A Thousand Miles in the Rob Roy Canoe recounts the travels of John MacGregor in a "decked" canoe, known now as a kayak, on the lakes and rivers of Europe in 1865. The book outlines the joys and difficulties of this pioneering paddler from his first "shakedown" cruise down the Thames and on the edge of the English Channel to his final triumphal paddle up the Seine into Paris. As MacGregor was making the trip in 1865, his voyages became an international event that was cataloged in newspapers as far away as the United States. "Canoe spotting" became a popular pastime in Europe as MacGregor made his way as whimsy dictated down some of the most well known waterways in the world. His observations recall a fascination with the glorious days of life that many find missing in the rush of our modern world. His prose is easy to read, much more modern in pace than his Victorian contemporaries. Altogether, this book is a wonderful read for the armchair traveler.

Of all the travels of an adventurous age, none have been more quirky and colorful than this Victorian traverse of the Middle East by canoe. Transported to the Suez Canal by steamer, the Rob Roy - an oak and cedar one-man kayak canoe - slipped into the water at Port Said and began a six-month voyage from Egypt to the Bay of Acre, a trip brimming with incident and hazards recounted with relish by the intrepid paddler. Stalked by jackals, shadowed by bandits, and attacked by crocodiles, MacGregor battles on to be rewarded with the adventure of a lifetime. This is the Middle East seen from a truly unique perspective - airy minarets, colorful markets and Pashas' palaces give way to solitary marshes full of strange fishes and reed-lined rivers teeming with bird and animal life seen at close range. The scene again changes to eerie stretches dominated by deserted temples and ruins. Crossing deserts by horseback or steam train when no channel can be found, MacGregor follows great rivers to their sources, explores remote shores, and mixes happily with the many peoples he meets along the way, captured here in all their rich diversity. This is as much a portrait of the way life can be lived as it is of a landscape. It is also a remarkable naturalist's account and a true-life epic worthy of Jules Verne. Illustrated with charming line drawings and practical notes on the design of the canoe, its provisioning, and the clothes and food necessary for the journey, this is a book that cries out not only to be read but also to be followed.

Don Starkell has a thing about paddling. In 1980, he won a place in the Guinness Book of World Records by paddling a canoe 12,000 miles from Winnipeg, Canada, to the mouth of the Amazon in Belém, Brazil. Ten years later, he decided instead to head north across the top of the world; this time he took a kayak. Paddle to the Arctic is the account of his journey, presented in diary form and illustrated with 24 pages of photographs and 12 maps. Starkell's window of opportunity was small; he had only the months between June and September to cover the 3,000 miles from Churchill to Tuktoyaktuk before the winter freeze set in. In all, he made three attempts before finally reaching his goal. The challenges were extreme: terrible storms, ice, capsizes, even polar bears. At times, he was forced to drag his kayak over impassable ice flows; at others, he nearly died from starvation. In the end, however, he achieved what seemed impossible: conquering the Northwest Passage in an Inuit kayak, a feat never before accomplished. Paddle to the Arctic is a hair-raising chronicle of one man's epic quest and eventual triumph

The true story of a father and son's epic two-year canoe trip from Winnipeg to the Amazon. In 1980, Don Starkell and his son left for the open sea and paddled nearly 20 million strokes while living through hurricanes, food poisoning, and near starvation. This diary, written on beaches and in the canoe, contains passages that are charming and compelling--a story that readers will never forget.

into the Great Solitude ...

The author provides an engaging and captivating description of this courageous undertaking in a journal format. This format serves the book and pace of the adventure well. The poetic language used to describe characters, places and events is excellent and c onjures memories that parallel my own experiences along the British Columbia coast. The author has done an excellent job of capturing the flow, feeling and character of this region. This is not a Fodor's on kayaking the Inside Passage but rather an adventure of the soul and mind, at water level, along one of the most rustic, beautiful and inhospitable coastlines in America.

In one actionpacked year, Ian and Sally Wilson travelled 3,500 kilometres by canoe and dog team across Canada's vast Arctic. They also lived with an Inuit family and learned how to build igloos and run a team of seven boisterous huskies. In this book, the authors share their Arctic adventures, including the thrill of having 15,000 caribou tramp past their tent and the suspense of camping on shifting ice.

Chronicles the author's midlife spiritual journey, during which she spent sixty-five days kayaking around Lake Superior-- the first woman to perform such a feat--while facing dangerous elements and reassessing her life.

The challenge? Paddle a kayak around Australia. As Eric Stiller and Tony Brown would discover, the attempt would be a fascinating, frustrating, maddening, and at times hilarious crawl around what many consider the most beautiful but treacherous coastline in the world. Swamped by high waves and rain, hampered by faulty technology, blown off course, baked by a broiling sun or chilled by sub-zero temperatures, battling loneliness and exhaustion--and sometimes each other--it would be the most demanding emotional and physical challenge either had ever attempted. In short, it was the adventure of a lifetime! Keep Australia on Your Left is a story of friendship forged--and sustained--under demanding circumstances. It is also the personal portrait of Eric Stiller's journey around a continent...and into himself..

more books by Jonathan Waterman

Beginning and ending in Dublin, Duff paddled 1,200 miles over the course of three months. Sometimes he piloted his frail craft through waters too tumultuous even for hardy local fisherman; other times he sought refuge in sixth-century monastic ruins on coastal islands or waited out storms for days on end in his tent.