Fearless: One Woman, One Kayak, One Continent

9 February 2012Glicker: I have finished reading Fearless and think that Freya scored a double whammy: she unquestionably logged the most spectacular kayak trip by a woman, and also got a book about this "Dreamtime Voyage" that may well become something of a classic in this genre of adventure writing thanks to your paddle-scribe efforts. She did the paddling but you have done a masterful job of bringing her story alive in a way she could never have done. By coincidence I recently read Conrad Anker and David Robert's, The Lost Explorer: Finding Mallory on Mount Everest, which represents rather unusual reading for me as I seldom tackle such works as I am not a great fan of armchair mountaineering. But I did find this account, particularly Conrad Anker's contribution, quite gripping. Undoubtedly being familiar with the terrain he was describing played an important role in keeping my interest much more so than Robert's contribution, which was interesting enough, but more pedestrian biographical information. In contrast Anker inserts himself into the story and the debate over whether Mallory and Irvine made it to the top by trying to free climb the crux ladder section on the Second Step. You have done something similar with Freya's adventure by using your paddle experiences in Oz and elsewhere to help put her achievement in perspective.I also thought the contribution of the arm chair experts like Epic Kayak's Oscar Chalupsky and others, who sounded off about what would happen to her/what she should do and not do, added to the saltiness of the tale. The "Race around Australia" was unique in that with modern satellite technology a host of wannabes could participate almost in real time from the comfort and safety of their computer keyboards. There was no faking and room for nebulous claims like Cesare Maestri's supposed ascent of the then unclimbed Cerro Torre in 1959. Her Dreamtime Voyage was almost a real-time voyage for a world-wide fan base full of opinions and suggestions many of which, not surprisingly, were often pretty of-the-wall.In all such dangerous adventures the question of motivation inevitably comes to the fore. Mallory's "because it's there" has become the gold standard for explaining what in essence really has no rational explanation. You obviously battle with this in Freya's case and come to no satisfying conclusion in the face of her seeming lack of humility and her nonchalant certitude that she would succeed where so many others had failed. Yet from my own experience with adventure (if I may insert myself!) and contact with super-driven mountaineers, like Anatoly Boukreev and Charlie Fowler (both of whom were swept away in avalanches), I can recognize what you describe as Freya's seeming lack of introspection as an important asset in the face of dealing with Russian roulette-like challenges. You cannot really afford to dwell on the dangers even to the point of policing your dreams to make sure that you don't have nightmares, in the case of mountaineering, about death falls, breaking ropes or being swept away in avalanches. Allowing these terrors into your subconscious is like allowing thieves to break and enter. They will steal your most precious asset: your resolve.On my first climbing trip in Pakistan we had an expedition member who did break this rule and told us that before coming on the trip he had had a dream about his falling on the climb. We were aghast to hear him publicly confess this fear and not surprisingly the "wish (or fear!) was father to the thought." He was the only one who did fall. Luckily for him he did so on to solid fixed line and lived to tell the tale. This was considerable luck on his part as most of the fixed line on the mountain was more like old wool than nylon rope and would have popped with little more than a gentle tug.I can't imagine Freya did much dreaming like this. From your descriptions she seems to have been able to switch off at night like a light bulb even when there were croc slides not far from her tent. I doubt she dreamt about being attacked by monstrous salties, hunted by ravenous great whites, chased by buffalos, bitten by venomous sea snakes or even capsizing in tempestuous seas. Judging from her infatuation with phallic symbols, nude paddling and hunger for boyfriends her dreams were more likely of the wet variety. That's okay. They obviously take your mind of the journey's terrors and focus your thoughts safely in the libido.To me Freya's attitude to publicity was every bit as mysterious as her motivation. She obviously wanted a large fan club of admirers (males!) and clearly went out of her way to make sure she never faltered when it came to posting updates, along with all kinds of revealing pictures, on her trip blog. Yet when she had the opportunity to get big time news coverage rather than cozying up to the media she was as skittish as a new born foal. Her passage through the Sydney area, where the Epic kayak reps tried to have her meet the press, was perhaps the most revealing indication of this enigmatic behavior. As a result it was not surprising that even though she shattered the glass ceiling with a Krakatoa-like explosion, she never really got the kind of media attention this could have attracted. Shortly after she completed her Oz circumnavigation a British woman paddled down the Amazon, a journey less than a quarter the length of Freya's and lasting only six weeks. Yet, she was big news on the BBC which claimed she had broken all kinds of paddling records for women. As far as I know Freya never made it on to the BBC. She made two North American tours after her circumnavigation but they were beneath the big time media's radar. She never ended up on the Oprah Winfrey Show where one would have imagined she would have been a major draw. Partly the lack of public understanding of what her feat entailed explains this lacuna, but her own low-keyed approach to her accomplishment must have played a role as well. Actually, in this day and age of media hype I find this attitude far more attractive than the insatiable need to be a media star that motivates so many big-time performers. I prefer the more reflective approach to appreciating a major adventure that can be captured in a book than some prime-time blurb-of- an-interview with a media personality with an ego on steroids.Your book has wet my curiosity to see what other such accounts are like. Paul Caffyn's Dreamtime Voyage, is a bit too steep in price for my budget, but perhaps, like Freya, I will be able to lift one from him when I am in New Zealand? Perhaps, too optimistic, but it will inspire me to become an expert in second hand bookstores in Kiwiland while I am there. However, Eric Stiller's Keep Australia on Your Left is an easy find. It is currently selling for $2.81 on Amazon.com. The price is right and the book has mixed reviews on Amazon.com which should make for a critical read. One reviewer was put off by the author's "endless complaints" and "whining" unlike Freya, who only complained when things were too easy and "boring." Perhaps there are other paddle accounts I will get around to reading, but I have no desire to become either an armchair mountaineer or dry land kayaker.Roger Gocking

