjoy the show.

Yesterday the U.S. National Park Service announced three new national water trails, offering up some excellent options for paddlers looking for great routes to explore. The three new water trails each bring their own unique properties to the table which will likely make them popular options for kayakers.

The three new routes include the Island Loop Trail in St. Clair County, Michigan, which crosses two rivers, a canal and parts of Lake Huron. The Missouri National Recreation River Water Trail is a 147-mile stretch of river that passes through parts of South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa, while the Red Rock Water Trail is a very scenic 36-mile loop that falls on beautiful Lake Red Rock, which is also in Iowa.

The press release announcing these new water trails highlights more of what the have to offer. For instance, the Island Loop flows along the border of the U.S. and Canada, while the Missouri River route follows part of the route that Lewis and Clark took on their famous expedition to explore the western United States back in 1804. The Red River Trail, which I've actually been on, even passes by abandoned frontier towns that still stand today.

While we are starting to creep into late fall, the days are still plenty warm and the last of the autumn colors can make for a great time to go on a paddling excursion. Before too long, winter will be here and most of us will put away our kayaks and canoes until spring. If you've got the time, why not break out your boat for one last paddle this weekend. You may even find a national water trail near you.

The Crazy Kayaker is only a few weeks away from setting off on his "Mississippi Challenge 2007" which will see him kayaking the length of the Mississippi River. He'll embark on his 100 day journey in mid-May and hopes to be in New Orleans by the end of August.

CK is also known as Jacob van der Merwe and Jacob says that this adventure is a dream come true for him. The 2000 mile journey will begin in Minneapolis/St. Paul and continue to the mouth of the Mighty Mississippi in Louisiana. An epic journey to be sure.

You'll be able to follow all of his adventures in his blog and when it's all wrapped up, Jacob would like to write a book about the experience. Sounds like a great way to spend the Summer! :)

Thanks Backcountry Blog!

I've always wanted to take a trip like this one. CanoeKayak.com is reporting that Keirron Tastagh and paddling partner Jeff Norville will attempt to set a record by circumnavigating Vancouver in just 14 days.

The two will travel in a tandem kayak for the duration of the 700 mile journey. The previous record is 28 days, held by Leon Sommé, who completed the trip solo. Keirron and Jeff will meet and train together for the first time, just prior to embarking on their expedition. They hope to work out a good paddling rhythm before hand, and get to know one another, then head to Canada, get their passports stamped, and set off. If all goes according to plan, they'll get underway around mid-May.

The two will be paddling for a cause as well. They're traveling in a pink kayak in support of Breast Cancer Awareness and a mutual friend who contracted the disease. You can find out more about their cause, and donate by clicking here. Good luck!

Here's a cool article that I found over at CanoeKayak.com about exploring the caves of the Channel Islands via Kayak. The Channel Islands are located off the coast of California, and have become quite an interesting place to visit as their remoteness in regards to the mainland, has left them mostly untouched, giving rise to interesting plant an animal life and a glimpse into what the area once looked like.

The article notes that there are over 255 documented sea caves on Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands, two of the five islands that make up the Natational Park. It's also noted that there are many more still waiting to be found. I can't think of a better way to explore them then by kayak, and it looks like it would be an amazing paddle to be sure.

Once again, the pictures help tell the tale, as there are only a few shots, but they are very cool indeed. The description of the islands themselves are amazing as well. Anyone want to organize a trip to paddle the area? :)

The Bay of Fundy is a body of water found between the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. It features some wild, fast moving water for bay, while also offering some amazing close encounters with whales. A new short film entitled "Bay of Fundy Fun" highlights this amazing paddling destination, and the video below is a short taste of what you can expect from the full blown movie. It gives you a great idea of what the Bay of Fundy is all about.

Last year a team of paddlers kayaked the length of the Amazon River, source to sea, covering 4200+ miles (6760 km ) in the process. The expedition was called The Amazon Express and we followed it very closely here on the Adventure Blog as the paddlers made their way through some incredibly difficult and challenging areas on their way to making history. It was the first time that anyone had managed to kayak the entire length of the river before.

Now, the team is hoping to produce a documentary about their adventure and they've launched a Kickstarter campaign to help raise funds to do so. Unfortunately, I only just learned about their efforts in the past few days and since I've still been digging out from my travels over the weekend, I hadn't had a chance to post about this sooner. As I write this, there are only a few hours left on the clock for this to get kickstarted and they are well below the funding they were seeking. Perhaps they'll give it another go, but at the moment it looks like that barring a miracle of some kind, this documentary won't getting made. Still, the video below gives you an idea of what they have in mind. Hopefully they'll find the funding they need. I'd definitely like to see this film at some point and I can't be the only one.