Darcy Gaechter, the first woman to kayak the Amazon, embarked on her historic journey after selling her kayaking business in Ecuador. Alongside her companions Don and Midge, they faced several challenges, including navigating through dam construction sites with dynamite, spending nearly a month in a notorious "Red Zone", and managing ongoing tensions within the expedition team. And many of us think of the Amazon River as the slow, peacefully meandering river through the jungle - which it is at some point. But the first stretch is some of the worlds hardest Class V whitewater Kayaking one can find. In this episode we talk about: Setting up an expedition team for success Dealing with fights and strong personalities in life & death situations Preparing with rigorous physical training, acquiring necessary equipment The navy, and local communities play important roles in providing support, security, and cultural insights along the journey. Navigating surprisingly dangerous rapids requires skillful paddling Combatting boredom during long stretches of flat water calls for mental resilience and fostering camaraderie among team members. The intense tidal waves rushing up the Amazon River present a fascinating natural phenomenon, requiring careful navigation and respect for the river's power. Read more about Darcy her website: https://darcygaechter.com/ her Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/darcygaechter/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠her book "Amazon Woman": The World Explorers Collective is a community that connects explorers and funds meaningful expeditions. Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.worldexplorerscollective.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to read about our expeditions and learn about how your adventures can get funded.