Amazon Woman: Facing Fears, Chasing Dreams, and a Quest to Kayak the World's Largest River from Source to Sea

by Darcy Gaechter

An extraordinary and inspiring chronicle of one woman’s harrowing journey to become the first female to kayak the entire Amazon River.

Part memoir, part feminist manifesto, Amazon Woman shows what incredible feats we are capable of and will encourage people, especially women, across all backgrounds and ages to find the courage and strength to live the life they’ve imagined.

This 148-day journey began on Darcy Gaechter’s 35th birthday. She sold her successful outdoor adventure business, upsetting her partner and boyfriend of twelve years and getting them both fired in the process. The emotional waters that would fester and erupt on the ensuing journey was often more challenging to navigate than the mighty river itself. With blistering lips and irradiated fingernails, Darcy would tackle raging Class Five whitewater for twenty-five days straight, barely surviving a dynamite-filled canyon being prepared for a new hydroelectric plan. She and her two companions would encounter illegal loggers, narco-traffickers, murderous Shining Path rebels, and ruthless poachers in the black market trade in endangered species.

In a desperate attempt meant to give her some pretense of control, Darcy even cut off all her hair before entering Peru’s notoriously dangerous “Red Zone” in hopes of passing for a boy and being seen as less of a target. At once a heart-pounding adventure and a celebration of pushing personal limits, Amazon Woman speaks to all of us feeling trapped by our desk-bound, online society. This a story of finding the courage and strength to challenge nature, cultures, social norms, and oneself.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Memoir, Adventure, Nature, Audiobook, Biography

304 pages, Hardcover

First published March 3, 2020

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard one to review. The adventure Gaechter writes about is thrilling but so much of the book is about the disagreements of her companions and her discomforts and fears on the journey and in life that it brought the whole tone of the book down.

[Shirleynature · Rating 4 out of 5]

This compelling woman-centered river adventure reveals South America’s extremes of poverty, violence, and natural wonder. Darcy Gaechter is the first woman to kayak the entire Amazon River from its source in Peru to the Atlantic Ocean. She and her companion kayakers: life partner Don and Midge (an acquaintance with the money to fund their journey) maneuver harrowing & adrenaline-filled challenges from river rapids to social and political unrest. In some places violent chaos seem to be everyday occurrences with Shining Path rebels, drug trafficking, and more injustices experienced by Indigenous people.

There is a lot to discover in this book including the interesting quotes that open each chapter and worthwhile info throughout, e.g.: The Amazon River is the Earth’s largest river—rivaling the Nile River in length.

This riveting adventure wanes partially into a journal of venting. Darcy shares frustrations from so much time in close proximity w/ her fellow kayakers.

And I took personal offence as a nature-loving Kansan to hear the author compare the monotony of slow travel on the lower Amazon to a slow journey across Kansas; KS has lots of varied nature & topography and the author is repeating one of the myths that my state continues to suffer unfairly.

I’ve missed some details of this journey from not getting to see the text, but I have enjoyed listening to the audiobook! I want to add a few more notes once I have access to the print copy of this book.

Link to the author’s website: https://darcygaechter.com/amazon-woman

[Juanita · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most entertaining memoirs I've listened to and i'm not even a kayaker. Held my attention from the beginning. Plenty of action, but she was able to convey that parts of a months long trip are boring without actually boring me. I appreciated that the emotional and relational struggles of being with t he same 2 people for months wasn't overly sanitized. The personality conflicts really added to the drama. I didn't know anything about the outcome before picking up the book and I was never sure if they were going to finish the feat together or even still be speaking to one another when it all ended or finish with all their body parts.
The author was also through this journey trying to figure out what her next steps in life would be, at the start she'd lost her job and was feeling the pressure to settle down into a more typical life with a 9 to 5 and 401k, so i enjoyed hearing her progress towards figuring things out. (That being said, this is NOT the story of a wealthy entitled person who just quit her job to go find her self. )

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where to begin?! Well, let’s start at the put-in, of course!

