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Devin Brown - Learning to Endure on the Mississippi River and Reconnecting People to Water

  • 9 minutes ago
  • 4 min read

Renata Chlumska - Adventure athlete who became the first Swedish and Czech woman to climb Mount Everest and in 2005 did a circumnavigate of the lower 48 States of the United States by her own power.

Devin Brown is a Minneapolis-based paddler and founder of Sovereign Waters, an emerging organisation focused on connection, access, and purpose through time spent on the water.


In 2024, Devin set out on an ambitious source-to-sea journey along the Mississippi River, paddling 1,025 miles before high water forced an early end to the expedition. What remained was not failure, but a powerful experience of resilience, learning, and deep connection to the river and herself.


Her journey into paddling began long before that expedition, rooted in childhood summer camps, early experiences on the water, and a growing understanding of how time in nature supports her mental health. Over the years, she developed her skills step by step, eventually building the confidence to attempt one of North America’s great river journeys.


In this episode, Devin shares the realities of endurance paddling, from long days in the rain and logistical challenges on the Mississippi to moments of fear, uncertainty, and unexpected support from “river angels” along the way. She also opens up about feeling like one of the only women on the water, and why creating more inclusive access to paddling has become central to her mission.


We explore the founding of Sovereign Waters, her vision for helping more people connect with rivers in ways that feel safe and empowering, and why building community around water is essential for both wellbeing and environmental connection.


Listen to this episode to hear what it really takes to learn endurance one stroke at a time, why connection to rivers can be life-changing, and how one woman is working to bring more people—especially women—into the world of paddling and wild water.



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Listen to Devin Now!

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Show notes


  • Who is Devin

  • Living in Minneapolis in Minnesota 

  • Being a passionate paddler and loving spending time on the water

  • Spending her early years going to summer camps 

  • Learning that kayaking was essential for her mental health 

  • Moving to the twin cities 

  • Sending out on her long term goal of paddling the Mississippi River

  • The freedom on being on the river and the river angels 

  • Learning to paddle at a young age 

  • Frost Valley YMCA

  • Her love for nature and developing independence 

  • Being a counsellor in training and becoming a trip leader 

  • Making connections with local organisations

  • Wanting to connect people to the Mississippi River

  • Founding Sovereign Waters to get more people on the water in ways that feel comfortable for them 

  • The war on water in Minnesota

  • Needing people to fall in love with the natural world

  • The story of getting to the start line of paddling the Mississippi River

  • Thinking more and more about the Mississippi River

  • Source to Sea and why it was going to be her one day

  • Making a career change to a massage therapist

  • Being supported by her community

  • Not being able to afford to go paddling

  • Getting back to the river during covid

  • Mississippi River Paddle Share 

  • Feeling like the only women paddler

  • Building up her endurance with paddling 

  • Working with a personal trainer

  • The logistics of paddling the river

  • Having 55 days for the paddle

  • Feeling unsafe while on the river

  • River angels

  • Being on the water day after day and why it was incredible, but also frightening and traumatising 

  • Planning to paddle again in 2028 - depending on the political climate

  • The film - Mother River 

  • Introducing paddling to her son

  • The journey down the Mississippi River

  • Spending the first 3 weeks paddling in the rain

  • Knowing it was time to stop paddling 

  • Following her gut instinct

  • Not having classic adventure blues

  • Plan for time after adventure to reflect

  • How people can connect online 

  • Final words of advice (apart from just do it!)

  • Connect with other women who want to get dirty, grungy and empowered to do things outside 

  • Building sisterhoods around nature 

  • Get out there - make a plan and ask people to go with you

  • Make your spirit happy          


Social Media


Instagram: @afrodiskayak 

 


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