Review: It is easy to admire Freya Hoffmeister. It is much more difficult to like her, or relate to her as a human being. Freya puts on a cloak of superhuman invincibility that is hard for mere mortals to penetrate. She is a super athlete, which by itself sets her apart from most of us.As a child, she excelled as a gymnast. As a young woman she won beauty contests and competed as a bodybuilder. Then she became an accomplished skydiver until she had a child. She gave up the danger of jumping out of airplanes for the more sedate sport of sea kayaking. But not content to simply paddle with the rest of us, Freya became a rolling expert, and in just three years was teaching, winning titles and giving demonstrations alongside the legendary Dubside.Speaking as a uncoordinated, somewhat clumsy guy, I find this easy to admire but hard to relate to. By itself, Freya's seemingly endless physical talent and the ease with which she conquers any sport she takes up could still make her a sympathetic figure if she showed any sense of struggle or fear in addressing the things she achieved. But she does not. Freya never acknowledges fear or struggle or heart ache. Again, admirable but hard to relate to.Not content with becoming a master of sea kayaking's most abstract skills, Freya's restless spirit cast about for new challenges to master. She settled on long distance sea kayaking trips, challenging herself to complete them faster than anyone had done them before. Her list of accomplishments in this area led her to the subject of this book, the solo, unsupported circumnavigation of Australia. It had only been done once before and that trip was supported. It almost killed the legendary Paul Caffyn in the attempt. Everyone told Freya she was crazy, that she would die in her attempt. But with her usual high level of self-confidence, she forged ahead. Among other things, Freya is a master of planning and detail. And this, combined with luck, her athletic ability and incredible self-confidence seems to have won that day.Joe Glickman seems to have had many of these same feelings as he wrote this story, drawing details from Freya's journals, web posting, conversations and interviews. It is clear he admires her as he describes the many difficulties she addressed with little or no indication of distress. It is also clear that he just can't figure her out. He can't get a grip on her humanity. This makes for a quirky book in my opinion. There is this love-hate relationship, written by an admiring skeptic about his subject. In the end, we never really get to know Freya Hoffmeister beyond the single dimension she will show us. Does she miss the child she left behind for a year to make her voyage? When she's caught out alone in terrible storms, is she afraid? When her love relationship breaks up does she hurt? We'll never really know because Freya keeps these things to herself. I see and can relate to the personal and physical struggles of Cheryl Strayed (Wild) and Warren Richey (Without a Paddle) because they shared them with me and because on some level I have experienced similar situations and feelings too. Perhaps Freya isn't ever afraid. Perhaps she has a self-confidence born of experience. Perhaps she believes in her ability to overcome all physical obstacles. And perhaps she is not sentimental about the loss of relationships. Perhaps she is the person she shows us. Perhaps. But I still do not like her much and cannot relate to the life she shows us.

This book had the potential to be one of the all time great adventures as well as an amazing insight into the mindset and the whole logistics of such an awe inspiring adventure. However, apart from the obvious respect for Freya,,you are left feeling that the book was written by an author who at times is somewhat jealous of her abilities, relationships and downright fearlessness and this definitely comes across. He also seems to litter the text with “when I was paddling/cycling across...” - this book is not about him which becomes an annoying distraction. This could have been an epic, instead it’s a “could have been”. Freya’s self authored book on South America is much better.

what an inspirational read, this woman is incredible as a beginner at kayaking this book is a must read, you can follow her latest trip on line, and look up on you tube her demo's and motivation talks this is a must read book! :)

This was a story worth written. Unfortunately, during her voyage, Freya Hoffmeister seems to be very reluctant to tell about any setbacks regardless of how severe they might have been. This might be because she's so determined that she will paddle around Australia (even faster than Paul Caffyn) and not just try it out. However, Joe Glickman makes this a true story by adding background information on Freya, the conditions, and history.

Like her or hate her its still a good read. She must be mad or just completely without fear. Many have tried, few have succeeded, and quite a few have died. It's just a matter of time I feel….

Good read. Freya does appear to be a bit of a Goddess in that she has accomplished things that us mortals will only ever read about.