Video: Exploring Africa in a Kayak

This video is the first in a new series from the U.S. National Whitewater Center which will focus on the very human need to explore the world around us and uncover the unknown. In this first chapter professional paddlers Cooper Lambla and Tyler Allen travel to Africa to paddle some of the wild rivers there. There journey took them across Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, producing this wonderful six-minute clip of the adventure. It is a whitewater excursion like no other, in places where much of the landscape remains largely untamed and unexplored.  

EXPLORE. Chapter One from USNWC on Vimeo.

Video: Paddling Ingram Creek in Alaska

Over the past two summers, pro-kayakers Todd and Brendan Wells, along with Matt Peters, have turned Ingram Creek in Alaska into their own personal playground. As you'll see from this video, this river, which runs through the spectacular Kenai Peninsula, has a little of everything to offer paddlers, including some excellent whitewater and a 35-foot waterfall for that extra rush of adrenaline. This is three minutes of pure paddling bliss that I'm sure you'll enjoy.

The Best of Ingram Creek from Mountain Mind Collective on Vimeo.

Video: Kayaking the Stikine River with Rafa Ortiz

Canada's Stikine River is sometimes called the "Everest of Kayaking." Remote, wild, and difficult, it is often seen as the ultimate whitewater destination. In the video below we travel to that amazing river with pro-paddlers Rafa Ortiz and Isaac Levinson as they take on the Class V rapids that the Stikine is so famous for over a multi-day expedition through a very remote region of British Columbia.

Freya Hoffmeister Reaches Rio in South American Circumnavigation Kayak Expedition

It has been far too long since we last checked in on the progress of Freya Hoffmeister, the German paddler who has spent the better part of the past four years kayaking around South America. A few days ago Freya reached a major milestone on her quest to circle her second continent when she reached Rio De Janeiro in Brazil. She is now ready to start the final leg of the journey, which will return her to her starting point in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

Freya reached Rio on February 8 and has already returned to the water as she continues her slow, methodical march towards the finish line. So far she has spent 775 days on this expedition, of which roughly 550 have been spent out on the water. To date she has covered approximately 24,400 km (15,160 miles), averaging roughly 45 km (28 miles) per day. It has of course been grueling at times, with plenty of unique challenges, but the latest leg of the journey has seen improved conditions. She now finds herself with beautiful beaches to camp on most nights, and the heat and humidity has dropped in recent days as well. 

You may recall that Freya became the first woman to kayak around Australia a few years back, completing that expedition in record time no less. She was able to complete that voyage in 322 days, of which 245 were spent paddling. That journey included a 575 km (371 mile) open water crossing across the Gulf of Carpentaria that managed to shave days and kilometers off of her time. The only other person to have completed a circumnavigation of Australia is New Zealander Paul Caffyn, who did it 361 days.

After wrapping up that impressive expedition, Freya took some time off before deciding what she wanted to do next. She didn't stay at home for too long however, and in August of 2011 she set out on her attempt to circumnavigate South America. The journey first took her south along the Atlantic Coast, where she eventually rounded the treacherous Cape Horn. From there, she passed into the Pacific and turned north, eventually passing through the Panama Canal. She has since been making her way back along the Atlantic side of the continent as she pushes towards Buenos Aires once again.

At this point, she is approximately 2300 km (1430 miles) from the finish line. If she maintains her average speed, she should return to her starting point in early April. We will of course keep an eye on her progress as she nears the end of what is turning out to be yet another impressive padding expedition. 

Video: Altai - The Road and the River

This past summer, expedition kayaker Chris Korbulic traveled to the Altai Mountains of Russia to explore the wilderness and paddle the rivers found there. This short film shares that adventure with us, delivering some amazing images from that remote place, mixed with some impressive paddling on rivers that are seldom seen by outsider. Chris and his team discovered some epic whitewater along the way, with massive waterfalls, narrow canyons, and some truly wild destinations. This is a truly great piece of filmmaking with some breathtaking shots on and off the water.

Altai - The Road and the River from chris korbulic on Vimeo.

Video: Kayaker Drops 35 Meters Over Keyhole Falls

Professional Kayaker Aniol Serrasolses recently traveled to British Columbia, Canada to paddle the amazing looking Keyhole Falls. His hope was to drop this legendary waterway, which features an approach down a narrow canyon, and whitewater that gushes over the falls at more than 3000-cubic meters per minute. The video below captures that 35 meter (114 foot) drop in stunning fashion and from multiple perspectives, including from within the cockpit. Not for the faint of heart, this one will certainly get your heart pumping.

Video: Mexico Kayaking Vacation

The best way to describe this video is five minutes of pure kayaking porn. It was shot by paddler/filmmaker Ryan McAvoy and friends on a recent trip to Mexico, where they discovered some amazing whitewater. The short film shows the group paddling through narrow canyons, dropping waterfalls, and generally having a great time on some impressive looking rivers. It looks like they had a lot of fun along the way.

My Mexican Vacation from Ryan McAvoy on Vimeo.

Video: Journey to the Stikine and the Sacred Headwaters

The Stikine River of British Columbia is considered one of the best whitewater destinations on the entire planet. This short film takes us to that amazing place with a group of kayakers who are looking to explore that remote and beautiful destination. But the Stikine is under threat from developers who want to dam the river or mine the landscapes that surround it. The documentary not only shows us how amazing the Stikine is, but also how endangered it is as well.

Journey to the Stikine and the Sacred Headwaters from Mountain Mind Collective on Vimeo.

Video: GoPro Cam Catches 70-Foot Drop Over Outlet Falls

Ever wondered what it feels like to go over a 70-foot waterfall? If you're a sane person, the answer to that question is no! But, just in case, we have this video to help us experience that feat from the safety of our homes. It features pro kayaker Rush Sturges as he drops over Outlet Falls in in Washington state. At the time the clip was shot, it appears that the river was swelling with the spring melt off, and the water is rushing at a fast pace. Paddling a freezing river over a big waterfall isn't my idea of fun, but I'm glad Sturges had his GoPro along for the ride.