Wednesday, September 1, 2021
Southpoint Sun - 3
Lake Erie presents a ‘challenge’ to paddlers, surfers By Mark Ribble With photos from Deanna Bertrand LEAMINGTON — In true Lake Erie fashion, the whitecaps, wind and waves of our lake provided a challenge to those participating in the Lake Erie Challenge on Saturday, August 28. Hosted by the Canadian Freshwater Alliance, three teams covered over 100 kilometres of open water to raise awareness and funds to protect our freshwater ecosystem. The lake’s conditions did not make for an easy challenge. Team Wingfoil and Team SUP left Cedar Beach in Kingsville early in the morning on Saturday, with Team Wingfoil planning a trip across to Pelee Island, then returning to meet Team SUP at Pelee Wings along Point Pelee Drive. Meanwhile, members of Caldwell First Nation’s Council and Youth Advisory Committee joined Team SUP for the final 5 kms of their trip — from Leamington Marina to the Caldwell Marina at Sturgeon Creek. They travelled in a large freighter canoe and a smaller three-person, one-dog
Committee canoe, which member Anelcapsized in lah Orosz gave a the lake at one heart-felt speech point during to those in attenthe challenge. dance, bringing Altogether, awareness to the about $8,600 Youth Advisowas raised ry Committee’s through the involvement in efforts of evANELLAH OROSZ helping the envieryone inronment. volved. Leamington-born Der“The athletes put in a tremendous amount of ik Hyatt, a professional effort to accomplish what surf and SUP (stand-up they did today, and we’d paddle board) instructor, love to see their efforts was happy to return to celebrated”, said Raj Gill, his roots for the challenge Great Lakes Program Di- and moved by the pasrector at the Freshwater sion shown by the Caldwell First Nation. Alliance. “I spent the first 20 “While algae levels were low this year, we years of my life here and know that was by luck it’s emotional coming and not design,” said back and I want to say Gill. “A very dry spring thank you for having me reduced the nutrient run- here today,” he said. “Just coming into the park and off”. The challenge was pre- seeing all of the Caldceded by a celebration well signs is such a great Friday evening at Mad- thing.” Hyatt and his wife now bin Jina inside Point Pelee National Park. Caldwell live in Miller Lake, OntarFirst Nation welcomed all io. He was among the first of the athletes with food, casualties on Saturday song and ceremony. The Caldwell Youth morning, as the condiAdvisory Committee was tions made it near imposinstrumental in forging sible for him to manoeuthe partnership between vre his board to get to the Fresh Water Alliance Leamington from Kingsand Caldwell First Na- ville. Tim Blanchard, another tion.
member of Team Wingfoil, made it to Pelee Island without incident, but really struggled coming back. He had to ‘tack’ back across the lake in a zigzag pattern in order to reach Pelee Wings, costing him precious hours. Sara Chojnicki and Brad Petrus both declared their stand-up paddle-boarding trip a challenging five kilometres. “Nobody called it a Lake Erie walk-in-thepark,” said Petrus as he exited the lake. “It is a challenge.” Donate to the Lake Erie Challenge at www.lakeeriechallenge.ca. More photos on pg. 16.
Tim Blanchard exits Lake Erie at Pelee Wings.
Team Caldwell in their freighter canoe arrives at Sturgeon Creek.
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