After 1,350 miles, Duluth paddle boarder completes epic trip around Lake Superior
Jared Munch returned to Duluth-Superior Harbor Wednesday to complete a 1,350-mile, 49-day odyssey that saw him become the first to circumnavigate Lake Superior on a stand-up paddle board.
It makes your arms tired just reading about it.
The 23-year-old civil engineering major and whitewater paddling instructor at the University of Minnesota Duluth was greeted by a crowd of 40 well-wishers as he finished the final leg of the journey he started on May 20, the Duluth News Tribune reports.
"This is the heaviest wind I've paddled in all summer – but it's downwind. I'm excited," he told the newspaper as he was joined by his dad, brother and friends who paddled alongside him as he made it to the river mouth.
Northland News Center reports he has become the first person to circumnavigate the world's largest freshwater lake on a stand-up paddle board, paddling an average of 51 miles for 12 to 15 hours every day, skirting Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan as well as Ontario, Canada.
"It has been days of pushing myself as hard as I can – being sun up to sun down – only taking breaks to sleep. And being miserable at times but feeling very accomplished at times," he told the TV station, but added the people he met along the way helped lift his spirits.
He was given a helping hand on his journey by the weather, with FOX 21 reporting that he had planned for the trip to take him 10 weeks, but because the skies stayed mostly fair he was able to finish a whole month ahead of schedule.
The times the weather didn't cooperate, he had to stay off the lake for "days at a time," FOX 21 notes.
As well as doing it for the achievement, Munch also used his endeavor to raise money for Neighborhood Youth Services in Woodland Hills, which will be used to help local kids go on field trips and participate in outdoor activities.
He has so far raised just under $2,000 of his $5,000 goal, according to his GoFundMe page.
You can see more pictures of his trek on his journey's Facebook page.
