Scheduled To Reach Topsail Island Areas On Friday, September 16
Meet the paddlers at Soundside Park in Surf City from 11 am to noon. The next stop is Morris Landing along the Intracoastal Waterway in Holly Ridge from 1-2 pm. The last area stop is the New River Marina in Sneads Ferry from 4-5 pm. You can also register for the Oyster Roast that evening by visiting their website.
We The Water: Paddling For Education And Preservation
Outrigger canoes were originally developed by peoples of the islands of Southeast Asia for sea travel. They were used to transport these peoples both eastward to Polynesia and New Zealand and westward across the Indian Ocean as far as Madagascar. Outrigger canoes first arrived in Hawaii around 200 AD, some big enough to hold up to 80 people. In 1908, the Outrigger Canoe Club was founded on Oahu.
Donna Kahakui, a world-renowned Hawaiian paddler and an inspiration to the members of the Wrightsville Beach Outrigger Canoe Club, visited NC to teach the members about paddling, and to share her love for the ocean and how paddling is the way in which she advocates protecting it. After the visit, the members came up with an idea to bring awareness, through paddling, to North Carolina’s coastal issues. Thus, combining two great passions that all members shared: paddling and environmentalism.
"Outrigger is truly a connection to the ocean like no other, and I cannot think of a better way to tell the story of our coast, than from the bow of a canoe. It is our kuleana (responsibility) to leave our world better than we found it, which is what we strive to do through this paddle." Kerri Allen
When asked why they will ultimately paddle the entire coastline of North Carolina, they respond that The North Carolina coast has over 300 miles of coastline and 12,000 miles of estuarian shoreline. There are many threats and risks that impair the water quality (visit their website for a list), impacting humans and wildlife. The goal is to bring awareness and help find solutions to improve water quality.
The first leg of We the Water will kick off on September 14, 2022. Over four days, members of Wrightsville Beach Outrigger Canoe Club will paddle 120 miles up the North Carolina coast to advocate for clean water, empower local communities, bring awareness of contamination, and protect the most vital element of our lives: water.
Over the next three years, members will paddle the entire North Carolina coast to advocate for clean water. From September 14-17 2022, club members will paddle 120 miles from Sunset Beach, North Carolina, to the site of the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s future Center for Coastal Protection and Restoration in Ocean, North Carolina.
You can follow their journey on social media and make a plan to meet up with the paddlers at one of the many stops along the route. All proceeds from this event will benefit the North Carolina Coastal Federation, which works to empower coastal residents and visitors from all walks of life to protect and restore the water quality and critically important natural habitats of the North Carolina coast. We here at Treasure Realty fully support the conservation and environmental efforts of the NC Coastal Federation as they strive to preserve our beautiful natural resources, making the Topsail Island area one of the most beautiful places to live.
You can support the event by volunteering before and during the event, by donating to support clean water in NC, by sponsoring the event, or by joining hundreds of paddlers nationwide in pledging your own paddling miles as a fundraiser.
Visit the website for links and more information. On the website, you can follow their journey and you can register for A Rave for Waves Oyster Roast!
