18 July 2019
While most of us were tucked in the warmth of our homes over the winter, Tim Wiggins was kayaking on the Solent, "layered up like an onion, using a rag-tag bunch of cycling and sailing kit to try and provide protection from the elements."
Why? Because Isle of Wight adventurer Tim had just rekindled his passion for paddling.
And on Saturday 27 July he will put that winter training to good use and attempt to kayak 95 kilometres around his home island! He thinks it will take him 15 hours - our arms are tired just thinking about it!
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Click on the image above to play the
video through Instagram[/caption]
This is not Tim's first personal challenge for the Trust. Two years ago, he cycled the equivalent height of Mount Everest - all 8,848m of it - peddling up and down St Boniface Down in Ventnor 38 times over 16 hours.
So why this and why now?
Tim explains: "I’m based in East Cowes and have often seen the groups heading
out on the sky blue yacht from the marina; sometimes with nervous expressions on the outbound departure, but always with confident smiling faces when they return.
“We often consider how cancer takes lives and unfairly takes loved ones from us. What perhaps we do not consider so much is the psychological effect it has on those that survive it— especially on a child's mind.
“I decided if I was going to paddle for 12-15 hours non-stop around the Island, I wanted to do it to raise awareness of how the water can calm and rejuvenate the mind. The Trust was the perfect partner to support, and so a plan was set to make the Round the Island Kayak a fundraiser for its superb work.”
Follow Tim's progress
Tim has been providing updates of his training across social media using #KayakRTI - check out his Expedition Journals to find out more about how he's tackling this challenge.
And if you want to support Tim in his mission to support young people in recovery, here's his Just Giving page ➡️ Tim's Non-Stop Round The Isle of Wight Kayak