After 268 days in his kayak, a 65-year-old has completed his epic ‘Reverse the Bad’ expedition, becoming the first person to solo kayak the Greater Loop across Canada and the United States.
The journey of almost 6,800 miles (11,000km) required Mark Fuhrmann to paddle for 1,643 hours—which is the equivalent of paddling 68 days straight without stopping.
A smiling, but exhausted Fuhrmann, stepped out of his kayak on August 2nd for the last time, greeting well-wishers with the memorable line: “Can I get a beer please?” (He got more than one.)
Paddling for positivity
The Canadian native who lives in Oslo, Norway set out from Halifax last year on June 2nd with an aim of raising much needed funds for Doctors Without Borders and Captains Without Borders, while pushing a message of “positivity for our troubled times.”
“It’s been a hell of a trip,” he exclaims, “but worth every minute of exertion, discomfort and pain. Not only to raise money and awareness, but also to connect with nature, people, and something deep within myself.”
“I’m truly grateful for the immense and touching generosity of an army of supporters en route—but that doesn’t mean I’m planning another trip anytime soon!” he joked.
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He said what struck him the most about his challenging 14-month journey was the kindness from all the people he met along the route. “99.9% were genuine, good people.”
Extreme endurance
Fuhrmann, who also completed a charity kayak run from Oslo to Greece in 2017, says the last leg of the journey was the toughest of all. He had to navigate through 23 days of continuous fog, while tackling extreme tides and currents in the Bay of Fundy—and he struggled to find anywhere to pitch his tent on the rocky, treacherous coastline.
“Some evenings I had to drag my kayak up three or four meters of rock inclines, while others I was lucky enough to sleep on moored lobster vessels.
“There were some challenging waves too, as well as a lot of ferries and fishing boats to avoid. It’s been incredibly draining… and I’m looking forward to a good night’s sleep, in an actual bed,” he said, after crossing the finish line.
“I think we have to celebrate the fact I survived,” he says with a big grin.
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Mark chose the two charities for his Reverse the Bad expedition because his late wife was a doctor.
He’s raised almost $7,000 on his GoFundMe page, as well as channeling many donations directly to the two charities. You can help ‘Reverse the Bad’ and learn more on his website.
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