Unless you’ve read either of Dave Weinberg’s two fabulous Press of Atlantic City articles this weekend Sunday and Monday, or belong to the fellowship of the paddle board, you may not know that 17 participants paddled eighteen miles across Delaware Bay this past Sunday.

The second annual Cape to Cape Paddle Event benefits the DESATNICK Foundation, a non-profit organization aimed to help those living with Spinal Cord Injury in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Ocean Counties, New Jersey. In other words the organizers intent is to keep money raised in the local community.

Rarely does a freelance photographer get to cover and event with such brilliant images of athletes who are still able to smile after such a grueling feat.

After riding the Cape May Lewes ferry to Delaware then paddling for nearly four and half hours including a frustrating section of the Cape May rips the participants were greeted by fans and families on the Queen Street beach.

Chad DeSatnick, the organizer of the event, provided a plethora of safety and support vessels should any of the athletes encounter fatigue or trouble. In fact one of the conditions of entry was conceding the race if the paddler could not finish within a certain time limit. One paddler even hired his own follow boat for emotional support.

Finishers were greeted by Chad and his committee and offered refreshments and medical assistance if needed. Chad’s mom Anita DeSatnick told me “there is such a great camaraderie among paddle boarders.” It was clearly evident in this tight knit group of athletes who had just paddled eighteen miles across Delaware Bay.