Early tomorrow morning, the 2011 SEA Paddle NYC—a 26.5-mile paddle around the island of Manhattan—will kick off at Pier 40 on the Hudson River, and Jorg Badura will be there to document the event, which raises money for autism awareness and for the Surfers’ Environmental Alliance.
Jorg shot last year’s SEA Paddle as well—both action photos and portraits of individual participants—so to whet your appetite, so to speak, his studio put together some highlights from 2010, along with further details and a time-lapse video of Jorg’s pier-top portrait session…
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Jorg Badura will be donating his panoramic photo of the paddlers’ prayer circle, from last year’s event, to the SEA Paddle silent auction. Click to enlarge.
Ernie Johnson, who won 4th place in last year's 2010 SEA Paddle NYC. Photo by Jorg Badura. "Ernie Johnson is an international rider for Starboard," explains Jorg's studio. "He's known for his sincerity and humbleness. He's also talented in the art of carpentry and founded his own paddle-making company called Johnson Big Stick Paddles. A connoisseur of the trade, he creates custom wood stand-up paddles."
Ernie Johnson. Photo by Jorg Badura.
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New York City lends itself to the unexpected, but there’s still nothing quite like the SEA Paddle. It’s truly a sight to behold, with nearly 200 paddlers navigating the 26.5-mile marathon around the island of Manhattan, beginning at Pier 40 and ending at Pier 17 at South Street Seaport. The journey can take the fittest of the fit anywhere from four to six hours to finish.
The day begins with a circle of prayer. Paddles and hands entwined, the participants mirror their unity and collective efforts for the greater good. They come from all walks of life: pro surfers, teachers, Wall Street businesspeople, celebrities, parents of autistic children, and water lovers from California, Florida, South America, Hawaii, Germany, Australia, and other locales. Since the creation of the SEAPaddle, Jorg Badura has been dedicated to capturing the spirit of these selfless athletes.
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Garrett McNamara. Photo by Jorg Badura. "Garrett is an extreme-surfing world champion who has pushed the realm of surfing to the limits," explains Jorg's studio. "Always searching for the next biggest wave that Mother Nature can spew out, he has made quite the reputation as a fearless big-wave or tow-in surfer. He's explored much of the world's oceans and ridden some of the most unforgiving waves in the world, such as Tahiti's Teahupo'o, Maui's Jaws, and even the tsunami waves off the coast of south-central Alaska."
Garrett McNamara. Photo by Jorg Badura.
Slater Troutman, second-place winner in last year's event. Photo by Jorg Badura. From Jorg's studio: "Slater is often referred to as the future of stand-up paddling. Just 16 years of age, he already has a wide array of accomplishments under his belt, such as 3rd place at the 2010 Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle, more commonly referred to as the World Championship of Stand Up."
Slater Troutman. Photo by Jorg Badura.
Thomas Shahinian, who won 1st place in the 2010 SEA Paddle. Photo by Jorg Badura. "Thomas Maximus Shahinian rides for OHANA Paddleboards," notes Jorg's studio. "He's a true gladiator, which comes through in everything he does, from selling real estate to competing in water sports like paddling and kiting. Fun fact: Thomas is one of the only SUPs to get a ticket whlie out on the water, which prompted him to cofound the Stand Up Paddle Alliance, which advocates for SUPs rights."
Thomas Shahinian. Photo by Jorg Badura.
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The SEA Paddle is a collaboration between the Surfers’ Environmental Alliance (SEA), which advocates the preservation of our “fragile coastal habitats, natural ocean waves, a clean ocean, non-restrictive beach access, as well as the cultural and environmental integrity of the sport of surfing,” and autism-advocacy groups like Surfer’s Healing. Last year, SEA Paddle raised a whopping $400,000.
The sport of stand-up paddling, or SUP, can be traced through history to the Polynesians and Hawaiians, and rose to the spotlight again in the 1960s via the Beach Boys of Waikiki. These days, SUP has become a competitive sport and is often used as a training regimen for athletes. The benefit of SUP is that it can be done just about anywhere there is water, from rough oceans of the Pacific, to calm lakes, rushing rivers, and reservoirs.
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To see a time-lapse video of Jorg shooting last year's SEA Paddle, click the image above.
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If the paddling seems a little overwhelming and you feel more at home on shore, there are lots of happenings to enjoy like the Ultimate Beach Party at the South Street Seaport’s Water Taxi Beach. You can buy your tickets at http://www.seapaddlenyc.org/beach-party. You won’t want to miss this event!
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Many thanks to Jorg’s studio for the fantastic text and images! And best wishes to all the participants in tomorrow’s SEA Paddle!
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