Inside: One Woman's Journey Through the Inside Passage Paperback - March 12, 2019 Paperback – March 12, 2019

Nonfiction at its finest as one woman faces her inner fears and the outward challenges of paddling solo up the Inside Passage.While many of us dream of setting off on an adventure, few of us ever do. But in mid-life, Susan Marie Conrad was determined to stop running from fear and sadness and start paddling toward something positive. Leaving behind a confusing and frequently cruel childhood, a failed relationship, and the cloak of anxiety that often held her in its grip, Conrad embarked on a quest to live her dream of kayaking the Inside Passage from Washington State to Alaska.Unlike some celebrated explorers, Conrad was well prepared with expert paddling skills, modern safety equipment, and charts notated by her cherished friend and mentor. But no amount of careful planning could prepare her for weeks of traveling alone.During her journey, she experienced the astounding power and beauty of Nature. She paddled in drenching rains, fierce winds, and violent seas. Extreme high tides forced her to rise in the darkness and stand in frigid saltwater holding her gear out of the water until the sea receded and she could sleep again. Grizzly bears prevented her landing in choice camping spots. Black flies tormented her. Creepy men studied her from boats offshore. Every night she slept with her VHF radio, flare gun, knife, bear spray, cell phone, and SPOT satellite device in her tent, reasoning that if man or beast attacked, she would spray the intruder and fire her flare gun, cut an escape hole, call for help, and then press the 911 button on the SPOT so someone could locate her body."Inside" brings the reader along on the adventure as Conrad battles her way up the Inside Passage, learning to cope with ever-changing moods of weather and sea, wildlife both friendly and fierce, and the mixed messages of her own mind. Within these pages of eloquent writing and striking photos, readers will sleep to songs of humpback whales, thrill to spectacular scenery, delight in the generosity of strangers, and share in the author’s joy as she discovers the courage and the deep gratitude that comes from experiencing the best and the worst of Nature and humanity. This is a book we highly recommend.

The last thing that I did remotely resembling a book review was an 8th grade English class book report the year that JFK was elected President of the United States, but here we go. Even if you know nothing about sea kayaks (I've never sat in one) , or you don't know exactly where the Inside Passage is (I didn't), Ms Conrad will make a seasoned voyager out of you in the course of her book. The story itself centers around her solo kayak trip from Anacortes Washington, to Juneau Alaska. Sixty six days of paddling a total of 1,200 miles, give or take. The ocean proved unpredictable, as one would imagine, with conditions changing from as calm as your bath tub, to swells high enough to loose sight of her short term paddling partner. Beautiful sunny days, and periods of numbing cold driving rain. An occasional iceberg tossed in for good measure at the Alaska end of the trip just about provides everything you could hope to find while paddling inches off the water. Campsites varied from idyllic, to satisfactory, to primitive, to "you've gotta be kidding me". Aided by the fact that she did her homework, LOTS of homework, before she started her journey, she also found some accommodations along the way as well. These also varied in quality, some pleasant surprises, some disappointing. You'll also be introduced to some of the wonderful, some of the colorful, and a couple of the scary people that she meets along the way. Wildlife, of course there's wildlife, crows, seals, fish, whales, bears. Come on, there's GOTTA be bears, right?Susan paints such beautiful word pictures to let you see the sights along the way. The forests, islands, inlets, bays, passages, distant mountains, all spark your imagination, and let you enjoy nature's beauty through her eyes. As difficult as her trip must have been, she shows you just how much she fell in love with it. She includes you in every phase of the journey from the inception, the planning, the logistics, and the day to day activities on and off the water.Gracefully woven into the story of the voyage are insights into what made Susan who she is, and how the trip helped her discover, or rediscover certain aspects of herself. Unlike some other authors, her biographical and personal asides, aren't stand alone passages, but blend into the story seamlessly.I hope that I've shared enough to spark your interest in Inside: One Woman's Journey Through the Inside Passage. If you're the outdoorsy, adventurous type, an armchair adventurer, or a lady of any age who dreams of widening her horizons, please give Ms Conrad's book a read.Bonus section: Early on in the book, I found Susan was on facebook. I dropped her a message telling her that I had recently started the book and how much I was enjoying it. I expected that would be the end of things. I was VERY pleasantly surprised when she wrote back, invited me to keep her posted on how far Traveled from reading to reading, and answered any questions or comments that I had along the way. It was truly an unforgettable way to enjoy a book.

My son and fam heard Susan speak on an Alaskan cruise and bought her book. While at their house recently, I picked it up. My husband and I have sailed (well, mostly motored) some of this area and it was fun reading about places we have been to. I shared her thrill of the breathtaking beauty and the uneasiness of big ships, and tidal currents. The book is well written. It kept my interest from front to back. Doing something like this sets one apart from the crowd doing just ordinary things, being fearful of getting out there. In 1990, my intrepid husband and I, along with our two children, 12 and 9, set sail from England and crossed the ocean in a rather primitive catamaran. That was our "thing" that set us apart. So I could relate a bit with Susan. I tried kayaking once. It's really hard work! And I really don't like being cold and wet. And I would have enjoyed company on the journey. My favorite part of the book was when her friend, Becky, Joined her. So, congratulations for the solo journey and for the book!

Awesome book. Had my interest from the get go. Well written and inspirational!!

I bought this because I was interested in the topography of the Inside Passage, but the author's account of her journey all the way to Alaska really captivated me and filled me with admiration.

OK, if you don't paddle, read this book! If you do paddle, skip the reviews, buy the book! It will remind you on every page why you paddle, why you'll never stop paddling and why you keep wondering about doing the Big Trip! Susan is one of us and as you read her book, you will know so much more about not just why and the how, but the wonder we all feel as we paddle. I read the Kindle version so I can keep it close, but all formats share her experience. So come on, you know what to do, scroll up and click!

Excellent

I started reading this book while attending the BC Marine Trails Assoc. Grand opening of the Salish Sea trail segment of the IP. It was to be the start of my own paddle of the Southern section from Newcastle Island, but a gale warning and a sudden drop in temperature forced me to delay the trip. This book has inspired me to continue on in the spring. I loved her honesty and self disclosure and have great respect for her skill and courage. I hope to hear more from her in the future.