Recorded live at Canoecopia in Madison, Wisconsin, today's episode of Paddling the Blue features interviews with a wide range of guests: activists protecting the Boundary Waters, the team behind the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary, international trip operators from Kayak Portugal, organizers of the MR340 endurance race, and makers of paddles and boats sharing design and craft insights.

Thanks to Chris Hipgrave and the P&H Sea Kayaks / Pyranha Kayaks team for making space in their booth to record this episode, and of course for building my favorite top quality boats. 

Thank you to the enthusiastic audience who joined me at each of my presentations over the weekend. It’s exciting to see full rooms of smiling faces learning about ways to love paddling even more.  Thank you to all the listeners who stopped by the booth to say hello. I love hearing how Paddling the Blue has inspired and positively impacted you.  And thank you to the Rutabaga Paddlesports team for producing Canoecopia! It’s a pleasure to be part of this wonderful paddling community and I look forward to many more opportunities to connect one to one in the future.

Today's episode was recorded at one of our favorite events, the Quiet Adventures Symposium in Lansing. Today's episode features conversations with paddlers, conservationists, and accessibility advocates across Michigan.

Guests include Anna Green, a Junior World Orienteering competitor, Team River Runner, Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps), Opportunities Unlimited for the Blind, the Flint River Watershed Coalition, the League of Michigan Bicyclists, and the Michigan DNR Trails team.

While not all of today's topics are paddling related, they're paddling adjacent. I'm willing to bet that you enjoy more hiking, cycling, and more, in addition to your time on the water.  Today's discussions include orienteering at the world level, adaptive paddling programs, volunteer lake and stream monitoring, watershed stewardship, cycling advocacy, inclusive outdoor programming, and state water-trail and trail management efforts—highlighting ways listeners can get involved, protect waterways, and enjoy paddling in the Great Lakes region.

Connect:

Southern Michigan Orienteering Club

USA Orienteering

Flint River Watershed Coalition

Opportunities Unlimited for the Blind

Team River Runner

Michigan Clean Water Corps

League of Michigan Bicyclists

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Many of us dream of adventures like circumnavigating Ireland and as far as I’m concerned, that’s a pretty lofty goal, and definitely on my list. 

And then there’s Urban Heupgen...Urban has unexpectedly found himself on a quest to undertake a bold journey to circumnavigate Europe.  Join me as Urban and I talk about his humble start, how he found himself on this path, and just how big his plans are for the future.

Oscar Scafidi is a schoolteacher turned explorer specializing in Africa. Oscar joins today’s episode to share his expedition to kayak Madagascar’s Mangok River from source to sea. Oscar describes the months of planning, the grueling approach to the source, and the challenges of navigating largely unexplored river sections.

Today's episode covers heavy portages, unpredictable terrain, local guides and communities, wildlife encounters (lemurs, crocodiles and more), and the logistics of carrying a Klepper folding kayak. Oscar also discusses the Guinness World Record process, fundraising for the charity Our Kids, Our Future Madagascar, and his related book and documentary.

Kayaking the Mangoky (Amazon)

Kayaking the Mangoky (YouTube)

KayakingtheMangoky.com

Kayaking the Kwanza (YouTube)

Kayaking the Kwanza (Amazon)

Klepper

Mangoky River

Remove River Expeditions

Our kids our future Madagascar

Alex Lalonde joins today's episode of the Paddling the Blue podcast to talk about about his path from packrafting whitewater rivers in Nepal to taking over the iconic Body Boat Blade instruction and guiding company. Alex shares stories from a 40-day Nepal expedition, favorite paddles and venues in the Pacific Northwest, and the challenges of reopening a specialty paddle shop.

Welcome to today's episode of the Paddling the Blue, featuring guest Eila Wilkinson

In this episode Eila discusses her coaching philosophy, Paddle UK pathways and qualifications, the importance of using your feet and core in kayaking, and dramatic expedition stories including surf, rescues and navigation challenges in the Bahamas.

Mike Hammond oversees the Great Calusa Blueway, a nearly 200 mile paddling trail in Florida’s Lee County.  Mike joins today’s episode to talk about the area’s fascinating indigenous history, its interesting utopian history, the beauty of the trail, and why this might be your next paddling destination. 

Highlights include the region’s unique subtropical wildlife (manatees, dolphins, shorebirds), the Calusa people and shell mounds like Mound Key, the Koreshan historic site, protected mangrove tunnels, safety considerations, volunteer stewardship, and inclusive outreach programs.

In this episode Katrin Tomanek describes how she moved from climbing to kayaking and developed a style of multiimodal trips that combine sea kayaking and cycling to minimize driving. She shares how she learned skills, used careful planning and spreadsheets, and progressed from local trips to big expeditions.

Katrin recounts standout journeys including a foggy, remote Lost Coast outing, a 52‑day mostly-solo paddle through the Inside Passage, and a counterclockwise circumnavigation of Vancouver Island that finished with a bike ride across the island. She discusses navigation in fog, wildlife encounters, food and gear choices, and how solo days and unexpected social connections shaped her experience.

Enjoy today’s discussion of learning  and discovery!

Connect:

Wes Moses operates the Soufriere Outdoor Center in Dominica. Wes joins the show today to talk about the Waitukubuli Sea Trail in Dominica — a 66 km sea kayaking route that highlights volcanic landscapes, sulfur baths, sea arches, snorkeling sites, and vibrant Creole villages. If you’re interested in paddling a Caribbean blue sea with warm water, rugged mountains spilling to the coast, sea arches, and unique foods, this might be the place for you.

Paddling Chef Mike Keen shares his solo 3,200‑km kayak journey up the west coast of Greenland, where he lived on a traditional Greenlandic Inuit diet of seal, whale, fish and fermented foods while researchers tracked his health and microbiome.

In this episode of the Paddling the Blue podcast, we discuss his preparation, camping and paddling challenges, surprising physical results, the role of fermentation in food preservation, and ongoing scientific follow‑up — all framed by vivid Arctic landscapes and encounters with local hunters.

Eat your environment

Mike Keen (Instagram)