Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jan 11, 2014 News
After spending two months and 10 days in Guyana, world recognized Kayaker, Freya Hoffmeister departed Guyana’s shores early yesterday morning to continue her circumnavigation of South America.
Moments before her departure from the Coast Guard Headquarters, Ruimveldt Georgetown, the German national said that she was exhilarated to commence another leg of her journey.
“I am ready to go and I am heading to Suriname, it will take six days to get to the border and then keep on going to French Guiana, Brazil, Uruguay and then to Buenos Aires,” she explained.
With the tide in her favour, Hoffmeister made last minute preparations to her kayak and with the help of local Coast Guard Officers, readied herself for the tough journey ahead.
She admitted that while her muscles are a bit stiff, it should be alright.
“I faced a lot of dangerous situations and I survived, thankfully I am still in one piece for the next leg of the journey,” a smiling Hoffmeister said.
During her stint in Georgetown at Cara Lodge located on Quamina Street, the athlete was treated to a city tour conducted by the employees of the Guyana Tourism Authority.
Circumnavigating open-water crossings and hundreds of miles of sheer cliffs, without any landing zones for sometime several days, Hoffmeister has mastered the art of dealing with tropical heat, cyclones and the challenge of obtaining drinking water and food – not to mention the physical toll of averaging upwards of 60 km per day.
Having completed the second leg of her journey which she begun in Buenos Aires, Argentina, two years ago, Hoffmeister arrived in Guyana in November, where she was warmly welcomed by a team of Ministry of Tourism officials, as well as Mr. Ben Ter Welle- Honorary Consul from Germany to Guyana.
As she departed Guyana, the 49-year-old business owner from Husum, North Germany who holds several sea-kayaking endurance records is hoping to set yet another during this leg of her trip.
In 2009, she completed a solo circumnavigation of Australia unassisted, becoming the first woman and only the second person to do so.
On August 30, 2011 she began her attempt to become the first person to singularly circumnavigate the continent of South America, intending to complete the trip before her 50thbirthday.
In 2007, Hoffmeister was one of the two persons to complete the fastest-ever sea kayak circumnavigation of Iceland in 33 days.
She has also made distinguishing marks in other sporting careers, given that she participated in 10 years of competitive gymnastics, five years of competitive body building and 10 years of skydiving with 1500 jumps.
She was the first German female tandem pilot with 500 passenger jumps, and part of many huge record formations. Her most exotic place to skydive was over the North Pole, getting washed out of a Russian jet plane with 300 km, with a racing bike passenger strapped to her chest.
Initially, Hoffmeister started her journey in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This was done in stages, commencing in Valparaiso, the main harbour just off Santiago de Chile eight months later. She then returned home for four months, after which she resumed her adventure in September 2012.
During this, she paddled north past Venezuela, before ending the second 8,000km leg in Georgetown, Guyana. After the recent two month break to enjoy the holiday season, Hoffmeister is back on the waters.
In a press statement issued subsequent to the woman’s departure, the Ministry of Tourism and the Guyana Tourism Authority said that they are proud to have “accommodated, facilitated and hosted this acclaimed athlete as she prepared for another record breaking journey.”
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