Each blind paddler said the team has improved since the coaches came on board earlier this year.
Though they broke in the canoes Friday, paddling near NAC, the day was more about celebrating than training. For Garwood, the day also had a deeper meaning. She has known Kalama, the man most people call, “Uncle,” since she was a child.
She felt fulfilled that he was a part of the day.
“I was raised in Hawaii. People like Uncle gave me a lot of time,” she said. “Standing on the beach, blessing brand new canoes and giving people maybe some freedom that they didn’t have before is huge. It’s a great way to be able to thank the community that gave so much to me when I was a kid.”
THREE STORIES SHOW
When Ron Johnson, 45, was in high school he was told he could never compete in athletics. He responded that he would be the best fan he could be.
Still, he was without a sport that he wanted for his own. That is until the OC Makapo Aquatics Project came along.
He entered with excitement and has been enjoying his time with the group. He thoroughly took pleasure in the event Friday.
“It’s been magnificent, one of the best days of my life,” Johnson said. “It’s like a miracle, like a blessing.”
Paula Pinheiro, 40, cried during Friday’s blessing ceremony. She has tried to stay active since losing her sight a year and a half ago. She became blind from results that stemmed from an accident when she was younger, she said.
No activity has uplifted Pinheiro the way paddling has.
“I can’t believe you can do something like this when you can’t see,” she said. “It’s totally possible. Now that I’ve done this, I think it’s possible to do mostly anything.”
Anthony Ramsey, 21, feels refreshed as well. He calls paddling a stress reliever. He needs that after what he went through in February of 2007. He was involved in a serious accident while driving his dune buggy.
“I was really close to dying,” he said. “I was on life support. I had blood transfusions, I’ve had several reconstructive surgeries on my face.”
When Ramsey was recovering he went to a support group where he heard about the Makapo paddlers and how they to go Hawaii to compete every year.
“I’m real excited,” Ramsey said. “But I’ve been nervous too. It just dawned on me the distance, 18 miles. We haven’t done that long of a distance at one time. We usually take breaks. But this will be very exciting.”
Chavez and De Rama are hoping for more excitement in the days ahead.
STEVE VIRGEN may be reached at (714) 966-4616 or by e-mail at steve.virgen@latimes.com.
