In the fourth volume of her monumental North American circumnavigation, Freya Hoffmeister faces the most extreme geographical and climatic contrasts of the continent to date. The journey resumes in the freezing Arctic waters of Alaska, where Freya is joined by Peter Unold and later Traci Lynn Martin. Starting in Wainwright amidst traditional Inuit whaling festivals, they confront grueling land-fast ice belts, unpredictable weather, and the physical reality of portaging kayaks across soft, soaking tundra when ice shelves block the ocean path.

Reaching Barrow, the physical demands of dragging heavy kayaks over ice prove too much for Traci’s severe arthritis, forcing a heartbreaking early departure. Partnering next with the resilient Icelandic paddler Lilja Nikolausdottir, Freya tackles the bleak, muddy coastlines toward Kaktovik. Together, they endure snow slush, freezing rain, and blinding fog as they navigate the surreal, industrialized waters of the Prudhoe Bay oil fields, where massive drilling infrastructure clashes with wild herds of caribou.
The expedition's intensity peaks when David Yanowski takes over for the final Arctic push into Canada. The pristine wilderness delivers a terrifying nocturnal encounter: a curious polar bear thrusts its head directly into their tent, forcing a half-asleep Freya to defend their lives with warning shots from a pump-action shotgun. Their eventual arrival in Tuktoyaktuk brings relief but also unexpected bureaucratic friction, culminating in a hefty fine for accidentally camping in a protected Canadian National Park.

Trading the Arctic freeze for suffocating tropical heat, Freya shifts to the southern leg for a grueling solo journey from Puerto Sandino, Nicaragua, through Costa Rica, and into Panama. Left entirely to her own devices, she endures severe physical punishment, from excruciating muscle cramps and relentless insect swarms to perilous, boat-crushing surf landings on steep, unprotected beaches. The psychological toll of solo expedition paddling reaches new heights on this Central American stretch. Freya navigates pitch-black, storm-tossed night crossings illuminated only by bioluminescence beneath her hull, finding strange comfort in the glowing water while the coastal breakers make landing impossible.

She faces deeply frustrating clashes with local authorities—including a tense night in Quepos, where careless marina guards direct her to camp in a chaotic public area frequented by intoxicated locals and noisy street parties. She also documents the logistical reality of needing mandatory naval escorts in Nicaragua, finding herself being guarded by military gunboats that do not understand the delicate nature of a sea kayak in rough surf.

The narrative then pivots back to the freezing north for its final, definitive push into the Canadian Arctic. Freya teams up with a new paddling partner, Jimmy Harvey, for a challenging and emotionally strained stretch from Tuktoyaktuk to Kugluktuk. Navigating through rough, lumpy seas, dense rain clouds, and complex island crossings, the technical demands of the Arctic water test the team's coordination. This demanding section highlights the immense friction that can arise when balancing personal expedition routines and differing pacing styles in such unforgiving territory.

Relieved to be alone again, Freya undertakes a triumphant solo paddle from Kugluktuk to Cambridge Bay. Braving heavy rain, sudden snow-slush showers, and drop-dead freezing temperatures that push her hands and feet to the verge of becoming completely unusable, she navigates the open water and rocky shorelines entirely on her own terms. Finding focus and solace in her audiobooks as she winds past remote cabins and yellow tundra hills, Freya successfully closes out this leg of her journey at Victoria Island, celebrating the quiet triumph of the trail.