GEARLAB Athlete Alex Martin Plans First Solo Circumnavigation of Lake Winnipeg
1,750 km Sea kayak journey is to raise awareness for the need for sustainable watershed management in the region
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, June 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- This month, eighteen-year-old Winnipeg kayaker Alex Martin and GEARLAB athlete, will embark on the first of its kind solo expedition to circumnavigate Lake Winnipeg. The goal of the 1,750 km sea kayak journey is to raise awareness about the critical need for sustainable watershed management in the region.
The 1,750 km sea kayak journey will take approximately two months starting on June 27 from Manitoba's Grand Beach Provincial Park. Alex will stop in communities around the lake to be able to share their stories, promote the campaign, and photograph the lake's diversity along the coast.
Alex has chosen the GEARLAB Nukilik paddle, "The light carbon-fiber design makes it great for long distance paddling, and the replaceable tips make it ideal for expedition trips," Alex says. "Totally great on windy days!"
Developed over thousands of years by the Inuit, Greenland style paddles offer efficient power and precise control. As the first modern Greenland-style paddle with exchangeable tips, GEARLAB paddles and accessories incorporate ancient wisdom and modern materials, fusing efficiency and technology into the best touring paddle on the market.
While Lake Winnipeg was circumnavigated by a duo of adventures in 1983, Alex's solo trip will be the first known solo expedition. His trip will be tracked via Garmin inReach.
For Alex, the timing is critical. In recent years, harmful blue-green algae blooms have contaminated beaches, reduced water quality, and threatened the fishing industry.
"The trip will serve as an awareness campaign regarding the dire need for change in the way that the government and private corporations, along with people who live within the Lake Winnipeg watershed, to think about sustainability for Lake Winnipeg," says Alex.
While circumnavigating Lake Winnipeg, he will paddle the shoreline of in areas recognized for their importance in the lake's ecology, such as the proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site of Pimachiowin Aki, Fisher Bay Provincial Park, and Kinwow Bay Provincial Park.
In addition to visiting 12 local schools to speak about water conservation and stewardship, Alex has partnered with Lake Winnipeg Foundation, Canadian Parks, and Wilderness Society: Manitoba Chapter, and the First Nations group Pimachiowin Aki.
https://www.lakewinnipegcircumnavigation.com.
GEARLAB designs and manufactures Greenland-style carbon-fiber paddles for ocean kayakers around the world. Created by a team of award-winning industrial designers and outdoor enthusiasts.
Beth Cochran | [email protected] |406-579-7909
Related Files
Related Images
gearlab-inuit-paddle-to-be-used-on.jpg
GEARLAB inuit paddle to be used on the circumnavigation
Alex Martin (18) first solo circumnavigation of Lake Winnipeg Canada, 1750 KM in ocean kayak.
lake-winnipeg.jpg
Lake Winnipeg
map-lake-winnipeg.jpg
Map Lake Winnipeg
akiak-paddle.jpg
Akiak Paddle
Related Links
https://www.facebook.com/GearlabPaddles/
http://www.gearlabpaddles.com/
Related Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHNLR--TzwY
SOURCE GEARLAB
Share this article