Doug Ammons
Doug AmmonsInsights into Adventure, Rivers and the Human Spirit

“The outward journey is nothing without an equivalent journey within oneself; otherwise, we travel to the ends of the earth and yet stay exactly the same.”

Kayaking is about understanding the mystery of water in all its forms. Traveling down rivers is this exciting and compelling way to experience the world, and it can also become a deeply philosophical, spiritual, and aesthetic path. Kayaking is such a young sport that I think we’re still all flush with the thrill and fun, but have hardly begun to explore the other possibilities. After a lot of hard-core years pushing the sport, I realized there was much, much more to it, and started writing. The essays that have come from that are only a small offering of how we can bridge these two parallel paths. The first ignites our passion, the second swells and deepens our feelings.

The sport has been a formative influence on my life in every way. Rivers have totally changed who I am, and how I see the world. I value them deeply, the places, the friendships, the struggles and fun, even the deaths, which have struck me to the heart. There are times I’ve woven myself like the finest thread into the most stunning and beautiful places in the world, and others where rivers have broken and almost killed me. My writing is a way to help me understand what all that has led to, and is still changing in me. If we take part in the river with this level of intimacy and commitment, then it changes our very nature. It teaches us subtle and profound truths about the world and who we are. My goal is to keep exploring that endless path.

Special thanks to these exceptional friends and photographers:
Charlie Munsey – www.adventurelightphoto.com
John Salisbury – www.Salisburyimages.com
Mike Leeds – www.mikeleedsphotography.com
Louise Johns