Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Able to Fish and Boat

We’ve seen some exciting news in the past 24 hours about boating and fishing opportunities for people who may have previously thought that the freedom of getting out on the water was not an option.

First, we received an announcement yesterday that a non-profit organization in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, launched a new website and fund raising effort to help physically challenged anglers get back on the water. The stated mission of Armchair Anglers is to provide world-class fishing trips for the physically challenged on a fully accessible, stable catamaran boat, in an effort to bring the healing that only time spent on the water can provide. Learn more about this organization at www.armchairanglers.org.

Next, when the Wall Street Journal hit our desks this morning, forgive the pun, but we couldn’t believe our eyes. The story that got our attention was about a man who sails a 36 foot boat, with no crew onboard, and no eyesight of his own. Wearing a webcam on his head, the sailor is guided by a sighted man onshore. Full story at WSJ.com.

If you are familiar with any similar services or stories, please post them here as comments. Here are a few we found after this article "went to print".

Another Florida organization worth mentioning, Anchors Aweigh Charters of Amelia Island, provides fishing charters free of charge to those with permanent physical and/or developmental disabilities as well as those diagnosed with a terminal illness.

New Jersey offers a list on a PDF document, here, of Accessible Fishing Sites For People With Disabilities

Mass offers a similar list, but they've got a cooler name for theirs: Barrier Free Fishing

This headline was in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review earlier this year: Brownsville bass fishing tournament hooks disabled veterans (full story)

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