Kayak movies are a source of exploration, discovery and pure adventure kayaking bliss. They can provide us with the actual view of famous kayaking destinations and others adventures associated with trips to these kayaking sites. Here is a list of movies that can provide you with a real-time feel of the kayaking trips:
Jotunn
Kayakers Aniol Serrasolses & Mikel Sarasola and photographers Aleix Salvat & David Nogales ventured into the freezing landscapes of Iceland for Jötunn, a spectacular kayak project like no other. Expect all the jaw-dropping scenery and stomach-clenching drops you could ever want or need.
Chasing Niagara
Pro kayaker Rafa Ortiz decides to chase his dream to paddle over North America’s Niagara Falls but this is no easy task given the highly dangerous drop involved. Chasing Niagara follows Ortiz as he pushes his limits to achieving this dream. The film documents the process and training that Ortiz goes through over a three-year period as he builds to his moment of truth. Helping him along are professional kayakers Rush Sturges, Evan Garcia, and Tyler Bradt. They all soon realise the path to Niagara may have a mind of its own.
Hanging Spear
When kayakers see water plunging down a steep mountainside with rapid force, they inevitably start to look for ways to paddle it. This is what happened with Steve Fisher and Pat Keller when they saw the Hanging Spear Gorge of the Opalescent River in upstate New York. Hanging Spear is the story of the expedition to the gorge and their efforts to tame the free-flowing whitewater rapids of the area.
First Descent: Michoacan
A band of brothers, including Dane Jackson and Rafa Ortiz, explore the rivers and waterfalls of Mexico’s remote and dangerous Michoacan state with their kayaks. The crew of six have one thing in mind, that is to conquer and be the first to descend the rivers of Michoacan. During the expedition, the team visits the Upper Alseseca River, Upper Jalacingo River, Rio Hoyo del Aire, Rio Cajones, Rio Cupatitzio, and many more that are revealed throughout their journey.
Locked In
Ben Stookesberry, Chris Korbulic, Benny Marr, and Pedro Oliva travel to Papua New Guinea to attempt a first descent of the Beriman River. The daunting 40km run is lined with many dangers and no way out but to ride out to the ocean. Follow them as they make the plunge into the unknown in this arduous but rewarding paddling experience.
Halo Effect
A crew featuring four world-class kayakers Steve Fisher, Rush Sturges, Ben Brown, and Shane Raw head to the whitewater meccas of Iceland and Norway in search of unexplored rapids. A few unexpected problems are encountered along the way. They find that the journey they planned is only half the adventure and sometimes luck can change in the blink of an eye.
Claim Freedom
From climbing to kayaking to cave diving, four adventurers are given the opportunity to take on once-in-a-lifetime challenges. In the kayaking segment, Adrian Mattern and friends head to USA’s Pacific Northwest, the home of the Columbia River Gorge and a land of endless waterfalls. Their goal is to scout as many waterfalls as they can and to descend as many as possible.
Congo – The Grand Inga Project
Big water pros Steve Fisher, Ben Marr, Rush Sturges, and Tyler Bradt battle seemingly insurmountable obstacles in the Congo on their way to facing their own worst fears as they attempt to survive the dirty and ferocious Inga Rapids that lies within the Central African nation. Congo – The Grand Inga Project chronicles this scary ride from start to finish.
The Filer Creek Expedition
With international travel proving difficult in 2020, Canadian kayaker Ed Muggridge came up with the idea to tackle something closer to home. Joining forces with two of his mentors – Sandy Macewan and Benny Marr – the intrepid trio set out to achieve the first descent of Filer Creek, a daunting 66km stretch of river in British Columbia. Aptly entitled The Filer Creek Expedition, the documentary tells the story of the trip among whitewater rapids, occasionally un-runnable water and local grizzly bears.
What’s your top movie about kayaking?
