Thank you all!

First of all, thank you all for your support, thoughts, and prayers. We really felt looked after out on the big lake. Unfortunately, due to unexpected circumstances, Dana is no longer able to continue on with the journey.

It is too unsafe for me to attempt the rest on my own, however, I am not completely bowing out yet. I am giving myself a week to find another partner, and if all works out we'll finish the rest of the fundraiser. If I am unable to find someone else in the near future, I too will have no choice other than to abort the trip.

Regardless, what we experienced out there and the people we encountered were something more than words. Hopefully we encouraged some of you and others to donate blood, as well as reminded you of the uniquely beautiful area surrounding the Great Lakes region and that we need to protect and take care of it.

Thank you, Sean

Inspiration Point

On our 8th day of paddling we made it to Ludington State Park, but not before stopping at the Big Sable Point Lighthouse. This gorgeous 112 foot lighthouse is one of Michigan's oldest and most well preserved lighthouses. It is now part or the Ludington State Park and is operated by the Big Sable Lightkeepers Association.

Once inside we chatted with volunteers care givers and even interviewed with one of the local radio stations. We took the stairs up the tower to witness a remarkable view of the dunes and water from a birds perspective. After visiting and lunch we were headed for the park. Once we arrive at the park we pulled our kayaks a a small hill and carried them a short distance to our sight. Luckily for us it was right next to the camp hosts sight and took really good care of us. Not even within 5 minutes of getting there Mrs. Willick offered us sandwiches and soda, followed by pie.

After eating and setting up camp I took a hike with M. Willick around the grounds while taking in the beauty and breathtaking views. The next morning I drove to town with our new friends and walked through the park and bought some food. Later on Mr. and Mrs. Willick and I took a hike past the dunes and river. We climbed a ridge that overlooked Lake Hamal and in some parts you could see Lake MI too. We reached an undisclosed point were the Willicks had a family bench. The spot was named "Inspiration Point" and let me say that I was honored and inspired to have the privilege of seeing the view from their point.

Later we had a delicious Dutch oven meal and socialized over a warm bonfire.

Thank you Willicks for your care and passion!

I can't see a thing!

The day of paddling towards Manistee brought more rain and fog. The fog was especially thick when we were about two miles from the pier head. It rolled in so thick that before long we couldn't see a thing and had a hard time seeing each other. So, we hooked up to turn on our strobes and checked the GPS to turn and head to shore. Once we reached the shoreline we paddled South again until we approached the break wall. At this point the wind was strong from the NW and the waves were smashing into the wall and violently rushing back out. We struggled to paddle into the harbor. At times the waves from the wall and the waves from the lake would collide and we were in the middle of it causing our boats to shoot up and splash back down. The visibility was poor and our sense of sound was altered tremendously by the wind and splashing water in our faces. There was nothing to do, but to keep paddling on. We knew that relief would be on the other side of the break wall. Finally, we made it and took a rest.

Then, we paddled through the river to the "Shipwatch Marina" where we would stow our boats for the evening. We checked our messages and called our friend Luke Allen to pick us up. We also called Dave Yarnell from the papers to come and interview us. He showed up right after Luke and asked us all sorts of questions. After a photo of all three of us we were on our way to the Allen's, but not before picking up two orders of the best stromboli ever!

We gorged ourselves once we arrived at Luke's. Just as we were finishing his parents came home. We introduced ourselves, chatted for a bit, and decided to take a tour around their property. It was a pleasant walk with lots of laughs, sunshine, and great scenery. The Allen's fed us well and took good care of us. The shower was rejuvenating and the sleep was refreshing.

The next morning, after breakfast, we headed back to the marina and finished our interview with Dave. After goodbyes we paddled on. Dave met us at the pier to shoot pictures and videos of us leaving.

Thank you Allen's for your hospitality and great company!

Lake Magic

We left Frankfort on our way to Manistee, but when we pushed off it was evident that it would not be an extremely long paddling day unless the conditions of heavy rain and moderate winds subsided. As we lost sight of the pier head in Frankfurt the view in front of us grew. The view was of lush green hills and patches of light fog that climbed over the hills, reminding me of Hawaii.

We paddles on through the rain and when it came to s standstill we pulled over to rest for a bit and reenergize. Coincidentally, Dana sat down and noticed a mysterious piece of wood. He lifted it up and underneath found a geochaching box that was labeled "Shipwreck Marquette 1856." Inside we found a few fun items and a book that Dana signed. After a few "proof" photos we loaded up and paddles into Arcarida.

