BUZZBAIT 2,000 MILES INTO HIS EPIC QUEST, TART GETS
A WELL-DESERVED TASTE OF THE TROPICS. PHOTO: JOSH TART
[PROFI L E ]
JOSH TART’S PADDLE FOR WELLS PILGRIMAGE AS TOLD TO RIC BURNLEY
Josh Tart is a third of the way into his 6,000-mile circumnavigation of the eastern United States via the Great Loop, an epic journey traversing mighty rivers and the vast ocean. Since leaving Cincinnati in June, Tart has paddled and fished thousands of miles and raised thousands of dol- lars to provide wells to the needy. Along the way he’s metamorphosed physically, mentally and spiritually in the service of a sacred calling— bringing safe drinking water to the needy.
T
his trip has been a challenge on and off the water. Since I left, I got engaged, lost
my grand daddy, met some incredible people, and have seen pretty much every animal in North America. I’ve run into bobcats and had close encounters with water moccasins. I sleep in a hammock, so I can identify almost every type of animal in the dark.
FISHING FOR WATER Each day I paddle five to 10 hours and then
search for a beach to set up camp. The tough- est thing is finding two trees close enough for my hammock. Fishing has been a big part of the trip. I fish on my down time and I troll a crankbait while I’m paddling. I have four rods from heavy action to ultra light. My tackle box is limited to jigs, Carolina rigs, a bunch of hooks and a few crank baits. I’ve caught more than 20 species of fish.
Fishing has been a great way to meet people and learn about local waters. When I’m lucky I get dinner. When I’m not I have canned fish or Dinty Moore. I’ve been pretty fortunate, catching everything from big catfish to big red drum. But my luck hasn’t always been good. Only a few weeks into the trip, I woke up one morning and my kayak was gone. It had
drifted away while I was asleep. I wasn’t going to let that stop me. I hooked up with a local pastor and he put out the word. My sponsors stepped up to replace my gear. A few days later a local found my boat on the other side of the river and emailed me through my website. Raising awareness and support for Char-
ity: Water and World Vision has kept me go- ing. I’ve always wanted to complete the Great Loop and I’ve always had a passion for mis- sion work. It was on a mission to the Ama- zon that I saw first-hand how people have to struggle to get fresh water. I put it all together and started the Paddle for Wells Project. Fresh water seems like the simplest thing, but a bil- lion people have to do without. A lot of the water that I’m paddling isn’t
clean enough for people to drink. And I’ve got a lot of water to cover. Key West will be the mental halfway point, as I turn north to- wards home. New York and Chicago will be big milestones and once I leave Lake Michigan it’s downhill all the way home. For more information and to donate to Tart’s charitable cause, visit
www.PaddleForWells.com.
www.kayakanglermag.com… 15
P R O F I LE | C O N S E R V A T I O N | C LO W N FI S H | TA C K L E | G E A R | B O AT S
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56