Canoeist is paddling the 6,000-mile Great Loop out of gratitude for life

Peter Frank has paddled far in his Sawyer Loon decked canoe — from Escanaba, Michigan to the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. He’s still got a long way to go reach his goal. The 23-year-old is about a quarter of the way on his planned journey of roughly 6,000 miles to complete the Great Loop. That’s a continuous waterway that includes part of the Atlantic and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways, as well as the Great Lakes, part of Canada and inland U.S. rivers. He says the voyage is largely a way to express his gratitude for still being alive, nearly a decade after a car accident nearly left him paralyzed.