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Only 19,357 kilometres to go.


[ News ] I


n 1980, Don Starkell and his son Dana em- barked on what became the longest—and


in another sense the largest—canoeing ad- venture ever. Te two started from home in Winnipeg and finished in Belem, Brazil, a world-record-setting 19,603 kilometres later. Don’s book about the journey, Paddle to


the Amazon, became an instant classic in paddling circles thanks to its tales of pirate attacks, near starvation, accusations of es- pionage and threats of execution. Despite this, Starkell has remained largely


out of the pantheon of better-known adven- turers like Steve Fossett, Sir Edmund Hilary and Colin Angus. Starkell might soon be getting more wide-


spread credit, thanks to filmmaker Chris Forde and his soon-to-be-released docu- mentary. Forde is hoping Starkell’s book publisher will let him borrow the same title for the film. Forde interviewed the main cast of char-


acters including Starkell’s other son Jeff, who abandoned the trip halfway through. Te film, however, is more than a regurgita- tion of the book. As it turns out, when the project began


the Starkells were re-tracing a section of the original trip. Tis excursion became the backbone of Forde’s documentary. “It gives the viewer the feeling that they’re


going to go all the way down the Mississippi with them.” Forde explains. In addition to this more recent footage, the film captures the dangers of the original


14 SUMMER/FALL 2009


route through some of the most politically unstable countries in the world. A particu- larly chilling moment occurs when Starkell talks about the dangers he expected to face on the trip.


starkell claims to have been shot at 14 times.


“I had a list of things I thought would be


hardest to endure,” says Starkell. “First off, I said weather, insects and water supplies. But as I got further in the trip—and it didn’t take very long—man went right to the top.” Starkell claims to have been shot at 14 times and at one point he and Dana were dragged into the jungle and almost killed. Forde wanted to reveal the real motives


behind this “family trip” that took 10 years to plan and two years to execute, but he had to question Starkell repeatedly.


[ eveNts ]


AUGUST 10–12 2009 Canadian Marathon Canoe Championships The Pas, MB www.canoekayak.ca


AUGUST 12–16 ICF Canoe Sprint Championships Halifax, NS www.canoe09.ca


“He offered all sorts of reasons why he did


the trip: he got divorced, he wanted to do something with his kids and he wanted to inspire his kids,” Forde explains. “I sensed he would get close to the real reason and then veer off.” “Finally, on the last day on the Mississippi,


he told me. He wanted to test his limits. He wanted to know how far he could go before he actually died. Tis is what the trip was ul- timately about to Don.” Similarly, when Forde is asked about why


he undertook the documentary he gives a rea- sonable answer about increasing awareness. “Tis story should be a part of our culture,


everybody should know about this. We have Terry Fox. Starkell should be right up there,” argues Forde. When asked again however, he digs deeper. “I wanted to meet Don. I think more than


anything I wanted to meet my hero.” » BEN AYLSWORTH


Official Ride and exclusive spOnsOR


SEPTEMBER 5–6 B.C. Downriver Championships Lytton River Festival braden@kumsheen.com


SEPTEMBER 12–13 Rapid’s Gull River Open Canoe Slalom Minden, ON www.rapidmedia.com


SEPTEMBER 18–20 Northeast Canoe and Kayak Symposium Clinton, N.J. ray@gopaddle.org


SEPTEMBER 19–20 Tamihi Five-0 Canoe Slalom Chilliwack River, B.C . yarnell@alumni.sfu.ca


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