Over 100 people turned up to hear Freya Hoffmeister give a talk on her sea kayak circumnavigation of Australia on 10th September, kindly organised by Terry Boland. Freya holds the record for circumnavigation of Iceland and the south Island of New Zealand by sea kayak, both journeys completed in 2007. In 2009 she is on track to match the time of previous Australian record holder, Paul Caffyn (1982 circumnavigation in 360 days) and depending on fair weather through the Great Australian Bight may become the second person to complete this journey and the new recorder holder when she returns to Victoria. In order to take the record Freya will need to arrive in Melbourne before 12th January 2010. She paddles on average 60km a day, check her website for more information http://qajaqunderground.com/australia-2008/race-around-australia-trip-report/ amazingly she manages to keep this up to date from her tent of a night. You can view her latest trip reports and add comments of your own to spur her along.
It was inspirational to hear her tales of crocodile eyes in the night, an 8 day journey alone at sea across the top of the Gulf of Carpentaria, to see the shark teeth marks in the stern of her kayak and the 12m swells she has paddled her 60kg epic sea kayak through. Swan Canoe Club were very pleased to make a modest donation to help Freya in her quest and the incredible job she is doing to promote paddling in the public eye.
Go Freya, we are all behind you!