In a daring feat of endurance and exploration, Ash Dykes, a 33-year-old adventurer from Old Colwyn, Conwy, has set a new world record after completing a gruelling 37-day expedition kayaking the entire length of the Coppename River — one of the most remote rivers on the planet.
Alongside three fellow adventurers, Dykes became part of the first team to navigate the river from its source deep in Suriname’s rainforest to its mouth at the Atlantic Ocean, covering a total of 380 miles (611km) through dense Amazonian terrain.
The journey tested both physical and mental resilience as the team battled harsh elements and faced encounters with venomous scorpions, snakes, tarantulas, and stingrays.
“We didn’t come across any community, any people, any means to charge [a satellite phone], any means to collect food,” Dykes said, describing the isolation and intensity of the expedition.
The mission also had a meaningful purpose — supporting wildlife conservation efforts by documenting the biodiversity along the route and raising awareness of the need to protect the fragile rainforest ecosystem.
This achievement adds another remarkable chapter to Dykes’ list of global adventures and further solidifies his reputation as one of the world’s leading modern-day explorers.