We entered the pier channel with strong easterly winds and heavy rain. Once in the harbor we browsed for a good place to land and when we noticed an "open flag" hanging from the marina we headed over. Upon entering the building we noticed a group of people inside laughing, "we're not laughing at you, we're laughing with you" they said. I guess it would have been amusing to see two rat soaked kayakers pull up to the boat landing looking like lost puppies. We introduced ourselves and shared our story. Then we chatted a bit and harbor master Mike mentioned that he and his friend Vink had a Maine Lobster Fishing Boat that they just pulled in from Frankfurt and asked us if we would like to chirsten her for the evening. We were pleased to stay aboard, dry and out of the cold. They also gave us free usage of the yacht club's private facilities...including hot showers. It was awesome and couldn't have come at a better time.

Once we unloaded the gear into our home for the evening we walked a mile into town on the lookout for a restaurant. We found the Big Apple Bar and Grill and ate shrimp and burgers. After talking with a few locals and giving ourselves time for the food to digest we skipped across the street for ice cream. It had stopped raining for the walk back and we ate our ice cream in peace. On our walk back Dana mentioned his understanding of what we received from the friendly Arcadia folks. His uncle is an avid hiker and hikes the Appalachian ever summer. He says that when people receive unexpected kindness and support from others they call it "Trail Magic." Call it answered prayers, call it magic, I know it couldn't have come at a better time. After warm showers and relaxing we went to bed.

The next morning we thanked the fellows for their hospitality and chatted a bit over a cup of coffee. Then we were off.

Thank you Mark and Vink!

We're baaaack!

After a pleasant drive with Dana's mom and aunt Bernie we landed ourselves back at where we left off. After a warmer nights sleep we packed up and headed into our home on the lake. It felt good-right-to get back in the water. Even though we paddled into a strong head wind for the first couple of miles the sun was shining and who could be deterred by the beauty that surrounded us in the form of massive sand dunes as far as the eye could see on one side and fresh, blue water, in expanse, on the other side.

When we turned and paddled south we received a helpful NW wind which made paddling much more enjoyable. Once we reached the edge of the Platte Bay we contemplated shooting across rather than paddling in. We discussed the circumstances and listened to the weather before we made the decision to go for it. Since we had a tail wind we would be assisted by waves and swells all the way there. Once we were few miles from shore we started getting waves from the East and northwest which combined to create unpredictable but interesting spouts. There is no telling how big or small one will be, but they do have they do have the potential to significantly throw you off balance and possibly cause a capsize. Other than having to perform a few strong high braces we were relatively not impacted. The really interesting thing was that as we paddle further away from shore we began experiencing patterns of waves in about every fourth set of three that would generate large swells. The large swells would sometime engulf your body from the neck-down. When they approached and "swallowed" you, it would stop you dead in your tracks and we had to just try not to fight it and allow the water to roll of of us in order to resume paddling. When you're eight miles from shore and this happens you become a little frightened, but eventually you get used to it, expect it, and hope it doesn't cause a capsize.

Once we made it to the other side we ate a lunch of pop tarts, jerky, and crackers. After a 10 minute siesta we headed back out. Pushing off turned out to be a challenge as we were on the receiving end of those NW waves. Paddling off shore included getting blasted by strong, cold waves and trying to maintain balance was a challenge. We made it off and paddled the rest of the day along the shoreline. Along the way we passed a beautiful lighthouse, sand cliffs so steep that I think I kinked my neck from trying to look at the top of them, and dark forests. Our stopping point for the evening was Frankfort. Where we met up with friend Jen Elliott and her family. They took us in and made a delicious full meal. After eating we visited and told stories. Then it was lights out. In the morning we decided to stay with the Elliotts for another day because the rain and the wind were heavy. So we did what all people like to do on rainy days-we watched movies...and ate ice cream, of course.

Thank you Elliotts! It was lots of fun.

Umm.... Gale Force!

After gallivanting through Fishtown and Glen Arbor, with Martin, Dana and I thought we would give 25 knot winds and 35 knot gusts a shot. Once we got back to our camp we dressed and loaded the boats. Pushing off seamed to be quite a challenge as it took us multiple attempts before we were successful. As we paddled out it soon dawned on us that we were not going to make it very far in the strong headwinds blowing us backwards. We pushed on for about a half hour. Realizing that we only went two hundred yards and every muscle in our bodies hurt, we decided to turn around to set up camp for the evening and listen to the weather report.

