Author: jvmullin

I just got a good deal on  a Necky Looksha Elite 17’6″ yellow top white bottom.

Now i have to learn to use a rudder.

Next purchase is dry gear

March 2, 2017

Well in this case it is a veteran helping fellow veterans. There is a connection amoung vets that cannot be explained nor broken no matter which branch you served in.

A person needs to be confident, knowledgable and experienced, prepared, have the right gear, and have support.

For my journey i have to be ready to be lonely for hours at a time maybe days. I have to be self sufficient as i do not have a support staff following me on shore. I have to rely on the goodness of people along the way.

I carry plenty of safety gear. I have an app on my phone called Life360 and i have 6 people in my circle who can follow me by the gps location of my phone.  I have a PLB personal location beacon registered with National Search and Rescue. I have a marine radio that floats, a first aid kit, survival knife, strobe light, binoculars, signal mirror, whistle, and airhorn on my pfd.
I have charts, compass, and a Garmin GPS unit backed up with  app on my phone from Navionics. I have courses plotted on the charts.

I am focused, confident, determined, and ready even though there are 2 months to go. I have one more food order to purchase and ship to my sisters, drysuit and vest to buy and i am still hoping for a new kayak.

People ask me if i am scared. I tell them no as i have a large amount of training to get through this and survive if required. I was asked if there was anything to worry about. I said yes worry is what keeps you alive and alert. I must be alert while on the water as kayaks are not that visible, people are not curteous to kayakers and of course the weather can change at any time.

My hopes for this trip…that i can save as many lives as i can and raise as much money as possible to help those i save.

There are others doing journeys as well. 2 guys are planning and getting ready to SUP the entire Mississippi River for Mission22. Maybe the 3 of us will get together for an expedition in the future.

I received an email.from my contact at West Marine. She wants to interview me about me my mission and my trip.

Then she will put the information together and share it with their merchandisers.

I will tequest a copy of the final to put here.

I have watched and listen to a few episodes of Dangerous Waters. I have never heard anything more irresponsible or ridiculous as these guys. The arrogance of these guys that think they can travel to any country without and research landed them under arrest in  Russia.

While i am not leaving the country, I have spent the last 6 months researching the route printing charts plotting, plotting courses, making spreadsheets of campgrounds, kayak shops, media, etc. Then waterproofing them all. 

Planning meals, buying most of it freeze dried for space and weight. Obtaining safety gear I didn’t have yet. I have 2 food drops established, one with a friend and the other with my sister. 

Training is a constant as is studying the water which will be important with changing tides and seas.

All my experiences on and under water has brought me to this. I am confident that i can successfully complete this trip. 

I am prepared to hunker down when necessary and go on rations to make my food and water last. 

Like the guys in Dangerous Waters i am hoping i will run into people that are willing to help me with meals and places to sleep.

A couple of days ago while i was at work a father and son came in. When i finished with rbe customer i was waiting on and said can i help you. 

He said my son wanted to meet you. He told me that they had read the lical paper article and he wanted to meet the kayak man. 

Had a great time talking with them about kayaking and my trip.

Reinforces my commitment to do this. I am looking for to starting.

I recieved my unit today. I can’t wait to use it. I will test it on my winter course this werkend.

Thank you to West Marine and Garmin you have just made my trip even safer.

I have 4 wonderful children 2 in their late 30’s and early 40’s and 2 in their early to.mid 20’s. 

I have always tried to set an example for them by my actions more than jusr using words. I have done this all their lives. 

I am proud how they turned out. 

Now the lesson is that sometimes thete comes a cause much bigger than you, much more important than you, one that you can no longer ignore as you go through your day to day life. I have discovered that cause. 

While i may be kayaking solo down the east coast i know i am not alone. I have my children and friends and my new friends at Mission22. I know i will also have every veteran that i come in contact with and they spread the word to watching my six. 

I will be a crowd of one!

The lesson i wish my children to take away is this

 Life is precious and while one person dies a number of people die a little too. Veterans are people and it is not just one person suffering it is whole families. When i say one man one mission to save thousands i am not only talking about the veterans but i am also trying to save families. 

I had a fathet who if he cared never showed it. So i was always going to be the father to my children that my dad wasn’t to me. The vetetans I am trying to help may be mothers and fathers, they are also sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles. They are family not just theirs but as veterans they are also ours.

I said in a tv interview that their is a bond amounst vetetans that can’t be explained nor can it be broken. A bond stronger than marriage. It is this bond that drives me to help my brothers and sisters.

Hopefully those who are not vetetans will be able to understand those that are will have my six. 

I hope my children are proud of me and what i am doing. I am focused, determined, committed, and ready. 

I hope i can raise millions of dollars but more important i hope i can save thousands of lives and keep families together. Once the spouses understand PTSD i hope they will hang tough while the veteran gets help. 

Compassion and understanding are the key words.

My fellow workers at Lowe’s 2376 selected me the unsung hero for the work i am doing getting ready for the trip and the trip itself. The are greatful for me helping fellow veterans.

It feels good to be recognized by your peers. I will make them proud.

Due to financial constraints I am changing the start point from Yarmouth Nova Scotia to Quoddy Head Maine. I still have to deal with the Fundy Bay tidal change. It will make for a safer start as well.