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Coastal TEAM Challenge – Anacortes to Vancouver, August 1–9, 2009

Coastal TEAM Challenge – Anacortes to Vancouver, August 1–9, 2009

World T.E.A.M Sports (The Exceptional Athlete Matters) uses the universal power of sports to create soul-stirring experiences by teaming disabled athletes with able-bodied athletes, forming a true TEAM. Our Principal Aspirations and Objectives are to increase and promote inclusive sports opportunities for all people, especially reaching out to disabled people. To organize and host innovative and challenging sporting events that encourage, all individuals, especially those with disabilities, to participate in lifetime sports. Promote diversity and increase awareness, acceptance and integration of those with disabilities.

The idea for the “Coastal Team Challenge”, is a high profile, group expedition, consisting of a mix of Canadian and US disabled troops, active or otherwise. Launching at Washington Park in Anacortes, the team will kayak north through Puget Sound, entering the Strait of Georgia in British Columbian waters and arriving, finally, in downtown Vancouver. The event should generate international camaraderie among the athletes, hopefully act as a kind of lead in to the Winter Olympics held in Vancouver a few months later, and provide a challenging personal experience for each participant.

Kayaking north from Anacortes, the seascape will evolve from urban waterfront to outlying urban, passing through increasingly isolated areas that reflect a signature northwest marine environment—forested and rocky seashores, green and white ferries shuttling cars and passengers between islands, seals, bald eagles, whales perhaps—until approaching the BC border and ultimately the striking skyline of Vancouver with white capped mountains towering behind. The journey is roughly 82 nautical miles. The trip is scheduled for Saturday August 1st to Sunday August 9th.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

The Challenge

After nine hours of paddling everyone agreed that the challenge was greater than anticipated. We left Point Roberts in US territory heading northwest along the coast to the south arm of the Frasier River. Skirting ferries, tankers and pods of killer whales we found ourselves struggling through the mud flats at the mouth of the Frasier River.

Turning upstream carried by the flood we arrived at the Stevenson port of entry into Canada.

Tired but determined we retrace our course back out of the Frasier River and continue north along the mud flats to our destination at Richmond BC. which we arrived at sunset.

We are all excited about paddling our final day contiuing northward to our final destination at Jericho Beach in the city of Vancouver BC.

at 8:15 AM
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1 comments:

Babe said...

Welcome back to Canada. Glad you're here....one step closer to home. OXOX

2:48 PM PDT

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