Ocean Paddler and Activist Margo Pellegrino Finishes her 9-Day Paddle from Trenton to Newark TOMORROW

Margo Pellegrino, a stay at home mother of two, will finish her nine day, 350 mile paddle in an outrigger canoe tomorrow, Friday, August 22nd. She will make landfall at the Orange Sticks boardwalk at the Newark Riverfront Park around 3:30pm for a press conference. Pellegrino’s paddle from Trenton to Newark, NJ, as an agent of Blue Frontier is the first leg of a multi-year paddle from Trenton to New Orleans during which she and organizational allies and environmental leaders along the way will draw attention to issues impacting our inland waterways and ocean and urge communities to take necessary action.

The press conference begins 3:30pm Friday, August 22, 2014 upon Margo’s arrival at the Orange Sticks Boardwalk, Newark Riverfront Park, NJ.

Follow Margo’s progress here: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=04D9XFYEdega...

David Helvarg, Executive Director, Blue Frontier: “Margo Pellegrino combines citizen activism with cutting edge adventure as she paddles our nation’s coastlines to elevate the cause of clean water and a healthy ocean for both our and her children’s generation. Blue Frontier is proud to count Margo among our seaweed (marine grassroots) heroes and colleagues.”

Kate Millsaps, Conservation Program Coordinator, NJ Sierra Club: “Our waterways in New Jersey are facing a number of challenges. While progress has been made, there is still too much pollution from combined sewer overflows and runoff from over-development deteriorating water quality. Now our state is being targeted to receive the toxic, radioactive waste from the fracking industry. Margo is making this journey to bring attention to all these issues and how they are interconnected. She is a true environmental champion.”

Captain Joel S. Fogel, Executive Director, WATERWATCH International: “What Margo Pellegrino does for the environment, for her children and family, she does for all of us across the Nation. Her actions will have benefits for our families and our environment for years to come.”

Sandy Hook SeaLife Foundation: “SandyHook SeaLife Foundation (SSF) supports Margo Pellegrino’s Paddle for Clean Water and thanks her for including seismic airgun testing in her campaign.”

Linda Emerson, Founder, Beach Guardians Atlantic Coast: “Margo Pellegrino exemplifies the power of positive individual action to inspire coastal stewardship and end marine plastic pollution. We each have a role to play in restoring healthy oceans and we are thrilled that she is part of the Beach Guardian community.”

Doug O’Malley, Director, Environmental New Jersey: “Margo is proving that one person can make a difference. It isn’t easy circumnavigating the state for nine days in a canoe. But neither is solving the environmental hazards that threaten our coastline -- from sea level rise to fracking waste. She’s an inspiration.”

Bio:

Medford Lakes resident Margo Pellegrino is no stranger to hours paddling at sea. Her courage and endurance have led to completion of some impressive long distance paddles including Miami to Maine, Miami to New Orleans, Seattle to San Diego, and Cape May to Montauk. Building on these accomplishments, a route north from her home state of New Jersey, up the Hudson River and on to the Great Lakes is being organized for next year.

Pellegrino will collect water samples at various points using Hope2o test kits provided by Blue Ocean Sciences. The results will be assembled to a database that can be shared.

Other issues on which Pellegrino and the paddle coalition will address include marine plastic pollution, combined sewage overflow (CSO), run-off from points upstream, ocean acidification, sea level rise and flooding, and seismic testing.

Photo courtesy of coastalliving.com