Don Starkell facts for kids
Don Starkell (born December 7, 1932 – died January 28, 2012) was a brave Canadian adventurer, a writer, and someone who kept detailed journals. He is most famous for his amazing achievements in canoeing.
Don was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He had a difficult childhood but found his passion in canoeing when he was a teenager. At just 17, he was named the Most Outstanding Novice at the Kildonan Canoe Club. He became a professional canoeist, winning 10 out of 12 races he entered. In 1967, he was part of the Manitoba team that won a tough race called the Expo 67 Centennial Voyageur Canoe Pageant. This race covered a huge distance from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta to Montreal, Quebec, and lasted 104 days!
Longest Canoe Journey: Paddle to the Amazon
On June 1, 1980, Don Starkell and his two sons, Dana and Jeff, began an incredible canoe journey. Their goal was to paddle all the way from Winnipeg to Belem, Brazil in South America.
They started on the Red River, then carried their canoe (this is called a portage) to the Minnesota River. From there, they paddled down the mighty Mississippi River to the Intracoastal Waterway in Larose, Louisiana. They followed this waterway south to Port Isabel, Texas, and then entered the Gulf of Mexico.
Paddling along the coast of Mexico, they reached Veracruz. They rested there for about three and a half months because the journey had been very tough. At this point, Jeff Starkell decided to stop the adventure. Don and Dana continued the journey alone.
They kept paddling along the coasts of Mexico and Central America towards South America. Off the Guajira Peninsula in Colombia, they had a scary encounter with some dangerous people but managed to escape. They almost died in the Gulf of Coro, Venezuela, when strong winds trapped them on a sandbar and they ran out of food. Finally, on October 14, 1981, they reached Port of Spain, Trinidad, where they rested for six weeks.
On New Year's Day, 1982, they left Trinidad. Three days later, they crossed the Columbus Channel to Venezuela. At Pedernales, they entered the delta of the Orinoco River. For the next two months, they paddled almost the entire length of the Orinoco. They then entered the Casiquiare canal, which is the only natural canal in the world connecting two major river systems. Through this unique route, they reached the Rio Negro and then the famous Amazon River at Manaus, Brazil. From Manaus, they paddled downriver to the Atlantic coast. Their incredible journey ended in Belem on May 2, 1982.
In 1986, Don Starkell and his son Dana were recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records. They had completed the longest canoe journey ever, covering an amazing distance of 19,603 kilometers (about 12,180 miles)!
Don Starkell was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 2006. This was to honor his incredible athletic achievements.
Challenging the Cold: Paddle to the Arctic
In 1990, Don Starkell started another huge adventure. He wanted to trace the Northwest Passage by kayak. Even though this trip was shorter at about 3,000 miles, it was much harder because of the extreme cold weather.
This journey lasted three years. Don had to stop just 30 miles short of his goal, Tuktoyaktuk, because winter arrived and the cold caused severe frostbite. He suffered serious injuries to his fingers and toes. Don later said, "When I did the Arctic trip, I gave absolutely everything I had and that was success."
