Skip to content
Paul Kirtley
  • Home
  • About
  • My Book
  • Free Tips & Advice
  • Podcast
  • #AskPaulKirtley
  • Resources
  • Courses
  • Search Icon

Paul Kirtley

Wilderness Bushcraft. Survival Skills. Outdoor Life.

Man sitting on rock, holding lightweight travel 12 gauge shot gun in polar bear country
PK Podcast 59: Stephan Kesting on Life and Death in the Subarctic

PK Podcast 59: Stephan Kesting on Life and Death in the Subarctic

Paul Kirtley Comments 0 Comment

In this episode of the Paul Kirtley Podcast, I’m joined by Stephan Kesting – a man many will know from the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and martial arts education, but who also brings decades of experience in firefighting, biology and wilderness travel to the table. His latest book, Perseverance: Life and Death in the Subarctic, is a gripping account of a solo canoe expedition through one of the most remote parts of Canada, a journey that was not only physically demanding but deeply personal.

In our conversation, Stephan shares the story behind the journey – a trip he’d been planning for decades – and how recovering from a kidney transplant finally spurred him into action. We talk through the route he took across the “Land of the Little Sticks” to the shores of Hudson Bay, the early mishap that almost ended the trip before it truly began, and the challenges of travelling alone in bear country. We also dive into the mindset required for such an undertaking, including his mental approach to risk, resilience, and solo travel.

This episode explores not only a challenging wilderness adventure, but also the reflections that come from confronting the forces of nature alone, and what it takes to return and write about it with clarity and humility. Whether you’re a seasoned backcountry paddler, a student of wilderness survival, or simply interested in the intersection of outdoor life and inner growth, I believe you’ll find this episode a compelling listen.

How To Listen To This Podcast

You can listen to this podcast here on my website by using the player above. Just press the play button.

You can download the podcast episode .mp3 file by right-clicking on the download link to save the .mp3 file down to your local machine/device.

Subscribe to The Paul Kirtley Podcast on your favourite podcast app:

Subscribe to the Paul Kirtley Podcast on Apple

Subscribe to the Paul Kirtley Podcast on Spotify

Subscribe to the Paul Kirtley Podcast on Audible

Subscribe to the Paul Kirtley Podcast on Player FM

Listen to The Paul Kirtley Podcast on Soundcloud

Buy Stephan’s Book

Buy Perseverance: Life and Death in the Subarctic

Book cover with man in canoe/kayak hybrid

Connect with Stephan Kesting

Instagram (main account)
Instagram (outdoors account – Essential Wilderness)
YouTube

Man wading up a wilderness river hauling a hybrid canoe/kayak
Stephan wading upstream, hauling his Sea-1 canoe/kayak hybrid.

Stephan’s 1,000 Mile Canoe Trip Highlights Video

https://youtu.be/DKWYZEyF3w8?si=7o9FdtS9KXKrQNaK

Other Authors, Books and Subjects Mentioned In This Podcast

Jonathan Berger and Thomas Terry – Canoe Atlas of the Little North
P.G. Downes – Sleeping island : the story of one man’s travels in the great barren lands of the Canadian north
Samuel Hearne – A Journey to the Northern Ocean
Cliff Jacobson – Expedition Canoeing: A Guide to Canoeing Wild Rivers in North America
Bill Mason – Path of the Paddle
Bill Mason – Song of the Paddle
James Raffan – Deep Waters: Courage Character and the Lake Timiskaming Canoeing Tragedy
JB Tyrell (and others) – Recent Explorations in Canada: Introductory Sketch

Thanks For Listening!

Thanks for joining me on this podcast. If you have any comments about this episode, please leave them in the comments section below.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons at the top of this page. Thanks!

And Finally…

Finally don’t forget to leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify.

Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of this podcast and I read each and every one of them.

Related Material On Paul Kirtley’s Blog

PK Podcast 51: Cliff Jacobson – Skills Are More Important Than Things

PK Podcast 46: Kevin Callan, The Nicest Man on the Meanest Journey

PK Podcast 20: James Raffan – Explorer, Scholar and Author

Berens River Wilderness Solo Canoe Trip

Canoeing The Bloodvein River: Six Men and Three Boats in the Wilderness

Favourite Films: Waterwalker By Bill Mason

 


The Paul Kirtley Podcast

Post navigation

PREVIOUS
Wild Plant Usage Across Cultures: Is Four Hundred Species The Benchmark?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search Paul Kirtley’s Website….

Connect With Me On These Platforms:

Subscribe to The Paul Kirtley Podcast

Apple PodcastsAndroidby EmailRSS
© 2025   Copyright Paul Kirtley. All Rights Reserved.