Where the boys are

Today January 18th 2009, 3 friends have left for a kayaking journey to circumnavigate the Florida Keys.  They are doing this to raise awareness of our “Wounded Warriors”.  Sean Fitzgibbons who is an amputee himself and works for “St. PetersburgLimb & Brace” along with Jeff  Fabiszewski is performing thier 2nd circumnavagation for this cause.  You can read more about thier efforts at http://www.liquidrhythmkayaking.com/ and http://topahonu.wordpress.com/.  Bryan Doleman who is a paramedic for the St. Petersburg Fire Department, and an avid paddler and works part time for one of our local kayak outfitters, as well as a guide for a local paddle club.  He has an ACA certification, and is a vetern himself.  Jeff got his ACAinstructor/guide certification withBryan a few years ago has a history with the Boy Scouts of America.  He is currently employed by EckardCollege.  He currently volunteers for “Team River Runner” a national program to bring water sports to our wounded veterans.  His  passion is Greenland style kayaking as well as his family.

 

I know that it is hard to leave your daily routines, wives and children to make this trip.  I am sure that you also join me in wishing them good luck and a safe journey.

They will be starting from Key Largo on the atlantic side and returning up the gulf side.  You can follow thier daily progress here at  http://kayakkev.wordpress.com/

 

01/18/2009 I just got my first report.  The boys had a great drive down other than the jitters are setting in.  They are staying the night at Key Largo Kamp and fixing a crab pasta for dinner.  Sean and Bryan are sleeping in thier “Tree Hugger” hammocks, Jeff is using his one man tent.  They have plans of being on the water by 8am EST.  Jeff is using my Expedition Single and a “Tuktu” paddle, Bryan is in his “Eddyline Night Hawk 16″ using a “Bending Branches” paddle.  Sean is in his “AlantisMist T” with his favorite “Bending Branches” paddle.

 

01/19/2009- Day 2  The first leg of the paddle andthe boys made it to Windy Key.  A distance of about 22 miles.  They fought a 18mph head wind for most of the day, 1 – 1 1/2 foot swells.  Had rain for most of the afternoon, andwas very impressed with thier “Columbia Omniwear” and “Kokatat” jackets.  Luck was on thier side first thing this morning when the people camping next to them last night, followed Bryan to where he was leaving his truck for the trip andgave him a ride back to the launch so he didn’t have to walk.  Thank you kind people.

01/20/09- Day 3  They are facing their first encounter withMother Nature.  The Keys are being affected with the same ArticBlast that the rest of the nation is facing.  Witha west wind of 25mph gusting to 35, they are needing to hunker down.  They are having problems as to where they can do this.  Tomorrow the winds will change out of the north which will put it to their backs and riding the swells instead of getting hit by them breech.  Lets hope someone on Windley Key, or Islamoradawill help them with a 6×6 piece of land.

Okay, after much grumbling they got a late start and faced the weather to paddle about 6 miles to Indian Key.  Here they met a fellow paddler that knows the area very well and gave them a map of all the areas in which they can camp.  You know this Gentleman whos name is Paddler Ron from Wisconsin is a good guy cause he has a black CockerSpaniel named Gala as a paddling partner.  With Ronshelp they found a location that is protected by trees that they can set up camp and wait out todaysbad weather.  Hopefully the wind direction will change tonight and they can continue in the morning.

  (Ron and his partner Gala)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

01/21/09 Day 4  Today was not a good day.  This Artic Front blew it’s worst today andwas a trial for all mankind.  The Boys found themselves in 30 mph winds, swift hard currents, strong tides, and 4-5 foot swells.  In crossing two bridges, they had to paddle right at the bridges to be kept from being swept out to sea.  All this hard work netted them only about 12 miles to Long Key.  They are staying the night on a famous Florida chickee.  Spirits are still up even though they froze last night, and muscles are sore from fighting the water all day.  All 3 admitted that the bridge crossings was very scary, but so far, so good.  I was glad to report to them that the weather only improves for the next week.  The worst is over.

Jeff called me later this evening.  Again spirits are high and he is ready to complete this journey.  He did admit it was hard with sleeping bags rated for 50 degrees and the nights being low 40s, the rats running all over his tent to the point it was unnerveing to see and hear them outside while he was inside.  And then to paddle the day with his yak (actually all 3 yaks) at an angle to the direction he was aimed.  His triceps are tight from using a constant left hand sweep stroke.

01/22/09 Day 5  Just got a call from Sean.  The weather has not improved much if at all, depression has begun to set in.  They are all freezing with the temps being lower there than they are in Denver CO.  As of 10 AM they are going to sit tight one more night on the chickee and see what tomorrow brings.  Remember that it is colder there now than it has been in the last 12 years and they are not prepared for it, plus they can’t even make a fire to warm up (chickees are wood platforms).

Florida Keys Circumnavigation

I am Happy to tell everyone that I have some good friends that are going to circumnavigate the Florida Keys and I get to update their progress on a daily report on both my blog and their web page http://www.liquidrhythmkayaking.com/

I am also happy to let everyone know that Jeff Fabiszewski will be paddling one of my boats. My Whale which is my first wood strip kayak, a Guillimot Expedition Single.

