Brave Carolyn back on the water again in 50k stand up paddle boarding challenge through Lincolnshire

Carolyn Smith and Phil May are back on the water at the weekend ready for the 10-hour endeavour that will take them along the River Witham from Lincoln to Boston.

Behind it is their campaign to raise £2,000 for Annabelle's Challenge – a charity for people like Carolyn with vascular ehlers danlos syndrome (eds) – and the RNLI.

This will be the fourth time the pair have completed the challenge together – the last one in 2021 being particularly gruelling for Carolyn who had to overcome a broken board and difficult conditions along the way, including a lot of weed in the River Witham.

Carolyn at the start of her last challenge.

However, Carolyn says with the help of Phil – the founder of Yellowbelly SUP (Stand Up Paddleboarding) in Anton’s Gowt – she is determined to succeed to raise awareness and funds for vascular eds research and the RNLI charity im memory for former Skegness coxwain Watty.

“I’m living with the ticking time bomb,” Carolyn, of Burgh le Marsh, explained. “My brother also has vascular eds and in May 2021 my dad died from the disease.

"Snce then life has been hard. I’ve lost friends to vascular eds over the short time I’ve been diagnosed and the veds community are amazing.

"In the UK there is around 330 of us diagnosed with veds – we are rare and there is no cure. .

Carolyn and Phil saw sunrise along the way.

"We don’t even have to be doing anything and a for a rupture to happen.”

Carolyn and Phil chose the RNLI as their second charity because they both spend so much time around water.

Phil sup surfs and Carolyn took up sea swimming this year after meeting Watty’s wife, Sandra.

“We now go in the sea on a almost weekly basis together," said Carolyn. “Through grief a friendship has formed.” .

Carolyn in good hands when her instructor Phil is her best friend.

The duo will set off from Lincoln on Saturday around 6am, travelling along the river via the Five Mile Bridge, Bardney Lock, Southrey, Kirkstead Bridge, Tattershall, Chapel Hill, Langrick and on to the finish at Boston Rowing Club.

For details, visit brokenhikerchallenge.co.uk. To make a donation visit the Broken Hiker Challenge 2023 JustGiving page at justgiving.com.