At 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 14, Cooper Consolidated received a Coast Guard call that a man in a kayak had turned over on the Mississippi River near Convent, Louisiana. Vessel Mary Kay launched its skiff into the water and the team at Mile 164 managed to reach the individual and pull him from the water, uninjured. Back on land, our team learned the man’s identity: Richard Brand, an adventurer from Colorado who is kayaking across the United States.

Brand set aside his successful graphic-design business in Denver in 2013 to follow the call of adventure on a solo descent of the Mississippi River from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way, he realized the value of his journey went beyond his personal experience. Brand established a web presence to share his photos and stories in hopes of inspiring others to embrace their inner explorer.

You can follow this self-proclaimed Water Nomad’s journey at https://capturedheartbeats.com/?page_id=397.

Photo: DBP Magazine