One Inch Above the Water: Running Away on America's Rivers

by Jim Payne

Jim Payne follows the waterways of America, living a Tom Sawyer life, getting scared, soaked, and bailed out of trouble by Samaritans he discovers along the way. His escapades span the country, from the Hudson River to the Columbia, from the Mississippi to the Erie Canal. He's entrapped by security guards at Mount Vernon, loses his rudder off the Florida Keys, and sleeps in Franklin Roosevelt's bed. Across 1,600 miles, this middle-aged runaway often loses his sense of direction, but never his sense of humor.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

294 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 2008

About the author

At age 10, Jim Payne daringly rode his bicycle from his home suburb of Leonia, New Jersey along highways and across the George Washington Bridge into New York City—and then, alarmed at what he had gotten into, he turned around and pedaled rapidly back home. The episode prefigured the wanderlust deep within that, 55 years later, gained expression in his solo kayak journeys on American and international waterways.

Payne considers himself a "social scientist," appreciating the virtues of those he encounters across many cultures, but he first earned his PhD in political science at the University of California, Berkeley in 1968. He has taught at Johns Hopkins, Yale, Wesleyan, and Texas A&M, and has written dozens of books on the subject, including a series of allegorical works on political philosophy, disguised as children’s books (the Princess Navina series).

Successful as he was, Payne's adventurous nature prevailed, and in 1985 he left the security of a tenured professorship to become an independent scholar and, with practice, a solo kayaker. Payne conducted research for various 'think tanks' and served as a freelance writer, appearing in Fortune magazine, the Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, and many other publications, as well as radio and television interviews.

Payne has written five travel adventure novels chronicling his solo voyages. He has also written numerous articles about his solo kayak trips that have covered many of the major U.S. waterways as well as special trips abroad.

Reviews

[Patrick Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful travelogue by a good friend. Really neat stories of kayaking some great American rivers and waterways. Fascinating experiences, humor and human and environmental observations. His mode of travel and interactions with various people along the way is a real joy to read.

[Tim D Fields · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspired quiet journeys

There is a tendency in publishing to only publish accounts of journeys to exotic, distant places. Jim Payne 's journey were asking several of the great waterways in the U.S. At an advanced age for the solitary paddler, Mr. Payne tackled impressive stretches of Lake Champlagne to the St. Lawrence, the Columbia, the Potomac, and the Mississippi - all told from the perspective of a guy paddling his kayak. His writing style is like his approach to paddling: matter of fact and simple. This book isn't one of the classic takes of grand expiration. But it is a very pleasant read.

[Karen McClelland · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting account of a solo journey and the discoveries made along the journey.

[Judi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyable narrative about a man from Sandpoint who kayaks down several of America's waterways including the Columbia, Hudson and Miami to Key West all of which I have visited recently. He does not plan ahead and takes what comes which leads to several unpleasant nights. He spaces the trips out over several years and begins his first one at age 57!

[Joe White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author has the annoying tendency to look on the positive side of every occurrence. I think his outlook is also strongly Republican. Outside of that he makes a great adventure touring writer, because he isn't out to impress with daring do conqueror capabilities, but does have true adventure experience made up of the logistical details that are often not mentioned in some journals.

[Micheal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I attended one of Jim Payne's seminars at a local library and picked this book up as I had just become interested in trying Kayaking. This is a very fun and light-hearted read of adventures to be had in the modern era, and I still find myself going back to it here and there when my inner explorer needs a boost. If you can find it, buy it.

[Johnny W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific read that really explores what is unique - and never seen on roadways - about travel by waterway. Payne takes us into the trials and tribulations of kayaking that serve as a great metaphor for challenging ourselves, and the freedom to explore, struggle, and discover what we are made of -usually more than we think! A great inspiration for those young at heart and those old and wise.

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to put down

The write smoothly goes from one tale to another in a all most seamless adventure.
If you find yourself yearning set out on an long distance paddling adventure give this a try.

[Walt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book for a paddler who is not able, for whatever reason, to get on the water...armchair paddling!