About
Bryan Hansel making an offering on Lake Nipigon.
In 2009, photographer, writer, and kayaking guide Bryan Hansel will start an attempt to solo circumnavigation of all five Great Lakes. During this 3,800 mile expedition, Hansel will attempt to become the first person to solo kayak circumnavigate all the Great Lakes. In doing so, he’ll fulfill a long held dream and provide testimony that great expeditions are possible near home. The expedition’s objectives are:
- Complete a circumnavigation of all five Great Lakes with a maximum of 20 mile crossings, and paddling 3,800 miles.
- Produce a book showing the Great Lakes from the viewpoint of a kayak. Build an extensive photographic portfolio of the Great Lakes.
- Promote paddlesports participation in the Midwest; the increased paddlesports participation will advance resource and wilderness protection on the Great Lakes. Produce a slideshow promoting paddlesports on the Great Lakes.
- Write and spur magazine and newspaper articles.
- Maintain a website devoted to paddling opportunities on the Great Lakes. During the trip, provide weekly web updates and daily Twitter tweets of trip status.
The Great Lakes contain roughly one-fifth of the world’s fresh surface water, they’re surrounded by eight U.S. States and one Canadian province, and have over 10,000 miles of shoreline. Formed just under 10,000 years ago as the last glaciers retreated, this young drainage basin is home to over 33 million people. This unique resource is under constant pressure from pollution, invasive species, and urban sprawl. With your help, we can promote paddling adventure on the Great Lakes, increase paddlesports participation in the Midwest, and highlight the pressures faced by one of America’s great wonders; the increased paddlesports participation will advance resource and wilderness protection.
Bryan Hansel’s Biography
Bryan Hansel kayaking on Lake Superior.
Bryan Hansel’s goal in life is to advance wilderness protection through growing paddlesport participation. He’s worked most of his life in the outdoor field in jobs that range from trail building in Iowa’s State Park system, park law enforcement, forestry, leading the camping/paddling/climbing lines in one of the world’s 10 largest sporting good chains, as an outdoor photographer, as a writer, as an ACA kayaking instructor and as a guide. Among personal achievements, he counts thru-hiking the entire 2160+ mile Appalachian Trail, climbing Devil’s Tower and solo paddling the old Voyager Route as his favorites. He’s paddled, climbed, and backpacked extensively throughout the US.
Currently, he works as a kayaking guide on Lake Superior, teaches cross country skiing, runs a photography business (www.bryanhansel.com), teaches photography workshops, builds and sells kayaks and kayak plans, runs a canoeing and kayaking website (www.nessmuking.com) and writes for print and the web. He lives in Grand Marais, MN.
Bryan’s photographs and writing have appeared in magazines and newspapers, such as Sea Kayaker Magazine, Lake Superior Magazine, Superior Outdoors, Cook County Star, Cook County New Herald and Minnesota Monthly. His images have also been used on websites, in brochures, and in commercial publications.
Contact: Bryan Hansel, PO Box 149, Grand Marais, MN 55604, bryan@bryanhansel.com
