Injured hero attempts to kayak around Britain

A courageous BLESMA Member Nigel Rogoff, who lost his leg in a parachute accident in 1998 - which was caught on national television at the time - has been attempting to paddle around the whole British coastline in a kayak to raise funds for BLESMA.

Nigel, who now lives in South Africa, came over in late April to set his scheme up. Entitled 'our journey', it involved kayaking by day and camping each night. His support team was friend and colleague from South Africa Richard van Nyekerk. The selected start point was from the Greenwich Yacht Club close to the 02 Dome where some of us were able to wish Nigel bon voyage as he set off down river towards the open sea and the challenges that lay ahead.

As most readers will appreciate, Nigel just happened to pick one of the worst summers of recent years on land and very definitely at sea. Storms and big seas were the daily fare as he battled westwards down the English Channel. In fact the cruel weather led to such delays that any progress was quite often impossible. Unfortunately in one of those big seas Nigel re-dislocated his shoulder - an injury he originally suffered many years ago and under continual strain it refused to heal. However Nigel battled and got to the welsh coast - though ever bigger seas! Sadly after nearly three months with that bad weather and lurking injury, time became too short to safely complete the voyage around Britain back to the Thames. Very wisely, a bitterly disappointed Nigel decided, after receiving some definitive medical advice to bring 'our journey' to a premature end - to do another day!

There is no such thing as failure when you are battling the elements, with the odds stacked against you. Every mile of progress Nigel achieved was a victory in overcoming disability and one that all of us in BLESMA are privileged to acknowledge. Well done Nigel - we wish for calmer seas next time - and thank you for pitting yourself against the sea for BLESMA. We would also like to thank the many good people who met Nigel as he came ashore at the end of many a tough day and who gave Nigel and Richard practical support and friendship and - of course - who donated to BLESMA.

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