In the second volume of her unprecedented continental circumnavigation, Freya Hoffmeister details the relentless progression of her journey from October 2018 to August 2020. This leg brings jarring transitions between the scorching shores of Baja California and freezing Alaskan mudflats. Embracing her personal motto, "Never Stop Starting – Never Start Stopping," Freya demonstrates the adaptability required to seamlessly shift between such extreme environments. Her matter-of-fact prose strips away the romanticized veneer of adventure travel, focusing instead on the intense daily discipline required to survive and make steady progress.

The southern route begins in California, where Freya and partner Jaime Sharp navigate the restricted Vandenberg military zone and the rugged Channel Islands. They endure punishing surf launches off steep gravel beaches, requiring calculated timing to avoid heavy dumpers. Landing loaded expedition kayaks on sheer concrete docks tests their physical limits, forcing them to hoist gear up ladders while bobbing in ocean swells. Yet, pristine wildlife—including massive elephant seal colonies and echoing sea caves—provides moments of profound natural beauty.

Crossing the border into Mexico alongside Lisa Eick, the expedition settles into the hot stretches of the Baja peninsula. Freya meticulously documents the daily grind of securing fresh water in arid climates, rationing supplies, and managing unrelenting heat. The narrative highlights the cultural shift from highly regulated Southern California to the welcoming hospitality of Mexican fishing villages.

The narrative takes a deeply personal turn when Fylkir Sævarsson, an Icelandic athlete and her new romantic partner, joins. Together, they tackle the desolate, windswept Mexican coast from Bahia Tortugas to La Ventana. They navigate massive Pacific swells, execute precise surf landings on barren beaches, and share the quiet triumphs of camp life, including discovering rare Japanese glass fishing floats hidden in the dunes. The partnership thrives in the warmth of Latin America, but the true test of their dynamic awaits in the high Arctic.

Transitioning back to Alaska, Freya and Fylkir launch from Naknek into a harsh, unforgiving landscape. They must navigate the treacherous, shallow mudflats of the Yukon River Delta. Freya’s pragmatic approach to tidal navigation clashes with Fylkir’s growing discomfort. The threat of stranding in bottomless mud, insect swarms, and the weight of potential grizzly encounters erode his confidence. Freya provides a transparent, unvarnished account of this mental breakdown. Ultimately, the harsh realities of the Alaskan bush prove too much, leading to his departure in Hooper Bay and the painful dissolution of their relationship.

Resuming her journey entirely alone, Freya demonstrates unparalleled self-reliance. She pushes solo through the shifting channels of the Yukon Delta, expertly reading currents and relying on her GPS to avoid exhausting dead ends. The profound isolation of the Arctic is palpable as she unearths ancient walrus tusks from decaying carcasses, navigates blinding fog banks, and observes musk oxen roaming the tundra. Ross Elder later joins her for the demanding stretch from Nome to Wales, bringing a renewed sense of teamwork to the icy Bering Sea.

The volume then shifts back to the warmth of Baja California, where partnerships with Elizabeth Purdon and Marg Rees carry the expedition through the vibrant, marine-rich waters of the Sea of Cortez, concluding at Topolobampo.

When the global pandemic suddenly halts her North American progress in 2020, suspending her itinerary, Freya embodies her philosophy. She concludes the book with a bonus chapter detailing a stunning substitute circumnavigation of Norway’s Lofoten Islands alongside Markus Ziebell, proving her unyielding drive to keep paddling against all odds.