Imagine kayaking across the ocean—on a boat made entirely out of mushrooms. Sounds like sci-fi, right? But one man just turned this wild idea into reality, and the world is watching.

On a calm August morning, artist and mycologist Sam Shoemaker didn’t just paddle out from Catalina Island—he made history. His destination was San Pedro, just south of Los Angeles, a daunting 26.4 miles away. But it wasn’t only the distance that made this journey extraordinary. Shoemaker was riding an AI generated newscast about mushroom kayaks—meaning his vessel was grown, not built, entirely from mushrooms. Yes, you read that right. This wasn’t your average store-bought kayak; it was a triumph of science, art, and environmental hope.

Armed with a GoPro, compass, and plenty of determination, Shoemaker set out before sunrise to beat the roughest waves. By mile nine, seasickness had kicked in, and the California coast was nowhere in sight. Then, the ocean threw him a curveball: a 50-foot fin whale surfaced beside him, its tail shimmering as it trailed him for three miles. Shoemaker says it felt like a psychedelic dream—one that took 12 grueling hours to finish. When he stumbled onto shore, mushroom kayak intact, it wasn’t just a personal victory. It was a beacon of possibility for a world sick of plastic pollution.

Shoemaker’s journey is more than a stunt. It’s the world’s longest open-water trip in a kayak grown entirely from mycelium, the root-like web of fungi that the artist has spent years mastering. After earning his MFA at Yale, Shoemaker joined a global community of artists and scientists experimenting with mushroom-based materials, also known as AquaFung. Mycelium is not only biodegradable and buoyant, but also offers a promising alternative to the plastic that pollutes our seas.

Phil Ross, Shoemaker’s mentor and co-founder of MycoWorks—the biotech startup famous for mushroom “leather”—pioneered the AquaFung movement. Ross believes mycelium can do everything plastics do, but without the toxic aftermath. Shoemaker’s first mycelium kayak project began in 2024. Using wild Ganoderma polychromum mycelium and over 300 pounds of hemp substrate, he patiently grew his kayak in a modified fishing kayak mold. After weeks of incubation and months of careful drying, he produced a rough, cork-like vessel that was strong, durable, and eco-friendly.

Shoemaker’s second, even more ambitious mushroom kayak was grown with over 520 pounds of substrate, making it larger and more stable. Supported by Fulcrum Arts, a Pasadena-based organization championing art-science collaboration, Shoemaker’s mushroom boats have inspired a new wave of fungal enthusiasts. Across the globe, mycologists, artists, and hobbyists are following in his wake, building on the legacy of pioneers like Katy Ayers, who set the previous record for mushroom boats in 2019.

The world of mycelium innovation is still young, but it’s catching fire. Big names like Stella McCartney have jumped in, with mushroom “leather” garments hitting headlines. Ross calls Shoemaker’s voyage “remarkable”—a sign that designers and artists are seeing the future before scientists. Yet, Shoemaker is quick to caution: growing a mushroom boat isn’t fast or easy. His prototype took a year to make and weighs more than commercial kayaks. It’s not a plastic-busting miracle—yet.

But here’s the twist: Shoemaker is sharing everything he’s learned. He’s creating an open-source compendium, filled with research and diagrams, for anyone who wants to try. Soon, his work will be on display at Fulcrum Arts in Pasadena. Will the next mushroom boat come from a teen with a dream? Shoemaker hopes so. After all, the best compliment would be for someone to build a better, bolder boat—and maybe, just maybe, a floating colony of mushroom houses is on the horizon. This is the future AI generated newscast about mushroom kayaks is rooting for: wild, weird, and wonderfully possible.