QuietJourney Forums - Paddle to the Amazon--Starkell

Jun 27^th, 2026 at 4:22am (UTC)

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Paddle to the Amazon--Starkell (Read 8399 times)

Traveller Inukshuk Offline Posts: 53 Joined: Jul 22^nd, 2004	Paddle to the Amazon--Starkell Feb 9^th, 2007 at 4:02pm	Quote Print Post
	The story of a 12,000 mile canoe trip--down the Mississippi, through the Gulf of Mexico along the coast of Central and S. America, up the Amazon. A remarkable paddling adventure, and a nice father and son story.


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ToothFairy Inukshuk Offline Posts: 158 Location: Grand Rapids, MN Joined: Feb 1^st, 2006	Re: Paddle to the Amazon--Starkell Reply #1 - Mar 1^st, 2007 at 3:58am	Quote Print Post
	I read that around 1990. Great book. Interesting adventure. Since then the father has had some problems.....Kim


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ToothFairy Inukshuk Offline Posts: 158 Location: Grand Rapids, MN Joined: Feb 1^st, 2006	Re: Paddle to the Amazon--Starkell Reply #2 - Mar 1^st, 2007 at 4:18am	Quote Print Post
	In fact, Don Starkell lost all his fingers and some toes in a kayaking expedition in the artic. He wrote about it and so did the woman he travelled with (2 out of the 4 summers). I wouldn't have wanted to travel with him. I didn't think so when I first read the book about the amazon and when I read Victoria Jayson's book about the artic thing. Here's a link to an article discussing the differences in their books on the same subject (He wrote a book about the trip also). Gender notes: Wilderness unfinished pages 5-7 (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)


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intrepid_camper Inukshuk Offline Posts: 1348 Location: Northern Minnesota Joined: Jul 12^th, 2004	Re: Paddle to the Amazon--Starkell Reply #3 - Mar 1^st, 2007 at 5:38pm	Quote Print Post
	I agree with Toothfairy...Paddle to the Amazon is a very entertaining book; but Starkell seems sometimes to get carried away with the GOAL. Perhaps that is a pre-requisite to being able to finish crazy trips like that! I remember thinking some of the days the book relates sounded like child abuse for his son who hung in there with him. Didn't know about the Arctic journey and now I'll have to read it....


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ToothFairy Inukshuk Offline Posts: 158 Location: Grand Rapids, MN Joined: Feb 1^st, 2006	Re: Paddle to the Amazon--Starkell Reply #4 - Mar 1^st, 2007 at 5:42pm	Quote Print Post
	Yes, I agree with you Intrepid camper, I thought the one son was pretty good to stay on the trip with him and finish, and the other son left while in Mexico. I think he has a very strong personality that doesn't always listen to reason.


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red_lake_rob Lucky Member Offline Posts: 13 Location: Red Lake, ON Joined: May 13^th, 2009	Re: Paddle to the Amazon--Starkell Reply #5 - May 14^th, 2009 at 4:17pm	Quote Print Post
	The book he wrote about the Arctic Journey, Paddle To The Arctic was one of the most compelling books I have ever read. He was nothing short of an ass and the way the journal read you could see the transformation in him.


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Ranger Moderator Inukshuk Offline Posts: 848 Location: West MI Joined: Oct 16^th, 2002	Re: Paddle to the Amazon--Starkell Reply #6 - Feb 10^th, 2011 at 3:31am	Quote Print Post
	I just finished this book last night - loved it! The entire book is a real page turner; it reads like a long trip report. Don kept a very detailed journal throughout, which was condensed to make this book. Don definitely has a strong personality, but without that singular drive, I don't believe that you'd ever finish a trip like this. They overcame some amazing adversity. I think most people would go through a tough period, and then get trapped by the relative comforts of the next city/layover and never continue. I'm going to go look for his Arctic book next...


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ToothFairy Inukshuk Offline Posts: 158 Location: Grand Rapids, MN Joined: Feb 1^st, 2006	Re: Paddle to the Amazon--Starkell Reply #7 - Feb 11^th, 2011 at 1:40am	Quote Print Post
	If you would like to read another book about the Amazon, read "The River of Doubt" by Candice Millard. It is about Teddy Roosevelts trip down an uncharted tributary of the Amazon, now named for him. True story. My book group loved it and so have all our husbands!!!


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Kingfisher Voyageur Inukshuk Offline Posts: 1814 Joined: Mar 8^th, 2004	Re: Paddle to the Amazon--Starkell Reply #8 - Feb 11^th, 2011 at 5:50am	Quote Print Post
	"The River of Doubt" was also reviewed here (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)


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ToothFairy Inukshuk Offline Posts: 158 Location: Grand Rapids, MN Joined: Feb 1^st, 2006	Re: Paddle to the Amazon--Starkell Reply #9 - Feb 11^th, 2011 at 1:17pm	Quote Print Post
	I forgot that this is where I heard about the book! I read it some time ago and then my bookgroup fianlly wanted to read it. Glad so many people here liked it as well. What a guy! But also, Rondon--what a guy.


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grizzlylarso Inukshuk Offline Posts: 87 Location: Hibbing, MN Joined: Feb 20^th, 2008	Re: Paddle to the Amazon--Starkell Reply #10 - Feb 17^th, 2011 at 1:19pm	Quote Print Post
	Just got this book yesterday. Can't wait to pick it up between terms.


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kypaddler Inukshuk Offline Posts: 308 Location: Kentucky Joined: Oct 6^th, 2007	Re: Paddle to the Amazon--Starkell Reply #11 - Feb 23^rd, 2011 at 2:20pm	Quote Print Post
	Finished "River of Doubt" a month or so ago and meant to post about it, and now I see that dozens of y'all have been there before me. It is a fascinating book, isn't it? One of the facts I wanted to point out was the weight of their dugouts, and the (comparatively light) weight of the canoes that the Roosevelt-Rondo expedition chose not to use (sent them on with the guys on the "side" trip) but later wished they had. I'm going on memory here, but the canoes weighed 160 lbs. (?) and the dugouts many times that. The next time I'm lugging a We-no-nah Kevlar over a Quetico portage with a small pack on my back, I'm going to remember that. -- kypaddler


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