On March 9, expedition kayaker Traci Lynn Martin will push off from the southern tip of Lake Huron at Fort Gratiot Lighthouse and Beach Park and embark on what she plans to be a 265-day, 8,600-mile record-breaking paddle around the five Great Lakes.
Martin’s ambitious “Just Around the Pointe” expedition will travel around the Great Lakes, into the Atlantic Ocean, through five Canadian provinces and 14 states. If successful, Martin will paddle 8,600 miles in 265 days – and she will be the first female paddler to circumnavigate all five of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River in one continuous push.
Martin, from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, will be using Kokatat apparel and PFDs throughout her expedition — a sponsor that has embraced her cause not only for its paddling prowess but also due to the fact that Martin has overcome a chronic disease: Rheumatoid Autoimmune Disease. The female athlete is leading the way in inspiring others who also suffer from any kind of chronic illness to stay active and challenge themselves. Martin will be paddling an SR Stellar surf ski for the expedition.
“I want to inspire other individuals, whom also suffer from chronic medical conditions, to never give up on living their life to the fullest,” said Martin. “Never stop doing the things that give you joy in your life because if you are out doing the things that you love, then mentally you will feel better, and if you feel better mentally, then you will also physically feel better. And that is what living is all about”
She’s expected to conclude sometime in December in Brownstown Township, Michigan, where the Detroit River flows into Lake Erie.
For more information about this expedition visit justaroundthepointe.com.