FOREWORD Book 4

by Sean Morley

 Freya’s first book, written by the late Joe Glickman about her circumnavigation of Australia was accurately titled ‘Fearless.’ It is an honest, if at times unflattering account of that record-breaking expedition. If I had to choose one word to describe Freya’s ongoing circumnavigation of North America, it would be “Relentless.” That, too, might seem unkind, and other synonyms come close but just don’t accurately describe the absolute determination, sacrifice, resourcefulness, and physical and mental fortitude it has taken for Freya to come halfway to closing the circle on her third continent.

I first met Freya at a Kokatat sales meeting at the Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City. Her reputation preceded her, and she was equally impressive and intimidating as she firmly shook my hand. I was delighted when she agreed to present at the Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium following her record-breaking circumnavigation of Australia. I was anxious that her remarkable story might get ‘lost in translation’ with an American audience struggling to understand her German accent. I needn’t have worried. She was captivating, not least because she wore a stunning, flowing white dress that was as audacious as unexpected since most sea kayakers would recognize her by the all-black, skin-tight paddling gear she had made her trademark.

My wife Gina graciously agreed to host Freya for the duration of the event, and being a firefighter and class five whitewater kayaker herself, is not easily impressed by other women. But the two of them got on really well, perhaps recognizing greatness in each other. Freya was very sweet with our kids, especially our daughter Shea, to whom she gave a signed poster that hangs proudly in our house. You see, whatever you may think of Freya’s approach to life and sea kayak expeditions, once you get to know her, you realize that she truly is a remarkable person.

I have traveled far enough by sea kayak to really know how challenging it is to journey for months at a time along wild and not-so-wild coastlines. Dealing with often harsh elements of weather, wind, and surf is only compounded by the threat posed by dangerous wildlife and unfriendly humans. The route planning, risk assessment and mitigation, logistics, and financial investment necessary to keep paddling on are mind-boggling. Freya seems to take it all in her stride, knocking out distances that an average recreational paddler can’t contemplate and even seasoned expedition paddlers find truly remarkable. As athletic endeavors, her expeditions are without equal and not just in the world of paddlesports. They have brought her many accolades, including the World Paddle Award ‘Sportswoman of the Year’ and National Geographic ‘Adventurer of the Year.’ With so much recognition already in what is a truly legendary paddling career, you might ask why she continues to suffer, to push herself and those she chooses to paddle with towards what must have felt so many times like an unachievable goal. I will not try to answer that question for her. But I suspect her reply would be characteristically matter-of-fact along the lines of ‘Because I can.’

We all tend to soften with age, which is true for Freya as well. Despite her apparent desire to finish what she has started, she somehow seems less competitive and more interested in describing the human interactions she experiences during her journey than the physical and mental demands she continues to overcome with astonishing ease. Freya’s writing has aged, too, like a fine wine, becoming richer, fuller, and with more interesting complexity.

Freya is, without a doubt, the most accomplished expedition sea kayaker the world has ever known and likely will ever know. Because she has chosen to share her journey around North America with us, even inviting paddlers to join her at the risk of slowing her down, she has enriched our knowledge of our continent’s coastline and the people who call it home. To read her blog posts and now her books is to get just a glimpse into the mindset of someone utterly relentless in pursuing her goals.

P.S. Freya: I still remember very well Sean's only words to introduce me to the crowd listening to my talk on South America at the Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium: "If you don't know Freya - I don't know what you're doing here!"