The forecast was calling for gale force winds lasting through Tuesday. Since Dana is in a wedding on Saturday and his mom planned on coming to get us on Wednesday, we figured- why sit on the beach for two days when we can't paddle anyway? So Dana called and asked his mom to come and get us. Sunday morning, she and Uncle Jim showed up to greet us just as we pulled our kayaks up from the beach. We unloaded everything and strapped the kayaks to the top of Dana's vehicle. We were on our way and out from the grip of the cold, windy, lake.

Come to find out when we got stuck on the beach because of the winds we were in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. One of the rangers Approached us Sunday morning and asked us what we were doing. We informed him of our cause and why we were stuck on the beach. He proceeded to educate us that all campers must comply with the regulations of entering the park through designated areas and that they must also purchase a short tern or seasonal pass. In addition, intended campers must use designated camping areas only and may not pitch tents just anywhere. So chatting with the friendly ranger turned out to be rather informative and we just wanted to share that with you so that you may all avoid expensive penalties.

I will meet with the Chippewa County Red Cross Board on Thursday and will also try to set up media spots for the following weeks. This is also a good time for us to ditch our unused gear and grab the stuff we forgot. Sunday, May 24th is when we will begin again, and the weather is predicted to reach average temps for this time of year by the end of the week : )

Stay tuned...

Sean

Kamikaze birds (day 8)

Today, we made it off of Leelenau State Park and paddled 24 miles to the far end of Good Harbor Bay. Along the way we paddled through Cathead Bay and by ancient steep cliffs. The conditions were breezy with an unusual SE wind, but even more unusual were the white bodied, black headed, and tropical orange beaked birds that flew above us. All of us sudden they would turn vertical, towards the water, and dive straight in. It was really neat to watch them dive bomb from 40 feet, I am assuming, for small fish. These birds were all along the cost and I have not seen them before, nor do I know what they are, but they were exciting to watch!

Something even greater transpired as we were setting up camp. I pulled out my phone to listen to my messages and there was one from our friend Martin Korson from the Chippewa County Rotary. He said that he was going to be in the area and that we could stay at his parents house if we would like. I hurriedly called him back to let him know that we would gladly accept the invitation and we gave him coordinates to where we were at. He found us with his GPS and we we on our way to a warm meal and shelter for the evening.

Once we got to his parents we met his family and chatted as they prepared a hot meal. Over dinner we told stories, laughed, and ate lots of tasty food. Martin's dad even broke out there very own, home-grown pickles, onions, and potatoes that were out of this world juicy delicious. Afterwards we slept in the spare room in the luxury of warmth.

In the morning we woke up to rain and wind outside. So I turned on the weather radio and confirmed our doubts about paddling as the forecast called for gail force warnings until late the next day-Sunday. So we took our time moving along and ate a warm hearty breakfast with Martin and his brother Tim. Afterwards, Martin took us to historic and quain "Fishtown" in Leeland. Then we made our way to Glen Arbor to check out the situation of the waves and wind and it didn't look so good, but we were going to give it a shot anyway. So Martin took us back to the lakeshore.

Thank you Korson family for your welcoming us into your home and for treating us so well! We really needed it!

Grand Traverse Bay

What do ya know...another morning rise to be greeted by frost. Ugh! Though, this time we slept with our clothes so that they wouldn't be frozen and we placed our gear in the cockpit of our boats so that it would be protected. Then, we covered it with our spray skirts and laid grass over top of that. All of the preparation paid off as we got dressed in warmer, non-frosty gear.

After protein bars and water we headed out. When we left we knew that there were going to be SW winds at 10-15 knot and 2 feet waves, but we didn't expect 20 knot gusts and 3 feet waves. The SW winds had enough time to build some choppy waves by the time they reached the mouth of the bay and it made it difficult for us to stay on course as we paddled. Let me tell you...when you are in the middle of a bay where land is a blur and 5 miles away from the front and back of you, and you can't see anything to the right or left...it is a pretty scary feeling. All you can do is keep paddling and hope one of those waves doesn't sneak up on you causing a capsize because people are a long ways away.

By the grace of God we made it over in three hours-exhausted, but safe and healthy. We landed directly on Leelenau State Park to wait for a food package sent by Dana's mom. The campsites are well kept and the rangers are very friendly. We planned on being here for a day and a half, but we made it two and half days because of weather. The view from our campsite exhibited the bay in three shades of blue as the rays of the sun sparkled from the water. Right around the corner was the historic well preserved Traverse Light House.



