Red Tide Killing Manatees

An unprecedented 184 manatees have been killed in Gulf of Mexico waters off southwest Florida so far this year due to a toxic red tide bloom that has impacted roughly 100 miles of coast. The death toll surpasses the previous record of 151 manatee deaths from red tide in 1996. “The toxin paralyzes the manatee so it is not able to take a breathe, to come to the surface, and they basically drown,” said Martine DeWit, a veterinarian with FWC’s marine mammal pathology laboratory.

Twelve rescued manatees have been taken to Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo for emergency medical care, where zookeepers alternate three-hour shifts holding their heads out of tank water so they can breathe. One manatee brought in had to have its head held above water for 29 hours before it was able to begin breathing on its own. Fortunately, According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), as of mid-March the deaths seem to be tapering off. But until it’s safe to return the manatees to the wild, “We’ll just keep taking them in,” says Virginia Edmonds, Lowry’s animal care manager for Florida mammals. “We want to save as many as we can.” Via E-The Envirionmental Magazine.

Third Stage of 5-Year African Expedition to Kick Off

Austria-based explorer, anthropologist, filmmaker, publisher, author and Fellow with The Royal Geographical Society, Julian Monroe Fisher, is set to begin the third phase of his five-year Great African Expedition, exploring Africa’s interior using Folbot Greenland II expedition kayaks. Last May, Fisher completed a successful overland journey from Cairo to Khartoum, and in February he finished travelling from Juba, the capital of South Sudan, to Uganda’s Lake Albert. Next, Fisher plans to circumnavigate Lake Victoria in Uganda.

Fisher, originally hailing from South Carolina, says the trip’s aim is ethnographical. He’s retracing the African expeditionary routes of Victorian explorers Speke, Grant, Brazza, Burton, Baker, Baumann, Linz, Livingstone and Stanley, with the goal of comparing the 19th century tribal kingdom documentation with the cultural realities of the 21st century along the same Central African rivers and lakes. Via PaddlingLife.

Mississippi River Run Begins in May

The first-ever Mountain Folk Adventure Series launches May 5 with a two-month, human-powered journey down the 2,350-mile length of the Mississippi River, from Lake Itasca, Minnesota, to New Orleans. Participating teams in the Mississippi River Run are required to raise $1,000 for Habitat for Humanity, and will be on their own for the roughly 60 days aside from two checkpoint-cum-parties. Learn more at http://www.themountainfolk.com/

This week in canoeing news:  paddling 1,000 miles for autism, Float your Fanny Down the Granny, heritage trips on the Fox River and Rapid Media at Jeresy Paddlesport 2013. 

Canoeing 1,000 miles for autism awareness

With temperatures hovering around 40 degrees and dark clouds looming overhead, on Thursday, March 14, Joe Reidhead paddled his canoe steadily down the Missouri River. Originally from Augusta, Joe Reidhead began a 1,000-mile journey Feb. 17 in Omaha. Reidhead’s trek along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers is to raise funds and awareness about autism spectrum disorders. By the time he reached Washington this week, Reidhead was a little more than halfway through his trip, which will end in Memphis. Via emussourian.com.

Float your Fanny Down the Granny

Float Your Fanny Down the Ganny is a 10 kilometer race along the Ganaraska River to commemorate the 1980 flood that crippled Port Hope’s downtown area. The event take place Saturday, April 06, 2013. Enter with a canoe or kayak to try for speed on the course or enter the Crazy Craft for something different. To qualify, a Crazy Craft has to have been built from multiple different items to form a floating vessel. Crazy Crafts are on fastest time, best costume, most number of crew and judge’s favourite. Via www.floatyourfanny.ca.

Fox of the River

The Voyaguer field trip is truly a hands on experience in history, and camaraderie. Fox of the River Voyaguer LLC introduces students to the fur trade era and the lives of its most colorful participants, the Voyageurs. Students role play by paddling a Voyageur canoe and learning about the Voyageur way of life. Step into the past with Jean Paul Pauquette and Jacques Largillier as guides. Heritage paddles run May to October. Via Fox of the River. 

Jersey Paddlesport 2013

Visit Rapid staff in Somerset, New Jersey, this weekend at Paddlesport 2013, hosted by The Jersey Paddler. There will be amazing deals on subscriptions as well as latest issues up for grabs. Publisher, Scott MacGregor, will be hosting a showing of the Reel Paddling Film Festival as well as a presentation on how to write for adventure magazines. Rapid editor, Michael Mechan, will be there to meet paddlers and share river stories. Go to www.jerseypaddler.com for event details.

If you’re fond of kayaking, you’ve probably seen at least one of Justine Curgenven’s award-winning This is the Sea films. Maybe, like me, you’ve happily watched one of her five TITS DVDs from start to finish without so much as a popcorn or pee break (an impressive feat given TITS 5, released this year, is up to a whopping three hours). For many, the Welsh filmmaker’s videos aren’t just entertainment—they’re the inspiration to plan a long expedition, learn to surf, teach a friend to paddle, or make kayaking a part of day-to-day life.

Adventure Kayak caught up with Curgenven to reflect on 10 years of TITS, and look at how the sea kayak film has evolved over the past decade. To read the full interview, as featured in the premiere issue of our new monthly magazine, Paddling This Month, click here.

U.S. National Whitewater Center Goes Green

No, a nuclear reactor did not leak toxic ooze into the USNWC waters. The Charlotte, NC, paddling training centre hosted their annual Green Revival event in celebration of St. Paddy’s Day last Saturday. A part of the event, the 12-million-gallon course was inundated with green dye.

Check out video footage of the deluge of green riverwater here.

(Photo: Courtesy U.S. National Whitewater Center)

Jersey Paddlesport 2013

Visit Rapid staff in Somerset, New Jersey, this weekend at Paddlesport 2013, hosted by The Jersey Paddler. There will be amazing deals on subscriptions as well as latest issues up for grabs.

Publisher, Scott MacGregor, will be hosting a shooing of the Reel Paddling Film Festival as well as a presentation on how to write for adventure magazines. Rapid editor, Michael Mechan, will be there to meet paddlers and share river stories.

Go to www.jerseypaddler.com for event details.

Bomber Gear Founder Rick Franken Passes On

Rick Franken, beloved founder of paddling apparel and accessory company Bomber Gear passed away last weekend. His family has confirmed that he died in his sleep of respiratory failure while at the Alabama Mountain Games. A celebration of life is planned to take place at the Animas River Days in Durango in June. More details will follow.

(Photo: Courtesy Confluence Watersports)

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