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| Profile—April
2007 John Goddard and the River of Life by James Michael Dorsey Photos courtesy John Goddard Map by Christopher Hoyt |
 Almost 60 years ago, John
Goddard accomplished what many believe to be the single greatest
kayaking feat in history. With equipment that is primitive by today’s
standards, he and his companions, André Davy and Jean LaPorte,
paddled over 4,000 miles—the entire length of the Nile River
in Africa. The feat has never been duplicated.Goddard lived off the land and shot film and stills of the entire journey, which he completed in a 15-foot hickory-and-canvas kayak. Five years later, he returned to Africa and kayaked another 400 miles before switching to a dugout and steamboat to explore the entire length of the Congo River. His travels by kayak are just a few of his many achievements. A Life List At age 15, John began to compile a “life list,” consisting of 12 challenging goals. As he grew up, his list grew to 127 and ran the gamut from learning languages, to exploring wilderness and visiting remote tribes. Today, almost seven decades later, John has accomplished 114 of these goals. His list has continued to expand, and he currently has nearly 300 items he has yet to check off. This coming summer, he plans to see a blue whale, and if he’s successful, he’ll shift one more goal onto his list of -accomplishments. As a teenager, he had decided that his single greatest feat would be a complete exploration of the Nile. John saw the African river as the lifeblood of civilization flowing from the birthplace of man. The Nile became the number one goal on his life list. I first met John in 2000 when I was offered a membership in the venerable Adventurers’ Club of Los Angeles, of which John was a senior member. He is tall and lean and has the weathered look of a man who has been everywhere and done everything. John is a master storyteller, and given an audience, he can tell stories all night long. One on one, however, he is modest and self-effacing, preferring to turn the conversation away from himself. His handshake is firm and warm, and when you speak to him, he makes you feel you are the most important person in the world. Typically, there are no short answers when you ask John a question. His boundless enthusiasm and endless curiosity about all things are cause for a story, no matter how simple the question posed may be. Whenever I asked a specific question about the Nile paddle, his answer turned into a lengthy explanation encompassing that and many other places. |
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