The Toughest Boat Race In The World Is In Texas

It starts out on a beautiful Texas river and then things start to go south, (literally and figuratively), very, very quickly.

Texas has some of the world's most beautiful rivers ... I'm not bragging, it's true - look it up ... and one of them is the starting point of a hellacious race/journey that throws super hot temperatures, sharks and snakes at participants.

Racers face all that, and a lot more, for several intense and grueling days and nights. Seriously, the fastest of the finishers is probably looking at 2 days.

Hot, summer Texas temps, surrounded by snakes, sharks ... yes, SHARKS ... 'gators and more, (all in their natural element), while you try and get past them in a skinny little canoe. No motor. No sails. Only you, maybe a crazy buddy or two and your arms are allowed.

What Is The Texas Water Safari?

The Texas Water Safari started in 1963. It's a canoe race that follows various waterways for 260 miles, ending up in Seadrift, Texas a couple ... or, maybe 4 - 5 ... days later. Ideally, the slowpokes can make the minimum time of 4 days and 4 hours.

What Makes It So Tough?

In addition to the length, the challenges include whitewater rapids, multiple portages, and the relentless, soul-sapping Texas heat. Competitors have four days and four hours to paddle from San Marcos, in the center of the state, to the shy little town of Seadrift on the Gulf Coast. There is no prize money for the winners; just Texas-size bragging rights for the finishers.” - texaswatersafari.org

Don't forget the snakes, sharks, alligators, fire ants, logjams, dams and waterfalls participants have to navigate portals and more. (Portals are areas where you must pull your canoe out of the water and physically carry the freakin' thing across land to the next waterway. Kind of like an exit ramp onto a different freeway.)

I'll just watch the videos if ya'll don't mind.