797. Books on aquatic and air sports

Further Reading:

Jennifer Allen Malama Honua: Holue’a—A Voyage of Hope, 2017.

Hōkūleʻa is a double-hulled Polynesian canoe that began a global sea voyage in May 2014 from Hawai’i. The aim of its travels is to raise awareness of sustainability and our global inter-dependency. Jennifer Allen chronicles its journey up through the time of publication. As of 2022, the journey continues.

Julie Angus Rowboat in a Hurricane: My Amazing Journey Across a Changing Ocean, 2009.

Julie Angus and her fiancé Colin crossed an ocean in a rowboat in 2005 and 2006. It took them 145 days. Angus, a scientist, chronicled both the wildlife and the pollution they encountered. She also relates how they managed to survive through four cyclones.

Bill and Mary Burham Florida Keys Paddling Atlas, 2007.

If you are interested in taking a kayaking trip through the Florida keys, Bill and Mary Burham provide a detailed color atlas of shallow water areas to explore.

Jill Fredston Rowing to Latitude: Journeys Along the Arctic’s Edge, 2002.

Every summer for decades, teacher Jill Fredston and her husband Doug Fesler took their rowboats and traveled around the Arctic and sub-Arctic ocean coasts. On their journeys around Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Spitsbergen, and Norway, they ran into polar bears, grizzlies, and storms as mighty as hurricanes. But they also experienced unbelievable beauty and joy.

Jo Deurbrouck Anything Worth Doing: The True Story of Adventure, Friendship, and Tragedy on the Last of the West’s Great Rivers, 2012.

Whitewater rafting guides Clancy Reece and Jon Barker were renowned for their fearless pursuit of river adventure. Jo Deurbrouck shares how, after following Clancy’s motto, “Anything worth doing is worth overdoing” for over a decade, they launched Clancy’s handmade raft into the Salmon River at the peak flood of a high-water year. Shortly afterward, their adventures were over forever.

Shelley Johnson The Complete Sea Kayaker’s Handbook, 2001.

While a bit dated, sea kayaking professional Shelley Johnson’s guide will help you choose equipment and master essential techniques. Her guide also provides advice on taking beginner’s and extended trips.

Sue Leaf Portage: A Family, a Canoe, and the Search for the Good Life, 2015.

Biologist and birder Sue Leaf has always been enchanted with canoeing and exploring the world from the water. Over the past four decades, she, her husband, their four children, and friends have spent time exploring the rivers and lakes of Canada, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Louisiana, and the American West. While relating her adventures, she also shares the science and history of the areas she explores.

Rusty Long The Finest Line: The Global Pursuit of Big-Wave Surfing, 2015.

Rusty Long’s coffee table book provides gorgeous images and astounding stories of the people who surf large-swell events. Big-name surfers share their experiences in some of the most extreme and beautiful natural events around the world.

William Nealy Kayak: The New Frontier: The Animated Manual of Intermediate and Advanced Whitewater Technique, 1986.

Internationally recognized cartoonist William Nealy uses over 400 illustrations to share the techniques that kayakers need to know. While making you laugh, he shows you how to enjoy your time on the water safely. The book was completely updated and revised for the latest technology and methods in 2007.

For more information on the Further Reading series, see Further Reading: Start Here.