Freya Hoffmeister - Jedi Master

Last night, the 2010 Spring Olympics Games opened in Vancouver with a lavish opening ceremony under perfect weather....what's that, you say? They're the Winter Games? In Vancouver?!? Who's bright idea was that? Vancouver doesn't have winter! You're joking, right?
Well, whatever happened Olympics-wise last night, we weren't watching as we were down at Ocean River Sports listening to Freya Hoffmeister's lecture and slide show about her recent 11 month-long 15,000km kayak trip around Australia, sponsored by the South Island Sea Kayaking Association.

Freya offered up a great slide slow and a fabulous talk. She talked about her preparations and her time alone on the water. She has gave detailed explanation of how one goes to the bathroom during a ten-day crossing -- all that was missing was a set of technical illustrations. Perhaps the best example of her character and determination was she explained why she called her expedition a "race around Australia." Clearly, she wasn't racing anyone. She explained that she called it a race because she was racing herself. She said that some people online were referring to her expedition as an "attempt" and whenever she read that she would respond, "It is not an attempt. I am doing this." There's a lot of will wrapped up in that black leather.
She talked about being harassed by crocs on land and flying fish on the water, and the shark attack that holed her kayak. We had a terrific time, and if she's coming to your area it would be well worth checking out this kayaking legend.

Freya still has a few more stops on her North Amercian West Coast speaking tour.