As a brand new white water kayaker, myself, this book gave me a LOT to think about! It was full of insight into “the paddler lifestyle” and what it truly means to embrace passion for white water kayaking. I respect Darcy’s decision to pursue her dream as a strong, independent female who relishes the outdoors and likes to challenge herself as a worthy paddler among the likes of other adventurous (male) kayakers; I admire her for pushing the bounds of what is considered to be “possible”, never mind that she is a girl and slight of build! Strong heart, determination, curiosity, and technique makes a kayaker thrive, Darcy proves!

I was drawn in to the story from the start, as Darcy talked about her experiences as a 30-something adult, still chasing white water and resisting a cookie-cutter life that could be filled with 401ks, children, and 9-to-5 work days, should she decide to make it that way. I appreciate that Darcy looks this dichotomy in the face all throughout the book. She mulls over this possible fork in the road: to conform to a normal, average American lifestyle, or not to conform to a normal, average American lifestyle, that is the question! As readers, we get to be a part of her journey; she digests this decision and chooses her path, starting with the decision to paddle the Amazon River, from source to sea!

I enjoyed Darcy’s insights into wilderness-exploration and self-examination. I think Darcy’s voice as a writer is strong, and I cannot WAIT to meet her in person, as we kayak the Grand Canyon together later this year!!!

I can’t help but wonder if the editors/book publishers forced her to change the heart of her story somehow, to make it more about interpersonal relationships than she had originally intended.... The first half of the book focuses on white water kayaking but the last half seemed to draw attention to the personal dynamics of the trip more than I was expecting.

Regardless, I was enthralled by this real-life story, and I think that I learned more than I realize from reading this book! Maybe when I am a more experienced paddler (Class III+), I will read this book again, and take renewed energy from her experience, as I look for my own next paddling adventure! ❤️

[Jeanne Veteto · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book!
Darcy is a good writer and storyteller.
I loved her honesty and couldn’t put this book down.
It is a wonderful book for all young women to read.
I appreciate her willingness to stay true to herself in this crazy world we live in.
Enjoy! And Thank you Darcy!

[Ashley Connolly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely riveting and inspirational portrait of perseverance and dedication.

[Jeimy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love stories where people brave the elements as they complete feats that require determination and endurance. Gaechter has certainly done just that. In this book she goes over some of the challenges in planning and executing her kayaking trip from the contested source of the Amazon River to its delta.

What was an idea for a somewhat inexperienced kayaker became the trip of a lifetime for Gaechter and her husband (who owned a kayak expedition company in Latin America). Through trials and tribulations-and even moments of joy that spurred them forward-the author manages to convey the most interesting (and sometimes frustrating) parts of their thru paddle.

[Shirleynature · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is impressive, 4.5 of 5 stars!

I enjoyed the audio book, but I love it even more upon getting to view the print copy with maps and photos to enhance my appreciation of this river voyage and South America's extreme natural wonders, poverty, violence, and more injustices experienced by Indigenous people.

My earlier review of the audio book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Link to the author’s website: https://darcygaechter.com/amazon-woman

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good book but I was hoping for more detail about the Amazon and the events that occurred along their way. It was more of a self reflection book than an adventure retelling as the book description seems to imply. Most of the big grabbing points from the synopsis that made me so interested in starting this book seemed to be glossed over.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for those who like to read about real adventures rife with life and death situations, trials and tribulations, and some interpersonal relationship struggles.

[Morgan Forsythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

While at times the writer was annoying, I enjoyed her adventure down the Amazon. The peruvian history, local culture, and descriptions of the region were well done, plus it's really short.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an epic story of adventure. Though I enjoyed the lower stretches of the Amazon as much as the whitewater sections. The solitude, the incredible length of time, the FINGERNAILs, all were beautifully told in a first person account of what it is to be a woman, to be an adventurer, and explorer. Top notch story telling. Made me want to travel in Peru and Brazil, and meet the people (not all the people though).

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book from a standpoint of it made me feel like I can still try new things no matter how old I am or how set in my life I seem to be, but I felt like at times the book lost its purpose. I know that it was a book about the first woman to paddle the whole length of the Amazon, and at times it had a pumped-up energy that made it obvious that Darcy was excited to be there and be accomplishing a goal, and the historical interludes were interesting as well, but then other times it read as a list of complaints without much self-reflection about why she was feeling that way or acknowledgement of what the other two in the group were really feeling. It just felt a bit directionless, which is the way Darcy was feeling at the time she paddled the Amazon, so perhaps that makes sense. It was a good book, and I'll probably recommend it to other people who like paddling or feel a bit lost or like they can't start anything new in this stage of their lives, but I won't be jumping up to reread it or anything.

