World class expedition kayaker Freya Hoffmeister is searching for two paddling partners to join her on the adventure of a lifetime this summer. For a month between May and September of 2025 you could join one of the greatest kayak expeditions of all time— have you got what it takes?
As part of her North American continent circumnavigation, Hoffmeister will be paddling from New York to Labrador summer 2025 and is seeking companions for the journey.
Here’s what it takes to join a world class kayak expedition
Requirements include intermediate to advanced paddling skills, ability to paddle about 25-30 miles (40-50km) per day (25-31 miles) , willingness to paddle one of Hoffmeister’s Freya kayaks, ability to maintain a pace of five to six kilometers per hour, and ability to pee afloat according to Hoffmeister’s post on Facebook.
Additional requirements include “no grumpy faces”, occasionally paddling to music and singing, cooking your own meals as well as a small contribution to kayak transport logistics. Hoffmeister will handle the navigation, trip planning and written documentation of the journey.
Overall, Hoffmeister is looking for what anyone would want in an expedition teammate— someone with skills that match the route, with a positive attitude and willingness to work through discomfort, and a participatory team member rather than someone looking for a camp chef and guide.
While there were no obvious takers in the comments, the most common question on the Facebook posting was “how exactly does one pee while afloat?”
Answers ranged from pee funnels to simply peeing in your boat; from urine bottles to catheter solutions.
There’s no magic answer to how to pee from your sea kayak, but another expedition kayaker, Justine Curgenven, offers a few suggestions: pee on a sponge, use a funnel into a bottle, or raft up with a friend and pee between the two kayaks.
Circumnavigating North America
Freya Hoffmeister is no stranger to long expeditions—in fact, she is perhaps the most accomplished expedition sea kayaker in recorded history. Hoffmeister has circumnavigated Iceland, Australia, South America, and Ireland. While currently on the search for paddling teammates, in the past Hoffmeister has tackled a large portion of these expeditions solo and unsupported.
This most upcoming trip is just a small piece of her current mission: a circumnavigation of the North American continent. This 30,000-mile route will likely take 10-12 years in total to complete and began in March of 2017. Hoffmeister’s approach has been to tackle the north loop of the continent in the warmer half of the year, and the south loop of the continent in the cooler months.
With a pause in March 2020 during the onset of the coronavirus crisis, Hoffmeister’s journey is now back on track.
Currently, Hoffmeister has completed the western coast of the continent as well as a large portion of the Canadian Arctic. Future plans include expedition kayaking New York to Labrador summer 2025 and continuing where Hoffmeister left off at Ciudad del Carmen Mexico on the south loop in November 2024.
Hoffmeister advises paddlers looking to dive into the realm of big paddling expeditions to start small, paddle near home, and choose good paddling partners.
Wanted: Paddling partner, no whiners allowed
This isn’t the first time calls for expedition teammates have been made through Facebook— in November 2022, endurance paddler West Hansen shared “Teammates wanted for Northwest Passage kayak expedition: Must be able to sea kayak in very cold, turbulent waters for 12 to 20 hours at a stretch… Expedition will potentially take 4+ months… While venting is accommodated, whining won’t be tolerated. No pooping inside the tent, regardless of the weather.”
Much like Hoffmeister, skills on the water, positive attitude, and ability to handle your own bodily functions ranked as desirable expedition mate qualities.
The result of Hansen’s post? The formation of The Arctic Cowboys and the first recorded successful 1500-mile human-powered expedition through the Northwest Passage in a single season.
From local paddling friends to long-haul expedition teammates, it might be time to take to Facebook to find your dream paddling team.
Freya Hoffmeister circumnavigates South America. Feature photo: DW News | YouTube
