The first woman to circumnavigate Australia by kayak, Freya Hoffmeister, will be at Travel Country next Tuesday. She previously partnered with Greg Stamer, of Travel Country, to circumnavigate Iceland.

Freya Hoffmeister (born 1964) is a German woman who holds several sea kayaking endurance records. In 2009 she completed a circumnavigation of Australia solo and unassisted, becoming the first woman and only the second person to do so.
 
In 2007 she completed the fastest-ever circumnavigation of Iceland in a sea kayak with Greg Stamer in 33 days.
 
She finished a solo unassisted circumnavigation of the South Island of New Zealand in January 2008, becoming the third person in 30 years to do so and setting the fastest solo time for the 2,700 kilometers (1,700 mi) voyage in 70 days, 56 days faster than the previous record.
 
Hoffmeister's Australian trip commenced from Queenscliff, Victoria on 18 January 2009. She paddled in an anti-clockwise direction along the Australian mainland coastline and completed the 13,790 kilometers (8,570 mi) voyage in 322 days, of which 245 were paddling. Hoffmeister reached the approximate half-way mark at Broome, Western Australia in 171 days on 29 June 2009.[5][6] and finished back at Queenscliff on 15 December 2009. To take a "shortcut", she paddled across the Gulf of Carpentaria from Jackson River to Nhulunbuy a distance of 575 kilometers (357 mi). The crossing took seven nights and eight days and required sleeping in the kayak at sea. This crossing was done only once before by solo kayak by Andrew McAuley.

Here is a note from our own employee and world renown sea kayaker Greg Stamer.

"Please help support the efforts of Travel Country Outdoors and Sea Kayaker Magazine in welcoming expedition kayaker Freya Hoffmeister to Travel Country Outdoors, Orlando Florida, Tuesday June 22!

"It will be my pleasure to introduce Freya as she recounts her exciting year-long, 2009 "Race round Australia", sea kayak circumnavigation. Presentation starts at Travel Country at 7:00PM. Cost is $15 at the door, with complimentary beer, wine and munchies. 

"Freya is no stranger to kayaking expeditions. In 2007, Freya and I partnered to complete the fastest circumnavigation of Iceland in a sea kayak, in 33 days.

"In 2008 Freya circumnavigated the South Island of New Zealand in January 2008, becoming the third person in 30 years to do so, and finished the 2,700 kilometer (1,700 mi) voyage in 70 days, 56 days faster than the previous record.

"In 2009 she completed her year-long circumnavigation of Australia solo, becoming the first woman and only the second person to do so!

"Please mark your calendars. Freya will be available to answer questions, and sign publicity photos and magazines. I look forward to seeing you there!"

When, what, where:
Date is June 22 (Tuesday). Time is 7:00-8:00PM. Cost is $15 and includes beer, wine and snacks.
Travel Country Outdoors
1101 East Altamonte Drive
Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
(407) 831-0777