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“Addictions can be very, very bad but addiction itself is not bad.
It’s a case of what you’re addicted to.
You better live each day like it’s your last, ‘cos one day you’re going to be right”.
Ray Charles.
Link tip a friend
Here are the initial words that began a good friendship with Sean over the last few years. Have a look at what he's been up to and also his missioning with Yappa over the last few years. And oh yeah, the Oz Kayak Nationals they ran are featured on the site.
“I’m a Freestyle Kayaker based in Melbourne. I’m best mates with Anthony Yap, one of your guys; we ran the recent surf comp at Phillip Island where I placed a close second to him.
I’ll be joining Anthony in Canada in about a month for some serious boating there, in Uganda and a couple of other locations on our round the world trip.
I’ve attached a few photos that you may like to use; there are a few great ones there too, do you think there’s any chance of getting a little package of stickers and maybe a t-shirt or two sent out this way?".
I’ve attached a couple of pics for you to have a look at and I’m pretty outspoken and a well recognised figure on the sport in Australia, present at almost all events in the South East of Oz.
I’m currently hooked up with Electric Water, Bliss Stick, Woody paddles and SeaSpecs and I’d love to join the team also. Hearing from you soon, cheers - Sean".
- Sean and his donkey flippin'.
Some of the lead-in to Boz’s background may be less that accurate but from here on it’s gospel and apart from his paddling skills and experience, what he describes regarding ecological impact is actually an ethical quandary that many first-world activists also consider when they travel to wild places.
“What can one man do? Where does one begin?”
These are 2 incredibly pertinent questions, with absolutely no easy answer, perhaps apart from trying to minimise ones own impact and influence others to do so too.
Sounds weak but possibly the only practical thing we can all do, enjoy this stuff on Boz, he’s a great ambassador of the best spirit behind these pursuits …….
Bio:
Sean Michael Bozkewycz
Born: September 26, 1983
Stats: 187cm, 85 kg.
Hometown: Lilydale, Victoria, Australia
Majority of 2009 will be spent in: British Columbia, Canada.
Kayaking Experience: Ten Years
Kayaking styles: Freestyle, Expedition and Creeking.
Occupation: Kayaker, Raft Guide, Tow Truck Driver, Concreter, Labourer etc etc.
2008 Destinations: British Columbia, California, Laos, Tasmania.
2009 Destinations: New Zealand, Kimberley (Western Australia), British Columbia, Europe, Laos.
Highlights: 2007 King Edward River Expedition, Kimberley Region, Western Australia. 2008 expedition to Lao PDR, South East Asia
Results: 2nd spot, 2007 Australian Freestyle Team; 2nd Tofino Freestyle Surf Comp 2007; 1st Mixed Team, 2006 Teva Lea River Extreme Race; 4th 2006 Australian Nationals; 4th 2005 Australian Nationals.
Media Appearances: H2Ho (Good Gravy Productions, 2004); Kayak Combat (People’s Choice Award, 2007
Loungekayaker.com.au Australia / New Zealand Film Festival – also co-edited and directed); Cover shot – Cumec Magazine Issue 1; Downunder The Horizonline (Skippy Films, 2008); Hotel Charley (ClearH2O Films/Ben Stookesberry, 2008).
Sponsors: Kayak4Play, H2O Paddles, Electric Water Canoe Gear.
“Life’s been an amazing adventure since my decision in 2003 to drop out of university and pursue the river lifestyle full time.
Travel is fatal to prejudice – Mark Twain but I think that travel also proves perilous for closed minds and narrow perspectives.
The people, places, music and perspectives encountered in these years all have opened my mind to a world normally left in the shadows of contemporary education and the school-job-mortgage-kids-retire progression that typifies our so-called civilised society.
As my kayaking ‘career’ continues to provide impetus for avoiding the nine-to-five, I’m left grappling with the hypocrisy and guilt of my privileged first-world existence as it clashes violently with an ecological reality that for many is simply too easy to ignore.
Every time another tract of virgin forest is turned to pulp, every time another species disappears forever from our planet, every time another river is stopped in its tracks, every time another reserve of fossil fuel is brought to the surface, we step closer to the brink.
What can one man do? Where does one begin?”
Late July, Matt Dawson, James Thorp, Jimmy Lohrey, Ben Earle, Adrian Kiernan and myself flew from Green Lake, Whistler, over the mountains to Stein Lake. Three days of whitewater on the Stein, journeying from glacial lakes to its confluence with the Fraser and Thompson rivers.
(See video and photos above by Erin Raynton and Lachie Carracher).
