The epic adventure continues, Will Rich (grew up in Bayview) and Mike Simpson are now paddleboarding from Key West, Florida, to Portland, Maine to raise money for the Wounded Warriors Project and SUP Cleanup.
As I write this they are closing in on the border to Massachusetts and Horseneck Beach. On their blog they note that on reaching New York City they had travelled 1,359 nautical miles in 72 days of paddling. My handy calculator converts that to 1,564 miles or 22 miles per day. Standing up. On a board. In the water. Inconceivable. Which I stole from the Princess Bride: “”Inconceivable.” You keep saying that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” Something out of the ordinary.
In the next day or so it looks like up Buzzards Bay, through the Cape Cod Canal (or do they take the long way around?) and into home waters with Cape Ann just a few downhill day paddles away. Except it really isn’t downhill because currently it’s blowing 20 knots in their face. I bet they make it for Saint Peter’s Fiesta. A rough click through on Google Earth shows 120 miles to Gloucester Harbor if they come up through the Cape Cod Canal.
SUP the Coast website
Good Morning Gloucester 
Hi! To answer your question, they will go straight through the Cape Cod Canal. With the help of Sean and Stacey Nolan, of Extreme Truck and Auto on Kondelin Rd, I was able to contact Bruce Tarr’s office. Cynthia there contact the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) herself and petitioned them to issue a Special Use Permit (for which we had applied before with the help of a friend from NASA but were denied.) The Cape Cod Canal was designed and is designated for use only by vessels under motor power, so the ACOE was hesitant to allow the guys to utilize the canal on boards. We offered them a float plan, which was actually written in part by a lady who was able to gain access by canoe in 2007, which indicated to the ACOE that they have ample safety equipment onboard in case of emergency. Finally, Dean DeCoste of Gloucester, a member of the Coast Guard and a local fisherman and Greasy Pole Champion, was able to use his connections to get us Coast Guard accompaniment, really locking in the access. The transit of the Canal is scheduled for tomorrow morning, tide, sea conditions and ACOE willing. That said, I think from there it should only be about 3 days, putting them in Gloucester Harbor, we hope, on Sunday afternoon. Tentatively, I am working with Tyler at Cape Ann SUP (www.capeannsup.com) to come up with a proper in-harbor greeting for the guys, utilizing Tyler’s prime location on Pavilion Beach. All who are interested in greeting Will and Mike are welcome to come down to Cape Ann SUP, 33 Commercial St, and shake their hands! Keep an eye on the SUPTheCoast Facebook page for details on their welcoming time, as it will likely come together last minute. We would really love to see a great gathering turn-out! They don’t plan to stay long, saying hellos and thank-yous and then heading back on the water, up the Annisquam River towards our parents place in Hodgkins Cove where they will stay for the night and then continue on their way! Thanks to everyone who has been watching them! Visit http://www.supthecoast.com and click on FOLLOW US and then choose the SPOT Tracking page to follow them in real time by way of their GPS devices! Then you’ll know exactly when to start looking out your windows for them this weekend!!!!
Alana Horne
http://www.supthecoast.com Media Relations
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Alana, thanks so much for that info. I think we should be able to get a decent sized GMG contingent down on Pavilion beach on Sunday. Ed Collard and I do a little paddling every Sunday in the harbor getting ready for the Blackburn Challenge. The fact that Will and Mike have done a Blackburn Challenge every day since March 1 standing up just blows me away.
I will write a teaser on Thursday then a story about Sunday arrival on Friday and Saturday to crank it up on this end. Just post new info right on this thread here and I will incorporate the news into my posts. I will also keep track of the facebook page but if timing changes post right here and I get an email message immediately.
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Where they are this minute: http://goo.gl/fkead
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Thanks to Paul I have been following this journey since January, and was very excited to meet them in Florida. I do use the spot tracking daily and the blog to see how the trip is going, and almost done. I know they have met amazing people and spread the mission along the way. Wish I could be there Sunday and even in Portland. Inconceivable, amazing, many tremendous words to describe these men and their ambition.
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Deb we really appreciate yours and everyone’s support. Without what has ultimately been the kindness and generosity of people who were once strangers and clearly now family, this would not all have been possible! Thanks Paul for keeping Gloucester in the loop! We really encourage anyone interested to come on down and say hello to them, however, they are trying to actually keep moving so I do not know how long they will stay at Pavilion beach. I will keep everyone updated and post back here when I know the actual date and ETA, etc, but if you’re watching the SPOT tracker, keep in mind it has a little delay, so if you think they are in Beverly, come to the beach, because they will probably be on the horizon!
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Just received an update from Headquarters. The wind on the South Shore is brutal today, as it was yesterday, and apparently as it is expected to be tomorrow. The passage through the Cape Cod Canal has been officially pushed to Monday (unless that gets charged too) which means getting them to Gloucester will not be until sometime next week! Stand by to stand by… more news when it comes in!
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They could always bail on the canal and take the week to go around the scenic way. I’m going to be fishing off Chatam on Tuesday! Tomorrow they ride that nice gusty north wind and jump to Cuttyhunk or Quick’s Hole and then get to Woods Hole in the lee.
That way they hit Gloucester on the first weekend of Fiesta! Either way I am going down this Sunday to Pavillion to try one of these SUP boards out. Can I trade in a kayak?
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