ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Peter Frank has paddled his 1982 Sawyer Loon-decked canoe from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in June to the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland this month, but he has a long way to go.
The 23-year-old is already around 25% of the way through his intended 6,000-mile (9,656-kilometer) Great Loop journey. The Great Lakes, inland U.S. rivers, a portion of the Canadian Heritage Canals, and the Atlantic and Gulf intracoastal waterways are all included in this continuous watercourse.
Frank primarily uses the journey as a means of expressing his thankfulness for his continued life and his capacity to complete the physical challenge, over ten years after a car accident left him nearly paraplegic and with fourteen shattered bones. Unbeknownst to him, a car full of teenagers drove through the pile of leaves where he had been hiding to surprise a friend.
He explains, “It’s my way of expressing gratitude for being alive and being able to walk and do the things that I can do,” just one day before departing again earlier this month in Annapolis, Maryland.
He also likes to meet new people and write about his experiences on his blog.
Peter Frank, who is attempting to make a roughly 6,000-mile trip in his canoe to complete the Great Loop, poses by his canoe Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Annapolis, Md. (AP Photo/Brian Witte)
Pictured by Brian Witte/Associated Press
Frank says, “I’m thankful to be out here and to share this story.” To some extent, I believe it is my duty to record the experiences I have for those who are unable to have them or who aspire to have them. It’s significant to me because of this.
He typically paddles his 1982 decked catamaran, its shell hollowed to hide provisions, for six to ten hours every day while wearing a rabbit-fur cap and clothes he manufactured himself to seem like a pirate. He spends a lot of evenings sleeping in a tent near the water. But his blog readers frequently invite him to stay at their houses.
In order to stay warm, he has acquired a thick down coat from the 1970s, an ultra-light Patagonia jacket from a secondhand shop, German military cold weather mitts from the 1950s, a pair of heated thermals, and many wool socks. He recently made his own pants, which he quilted over cotton flannel for additional layering, after feeling underdressed.
In addition to wires and outlet plugs, he has ten portable power banks with him. He claims that his electronics backpack alone, which simply contains cords and batteries, weighs about twenty-five pounds.
“I think 10 is a good amount and will keep me charged on my phone battery, GPS, radio, and cameras through any situation,” he says. I can charge practically whatever I need with my solar panel, which I also carry as a backup.
He simply has a pocket knife for cutting rope and a small filet knife for fish as self-defense tools. By tying up food, being cautious in bear country, or just staying away from frequented areas, Frank said he is secure in his capacity to protect himself.
He claims that in the long run, it has never been a major worry and that there is nothing I can do to stop anything out of my control.
For the lengthy journey, the Eagle Scout, who continues to travel with a local scout troop in his hometown, has prepared a substantial amount of his meals. For the walk, he vacuum-sealed ground beef and game meat that he had dehydrated in an oven.
Writing about his experience brings in some money for Frank. Through his Rotisserie Chicken Fund, where readers may click to donate money, he also uses his site to help cover his shopping expenditures.
In the meanwhile, I also write for publications, and the magazines will publish my work, he says. Occasionally, someone will donate me $20 online, which really helps with things like food.
Frank has previously traveled large distances on a bicycle, unicycle, and canoe. For instance, he has already canoed through Florida, a journey that lasted around 11 months and concluded in May 2023. That’s a big part of what he’s currently attempting to accomplish. He is aware that during one stretch of slumber, he will finally tie his boat to mangroves.
Regarding the adventures, Frank says, “I really, really enjoy them.” Most of all, I enjoy being alive, so I suppose that these journeys serve as both my college and my education, as well as a kind of worship where I give thanks to the planet for allowing me to live and move.
His hardest journey to date is the Great Loop. Although many boat enthusiasts consider the trip to be a must-do, it is rarely accomplished without the use of a canoe.
Additionally, Frank paddles clockwise, which he claims is the more difficult path because he spends over 25% of the journey paddling against the current on inland rivers.
Frank’s journey began on June 27 in his hometown of Escanaba, Michigan. He crossed Lake Ontario and set up camp on islands after paddling into Canada. He passed the Statue of Liberty while traveling south through New York City.
The Great Loop route has been thoroughly studied by him, but not all of it has been laid out for the canoeist. He claims that he had to perform some independent wayfinding.
He used portages he claims he discovered on his own that weren’t listed on route plans he had previously seen before departing New York via the Delaware and Raritan Canal. To fill in some of the blanks on the route’s specifics, Frank says he intends to produce an informative guide. In addition, he is considering authoring his autobiography.
According to Frank, I would like to put up a guide that is solely instructional before moving on to something that is somewhat akin to the tale of a young man who finds himself in a world he doesn’t fully comprehend.
Before he began traveling, he lived with his parents. At the age of 19, he left home to unicycle across the United States for charity.
He claims that although he occasionally returns for a few months in between missions, he has been traveling full-time for the past three years.
His canoe contains everything he possesses.
He claims that he doesn’t require a lot of money to continue operating.
He claims that, in contrast to popular belief, traveling doesn’t have to be expensive, particularly when you take out the cost of transportation, aircraft tickets, and other expenses like lodging and dining.
He has never had a lot of money, and he has used less than $1,000 on adventures in the past.
Is this practical or comfortable? Definitely not, but he claims that because of the difficulties of pursuing my goals with little to nothing, I’ve learned to appreciate less and, as a result, I manage to get by on less.
Additionally, he characterizes the journey as a journey of self-discovery.
Since I’m still young and developing, it’s really difficult to imagine where I’ll be in three years, but I’m hopeful that over this lengthy process of self-discovery, I might discover it, he adds.
He projects that the loop will be completed in about 17 months. He claims that because of a natural deadline caused by the lakes he must cross freezing, he must finish it by November of next year.
Frank asserts, “I would say that nature is definitely my biggest competitor.”
The Associated Press, 2024. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. It is prohibited to publish, broadcast, rewrite, or redistribute this content without authorization.
Note: Thank you for visiting our website! We strive to keep you informed with the latest updates based on expected timelines, although please note that we are not affiliated with any official bodies. Our team is committed to ensuring accuracy and transparency in our reporting, verifying all information before publication. We aim to bring you reliable news, and if you have any questions or concerns about our content, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!