Paddling My Own Canoe: A Solo Adventure on the Coast of Molokai

I think most of us deserately need an adventure, a trip that both allows us to both escape and recliam our lives at the same time. Thus the market for all sorts of adventure books; from Clive Cussler's novels to non-fiction works about Scott's expedition to Antartica. Sutherland's story simply and wonderfully captures the daring and curiosity that makes these trips possible. As she points out there is a childlike quality to this sort of thing that we probably all share. The desire to see what's on the next block, over the next hill, down that big river. In her case while flying she sees a beautiful place that is very difficult to get to. All visitors arriving on Oahu, seated on the left hand aisle of the plane see this same sight; the North Shore of Molokai. A wilderness with sea cliffs thousands of feet high, turquoise and cobalt blue water, fringed with verdant jungle. It also has waves that break on those cliffs that are fifty feet high, a windward shore mariners do well to stay away from, and no easy way to walk in. Her attraction basically overcomes her fear and she prepares her own expidition, alone. She sets out to swim from the closest available site she can get to, towing a pack, and come out at an old leper's colony that has a trail that evenutally leads back to civilization. The route is eighteen miles long, and is filled with the sort of edenic paradise Hawaii once was. This is the stuff that all great adventures are made of; Scott, Amudson, Cook. The difference is that it is on a small scale and available to us all. This book takes us through that first impulse, to planning the trip(s), to what happened. Its both a wonderful read and an adventurer's how to book. While she tell's very little about herself and her inner life, her actions reveal a great deal about her, and anyone who kind of chases a dream.

Audrey's story of how she taught herself to swim/kayak down the Na Pali-like Molokai coast stayed with me for several days. I was really impressed by her bravery and willingness to face a very challenging situation again and again. If she could face the risk of losing her life in these adventures, over and over, what kind of courage could the rest of us bring to our relatively minor challenges. I loved the image of her sitting in her homemade "furo", looking over her little valley & the sea. This story will also be interesting to you if you kayak or canoe, and/or if you love Hawaii. :)

An exciting and joyful adventure of one woman paddling the wild coast of Molokai in Hawaii. A bold feat, battling waves and rocky coastline all alone, yet more than an adventure story, laced with natural history, Hawaiian history, ecology, and survival techniques. Her strength, serenity, and humor,is interwoven with a zen-like philosophy that makes for great armchair adventure reading.