A local man troubled by a proposed pipeline through unique and sensitive natural areas has returned from an epic journey to spread awareness.
Norm Hann successfully completed his 385-kilometre stand up paddle trip down the British Columbia coastline, but he's not finished fighting for what he believes in.
Hann paddled three-quarters of a proposed Enbridge oil tanker route to raise awareness about the impact on the Great Bear Rainforest.
"The expedition is done but my journey is still going to continue on the coast because I just feel like I just opened up a whole can of worms," said the owner and operator of Mountain Surf Adventures in Squamish.
Letters and emails from across the country expressed support for the expedition, and one of the most moving demonstrations included 29 handwritten posters, cards and letters from fourth grade students in a North Vancouver school.
"I couldn't believe it. I was like 'Really?' And that's really where it had started to sink in, the type of impact that this was starting to have," said Hann.
"[The signs said] 'Thanks for standing up for our oceans,' 'Thanks for standing up for the animals who can't speak for themselves.' These are Grade 4s who've never met me or been to the Great Bear Rainforest.
"I was blown away."
The Enbridge proposed pipeline would transport Alberta oil across the province to the coastal town of Kitimat. From there, 350-metre long oil tankers would ship crude along the B.C. coast near the Great Bear Rainforest, something Hann says could have devastating effects.
"If there is a spill - and it's sort of inevitable that a spill will happen - there won't be anything left up there and it's such an incredible area, the Great Bear Rainforest. It's a real magical place."
The 10-day journey received national television and radio and newspaper coverage, something Hann attributes to the novelty of a stand up paddleboard and the disastrous BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
"I feel very sad for the people of the Gulf of Mexico because this is really what we're fighting against happening up here. But the timing of it for me has been excellent."
He said his journey has raised enough awareness to make the proposed pipeline difficult for Enbridge because many people are now aware of the project and its potential dangers.
"I think what's going to be really tough for Enbridge is that you've got all these individual people now feel that they've got an interest in it, are concerned about it and care about it. With that momentum of people it's going to be very difficult for them to move things forward."
And that was Hann's objective.
He said the community response he received was overwhelming and encouraging. The area's First Nations communities welcomed Hann and his team with open arms, ceremonial dances, traditional drumming and potlatch feasts, and provided them with water vessel support throughout the four legs of his journey.
"All of the hereditary chiefs, all of the matriarchs all stood up in each community and said we are 100 per cent in full support of what you are doing, full support of not having oil tankers on our coast," said Hann.
Despite having a mild case of sea legs, Hann and his 14-foot paddleboard are now making rounds to schools to talk about the rain forest, teach the youngsters about standing up for what you believe in.
"I think people really related to me standing on the board and standing up for what they believe in. I think it's something that's really transferable for everything because obviously we can all stand up for something."
Most recently, Hann spoke about his paddling expedition to environmentalist David Suzuki, marine toxicologist Riki Ott and hundreds of First Nations people at a Solidarity of Nations Feast in Kitimat on Saturday (May 29).
"It was amazing," he wrote in an email to the Chief.
Hann is converting StandUp4GreatBear into a non-profit organization, and plans to stand up paddleboard with a purpose again in the future.
He's considering an expedition through the Hecate Strait - between the Queen Charlotte Islands and the mainland - to complete the Enbridge tanker route, as well as a journey into the Amazon and the Arctic in the next few years.
For the remainder of the summer, Hann will be speaking to groups about his experience and giving tours of the Great Bear Rainforest through Mountain Surf Adventures.
Locals can check out images of his expedition at the Escape Route in the Garibaldi Shopping Village Centre on Thursday June 24. The slideshow presentation starts at 8 p.m. and admission is by donation.
For more information on the StandUp4GreatBear journey visit www.mountainsurfadventures.com. Hann can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at 604-848-8792.
