Kayaking the Essequibo River: A world-first adventure

Ever attempted something you know nobody else has ever done?

Until April this year, the full 1,014km of Guyana's Essequibo River had never been navigated by any human being. This incredible river begins in the Acarai Mountains and flows through untouched rainforest, goldmines, tiny villages and one large city before meeting the Atlantic Ocean. 

Setting the record as the world's first people to kayak the Essequibo from source to sea is a team of three intrepid young women, led by Laura Bingham - a world explorer who's best known for cycling 7,000km across South America without any money, and sailing across the Atlantic.

Photo by Jon Williams

She's joined by Pip Stewart who's cycled halfway across the world, and Ness Knight who became the first woman to swim the River Thames from source to sea. 

...Hardly a bad track record, before they even started! And no better team, we think, to take on this challenge.

Left to right: Laura, Pip and Ness, photographed by Peiman Zekavat

And that's where DD comes in. Adventurers need their sleep, and - as the team put it - "how can one spend two months in the jungle without a hammock?" We were delighted to supply Laura, Pip and Ness with DD Frontline Hammocks fitted with a whoopie suspension system and a DD Tarp 3x3 each. 

Photo by Jon Williams

We recommended this particular kit because both hammock and tarp were durable enough for prolonged jungle camping, whilst still being lightweight enough to carry. The Frontline Hammock's fine-mesh net - and double layered base - will have protected them from mosquitos and reptiles as they spent each night of their river expedition suspended above the rainforest floor. 

Photo by Jon Williams

The ladies documented their whole expedition in their blog, and we warn you, it's intense reading at times and not for the faint-hearted! But we're privileged and pleased that their DD Hammocks saw them through what were apparently nights of high-running emotions, sheer exhaustion but also plenty of happy memories!

Photo by Jon Williams

Photo by Jon Williams

If you want to follow the team's adventure in greater detail - tales of elation, gruesome reality and incredible human feats abound - then visit the Essequibo expedition website.

Photo by Peiman Zekavat

Team DD heartily congratulates Laura, Pip, Ness and everyone who accompanied them on their epic adventure. No, you should never take on anything this ambitious without training your body and mind first, but should you do so, this expedition really is a testament to what can be achieved.