included a conference for life saving professionals, guest coaching with youth and masters swimmers and speaking engagements with roughly 1,000 students and teachers.
The impetus for the trip came when Chase met a polish national at the Life Saving World Championships in the Netherlands in September of 2016. Included in the Blue Journey initiative is the concept of enabling disabled individuals to find their connection to the ocean. The trip was groundbreaking in sharing information on aquatic sport, safety, science and conservation and there is now interest from New Zealand and Australia for a similar engagement.
“I went over to Poland with very few expectations and it turned out to be a profoundly impactful trip as it resonated to a larger audience than I expected,” Chase says. “There is very little adaptation needed for disabled individuals to accomplish prone paddle boarding. It means that this is something they can do on a regular basis to change their quality of life.”
March 2017 - Sustainable Travel
86 - SEVENSEAS