A teacher from Porto Alegre has an interesting hobby that has taken him to the other end of the country: kayaking the Amazon.

Hiram Reis e Silva, age 58, has already kayaked several tributaries, including the 1,600 kilometer Rio Solimões. Now, he’s kayaking the 950 km long Rio Negro, which has very few inhabitants along its shores.

He’s due to arrive in Manaus today after starting his journey in São Gabriel da Cachoeira no Natal in December. With a small boat that meets him at intervals and with communication and food only available when he passes a village, he’s essentially on his own.

To see photos, click here. To read Hiram’s blog, Desafiando o Rio-Mar, click here.