Many people travel from New York City to Mexico each day, but it’s pretty certain none are travelling by canoe.
Pat Daley is a little more than one month into a canoeing expedition from New York City to Mexico. Starting in mid-August, Daley departed Manhattan for this estimated ten-month trip. The route totals 2,600 miles and follows the Intracoastal Waterway, ending at the Texas/Mexico border.
In the summer of 2015 Daley quit his job, sold his possessions and hitchhiked across the USA. He filmed each day of his trip and posted the videos online. That prior experience is influencing the current episodes Daley is creating for this expedition.
Speaking to Canoeroots from the water in Chesapeake Bay, Daley says that the biggest logistical challenge has been acquiring all the items he needed to make the trip happen. Finding a canoe sponsor was difficult, until Golden Hawk Canoes provided him with one of their boats. Finding Internet access and locations to charge his devices has been another tricky day-to-day challenge.
He has also experienced unlikely surprises. One day in Maryland he woke up from his camping spot to police. To his surprise, they bought him breakfast, a hotel room and invited him to a big dinner with other officers.
Daley has been travelling for the last year and a half and feels his social and outgoing nature makes him well-suited for this kind of trip. He is good at being alone but welcomes the interactions and new people this kind of trip brings.
You can follow Daley’s expedition on his website, watch his Youtube videos and check out his Instagram.
