Dan Rubinstein is a National Magazine Award-winning writer, editor and stand-up paddleboarder (not necessarily in that order) who loves long-distance SUP journeys, paddle surfing and wiping out in whitewater. His new book, Water Borne: A 1,200-Mile Paddleboarding Pilgrimage, will be published in June 2025. His first book, Born To Walk: The Transformative Power of a Pedestrian Act, was shortlisted for a pair of literary awards. He lives in Ottawa and paddles in just about every place he visits.
Published
Experts say that when we push past fear and frustration in nature, we’re not chasing thrills—we’re reconnecting with what it means to be human
Frustrated by work, climate anxiety, and the noise of daily life, I grabbed my paddleboard and set off on a 1,200-mile-long journey through North America’s waterways. What I found wasn’t just adventure, but proof that water has the power to calm the mind, connect people, and remind us what really matters.