When you hear about upcoming kayaking expeditions, the purpose of the trips as stated by those undertaking them—along with the standard entourage of bloggers and benefactors—typically fits into one of three universal motivations.
First up are the I’m-Doing-This-For-A-Good-Cause-People. IDTFAGCPs are paddling philanthropists, raising money, aware- ness or both in the name of making the world in which we paddle a better place. Causes that have benefited from the IDTFAGCP’s admirable activism have included children’s aid, the Red Cross, Arctic climate change and multifarious environmental, social, medical and educational organizations.
Those who fall into the next two categories are generally more self-serving. These are the I’m-Doing-This-To-Be-First-People and I’m-Doing-This-To-Be-Faster-Than-The-Last-Guy-People. Sometimes, however, IDTFAGCPs and IDTTBFPs or IDTTBFTTLGPs are found to be one in the same.
It shouldn’t be surprising that the lines defining expedition motives often blur together. After all, why can’t one be first or fast as well as philanthropic? I sincerely believe that most sea kayakers truly do want to make our watery world a better place. Besides, sponsors love first and fast and most causes require money as well as good intentions.
Every now and then, however, some paddlers will announce that their expedition to Shangri- La, Hades-on-Earth or a backyard coast is, well, for them. With frank sincerity, the I’m-Doing-This-Just-For-Me-People admit that the best reason they could come up with to go on trip is simply that they wanted to. I get where IDTJFMPs are coming from—I’ve been one myself.
“The I’m-Doing-This-Just-For-Me-People admit that the best reason they could come up with to go on trip is simply that they wanted to.”
Last summer, when I launched myself on a two-month, largely solo expedition through lakes Superior and Huron, it wasn’t to be first or fastest. The trip had been done many times before (ever heard of the voyageurs?) and I had no interest in being the fastest. Even if I shared their motivations, I could never match the IDTTBFTTLGP’s freakish appetites for masochistic training regimes and 50-mile days.
And it’s not that I don’t believe in helping out a good cause. I do, and I do. It’s just that I already had a good reason for going: I wanted to. Rather than writing appeals and bartering sponsorships for blog content, I called in favors from friends and saved paychecks. Outside obligation would only cramp my style: self-indulgent and carefree.
As we stroke into another tripping season, a slew of new expeditions are hitting the water. Most share the usual triad of motivations, but one stands out for its candid self-indulgence.
This summer, Leon Sommé and Shawna Franklin will depart on the “anti-expedition”— a laid-back, six-week paddle around Vancouver Island. Inspired to slow down by the increasingly speedy circumnavigations of the island (16 days, 12 hours at last count), Sommé jokes, “We want to set the record for slowest circumnavigation.” No o-blog-ations, no 50-mile days—unless they want to.
Now that’s something every IDTJFMP can celebrate.
This article first appeared in the Early Summer 2011 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. For more great content, subscribe to Adventure Kayak’s print and digital editions here.
