Viva Florida 500: Expedition Florida 500

Expedition Florida 500

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Love Florida's waterways and coastlines? That’s exactly what Expedition Florida 500 is celebrating — the wet Florida we all know and cherish. Taking the best of the watersports lifestyle, Florida history and environmental stewardship, XF500 is a yearlong journey that pays homage to Florida discoverer Ponce de Leon, all while reminding us to protect and appreciate our state’s thriving aquatic ecosystems.

The year-long program is the brainchild of Justin Riney, a modern-day explorer who’s hoping to inspire and cultivate a renewed respect for Florida waterways one paddle at time. As the founder and CEO of Mother Ocean, a nonprofit organization that seeks to empower water advocates and protect our oceans, Riney will be putting his passion to the test. With just a paddleboard and camping equipment, Riney will be living off the land and soaking it all in with a project team consisting of Peter Mel of Quiksilver Waterman, Matt Kechele of Quiksilver, Nate Brouwer of Tahoe SUP and Kristian Gustavson of Below the Surface. They’ll explore both Florida coastlines — all 2,000 miles of it — and document their adventure through daily blogging and social media posts.

The first half of the year is dedicated to the ocean. In the second half of 2013, Team XF500 will hit the rivers, lakes, estuaries and marshes. From chasing hurricane swell on the East Coast to spearfishing in the Dry Tortugas to canoeing through the Everglades, these guys will show serious heart in what it means to be a waterman. But it’s not all just fun and games. Like any good rider knows, giving back is the most important part of the sport, and Riney and his team will be hosting cleanups in local beachside communities and encouraging others to join the journey with them.  

The goal? Riney hopes to leave pristine beaches and trash-free water in his wake and encourage others to take the same steps. Find out more about what you can do to help and get involved at www.xf500.org and follow the XF500 team’s journey on Facebook and Twitter.

The event is also part of Visit Florida's Viva 500 commemoration, honoring the anniversary of Ponce de Leon's landing in Florida. Find more events around Florida at Florida Travel + Life's new events calendar.

Tags: Atlantic Coast | beach | Everglades | Gulf Coast | paddle boarding | Viva Florida 500