Larry the Whale Joins Surfer Jodie Nelson on Paddle for Breast Cancer

Thanks to a friendly minke whale, surfer Jodie Nelson raised over $122,000 for breast cancer in a 40-mile stand-paddle fundraiser.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on April 02 2010

Minke whale, via Flickr.

Last Sunday, professional surfer Jodie Nelson took to the water for a grueling standup-paddle ride from Santa Catalina Island to Dana Point—a distance of almost 40 miles—as a fundraiser to fight breast cancer for the Keep A Breast Foundation. The nine-hour paddle was difficult, but during her journey, Nelson received moral support from a completely unexpected source: a 30-foot minke whale.

The whale, which Nelson nicknamed “Larry,” surfaced while she was fighting off exhaustion during her long trip. And he didn’t just pop his head up once—Larry obviously took a liking to Nelson and her 14-foot paddleboard, as he decided to splash and roll around her for a full two hours while she paddled. Providing endless entertainment, Nelson’s huge new friend made the journey go far more easily.

Although minke whales aren’t often spotted off the coast of Southern California, Nelson believes that Larry visited her for a reason. “We prayed at 4 that morning that God would reveal his beauty and creation and nature, and allow me to endure this long trek, so for me it’s not such a huge surprise that this happened,” she told Grind TV.

Breast cancer is a cause near and dear to Nelson’s heart, as both her mother and sister are survivors. Before Larry’s arrival, she’d been disappointed that she’d only managed to raise $6,000 for the Keep A Breast Foundation. Some of the celebrity endorsements she’d been counting on had fallen through, and she thought she would fall far short of her $100,000 goal.

But Nelson’s new whale friend could be all the star power she needs. “I thought, ‘I don’t need so-and-so,’” she. “Because I honestly feel like Larry is going to help us reach the $100,000 mark with our fundraising effort.”

Looks like she was right: as of April 5th, Nelson’s donation page shows over $122,500 in contributions. If you want to contribute even more to the cause, you can make a donation at FirstGiving. (Larry will thank you for it.)

Filed under: Animals and Pets, Features, Health and Wellbeing, Non-Profits,