Orcas Islanders Matt Nelson and Djuna Mascall, along with their friend Mathew Wendell from Seattle, spent their spring raising money and awareness for the protection of one of their favorite places: the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska.
The kayaking team embarked on a four-week, 500-mile journey around the Kenai Peninsula on May 24. They raised more than $1500 through their blog, where they kept a travelogue of their trip. All of the money donated went to the Cook InletKeeper, a non-profit organization working to protect water quality of the Kenai.
They are still raising money for the Cook InletKeeper and have been presenting slide shows about their trip. They will speak on Lopez on Friday, Nov. 14 at the Dojo on Flicker Lane off School Road. Mascall will teach a Yoga for Kayakers class from 5-6:30 p.m. ($10 for the class) followed by a slide show presentation at 7 p.m. Admission to the slide show is free, although donations are suggested. The presentation was originally scheduled for Nov. 8, but was rescheduled because Cam DeVore’s memorial was at the same time.
“The cool thing about the blog was that because people could follow our progress it got them excited about our trip and wanting to pitch in to the cause of keeping this area protected,” said Nelson.
The Kenai Peninsula is one of the most diverse ecosystems on our planet. It is home to a variety of animals, including bears, wolves, beluga and killer whales, and all five species of wild pacific salmon. Over 50 percent of the world’s salmon are harvested from the waters of the Kenai Peninsula.
Nelson and Mascall first became familiar with the region when they worked as kayak guides in Kachemak Bay in Alaska. “We fell in love with the area,” said Nelson. “It’s incrediby abundant and beautiful and diverse in its coastal environments. So the inspiration for this fundraising was that it felt like the right thing to do. We wanted to go and experience this beautiful area and give back to people who are trying to keep it pristine and healthy. In a nutshell it was about giving back to the area that we enjoy as paddlers.”
The team camped each night of the journey, and along the way they saw mountain goats, black bears, sea otters, harbor seals, stellar sea lions, orcas, humpback whales, and birds in the alcid family such as puffins, auklets, and murres. The trip concluded on June 22 in Whittier, Alaska.
Nelson and Mascall both work for Body Boat Blade, a kayak school on Orcas. Mascall also co-owns and teaches at Orcas Mandala Yoga Studio. For more information about their kayak trip, visit their blog at www.ourowntwohands.blogspot.com.
