Man on a Mission: A paddleboarder's extraordinary journey
Dan Rubenstein took on a two-month journey paddleboarding all the way from Ottawa to New York City to explore how being on the water provides health benefits. The Weather Network's Michael Vann has the story.
Dan Rubinstein is a writer and stand-up paddleboarder based in Ottawa, Canada. From June through September, he's been paddling from his home in Ottawa to Montreal, New York City, and Toronto, and then back home. His journey has taken him along the Ottawa River, St. Lawrence River, Richelieu River, Lake Champlain, Champlain Canal, Hudson River, Erie Canal, Niagara River, Lake Ontario, and Rideau River.
He plans to write a book about the months-long journey, focusing on the themes of sustainability, health, equity, social justice, and community.
Rubenstein has spent much of his career working to bring focus to the importance of immersing ourselves in "blue space" and deepening our relationship with water. He touts the physical and psychological benefits related to spending time in, on, or near water.
Rubenstein believes paddleboarding is a unique way to interact with both natural and human aquatic ecosystems; "it can help connect us to this vital natural resource that we often ignore or neglect."
You can learn more about Rubenstein's extraordinary journey and mission in the video that leads this article.