Man Paddles 26 Miles in Kayak Grown From Mushrooms!

2025-09-08 00:00:18.061

Sam Shoemaker paddled 26.4 miles across the ocean from Catalina Island to San Pedro in a kayak grown from mushrooms. This marked the world's longest open-water journey in a mushroom kayak. His journey, which took 12 hours and included an encounter with a whale, showcased the potential of mycelium-based materials as a sustainable alternative to plastics in watercraft. Shoemaker's work builds on the research of mycologist Phil Ross and others exploring AquaFung, mycelium-based materials for aquatic use. Shoemaker's kayak, grown from Ganoderma polychromum mycelium, is the second water-tested mushroom boat, following Katy Ayers's 2019 record. While acknowledging the current limitations of mushroom-based materials, Shoemaker hopes his project will inspire others to explore this sustainable technology. He plans to share his research openly and encourages others to improve upon his design.