One of the days that we were stuck our friend Tim Stark came to pick us up for pizza in Northport. The pizza was good and the community was intimate and pretty.

Cheers

Great morning for an 8 mile bay crossing (day 4)

Brrr.....we woke up to frost. Frost covered our kayaks and our gear, and everything exposed to the chilling air. Thanks to our friend Dr. Ed Johnson from the Chippewa County Rotary for allowing us to borrow the marine radio because we expected the bitter conditions. Though it didn't make it much easier gearing up in the cold at 4am. We got up early to take advantage of the morning calm because we were crossing the Little Traverse Bay,which is 8 miles across. After a brittle protein bar and some ice cold water we packed up camp and geared up to push off by 6am.

After a short warm up run we got into position and pushed off. The sun was still behind the hills, however it was beginning to light up the sky along with the help of the florescent bright blue moon. Together, the sun and the moon reflected a brilliant violet-gray color over the misty glass like surface of the lake. I felt like I was in a dream or on another planet. Then, I remembered that I was living reality and that we were attempting to make an 8 mile open water crossing, so I returned the focus back to the task at hand. We paddled endlessly for 2 1/2 hours until we reached the other side. After a quick call to the Charlevoix Coast Guard and family to let them know we were safe, we ate a meal of Ramen noodles and pancakes and headed back out.

There was a bit of a head wind, but the sun was shining and it made for a pretty good paddling day. Along the way we saw swans and eagles, and even a relatively large snake. We paddled through a couple of small bays and took in the glorious creation surrounding us.



We came to rest on top of a sand hill in the mouth of Grand Traverse Bay. We will attempt that 10 mile crossing tomorrow.

Note to self: Sean and Dana don't like small craft warnings!

The second day of our trip was a short and eventful one. It began at 9am (we needed the sleep from the excitement from the day before) with pancakes and oatmeal. While we were packing camp the weather radio was giving the forecast and we heard that there were strong winds from the West which produced a small craft advisory in our area of intended paddling. From what we saw it looked fine, so we thought that we would give it a shot and hug the shore in case things got out of hand.

About a mile into our paddle we encountered white caps and swells of about 2-3 feet. Not a huge deal as long as we weren't battling a head wind. Further we experienced larger waves and less predictable patterns of their type. All fun and games until we started getting 6-8 foot waves coming in all forms and from all angles. We had waves rolling under us and waves that we could look straight up at and then would crash on top of us. We paddles nearly right next to each other, but the swells and waves made the other person disappear. At this point some waves would hit us and turn us a full 90 degrees. We thought that it would be a good idea to pull over and set up camp for the day since it was getting "too wild." So we set our sights on a point about 200 yards away and aimed our bows for the destination.

I said a prayer that we would get there safely, and right then, I saw a large low flying eagle shoot out from the pines, and like an airplane lowering its landing gear it lowered its talons and ... whoosh! it grabbed a large fish right from the water and kept on flying with it in his grip. I yelled, " did you see that?" I thought that it was a sign and we would be blessed with safety. About a minute later a big roller approached me and I prepared for it. Unlike the others this one didn't let me up. instead it pulled me under. My brace wasn't strong enough and before I knew it I was looking up at the sky from underwater, upside down in my boat. I pulled the skirt and bailed. Luckily Dana was nearby and he paddled along side as we performed a two person rescue. I got back in my boat and threw on my skirt quickly as water kept crashing on top of us. During the heavy impacts of the waves crashing into and onto us, my paddle float was washed off and it floated into the distance. Dana and I held onto each others boats and rode the waves to shore. We set up camp right on the beach where we landed. We were cold, shook up, and tired, but safe.

The power and roaring of the waves sounded like Niagara Falls and lasted into the cold, dark night.

Departure Day

5:30am on Friday, May 8th came awful early know that today was our day. The day to go and fulfill what we set out to do back in September. The day to follow through with our commitment. Not in the classrooms, meetings, or in front of the media, but in the all powerful and awe inspiring state size lake. Where we were all alone and and at the discretion of the lake.

While we were began packing our kayaks family and friends congregated to show watch and show their support. I must say that is was much more difficult packing and organizing with everyone looking over your shoulder. As a result I might have forgotten to speak to a few people, which I am sorry for, and I forgot a few important items, like spare propane canisters and my rain coat...ooops! No worries. Everyone was surprised at how much we could fit in our boats. It never goes in the same way twice.



