Fifty minutes shy of 24-hours Monday morning, the trio of brothers Craig and Trent Masselink and friend Ginny Melby came ashore in Muskegon, bringing their Lake Michigan paddle board crossing to an end.
Nearly 100 friends and family members ran down the beach to welcome the tired trio of boarders who shared time on one paddle board, crossing the 80-miles well under their 30-hour goal.
The three traveled the final few hundred yards together with Ginny and Trent paddling and Craig holding onto the back, kicking with the last bit of energy he had.
“It was unbelievable,” Craig said. “It’s the coolest thing I’ve ever done.”
Working to raise money for Restore International, an organization that fights for girls sold into prostitution and boys turned into child soldiers in Uganda, the paddlers said they gained strength throughout their journey from the constant prayers sent their way by all their supporters.
For the full article, see Cory Olson, “Trio of paddle boarders succeed in crossing of Lake Michigan”, MLive, July 8, 2013.