Words : Caroline Dawson Photos : Amazon Challenge & SUP Lass Adventures
PADDLER 29
AMAZON
CHALLENGE 2024
Words : Caroline Dawson Photos : Amazon Challenge & SUP Lass Adventures
Team : Caroline Dawson , Jonathan Gill & Matthew Phillips
Why paddle the Amazon ? The Amazon is a unique place , a vast and primarily uncharted region spanning an area twice the size of India . It teems with adventure and mystery and hosts some of Earth ’ s most fascinating cultures and wildlife . However , it faces significant threats such as deforestation , narcotrafficking , illegal mining and wildlife poaching , with nearly 20 % of the rainforest having been lost over the last 50 years .
WHAT IS THE AMAZON CHALLENGE ?
The Amazon Challenge is a unique paddle challenge for both canoes and SUPs . It involves navigating 335km of the Madre de Dios River , one of the main tributaries of the mighty Amazon that rises in the Andes . The challenge is a fully self-sufficient journey carrying all your own gear , including a camping kit , dehydrated food and water . Paddling swift currents and multiple rapids up to grade 3 whilst dealing with high humidity , temperatures 30c +, no-stop zones and uncontacted tribes .
PADDLER 29