[Gronk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read about the quest of a non-kayaking computer geek to kayak the Amazon from headwaters to delta told by one of his trainers, Darcy Gaechter, who in the process became the first known woman to kayak the entire river. Gaechter expects this to be her final adventure before pursuing a "normal" life.

An inspiring, thought provoking story.

[Dioscita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly a fantastic account of an *astonishing* feat! My mind boggles every time I try to imagine the countless challenges Gaechter faced, yet still paddled over/around/through to make herself THE first woman (and something like 6th *person*) to kayak the entirety of the Amazon. Just. Freaking. WOW!

[John McFadzean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. A kayaking adventure story of skill, bravery, and resilience that also explores the personal relationships between the three paddlers. The author is the first woman to kayak the Amazon river from source to sea.

[Jennie Goldberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually never read this kind of book but did as I knew some of the folks and I was very pleasantly surprised! So we’ll done and honest.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very appropriate read after The Amazon from Source to Sea: The Farthest Journey Down the World’s Longest River as West Hansen helped to get this three -person expedition prepared and cognizant of the dangers. Those dangers include criminals, terrorists, pirates, and non-human lethal threats. Gaechter's trio side steps the source of the Amazon argument to paddle the acknowledged largest river on Earth from a distant start in the frigid Peruvian highlands out through the bioluminescent gateway to the Atlantic. They do those carrying with them an extremely frail, dysfunctional team dynamic fraught with unreliable, thieving support and disbelieving South Americans.

I trust it was all worth it for all involved!

[Leah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredibly badass read and I highly respect Darcy and her journey. The emotional and psychological obstacles are sometimes the most difficult of all and I appreciate that she held nothing back. Her afterword was inspiring; this book was all I was hoping for and more.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating look into the world of hardcore kayaking, which I knew nothing about going in to this reading experience. It is not all fast and furious though as there is a lot of self reflection on the page. I loved the mix.

[Brooke Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. I loved coming away with a better understanding of the Amazon, the river itself and the communities and people surrounding it. I was glad the author shared the mental challenges of the trip, which made it seem all the more amazing that they completed everything, although I was most interested in her descriptions of the challenges and experiences presented by the external factors rather than the personality clashes, but it was helpful to realize how integrated all those things were. I was glad I read this one and loved the ways it expanded my worldview.

[(a)lyss(a) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting read! Following Darcy, Midge, and Don on their trip kayaking down the Amazon river. It's a compelling read that had me rooting for the crew to succeed. I expected some more reflection or explanation for some passages. There are some parts where the language is repetitive and the author really emphasizes her frustration at times.

It's such a unique story with some interesting insights. The end comes together as an inspirational call, I wish more of that had been tied in to the story its self.

This was clearly an emotional journey and was interesting to read about!

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darcy is a badass Amazon Woman, kayaker, athlete AND writer. I was very pleasantly surprised at how colorful and descriptive her writing was. I felt like I could see and feel what she was experiencing. The book was not overly long or detailed but just enough to really enjoy. I have a three year old daughter and I cannot wait to read this book to her - Darcy is a strong, fierce, independent role model for all women. What an incredibly amazing journey.

I highly recommend this book!

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good! I'm a kayaker and have paddled in S. America a few times, so my interest in and knowledge of this quest are perhaps atypical, but this book is a fast and exciting read. The author's introspection is really what this book is all about, and that makes it potentially thought provoking for any reader.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good. LOVE IT!! She's amazing and it was so encouraging.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good adventure read.

[Jess Paloposki]

So much credit to this woman. It's something I've dreamed of doing. Great read and to the point - which I liked.

[Nicki Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible story of courage, adventure, and inspiration!

[Patricia Stow · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much risk...lots of ego...and an incredible skill set to achieve this quest.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.6 stars. The fights were annoying but the overall journey from a badass woman was inspiring.