Southern Exposure: A Solo Sea Kayaking Journey Around New Zealand's South Island

Circling NZ is clearly an amazing act, but I couldn't help thinking that maybe I could circumnavigate around some exotic island too. Now don't get me wrong... Southern Exposure left me realizing this is no "walk in the park", but it also left me feeling that BUZZ that comes with doing something amazing. This book can get a little slow at times, but as long as you keep your mind on the waves and swell, it all goes well.

A couple of years ago I saw Chris Duff speak at Canoecopia - a worldwide paddling expo held in Madison WI. One of his talks was about his solo circumnavigation of New Zealand's south island - the same topic as this book. I, and I think the rest of the audience, was mesmerized as he told his tale. Even though he probably has talked about his trip many times it felt as if he was reliving it for the first time. His ecitement was contagious. The audience could almost feel the ocean swells and smell the salty air. Chris Duff is as good of a writer as he is a public speaker. He vividly describes the scenery of his voyage, the people he encounters and his own personal thoughts. While, his adventures are WAY beyond my personal abilities I could actually feel what it would be like in his shoes (or in this case fast drying sandals) due to his excellent writing ability.

There are so many wonderful moments in this book - the feeling of being surrounded by massive power everywhere, the stories of the fishermen in New Zealand, and the surmounting of life threatening obstacles. Reading the Duff's description of Fiordland National Park took me back to this wonderful place as few could. But most of all, Duff presents an epic human journey full of wonder and the power of man. Yet at the same time, Duff sees the sea and knows how small man really is. There is also a passage or two where Duff speaks about the meaning of his life - how he wants to look back and say that he took advantage of his short time on earth. After reading Southern Exposure, there is no doubt he did.On the down side, the book's maps could be better. The rudimentary maps in the book have several instances where Duff capsizes but the reader never learns about these instances save for one. I want to know! How did he get back in the boat!? Was he on the ocean?! Also, vast parts of the journey are left off and I want to know more. Like what happened in Christchurch? Tell me more about Fiordland.

Chris Duff continues to forge into new frontiers. What I enjoy so much about this book and his previous book "On Celtic Tides" is that he is not only exploring coastlines. He's exploring human limits with nature, with solitude, with culture. Chris has discovered (and vividly describes for us) that some of the most valuable things in life can be found by changing our perspective. Chris' style is very introspective. I think the most profound statement he makes is that 'if you know where you are from, and you know where you are going, the conditions you are in become irrelevant.' What matters is our determination in reaching our destination. Thanks Chris for taking us along for another amazing journey and expanding our horizons.

We're just a few weeks from setting out on a sea kayak expedition of our own, and the stresses and fears grow more intense by the hour. Many times I've wondered why I've taken on this challenge--just planning the trip has been the most complex, consuming project of my life. Then yesterday Chris's new book showed up. I'm going to save it until we're out on the water and in the wilds, but I opened to some random page and read some random paragraph, and what I read instantly vanished the stresses I've been feeling. Everything made sense again, after one little paragraph. That's the magic of Chris's writing. Thanks again, Chris, and good luck to you guys in Iceland. I can't wait to read the rest of the story...Brandon and Heather