Once everything was packed we hugged and kissed everyone as we all wiped the tears of joy and fear from our faces and we assured them that we would see them soon. After a few questions from reporters we put on our gear. Dana's uncle Jim gave an emotional beautiful prayer and we took seat in our kayaks as friends pushed us off shore. "Bon Voyage. See you soon!" we exclaimed as we paddled under the Mackinaw Bridge and off into the distance.

No looking back now. No last minute preparation. No last goodbyes. Just myself, Dana, and the lake. We were off, into the known and unknown. On our way to paddling 1,000 miles of one of the biggest lakes in the world!

Our first day we paddled the Straights of Mackinaw, around Waugoshance Point, and through Sturgeon Bay to locate our first camp on the back side of Wilderness State Park. The view was spectacular with a one of a kind sunset and we set the tent up on top of a small sand hill. After pulling our boats to safety and changing from our wet gear to wool sleeping clothes we dined on the delicacies of Ramen noodles, pan fry bread, pop tarts, bananas, and water filtered with our very own hands from the lake. After clean up and journaling it was headlights out...

Why we paddle

To watch in high quality please go to Woods and Water Ecotour's youtube page.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDR7P7cFmcg&feature=channel_page

Big College Grad!

I am happy to announce that Dana graduated college yesterday! All of his hard work and dedication earned him a Bachelor's Degree in Parks and Recreation. Along with nearly 600 students, Dana was part of the 2009 graduating class of Lake Superior State University. On top of his cap he gladly displayed "Paddle for a Purpose." The commencement was pleasant with an interesting group of speakers including author Steve Hamilton. Hamilton challenged graduates to think about one thing that they could make a promise to themselves to follow.

“If I can do one thing today it is to ask you right now to think about what that one promise to yourself might be…What is the one thing you know in your gut that you want? It may not be practical, it may be crazy, but you know you want to do it because it is the one thing that that will make you feel later like you’re really living and not regretting that all this time has passed by."

Well, I think that Dana and I are following that dream right now and will be living it out all summer long, on the big lake.

Congratulations Dana, we are all proud of you!

Sean

Canadian portage

So, the other day Tim, Dana, and I met John Shibley of LSSU down at the St. Marys river for a photo shoot. We paddled towards John, away from him, and parallel to him. Some at casual paddling speed and others at full paddling speed that John was able to capture with slow shutter capabilities. Then, we dunked ourselves to see how long we could stay underwater in the frigid temps. We didn't last very long. After a couple of rolls we called it a shoot. Shortly after Tim wanted to document a brief video about the cause and in his own unique way he created the dialogue and background that made sense and would look good for the project. Hopefully we'll see that soon!

Since it was such a nice day and we were all dressed up for paddling, not to mention that Tim was anxious to get out on the water to test out his dry suit, we decided to paddle the St. Marys from Sherman Park to Rotary Park. Dana headed home to finish end of the semester projects and Tim and I loaded gear and made our way to Sherman Park. I knew it was going to be one of those challenging trips when we got to the park and it was closed. Rather than turn around and submit we knocked on the door of a nearby residence to ask them if we could park in their driveway for a couple of hours until we return from the paddle. The friendly people suggested that we use their second driveway just next door and we were on our way. Once we pulled the kayaks from Tim's vehicle we loaded our gear and carried them about two hundred yards to the beach. From there we geared up and pushed off. Once we paddled away from the beach and into the river we noticed that we had company right behind us. A freighter was approaching so we of course got the heck out of the way and let them pass. We had an astounding 360 degree view of the carrier as it passed by so carefully. It was going so slow that we could have paddled to keep up if we tried hard enough.

We set our sights on a red buoy about half way across the river and paddle to it. Once we got there we tried to make out where the Canadian Locks were. I used to work at the Soo Locks Boat Tours so I remembered going under the train bridge to get to the locks. We made our way to the train bridge and paddled by a few fishermen, "any luck," I yelled. They said, "not yet." As we paddled up to the train bridge a loaded train railed through. We just stopped paddling and took in the sight of being under the train. It's not everyday that you can see a train from underneath. We paddled into the locks not knowing what to expect. We thought someone would come out and tell us what to do or throw a rope over to hold on to or something. We waited....nothing....so we waited some more..... Then someone came walking towards us. We thought for sure that this was the person to instruct us on what to do. "Please don't tell us that we have to get out," I yelled. Turns out the guy didn't work for the the locks, but he did confirm our doubts...."the locks are closed." Ouch! I guess we should have called...haha.

