Kayakers from Down Under visit RR

Submitted by
Melanie and Vaughn Murray

Melanie Vaughn recently had the wonderful opportunity to meet with three Austrailians who flew from Perth, Austrailia to Canada, to paddle a total of 5,000 kms from the Rocky Mountains in Alberta to Montreal all by the end of Sept 2011.
Terry Bolland statred this paddling journey alone on June 14th, 2011 and has been joined by his two paddling friends Alaine Davin and Leonie Cockman Alsh from the Perth area.
The girls started their paddle in Kenora, Ontario about one week ago. It is amazing to listen to their stories. How they had their Kayaks sent ahead of time to destinations in Canada that they have never been to before so the Kayaks were their on their arrvials.
They have met many friendly Canadians on their travels and really been astounded at the the scenery they have seen!
Terry has a Kayak/canoe business in Perth which Alaine works at as well and Leonie is a Horticulturalist.
Terry has had many wonderful, very interesting adventures, he has a website www.canoeingdownunder.com.on which people can read of the amazing advenures he has been on. He is also an author of three adventure books and four more to come he says by this winter.
Below are some of his excerpts from his website
•I’m an adventurer, this blog is about my latest adventure which is an approximate 5,000km paddle across Canada.
•Starting in the mountains in Alberta and finishing in Montreal. Some of things I’ve achieved are:- Walked, cycled and Kayaked 24,000 kms around Australia, Walked, cycled and kayaked 16,000kms around America Paddled the lengths of the Mississippi, Missouri, Yukon, Athabasca, Slave and MacKenzier Rivers Spent several months at a time paddling the Kimberley Region in Western Australia
The following are more of Terry’s accomplishments
•Competed in 21 Avon Descents
•Paddled the entire length of the Mississippi River (4000kms)
•Has held the world record for paddling more than 220kms in 24 hours
•Paddled, cycled and walked 24,000kms around Australia
•Paddled, cycled and walked 16,000kms around the USA
•Won several awards and contributed so much more to the sport