Freeport resident Adam Nussen will begin a 300-mile journey prone paddling around the entirety of Long Island starting on May 26, advocating for beach and marine conservation.
The 38-year-old will launch his grueling trip in the canal behind his home on West 3rd Street, and stay along the coast of Long Island, traveling clockwise and hoping to make it back to his home in 12 days.
Nussen, a USA Swimming Club coach, Long Island Express Swimming coach and lifeguard at Jones Beach, has lived in Freeport for four years and has been prone paddling for more than 10 years.
“I got into paddle racing though lifeguarding,” Nussen said. “Everyone thinks it’s always standup, but it’s actually prone; you’re just laying down on your knees.”
Prone paddling is done face-down or kneeling on a board while the paddler uses only their arms to propel themselves in the water rather than oar or any other external equipment. Nussen explained that he eventually discovered the competitive world of prone paddle racing across the country and has been competing in various races of up to 32 miles. Some of the races he’s done are the Catalina Classic off the coast of California, which he finished within the top 30 out of 100 competitors twice. He has also raced in the Sea Paddle NYC race, which is a 25 mile route around the island of Manhattan, and placed third twice.
During his 12-day trip, Nussen will remain only a few hundred yards away from land while prone paddling. This will mark the longest route Nussen has traversed, and he hopes to become the first person to ever prone paddle around the entirety of Long Island. Being constantly in the water opened up the opportunities for Nussen to paddle frequently and eventually build his endurance immensely.
“I live on the water, so I typically just leave my backyard and hit the bay and go for a paddle,” he says. Nussen has even customized his paddle board with attachments that can carry water bottles, nutrients, and his waterproof speaker to play music.
Nussen tries to stay in good shape all year round, including during the winter when icy waters force him to stick to indoor pools. In preparation for this long journey, Nussen started going for longer paddles of about 20 to 40 miles at a time circumnavigating Long Beach Island or Jones Beach Island without much rest before or after to simulate what the 300 miles will be like. Nussen also says he’s done a fair share of weightlifting and running for general cross training fitness.
Nussen will begin his paddle journey by traveling southwest out of Freeport, passing Long Beach and Island Park before reaching open ocean. He’ll then paddle into the New York Harbor, alongside the western coast of Brooklyn, before handling the East River waters across from Manhattan.
After going underneath the Whitestone Bridge and reaching the Long Island Sound, Nussen will continue along the northern coast of Long Island, getting back into Nassau County territory and eventually reaching Suffolk County. Nussen will then conclude his prone paddling by wrapping around the eastern tip of Long Island and traveling westward back toward his Freeport home.
He said he chose prone paddling because it’s simply what he really enjoys doing, and that swimming around Long Island would take significantly more effort to accomplish.
“My wife would say I’m a little obsessed with it,” Nussen joked. “I don’t do stand-up paddling. I don’t own a boat. I don’t really row the rowboats and everything. This is like my thing, you know?”
Nussen also highlighted that besides his personal enjoyment of prone paddling, his trip hopes to draw attention to marine and beach conservation. He said he wants to collect donations to support four different charities: Surfrider Foundation, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Coastal Steward Long Island, and Surf For All.
“There’s so much that goes on along the beaches and waterways and shorelines of all of Long Island,” Nussen said. “I think it’s important for people to be aware. It’s not just the marine life and things like that, but it’s everything relating to the Long Island coastline. The beaches and everything.”
Joining him for the paddle journey will be his wife, who will be monitoring his location on land and meet him at different stops along his trip, and a few of his friends, who will join him for shorter stints.
All those interested in joining Nussen in the water or supporting him and his affiliated charities on land can do so by contacting him on paddleguru.com or by following him, @L.I.PaddleGuy, on Instagram.
