Isak Gasi is a former world-class canoeist who represented Yugoslavia internationally for more than a decade. His Bosnian War experiences propelled him into a prominent and ongoing role as a witness for the prosecution at The Hague tribunal. He has lived in the United States for the past sixteen years, working in a technical field. A devoted husband and father, he still canoes regularly, finding deep satisfaction in the interplay between a boat, a paddle, and the Columbia River's eternal flow. Shaun Koos is a retired hospital executive who grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After graduating magna cum laude from Carleton College, he earned a graduate degree from the University of Washington. He rowed in UW's graduate program, feeling some connection to the school's storied history and the boys in its 1936 boat. Shaun is a former member of the US canoe and kayak team, and the former Secretary of USA Canoe/Kayak. It was through canoeing that he met Isak Gasi. His primary interests as a writer are in historical biography and in exploring the motivations, mindsets, and actions of individuals who confront and surmount great challenges.