Project Origin: Why Martinique
In three days I'm joined by a team of four to #begin a new adventure, circumnavigating the island of Martinique by Origin Stand Up Paddleboards. This is the first leg of Project Origin, in which we aim to raise enough funds to plant one million trees.
Martinique might seem like an odd choice, but here's the reason that we're heading there for the first leg of Project Origin.
Twice a year I join forces with Skipper, Painter and Oceans Advocate Emily Penn to run a programme called Exploring Mindset, which compromises workshops, talks and goal-setting in open water, on a 72ft yacht called Sea Dragon.
It’s a brilliant, formative scheme, designed to empower a crew of ten (many of whom have never sailed) to take a new fork in the road.
The Caribbean in Winter offers a chance to pack light, and crucially sea states are usually calm which reduces sea sickness and offers maximum opportunity to embrace the aims of the voyage.
In Mid December 2014 we have an Exploring Mindset voyage starting in Martinique, hence the destination for the first leg of Project Origin.
Martinique is French territory and a volcanic, green island with a 132 mile circumference, centrally located in the crescent chain of Caribbean islands.
None of the team have visited Martinique before so this is going to be a true adventure. We’ll be paddling clockwise from Sainte Luce in the southwest of the island, and anticipate that high winds and Atlantic swells will make this far from a walk in the park.
Follow this circumnavigation between November 30th and December 11th on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and www.davecornthwaite.com