Kayaker Greyson-Newman ends river tour today
BRITISH BORN Jamaican kayaker, Tony Greyson-Newman, will close the chapter on his one week expedition at the Kingston Harbour this afternoon between 1:00pm and 2:00pm, where he will complete traversing 14 of the island’s rivers in seven days in an effort to raise funds for the Kingston Aquatic Sports Academy.
However, Greyson-Newman, says they are still a far way off their target of 10,000 pounds (J$1.6 million) but he is still hoping they can accomplish their objective on today’s final day.
“It is not as well as I hoped and we are not sure why. It has been an online fundraiser and we have tried our best to put it out on social media and people have been donating and supporting and we are very grateful. But we have a target of 10.000 pounds, that will pay for the initial equipment to get things started but we are not near that target,” he said.
“We are hoping that as things draw to a close more donations will be made and we can reach our target. The fundraising is the basis of me doing 14 rivers in seven days. Some have donated and we are hoping that other will. But we are not where we want to be financially to get the equipment we need to put in the programme,” he added.
Greyson-Newman started out on the Rio Cobre in St. Catherine and the Milk River in Clarendon on Sunday. On Monday he travelled the Alligator Pond in Manchester and Black River in St Elizabeth, and the seven Miles Beach and Cabaritta River in Westmoreland on Tuesday, before taking on Salt Creek in Hanover and Great River in St James on Wednesday.
On Thursday, he took on the Martha Brae in Trelawny and White Water in St Ann, before conquering the Rio Nuevo in St Mary and the Rio Grand in Portland on Friday.
COMPLETING JOURNEY
Today he will travel on the Plantation Gardens river in St Thomas before completing his journey at the Kingston Harbour in Down Town Kingston.
“The reception we have been getting is great. People see us coming with two Kayaks and they are intrigued,” he noted
Another of Greyson-Newman’s goal was to assess local rivers as he wants to establish international competitions locally and he has been impressed by the various characteristics of rivers he has encountered.
“The problem was how do we shortlist over a hundred rivers down to 14, that was the first challenge, but each river has it own characteristics. Rio Cobre where we started on Sunday had boulders and rapids. Milk River, Alligator Pond both have crocodiles.
“We would like to have an international Jamaica race, and Rio Cobre and Salt River in Hanover are a couple rivers we see international competitors coming to Jamaica to participate in. We want kayaking and canoeing to be another sport in Jamaica’s repertoire as there is a lot to be gained from this sport and that’s what we are trying to get out,” he commented.
“The reason we are ending at Kingston Harbour is because it is the closest location to the Aquatic centre. The harbour is quite wide and open so it will tricky, so to get from one side to the other will be an achievement, and getting across Jamaica and the 14 rivers would be a phenomenal.”