Cape paddler one step away from Olympics

Globe-trotting Cape Coral paddler Amniel "Pepe" Naranjo will compete this weekend in Montreal, and the results will determine if the 38-year-old father of two makes it to China with the U.S. Olympic team.

You may have seen this master of the waterways - he uses a slender canoe (it's only as wide as my shoulders and weighs a mere 35 pounds) to ply Cape Coral's 400 miles of flatwater canals. He also enters local regattas from Matlacha to Estero, often with his middle school-aged son.

Competitions and medals in Hungary and Brazil have led him to the final stop on the journey toward Beijing. He'll compete in the 500-meter and 1,000-meter events in the C1 and C2 classes at the Pan American Games on Saturday and Sunday with his new paddling partner, George Montero of Miami.

How does it feel to be so close, finally? "Great. Everybody would like to be in the Olympic games. That's the top of the line," Naranjo said. "For my age, it's pretty good, too."

The Cuban-born American is a world master champion, but this is his shot at stepping out of the "master" label and just being a plain ole Olympian. Still, he has a plan if he doesn't win this weekend. And it's not to stop paddling.

COURTESY PHOTO Amniel "Pepe" Naranjo, left, at a recent paddling event in Lee County. Naranjo is competing this weekend in Montreal for a spot on the U.S. Olympic canoe team. "I'll try for the masters team in '09," he said simply.

In other outdoors news:

Sheriff Mike Scott will take a plunge Friday, May 16 in the name of boating safety.

At a press conference to kickoff National Safe Boating Week, Lee County's top lawman will don a belt pack - a newer version of an inflatable personal flotation device - to illustrate how easily the life vest is to wear and use. This includes jumping into the Caloosahatchee from the dock at the Centennial Park boat ramp.

The public is welcome to come watch the 10 a.m. event, which is sponsored by the Lee County Marine Law Enforcement Task Force. Word is that if television videographers and news photographers don't get enough footage the first jump, Scott is willing to get wet twice.

Sheriff Scott Annie, get your gun. Or Annie, tell the hunters in your family to get ready to do it. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will be accepting applications June 2-12 for quota permits to hunt next season on wildlife management areas, which most people just call WMAs.

On many WMAs, the permits are required for those who want to hunt during the first nine days of general gun season as well as for other hunts, such as the archery and muzzleloading gun seasons. It can be competitive in this peninsular state to find a place to hunt on public land. It pays to be organized, and in this case, to fill out the right form on time. Find details at www. wildlifelicense.com.

To insure or not to insure. BoatU.S., the nation's largest boaters' organization, recently

released some tips for anglers regarding boat insurance. This is key for Southwest Floridians. Statistics - and anecdotal evidence- show that nine out of every 10 boat owners here uses their vessels for fishing.

So here are the five questions anglers should ask when shopping for insurance:

Do I need an "actual cash value" or "agreed value" policy? This clarifies the depreciation issue if/when you have a claim.

Is my fishing gear covered?

What's the fine print on using towing services?

Where can I go? Check the "cruising areas" that limit where the policy is in force, especially if you trailer your boat.

What about tournament coverage? You will need liability coverage required by tournament directors.

Get more details at www.BoatUSAngler. com.

Did you know? I stumbled across a statistical fact sheet this week that once again reinforced why I love being an angler here in Florida.

The state has 7,700 public lakes and 12,000 miles of fishable rivers and canals, and 2,276 miles of tidal shoreline. There also are more than 200 native species of freshwater fish and more than 500 native species of saltwater fish.

'Nuf said.

- Betsy Clayton is a freelancer based on Pine Island and also is Lee County Parks & Recreation's waterways coordinator. Contact her at boatingbybetsy@yahoo.com.