Seattle to San Diego - by canoe - to raise ocean awareness.
Margo is one tough woman, on a mission to help the ocean. Knowing she was on the way, I wanted to do my part to welcome her to Ventura and get out the press. A few e-mails and I had the local paper, KVTA radio, cable TV, a couple of ocean paddlers, as well as contact with the Hokulo Outrigger Canoe Club who I hoped could provide overnight storage for her boat.
After tracking her progress all day, I put in at Emma Wood and paddled
with her for a couple of miles around the mouth of the Ventura River - I had hoped to point out the view looking up the watershed to the 6,000 ft mountains, the land-sea connection to which this blog is dedicated. Although it was sunny and 99 degrees in Ojai, we could hardly see the beach through the thick fog. I came ashore at Surfers Point, releasing Margo from the burden of waiting for me on my slow sit-on-top kayak.The Hokulo crew paddled out to meet her, and the press was there at the Ventura Harbor. She endured an
hour of interviews, obviously cold from her all-day paddle from Santa Barbara. 
I had organized with June, her one-woman ground support crew, for them to stay in our guest room. After a hot shower we went up to meet with our local Surfriders who were holding a meeting and spaghetti dinner.
I hope our guests remember Ventura, one of their countless nightly stops on the epic paddle along the Pacific coast. I am in awe of Margo's energy and dedication, and June's steadfast optimism.
In the news: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/sep/02/woman-taking-canoe-down-west-coast-stops-in/
