Paddlers for Humanity
Ramps Up a Series of Wet Events
(06/17/2009) Whether or not summer decides to arrive, the paddling events that have made past summers so memorable will. Paddlers for
 John Gicking
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Humanity, a nonprofit organization that raises money for community, education, and health-based projects through a series of paddles, has added two events to the annual Along the Waterfence Paddle and the open ocean paddle from Montauk to Block Island.
On June 27, a 10-mile stand-up paddleboard race will take place in Montauk. The race will start at Ditch Plain Beach and end at Gin Beach. It is the only competitive race of the four paddles, and participants must contribute a minimum of $40. The paddle will take about three hours, and those interested in participating must register by tomorrow.
“This is the first stand-up paddleboard race in the area,” Ed Cashin, co-president of the organization, said Monday.
Proceeds will go toward the Paddlers for Humanity East End Catastrophic Fund, which was established last year to support individuals and families in need of immediate medical or financial aid because of emergencies or catastrophic events.
The other new event, the Wahine Women’s-Only 5-Mile Paddle, will take place on July 11. Participants will take off from Louse Point in Springs on whichever vessel they choose — a kayak, a paddleboard, or an outrigger canoe. The finish line will be at Maidstone Park. The paddle is expected to take two to three hours.
A minimum contribution of $250 must be made for those over the age of 18 to take part. Those younger than 18 must raise at least $125. The money will support the Retreat in East Hampton. The registration deadline is July 9.
For the second straight summer, the Along the Waterfence Paddle will be held on Aug. 8. The 10-mile paddle will begin at Fresh Pond in Amagansett and end at Fort Pond Bay in Montauk. It is seen as a warm-up to the 18-mile open ocean paddle from Montauk to Block Island.
“Coming around Rocky Point and seeing the pier is really beautiful,” Cashin said.
Participants above the age of 18 must contribute a minimum of $500, while those under 18 must contribute at least $250. The money will go directly to the East Hampton Day Care Learning Center. The registration deadline is Aug. 3.
Finally, on either Sept. 13 or Sept. 14, depending on the weather, the fifth annual Montauk to Block Island Open Ocean Paddle will take place. This year, paddlers will take off from Gin Beach instead of Montauk Point, making the trip almost three miles longer. This should steer the paddlers clear of rocks and boat traffic, Cashin said. In the past, “for the first two miles, it was really shallow and we were hitting rocks.”
Also this year, if a paddler is lagging too far behind, he or she will be towed. “If we don’t make the trip in six hours, we will get caught by the incoming tide,” Cashin said. That could make the last two miles of the crossing very difficult.
The event has been suggested for intermediates and above. “No one has failed yet,” Cashin said. “There is training involved, and you have to be comfortable with open water and understand the issues that are involved.”
Fred Doss, co-president of Paddlers for Humanity, rode in the support boat the event’s first two years before deciding to make the crossing in a kayak. “I was really wowed by it. If I can do it, anybody can do it.” He plans to make his third trip in September.
Like many of the veterans, Cashin used a stand-up paddleboard last year. “The first time I did it, I just remember being out there in the middle of the ocean and seeing all these fish,” he said.
Last year, the event raised more than $90,000, Doss said. Paddlers older than 18 must raise a minimum of $1,500 to compete. Those younger than 18 must raise at least $750. The registration deadline is Sept. 7.
Proceeds will benefit buildOn, specifically its project to build a new school in Nicaragua. The organization provides after-school programs for high school students in the United States and has built more than 300 schools in developing countries. Thirty thousand dollars is needed to construct the school in Nicaragua.
The rest of the money raised from the event will go to East End charities.