So Tim and I did what we needed to do. We pulled our boats out of the locks via a ladder and portaged to an unused boat landing a few hundred yards away. I must say the Canadian passersby were very friendly and offered a helping hand with getting the boats to the landing, even though we were in their country illegally...ooops. It sure was a great feeling of security to be back in our boats and on the water. We paddled the rest of the way rather quickly from the downriver current and as the sun was to our backs it created beautiful colors in the water as well as the sky. It was a great sense of accomplishment to make it back to Rotary Park in decent time, considering the obstacles we overcame. I thought to myself how amazingly adventurous this summer will be if we had that much excitement in such a short trip down the river....

Sean

Homecoming

This weekend Dana and I headed to the western end of the U. P. to visit with family, friends, and supporters. Friday, after a meeting with Brain, Dana and I strapped our kayaks to the roof of his car, loaded our gear, and jumped on M-28 for a drive to Dana's hometown of Michigamme. Once we arrived we met Dana's brother (Matt) and his fiance (Jackie) for pizza and catching up....mmmmm! Thanks guys!

Saturday began early with breaky at Dana's parents ...mmmm again.... Once we got powered up we headed to Marquette to meet area kayaking guru, Sam Crowley, to learn a few things about navigation in open waters and how to determine what to expect from different weather patterns. Sam is a world class kayaker, among other things, and we soaked up his lessons and words as much as time would allow. After meeting in his office at the YMCA we headed to Presque Isle to paddle in Lake Superior. While in the water we discussed various rescue scenarios that would require specific responses and why. No paddling session would be complete without some fun so we practiced rescuing each other, completed a few rolls, and took pictures. We gave our thanks to Sam before scurrying to gather our gear and headed back to Michgamme for our benefit dinner.

We arrived at the community building in Michigamme with welcoming smiles and warm hugs from family and friends. The aroma of marinara led our nostrils straight to the kitchen where we found a group of diligent volunteers, most of which were Dana's relatives, working to keep things flowing and to keep people happy and full. Before filling our faces with the colorful and plentiful spread, we met and greeted people who came to support the cause. Many people from Dana's hometown were there to encourage and wish us luck. We took pictures, told stories, and socialized until we were summoned to dinning room to eat. And eat we did.... spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, cheesecake, ice cream, assorted baked goods, and punch. Yum! I think I am still full!

Sunday we had a delicious breaky and Dana's parents and said our goodbyes as we we on our way to Marquette to interview with tv 6. It was cold and rainy, but we were looking forward to getting back in our boats and on the water. We drove back to Presque Isle and just as we finished putting on our gear Dana's parents showed up followed by the news anchor. We we eager to get in the water and paddle, but before we did so we were interviewed on the beach. Then, we made our way into the water and played around for a bit. The clip can be viewed by clicking the link to the right. Once we got out of the water we changed, loaded the gear and rushed to the Big Boy for a hot lunch. We said our goodbyes and made our way back to the soo.

Thank you to all of the supporters at the fundraiser and all of those who helped make it a success. Special thanks to the Skytta family for all of their loving care and hard work!

Sean

Eskimo Rolls

The Hand of God Rescue

Paddle Rescue

Bow Rescue

T Rescue

Paddle Float Rescue

Free Antlers lunchies!

Wow...If I would have known that telling people we are trying to gain weight would score us some free calories, I would been doing this a long time ago. Last Thursday Dana and I dropped by the Rock 101 studios to interview with radio gurus, Scott Cook and Brian Davie for "Scott and Brian in the morning." Let me tell you, these guys were a lot of fun along with the others in the studio, and everyone was friendly and hospitable. The guys made us feel comfortable as they joked and asked questions in a nonchalant manner. After we mentioned that everything we read has told us to gain weight to sustain us through the first two weeks of shock Scott whipped out a gift card and signed for us to have a free lunch at the Antlers, here in Sault Ste. Marie. Soon we'll be feasting on emporium selections of earthly delights ; ) Thanks Scott!

Today, I was also notified that our story made the Detroit Free Press. Glad the associated press is picking it up. Hopefully, we'll get the chance to conduct some education sessions or interviews.

Blessings, Sean

One busy day

We made the front page of the Sault Evening News today! The cover was a picture of Dana and I giving a presentation to the kiddos at JKL Bahweting School yesterday. It sure was a full day of public speaking and we hope that there will be more to come before our "D Day" on May 8th.

The day began with a brief radio chat with Paul Vanwagoner or better know as Junior from Yes FM. We shared our story with him and the listeners about how we came up with the idea and what it has been like since we committed. We also talked a little about our support and how others can make pledges.

