Tweed Coaster Chris Carter took on the elements and won at the weekend paddling from Kingscliff to Yamba on a stand-up paddle board.
However while the journey – which is technically about 150km but proved tougher and was longer due to the large waves and windy condition in the open ocean – but then the Pottsville father of two has overcome tougher.
This year he became one of Australia’s youngest Prostate Cancer survivors – at just 42 years old.
“Following detection, surgery and treatment I have been on the road to recovery,” he said.
“ It has been a long and bumpy road but I have always endeavoured to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle having competed in sporting events like The Coolangatta Gold and Gold Coast Half Marathon. “
As a family and community minded person he want to give something back ‘locally’ and decided I will raise awareness about men’s health issues in a positive and exciting way.
“ My latest ‘new thing’ is Stand Up Paddle Boarding,” he said so it made sense to take to the water to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer.
So with the support of his friends at Cudgen Headland Surf Club he set off on Friday morning. And on Sunday morning (after encountering a lot of whales on Friday) he was given a hero’s welcome on Kingscliff Beach. Club members of all ages joined him to paddle in with others welcoming him up the beach through a line of brightly-coloured flags.
“It was tough, very tough – tougher than I expected,” he said sitting down after the paddle.
“Some of the parts of ocean you I was paddling through were just so hard, I was paddling in one place for 15 minutes at one stage. I was a couple kms off shore and I was looking at a tower of some sort on shore and I said to the boys I don’t think I’ve moved for 10 or 15 minutes have I? And they said no no you’re going well – I said no I haven’t moved,” he laughed.
“I had to paddle back out further to get out of it.”
However he wasn’t alone, with a support boat lent to him by friends and three of his Cudgen Headland club-mates in an IRB nearby when the water became too shallow for the main boat.
Although in the end it was just Chris against the ocean.
“Bits and pieces were rough but bits and pieces were nice and the shore-line was beautiful – not that I saw a lot,” Chris laughed.
“It was a nice achievement but if it doesn’t change people’s attitudes it doesn’t make any difference.”
Chris is hoping that it will encourage younger guys, under 60 to have the tests done and to get checked and if that happens he will be a happy man.
So with the paddle over, you’d expect Chris to be looking for a rest and yes he is but don’t be surprised if you hear that Chris, has taken on the Molaki race in Hawaii – just not yet. But of course he needs a sponsor.
Would he do this again – “no probably not!”.
