Freya Hoffmeister
Encyclopedia
Freya Hoffmeister is a German woman who holds several sea kayak
ing endurance records. In 2009 she completed a circumnavigation
of Australia
solo and unassisted, becoming the first woman and only the second person to do so. On August 30, 2011 she began her circumnavigation of South America
.
In 2007 she completed the fastest-ever circumnavigation of Iceland
in a sea kayak with Greg Stamer in 33 days.
She finished a solo unassisted circumnavigation of the South Island
of New Zealand
in January 2008, becoming the third person in 30 years to do so, and the first woman. She set the fastest solo time for the 2700 kilometres (1,677.7 mi) voyage in 70 days, 56 days faster than the previous record.
on 18 January 2009. She paddled in an anti-clockwise direction along the Australian mainland coastline and completed the 13790 kilometres (8,568.7 mi) voyage in 322 days, of which 245 were paddling. Hoffmeister reached the approximate half-way mark at Broome, Western Australia
in 171 days on 29 June 2009. and finished back at Queenscliff on 15 December 2009. To take a "shortcut", she paddled across the Gulf of Carpentaria
from Jackson River to Nhulunbuy
a distance of 575 kilometres (357.3 mi). The crossing took seven nights and eight days and required sleeping in the kayak at sea. This crossing was done only twice before, once by Eric Stiller
and Tony Brown
, chronicled in Stiller's book "Keep Australia on Your Left," and once by solo kayaker Andrew McAuley
.
The only other person to have successfully completed the Australian circumnavigation previously is New Zealander, Paul Caffyn
who took 361 days (257 of them paddling) in 1981-82.
from the Quilmes Yachtclub in Buenos Aires
. Her plan is to paddle south down the coast, rounding the Cape south of the island of Tierra del Fuego
, ending the first leg of her 8,000 km trip in Valparaíso
, the main harbor just off Santiago de Chile eight months later. She will return home for four months, resuming the trip in September 2012, paddling north past Peru
and Ecuador
, cross the equator and pass Columbia
and paddle through the Panama Canal
then south past Venezuela
, ending the second 8,000 km leg in Georgetown, Guyana
. Another break, then the third 8,000 km leg starts in September 2013, taking her past Suriname
, Brazil
and Uruguay
returning to Buenos Aires
in time to celebrate her 50th birthday in May 2014.
beauty contestant, competitive gymnast, bodybuilder and sky-diver. She lives in Husum, Germany.
Sea kayak
A sea kayak or touring kayak is a kayak developed for the sport of paddling on open waters of lakes, bays, and the ocean. Sea kayaks are seaworthy small boats with a covered deck and the ability to incorporate a spraydeck...
ing endurance records. In 2009 she completed a circumnavigation
Circumnavigation
Circumnavigation – literally, "navigation of a circumference" – refers to travelling all the way around an island, a continent, or the entire planet Earth.- Global circumnavigation :...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
solo and unassisted, becoming the first woman and only the second person to do so. On August 30, 2011 she began her circumnavigation of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
In 2007 she completed the fastest-ever circumnavigation of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
in a sea kayak with Greg Stamer in 33 days.
She finished a solo unassisted circumnavigation of the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in January 2008, becoming the third person in 30 years to do so, and the first woman. She set the fastest solo time for the 2700 kilometres (1,677.7 mi) voyage in 70 days, 56 days faster than the previous record.
Australian circumnavigation
Hoffmeister's Australian trip commenced from Queenscliff, VictoriaQueenscliff, Victoria
Queenscliff is a small town on the Bellarine Peninsula in southern Victoria, Australia, south of Swan Bay at the entrance to Port Phillip. It is the administrative centre for the Borough of Queenscliffe...
on 18 January 2009. She paddled in an anti-clockwise direction along the Australian mainland coastline and completed the 13790 kilometres (8,568.7 mi) voyage in 322 days, of which 245 were paddling. Hoffmeister reached the approximate half-way mark at Broome, Western Australia
Broome, Western Australia
Broome is a pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, north of Perth. The year round population is approximately 14,436, growing to more than 45,000 per month during the tourist season...
in 171 days on 29 June 2009. and finished back at Queenscliff on 15 December 2009. To take a "shortcut", she paddled across the Gulf of Carpentaria
Gulf of Carpentaria
The Gulf of Carpentaria is a large, shallow sea enclosed on three sides by northern Australia and bounded on the north by the Arafura Sea...
from Jackson River to Nhulunbuy
Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory
Nhulunbuy is the name of the township created on the Gove Peninsula in the Northern Territory of Australia when a bauxite mine and deep water port were established nearby in the late 1960s...
a distance of 575 kilometres (357.3 mi). The crossing took seven nights and eight days and required sleeping in the kayak at sea. This crossing was done only twice before, once by Eric Stiller
Eric Stiller
Eric Stiller is an author and kayaker based in New York, USA.Eric Stiller is the co-founder of a Manhattan Kayak Company in 1995 and author of Keep Australia on Your Left , the story of an attempt by Tony Brown and Stiller to kayak all the way around Australia...
and Tony Brown
Tony Brown
Tony Brown may refer to:*Tony Brown , known as Tony Brown, Chief Minister of the Isle of Man*Tony Brown , Australian rules footballer...
, chronicled in Stiller's book "Keep Australia on Your Left," and once by solo kayaker Andrew McAuley
Andrew McAuley
Andrew McAuley was an Australian adventurer. He is best known for his mountaineering and sea kayaking in remote parts of the world. He is presumed to have died following his disappearance at sea while attempting to kayak 1600 km across the Tasman Sea in February 2007.-Personal:McAuley was...
.
The only other person to have successfully completed the Australian circumnavigation previously is New Zealander, Paul Caffyn
Paul Caffyn
Paul Caffyn is a well renowned sea kayaker based on the west coast of New Zealand. He has completed a number of supported, unsupported, solo and group expeditions by sea kayak in various locations around the world...
who took 361 days (257 of them paddling) in 1981-82.
South American circumnavigation
On August 30, 2011 she began her circumnavigation of South AmericaSouth America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
from the Quilmes Yachtclub in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. Her plan is to paddle south down the coast, rounding the Cape south of the island of Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of a main island Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego divided between Chile and Argentina with an area of , and a group of smaller islands including Cape...
, ending the first leg of her 8,000 km trip in Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
, the main harbor just off Santiago de Chile eight months later. She will return home for four months, resuming the trip in September 2012, paddling north past Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, cross the equator and pass Columbia
Columbia
Columbia may refer to:-Places:* Columbia , a poetic name for the Americas, and the feminine personification of the United States of America* District of Columbia, the federal district in which the capital of the United States is located...
and paddle through the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
then south past Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, ending the second 8,000 km leg in Georgetown, Guyana
Georgetown, Guyana
Georgetown, estimated population 239,227 , is the capital and largest city of Guyana, located in the Demerara-Mahaica region. It is situated on the Atlantic Ocean coast at the mouth of the Demerara River and it was nicknamed 'Garden City of the Caribbean.' Georgetown is located at . The city serves...
. Another break, then the third 8,000 km leg starts in September 2013, taking her past Suriname
Suriname
Suriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
returning to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
in time to celebrate her 50th birthday in May 2014.
Personal
Besides her kayaking activities, Hoffmeister is a businesswoman, former Miss GermanyMiss Germany
Miss Germany is a national beauty pageant for unmarried women in Germany. In 1927, the contest was held for the first time.In the past there were several organisations which claimed the title: In the 1920s already, German jurisdiction decided that the title Miss Germany could not be patented or...
beauty contestant, competitive gymnast, bodybuilder and sky-diver. She lives in Husum, Germany.