Listen to the Interview:

After that we grabbed our gear from LSSU and headed over to the JKL middle school to set up a display of our equipment. We also presented a powerpoint to the middle schoolers, educating them on the Great Lakes and about our expedition. You know...we had a captive audience for about an hour and anyone who knows kids, knows that is a long time to keep their attention, so I think it's safe to say that they were interested! Not to mention the dozens of questions we got from them afterwards. One of the students even asked what we would do if we had to go "cacca"....

They were a lot of fun and we'll see them again as we are scheduled to give them a demo and paddle with them at the Norris Center Pool on April 30th. And they been approved to help us fundraise so they will be working on getting pledges for the cause. Thanks guys!

A little later Dana and I made our way to the USCG base to present our story to the Auxiliary Coast Guard. This is a very experienced and interested group who was warm and welcoming of our trip. We brainstormed with them about the possibility of using a Coast Guard communication radio and getting clearance to use their frequency to keep in touch every hour or so on the trip just for added safety. They also thought of notifying the other auxiliary groups along the way to hopefully be "adopted" in a sense. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

It has been rather humbling to see so many people want to get involved and help out. Thank you to all of you who are helping this come together!

So that was a day in the life of the Paddle For a Purpose team. More radio interviews tomorrow- rock 101, oldies 93, and 1230 radio soo- followed by paddling in the pool.

Have a great night!

"As our "D Day" approached, it was almost as though our adrenaline flowed continuously, the clock around, day after day." -Verlen Kruger

Sunrise Rotary

beep..Beep..BEEP... this was the sound of my alarm this morning at 6:15 am. It was time to get up and get ready for our presentation with Sunrise Rotary. After introductions it was time for Dana and I to stand up and tell them what we are doing, hoping that it would move them enough to sponsor our cause.  

We described to the Rotary that we are a dedicated, motivated, and focused team looking to raise funds and awareness for the Red Cross. Being the community-service caring organization that they are, they were receptive, supportive, and interested in helping us connect with Rotary Clubs along the way. It was suggested that we could give similar presentations to other clubs to ask them for their support as well. 

Afterward we chatted it up with a few of the members as they shared wise words being experience paddlers. They all wished us luck on our upcoming adventure.

Thanks for your help, Chippewa County Rotary Club!

Boats!!!

You know those days when you feel like singing "Oh what a beautiful morning...oh what a beatuiful day?" Well, Today was one of those days for the paddling duo. Even though the temps hovered around the mid 20's and we got a couple inches of snow, we could not be discouraged today....

Today, we visited Woods and Water Ectours owner, fellow paddler, and our friend Jessie Hadley in the Hessel, MI. We arrived boat less, paddle less, and skirt less, and we left with two gorgeous valley sea kayaks and the gear that will not only sustain us on our trip, but will make us look good too! Dana got a Nordkapp that was originally designed to paddle around Cape Horn and I got a 16 foot Avocet. These boats are made for lively paddling and expeditions and that is just what they will be used for.

Jessie also met with us to discuss other gear and safety items. We left her with a wish list and I think we'll be returning in the near future for some more fun. Thanks, Jessie, for all of your thoughtful help and expertise!

Have a great week!

Sean

USCGC Buckthorn

Hola!

Dana and I took a field trip to the USCGC Buckthorn on Wednesday to visit a friend on board who was willing to help us with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) mapping. While we were there we got the grand tour and even got to pull the ship's horn! All silliness aside it was a very serious session of planning and going through the different scales of maps to choose which size and which number we would order from the oceangrafix website to then cut and laminate. We will use these maps to navigate our way around in case our GPS goes haywire. As in the book I am reading about sea kayaking says, "when they (satellites) run out of batteries, you had better be able to revert to the old ways." You never know, right?

Oh, we were contacted by the National Red Cross chapter who would like to do a story about us. They said they would be in contact with us at the end of April...interesting.

That's all for now....

Sean

Date change

Ok...I kept forgetting to update the blog in regards to our earlier departure date, but that is what I am doing now. 

Our previous date of departure was May 26th. Now we are leaving May 8th. Not a huge deal except for the fact that the water temps will be hovering around the low 40's as opposed to low 50's, on average,  and the air temps will be about ten degrees colder not to mention the freezing nights. I will either be sleeping in my gear or on top of the fire : )  

More meetings tonight to discuss fundraising and lots of training this afternoon. 

