About Us
Who is Anja?
My name is Anja and I am a passionate and competitive master rower. I row for the Balmain Rowing Club in Sydney, Australia.
Anja Wever
Always up for a challenge.
I am also a dreamer & adventurer. I love nature & pushing myself to the limits as a means to overcoming my fears, pushing boundaries, & escaping from the mundane. I love cycling, hiking, camping, & I love people who are fearless and simply "do".
Inspired by adventure, driven by curiosity
I am a big fan of adventure documentaries & literature & one day I discovered the Murray Expedition site of some very inspiring people after reading "Vodka & Sandstorms", by Luke Richmond. I thought, I wonder what it would be like to row the Murray River backwards, in a coastal scull.
The start of an unforgettable journey
Well, here we are, in the planning stage of an expedition of a lifetime. And I am taking my 18 year old son along also, he will be paddling in a Kayak - so this is how our journey starts.
Thank you for joining us on our adventure
We appreciate you embarking on this journey with us - a mixture of hiking and rowing and paddling, all to follow our dreams and passions, overcoming fears, challenge ourselves, reflect on life, and meeting new people to challenge our status quo.
Who is Cy?
Hi, I’m Cy, 18yrs old and just finished school. Instead of taking a break or heading off for schoolies, I’ve dived straight into training for the 2025 Murray Kayak with my mum.
Cy Wever-Jetis
I’ve always been an active person
Not just in sports but in general, you’ll usually find me outside. After I took up paddling, I also joined a triathlon club with the Husky Triathlon on the list after the Murray. My mum keeps telling me to focus on one challenge at a time, but I love having something big to aim for.
No experience? No problem.
When it comes to kayaking, I’m a total newbie—only about a month of experience as of December 2024. That said, I’ve never let inexperience stop me, and the Murray promises to be a challenge. Luckily for me, while my mum rows backward in her boat, I get to face forward, cruising steadily and enjoying the view.
Ready to paddle
I’m super excited about this adventure and think about it every day. None of this would be possible without the incredible support we’ve had from family, friends, club members, and the wider rowing and kayaking communities. Now it’s time to let the paddling do the talking!
Acknowledgements
My Family
I like to thank my husband, Tim and my children for supporting this crazy dream. When I started voicing the idea, I saw Tim just slunk backwards into his chair, knowing that I was more than likely to follow it through. From putting up with our equipment throughout our house, to listening to detailed plans on hydrating food and filtering water, the pros and cons of a 58L hiking pack and the toxic levels of Australian snakes. It comes to no surprise that he was summoned to transport our boats to the source of our rowing adventure.
Our producer friends:
Jane Robertson & Jeremy Hall
I want to specifically mention Jane and Jeremy, both filmmakers and producers with extensive experience in large production houses, from Jim Henson to others. They both embraced my idea to row the Murray with great enthusiasm and interest and both have been essential in my preparation. They are helping with a film about our journey.
Please refer to https://ourstory.land
The Murray River Expeditioners
The Murray River Expeditioners Facebook group has been my lifeline for the past year. It has so many inspiring members that have already paddled the length of the Murray River in their own ways and having their feedback, advice, and encouragement has been invaluable. At risk of missing people out, I do want to call out a few people who have helped above and beyond. Chris Hayward, Owner and Administrator of this group, for his always prompt and compassionate advice and for reviewing our planned hike and sharing his “what not to do”. Bill Robinson, who contacted me via private message, for sharing his amazing adventures (he has a daughter who rowed at the Olympics!!!), for spending hours talking to us over the phone and providing his advice, and finally, for sending us a substantial amount of his equipment for use on the Murray.
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​I also wanted to thank Amy Outdoors, whose YouTube videos I devoured as the very beginning of my journey. Amy provided her own very pragmatic advice, from a female perspective.
My online coaches: Albert Nieuwenhuis & Sandra van Hees, Weerribbenrowing
I like to thank Albert and Sandra for their support in helping write a training plan in preparation for this expedition. I also really value their mentorship and advice throughout the preparation phase and ongoing as I am rowing the Murray. In true Dutch spirit, no challenge is too hard and never give up.
Beverley Malone
I would like to specifically mention Beverley, my rowing buddy and a member of the Balmain Rowing Club. Beverley has been with me from the very beginning of my idea to row the Murray River. She has never questioned my intent; in fact, she embraced the journey wholeheartedly. Beverley helped me pick up my boat, which I initially planned to transport on the roof rack of my car. When we realised the crate weighed over 150kg, we prevented the forklift, just in time from placing it onto my roof rack. We unpacked my boat together, nail by nail, and brought the heavy boat to the rowing club. Beverley was there for my first rowing stroke in my new boat. She will support my journey in a coordinator role, and I am immensely grateful for her support.
Balmain Rowing Club
I am a member of the Balmain Rowing Club. I want to thank my committee for letting me store yet another (and much larger boat) at the club.
I want to thank specifically, Zoe Morrison (Vice Captain), Maria O’Connor (Secretary), Victoria Clay (Crew coordinator), and Beverley Malone (Archivist and my right-side helper) for supporting the preproduction phase and just participating in interviews and following me along on the river for initial filming.
I like to thank Joe Toeness, our brain thrust all engineering for providing me with so much advice on safety, what spare parts to take with me on the Murray, for adding some heel ties to my shoes, and just always there with some great advice.
I like to thank my enthusiastic crew and BRC members for their encouragement and cheers and just believing in me and showing some interest in this massive endeavour.