Paul Caffyn 

                                                                                    

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When Eric Stiller of Manhattan Kayak Co. introduced me to sea kayaking on an overcast and breezy day in October 2003, as the sole client in his "Paddle Basics 1" class, my life suddenly changed.

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Since that October day, I have visited countries, islands, and coastlines with my three-piece kayak that I would have never considered before. Partly, this is because getting around these places without a kayak would not be possible, such as the 1,000-mile-long Patagonian archipelago between Puerto Montt and Cape Horn. But mainly, it's because the acticity of kayaking itself both motivated and enabled me to travel the world in a way that was previously unknown to me.

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By paddling along foreign coasts, I experienced not only impressive vistas and wildlife but also the hospitality of people in some of the world's most remote places. I was invited to sit at the kitchen tables of farmers, military personnel, and fishermen—people I would have never met otherwise. Sometimes, they were the first people I spoke to in weeks. All insisted, despite my fierce protests, that I was not a tourist but an explorer, an athlete, or something else. I was welcomed into their homes and offered meals, a bed, and stories of their lives on the edge of the world.

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Kayaking inspired me to learn more about the natural phenomenas I now experienced firsthand, especially waves, currents, and weather systems. As a consequence, I enrolled at Bangor University to obtain a Master’s in Oceanography - my biggest academic achievement by far.

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I am immensely grateful to the sport of sea kayaking, to Nigel Dennis and Eric Stiller for their support, and to all the open-minded and selfless people I met along the way.

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The kayak is my passport.

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Marcus Demuth

August 2024  

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(Paul Caffyn is an expedition sea-kayaker, best known for this ground breaking circumnavigations of Australia, the UK, New Zealand)