Perrin Paddleboards Everglades Challenge & More

A follow up interview with Shane Perrin just hours after he returned home to St Louis from Key West Florida and a total of 400 miles of paddling! Written by Leslie Kolovich of SUP Radio Show

Shane Perrin preparing for the journey.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE SUP RADIO SHOW INTERVIEW

 PANAMA CITY BEACH, Florida - I followed up with Shane Perrin just hours after he returned home to St Louis from Key West Florida! ·He not only tells the AMAZING story of the highs and lows of paddling 300 miles, but also of taking it another 100 miles to Key West! ·In this interview Shane reveals a secret that is not too surprising to hear from a Midwestern United States paddler. 

Shane was riding a custom 18′x 26″ wide Pau Hana EC 1 SUP, with a Larry Allison Thrasher fin with extra glass to help it stand up to whatever challenge was put in front of it, and there were many. Shane talks about getting rolled in the waves, and getting a hole in the bottom of the board on just day one. However, nothing a little putty coudn’t fix! He then paddles 16 hours straight on the left side because of a crosswind and swell. ·Ok if 16 hours didn’t impress you how about 34 hours straight? ·Yes I said 34 hours standing! ·Keep in mind Shane is on a mission. ·He is a recipient of a kidney transplant, and is paddling to raise awareness of organ and tissue donation. He received a second chance on life, and he is living it! 

Probably THE lowest of lows for Shane was when he was robbed while taking a nap.  Everything on his board completely gone leaving him hopeless to continue, but what happens next becomes the highest of highs.  One message to the SUP Community on Facebook and supplies and money poured in and he was back on the water!  He emotionally tells me what that meant to him.  Emotion seems to be a mutual experience of our 3 SUP’rs, all experiencing many tears(yes real men cry).  He was overcome with emotion from the kindness of strangers, overcome with emotion with a surprise visit in Sanibel Island, and emotion from pure exhaustion.  He tells me this challenge was more than a race, it was an experience of a lifetime.  He learned so much about himself.  He learned so much about people.

Shane calls it “The Florida Experience”.  You won’t want to miss what happens to him in the Wilderness Waterway, lets just say a local was really getting “back to nature”.  He also found a clever way to stay warm in the Port-o-let, hey it’s survival out there.  Needless to say, he makes it through the Everglades! 

Shane finished the 300 miles in Key Largo making him the first Stand Up Paddler to take this honor.  He talks about meeting Ian Wogan and Chip Walter, the other twoamazing Stand Up Paddlers in the race.  Lifetime friendships were made right then and there.  The only 3 Stand Up Paddlers in the world to share this experience.  Prettyamazing! 

Shane, however, did not stop paddling in Key Largo.  He went on to Key West which was 100 more miles.  His goal was to finish 400 miles in 10 days.  He did it in 9 days!   Listen to the podcast as you will hear what true passion and determination sounds like. Amazing!  A documentary Film, and a book will most certainly come from this, and I suspect this will not be the last Amazing feat we will see from Shane!  To donate to his cause you can go to gofundme . 

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE LESLIE KOLOVICH INTERVIEW WITH SHANE PERRIN!

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