Kokatat helps sponsor the "Just Around the Pointe" paddle

Traci Lynn Martin set to circumnavigate the five Great Lakes

ARCATA, California – On March 9, experienced expedition kayaker Traci Lynn Martin will push off from the southern tip of Lake Huron at Fort Gratiot Lighthouse and Beach Park and embark on what she plans to be a 265-day, 8,600-mile record-breaking paddle around the Great Lakes.

Martin’s ambitious “Just Around the Pointe” expedition will travel around the five Great Lakes, into the Atlantic Ocean, through five Canadian provinces and 14 states. If successful, Martin will paddle 8,600 miles in 265 days – and she will be the first female paddler to circumnavigate all five of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River in one continuous push.

Martin, from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, will be using Kokatat apparel and PFDs throughout her expedition. Kokatat will not only be sponsoring a female athlete, but also one who has overcome a chronic disease: Rheumatoid Autoimmune Disease. Martin is leading the way in inspiring others who also suffer from any kind of chronic illness to stay active and challenge themselves.

“I want to inspire other individuals, whom also suffer from chronic medical conditions, to never give up on living their life to the fullest,” said Martin. “Never stop doing the things that give you joy in your life because if you are out doing the things that you love, then mentally you will feel better, and if you feel better mentally, then you will also physically feel better. And that is what living is all about”

Martin will be paddling an SR Stellar surf ski for the expedition that is expected to conclude sometime in December in Brownstown Township, Michigan where the Detroit River flows into Lake Erie.

For more information about this expedition visit www.justaroundthepoint.com. To learn more about other expeditions that rely on Kokatat gear visit www.kokatat.com/expeditions.

About Kokatat Inc.

Kokatat has been manufacturing paddling gear in Arcata, California for over 45 years. At a time when many technical apparel brands were moving manufacturing offshore, Kokatat continued to invest in infrastructure in the United States. Kokatat founder Steve O’Meara was committed to the development of the finest and driest paddling apparel in the world and recognized the need to control and continually evolve the development of our dry wear. In the early days, Kokatat worked closely with W.L. Gore & Associates, makers of GORE-TEX®, to refine the sewing and sealing techniques required for full immersion suits and tops. Today, our hands-on approach to manufacturing continues to set the standard in paddling apparel. Into the water with Kokatat! Learn more at www.kokatat.com.