John Hughes paddles for public education.

Paddlers raise public education profile

The profile of public education was lifted recently when a team of six, Paddlers for Public Education, participated in the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic, an overnight ultra marathon canoe race from Windsor to Brooklyn (111 kilometres).

John Hughes and Khyiah Angel made it to Wiseman's Ferry (66 kilometres), a great achievement for both of them considering that John was paddling a single kayak in the Classic for the first time and Khyiah has only recently taken up paddling a kayak. Claire Shanahan and David Broad in their sea kayak completed their first Classic which is a superb effort. Geoff Turnbull and his nephew John finished what is their sixth Classic together paddling a Canadian canoe.

The team raised $3300 for the Arrow Foundation, a registered charity which provides funds for cancer research at St Vincent's Hospital.

Mr Turnbull said: "It was 12.30am before the moon appeared, then promptly went behind a heavy cloud cover where it remained. Consequently, we were shrouded in Stygian darkness all night until around 5am.

"As it's quite risky to paddle close to the bank when there is poor visibility (submerged stumps, overhanging trees, boat moorings), from Sackville to Wiseman's Ferry, some 40 kilometres, we had to paddle mid-stream where the tide is strongest and so faced the full force of the incoming tide for over four hours. We were certainly tested on the night but the sense of achievement at the end, the money raised and the promotion of public education makes it all worthwhile."

"Our red Paddlers for Public Education T-shirts bearing the NSW Teachers Federation logo prompted a number of positive comments from other paddlers and land crew members," he added.

"We want to thank everyone who contributed to this very worthy cause. Special thanks go to the NSW Teachers Federation and the Newcastle Trades Hall Council for their sponsorship."

Mr Turnbull also paid tribute to the team's land crews.

"Without our wonderful land crews our success would not have been possible. They met us at our two pit-stops with hot food and drinks, helped our aching bodies back into the canoes and sent us off with warm words of encouragement. The achievements of the team belong as much to our land crews as to the paddlers," he said.

If you are interested in joining the paddlers in next year's Classic as part of the Paddlers for Public Education team email Claire at shanahan@idl.net.au or Geoff at Geoff.Turnbull@det.nsw.edu.au

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November 2005 contents