Have a great day! 

Sean 

The seams will feel like razor blades...

Well, things are moving along. Every new day reveals another task or item we have yet tend to before the trip. It also brings us one day closer to getting in the frigid water to train, and another day closer to the big departure. 

Last week we were in the university's newspaper and Sunday we were in the Sault Evening News. Every time I turn the corner there is someone else recognizing me and voicing their support. It is really encouraging to feel the sense of community and care through local support. Hopefully, we'll be saying the same thing about our monetary goal...haha!

Tonight I met with Brian Davie (the Red Cross director of the local chapter) and with an avid canoer/outdoorsman, Otto. Otto does wild trips that entail traveling upstream, hiking through miles of rough terrain with canoe in hand, paddling with blue whales, and portaging through miles of traffic to reach the next landing zone. Not only has he had 40+ years of experience, but he is well educated and is considered an expert. He met with us to discuss our progress and to give us some pointers. A few things we picked up from the conversation were things that we hadn't thought of or discussed far enough to devise a plan. One of the things he mentioned was using the Coast Guard as an escort across open water crossings. We are looking at two large open water crossings. One being the 10 mile stretch of Grand Traverse Bay and the other being Green Bay, which is about the same. The challenge with open water crossings is not only that the wind has more area without barriers and therefor is usually stronger which also creates more turbulent waters and can make paddling dangerous, but in some instances we may not be able to see land and will have to rely solely on our compass and not on our own perception. 

Another topic we discussed was "comfort." Otto told a story of when he was paddling through a river and what seemed to be a innocent and important clothing seam turned into a very annoying problem. He said that seams will feel like razor blades after a week. Glad we got the life saving tip before we were sliced.  I can feel the throbbing now. Sometimes you think you have thought about all of the angles when approaching a task, but then someone mentions something way out of left field and you realize you have some planning to do. Like when Otto mentioned the miles and miles of private land. Well, I naively thought we could make a landing to set up camp and if it were private beach we could walk on up to the residence to describe our trip and ask for permission to use the beach, but Otto has experienced otherwise. He told of stories of some friendly waterfront owners and mostly not so friendly ones. We have enough concern for safety on the lake to have to deal with upset residents. So, back to the mapping board to determine safe, public landing sites.   

Tomorrow we are meeting again to get our fundraisers in line and to make sure we are on page and meeting our tasks to leave in a month. 

That's all for now from the East shores of Lake Superior

Sean 

Training and spreading the word

The sun is bright and warm, and the days are getting longer. Spring is here and summer is on its way!

Shortly after spring break Dana and I realized that we have much to do before we depart from the Straits of Mackinac. One area that we are not lacking in is our training. This has been at the top of our list since we committed back in October and is our most dedicated area of preparation, as it should be because it may save our life. Fellow Laker, and Woods and Water Ecotours guide, Tim Gallaway has been helping us prepare for our trip by joining us in the pool to train with us and teach us some important things about extended journeys. His kayaking expertise, especially the step by step breakdown of successful eskimo rolls has been instrumental in helping us acquire skills that will be needed on the expedition. On top of that Dana found an effective resistance routine that requires us to perform repeat sets of chin-ups, dips, handstand push-ups, and weighted overhead squats. Though, nothing can totally prepare us for the trip ahead, hopefully the weight and paddle training, along with the countless hours of swimming and cardio we do, will get us to where we need to be. 

On Tuesday we interviewed with the LSSU's newspaper, The Compass. The article was well written and so were the articles written for the other media outlets. We are also in touch with 9 & 10 news affiliates to video interview for the evening news. Now, that we have officially gone public I think that we will start to see more people wanting to sponsor the cause. And if there is anyone reading this that wants to make a donation to the Chippewa County Red Cross chapter you can contact Brian Davie at 906-632-8111.

Well, I am off to train. I will post some pictures when I figure out how to. Warm blessings!

Sean 

Chili Cook-off

Last week we participated in a chili cook-off sponsored by the LSSU's Fisheries and Wildlife Club. We brought a pot of chili, which didn't win, by the way : ), and set up a display showcasing the map image of our intended route. We also lugged over a kayak for a little extra attention grabbing. While we were there we met and greeted people, answered questions, did and interview with Jade Olds, an intern from TV 6, and of course, ate lots of chili. We didn't expect to see ourselves on TV this soon, but we were pleased to see that our story made the news. Hopefully it will raise the interest in our efforts and get people motivated to help out. That's all for now. 

Cheers, Sean