In 2012, at 50 years old, National Geographic Explorer and Austinite West Hansen was the first person to lead an expedition to paddle the entire 4200-mile Amazon River from source to sea. This expedition helped the Amazon surpass the Nile as the world’s longest river. Two years later, he, along with his buddy Jeff Wueste, was the first to kayak the entire 2100-mile Volga River in Russia (Europe’s longest river) from source to sea. Last year, at 61 years old, West led the first expedition to kayak the entire 1600-mile Northwest Passage, made infamous by the tragic Franklin Expedition in the mid-1800s.

A native Texan, West graduated with a degree in psychology from Southwest Texas State University and works as a licensed social worker, helping people negotiate the complexities of our confusing healthcare systems. He’s a professional carpenter, avid canoe racer and ran quite unsuccessfully for US Congress in an effort to improve our nation’s health care issues. He’s also the author of “The Amazon from Source to Sea: The Farthest Journey Down the World’s Longest River” and helped produce the documentary “Peeled Faces on the Amazon: The Story of the Amazon Express.” He’s currently writing a book entitled “Through a Land so Wild and Savage” about his experience kayaking through the Arctic.

West is the Chair of the Texas Chapter of the Explorers Club and recently had dinner with Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise at a Chapter event in Houston. He manages two canoe races each year on the Colorado River from Austin to Columbus to LaGrange and has completed the 260-mile Texas Water Safari 24 times.

[www.westhansen.com](http://www.westhansen.com/)

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