Kasabonika man to swim 15 kilometres with one arm

Kasabonika’s Chris T. Anderson is planning a 15-kilometre swim from his community on Kasabonika Lake to the old settlement July 30.
“I’ve been thinking about this for two years already,” said Anderson, who lost his left arm in 1992. “I swam across the lake last year from Kasab- onika to the mainland to fundraise to broadcast gospel music.”
The swim is a fundraiser for con- struction of a new gospel church, pur- chase of sound and audio equipment and startup of local gospel radio pro- gramming.
“It’s just about being physically challenged,” Anderson said. “I don’t believe there are limits to people (to) do things. If you want to do things, you can.”
Anderson plans to wear flippers and take breaks during the swim, which he estimates will take about 12 hours. He will be swimming along with the cur- rent on the lake, which is part of the Asheweig River system, in a generally eastward or northeastward direction.
“I’m not just going to swim all the way straight,” Anderson said. “I’m going to take at least four stops.”
Anderson has been putting in plenty of walking to prepare for the swim, just as he did last year when preparing for the swim to and from the mainland.
“Once I get home, I’m going to be swimming on the other side of the island,” Anderson said during a July 4 interview in Thunder Bay. “I have less than a month now to train.”
Anderson is concerned about the effect strong winds could have on him while out on the lake.
“If the east wind blows, then I’m in trouble,” Anderson said. “The west and the south winds is what I’m hop- ing for.”
Anderson plans to have two life- guards along with him in a boat.
“I’ll probably have someone swim- ming along with me,” Anderson said. “Nobody has come forward yet. If any- body wants to join with me they are more than welcome.”
Anderson plans to use the sound and audio equipment to broadcast youth rallies, gospel meetings and workshops.
“I’m also a NNADAP (National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program) worker so I would like to broadcast some workshops on alcohol and drug abuse programs or even on some other issues (such as) mental health or sexual abuse issues,” he said.
Anderson hopes his swim will send a message that it is possible to overcome one’s obstacles in life.
“It took me three times to go through detox,” Anderson said, explaining he was attempting overcome an addiction to alco- hol and drugs. “It was not just one shot for one time. It was something I had to work at.”
Anderson said his swim to the mainland last year was “awesome,” but he faced cramps during the swim back to the community.
“I knew I could finish it with one arm and one leg,” Ander- son said.
Information about Ander- son’s 15-kilometre swim is available at his website, christanderson.myknet.org.