Sean Fitzgibbon will be using his new Atlantis MisT which I was able to help him acquire.

And although I have not checked with him yet, I am sure Bryan Doleman will be using his favorite Eddyline yak.

Be sure to check in for the updates starting January 18th.

Columbia Sportswear Omni-Dry

I spend a lot of time on the water and under the Florida sun. Which is great if you are like many people trying to achieve a healthy tan; unfortunately, too much sun can lead to the development of a malignant growth. And skin cancer is not a healthy thing.

To keep my skin healthy I wear sun protective clothes and sunscreen. It surprises many people that in the hottest months in Florida I still cover up. And people always ask, “why are you not hot?” when they see me paddling in a wide brim hat, long sleeved shirt, and wearing a paddling vest.

The secret to keeping cool is in the fabric. I wear clothing made by Columbia Sportswear because of the fabric that they use. The clothing made with their Omni-Dry fabric controls my body’s temperature.

I have tried several different clothing combinations. And as of today, Columbia Sportswear Omni-Dry fabric works the best in keeping me cool and protected from the sun.

Amputee Kayaking

I am responding to an email from Beverly. I had only a phone number based in New Zealand and an incomplete email address. So I am using my blog to help her.  I hope this post will also gather others that may also have information that can answer her question.

“I have a new paddler who is a below the knee amputee.  She does not have a prosthesis for kayaking, and we are wondering how to set up the rudder so that she can use it efficiently.  Are you able to give us some advice?”

The trick in helping a below the knee amputee is determined by the residual limb. If the limb is long and is not sensitive at the base then a long piece of closed cell foam or mini cell foam can be bolted on to the foot peg. It would work like a stilt. And the paddler may also need a small half sphere of the same foam glued on the inside of the hull just under their knee to give some added support in using the rudder.

If the remaining part of the limb below the knee is sensitive or too short then soft plastic lined with foam is best. The athlete would make a cone large enough to accommodate the limb and long enough to be attached to the slider of the rudder cable. An inflatable bladder like the Jackson Happy Seat is also a soft and safe way to add support under the remaining part of the leg.

At all times the paddler should be aware of abrasions to the limb. And also practice a wet exit around friends. Neither of the ideas mentioned should interfere with the paddler’s ability of exiting their boat in the event of untimely capsizes.

My advice comes from working with Team River Runner, the Extremity Games, and other friends in the paddling community. Every amputee’s needs are different; however, I still have not met one person that could not be outfitted comfortable to enjoy a day of kayaking. Presently in Tampa Bay Florida I am working with the Tampa US Veterans Hospital.  To find out more about our program join our Facebook Page.

Moreover, I also have not met a paralyzed person who could not enjoy kayaking.  And that will be covered in a future post.

The Tampa Tribune 05.06.08

By STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune Published: May 6, 2008

SEMINOLE – Sean Fitzgibbon was born without a fibula in his right leg, and his right foot was deformed, too.

So on his third birthday, the leg was amputated at the knee.

Fitzgibbon, now a 34-year-old husband and father of two, has learned to cope. He also learned that he didn’t want his disability to squelch his athleticism. And he became a champion among his peers in surfing and kayaking.

Now Fitzgibbon and three of his cohorts want to impart his message of hope and perseverance to all of those who have lost a limb, including troops returning from Iraq.

To that end, they are embarking on a 220-mile kayak trip on May 12 to circle the Florida Keys. Thirteen days have been set aside for the voyage, but Fitzgibbon and his friends hope to do it in eight to 10 days.

In addition to raising awareness, the four hope to raise money for Extremity Games, an annual extreme amateur sports competition for people who have a limb loss or disability. This year’s contests will be held in Michigan from July 24 through 26.

Fitzgibbon loves the concept of the Extremity Games because it encourages people who often feel alone and isolated to come together and show how skillful they’ve become in their various sports.

“We want to bring a message to amputees: Love life; don’t be a victim of the amputation,” the Seminole man said.

That call especially needs to be heard by veterans returning from Iraq without an arm or a leg, he said.

Fitzgibbon is more than aware that some amputees can’t afford the help they need. As a full-time prosthetics technician at St. Petersburg Limb & Brace, he often comes across amputees whose health insurance doesn’t cover the full cost of a prosthetic device.

The name of the quartet taking the kayak trip is Team Topahonu. “Topahonu” means “great sea turtle” in Hawaiian. Fitzgibbon earned the nickname there as a surfer because turtles are known to be able to swim after they lose a flipper.

The other members of the team are Jeff Fabiszewski, a Dunedin man whose wife has paralysis of her left side; David Tranor, an Orlando outdoorsman who has helped the disabled with sports such as snow skiing; and Brian Doehleman, a Largo war veteran whose brother owns Osprey Bay Outdoors, a kayaking shop in Clearwater.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336 or spthompson@tampatrib.com.