Adventurer Werneth Seeks Another World Record
By Space Coast Daily // March 8, 2013
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE
ABOVE VIDEO: Chris Defelice is the designer and the inventor of the Rapid Diver™ system.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Cocoa Beach resident Wyatt Werneth, Central Florida’s foremost philanthropic adventurer, is at it again.
Werneth, 46, is experienced, fit and possesses the technical know-how to handle any task put before him. He’s weathered the ups and downs of life and believes the adversity of the challenges of life has made him a stronger person and more equipped to make a positive impact upon the lives of those he encounters.
The holder of the Guinness World Record for prone paddleboarding, Werneth traversed more than 345 miles from Miami to Jacksonville in 2007 to raise awareness for beach safety.
For Werneth’s next exploit this summer, he is planning to pilot a human-powered mini-sub in the Gulf Steam of Florida’s east coast – with a goal of setting a new world underwater endurance – and also bring attention to several other worthy causes, including the significant global shark migration off the Florida coast, advanced diving technology used to accomplish the team’s goals, and to bring awareness to submerged vehicle accidents that takes hundreds of lives in Florida every year.
Specially Designed Sub
Werneth’s partner in his quest to set a new world human underwater endurance record is Chris Defelice, a leading dive equipment and mini-submarine developer – and the designer and the inventor of the Rapid Diver™ system.
He has many years of submarine development and operations, including Disney’s “Submousible.”
Defelice is the inventor of the human-powered mini sub and Rapid Diver Rescue system that Werneth will use during his underwater trek.
“The mini sub is a fast, fully enclosed, underwater vehicle that features a four hour dive duration and emergency escape hatch for extra safety,” said Werneth.
Summer Migration of 100,000 Sharks
Defelice was also part of the team that first discovered the great summer migration of 100,000 sharks off of Palm Beach.
In Florida, sharks typically move inshore and north in the spring and summer, and offshore and south in fall and winter months. This pattern explains why shark activity is at its peak in Florida waters during April through October, which coincidentally, is also the time period that humans are more likely to be in the water.
Shark attacks still remain very rare as humans are 30 times more likely to be struck by lightning in Florida than to be bitten by a shark. Experts agree that the increase in the number of shark attacks in recent years is more related to an increase in human visitors than to an increase in shark populations or activity
“We expect that I will encounter the thousands of sharks as I travel north during this annual event near Palm Beach,” said Werneth.
Submerged Vehicle Accidents
Another purpose of Werneth’s journey is to bring awareness to tragic accidents when automobiles crash into a body of water, and the occupants drown because the rescuers are not equipped to make a timely rescue of this nature.
“The Rapid Diver Systems have been available to public safety for almost 10 years and only a handful of first responders have been equipped with Rapid Diver,” said Defelice.
“This equipment needs to be recognized just as important as an A.E.D. and required to be on all rescuers vehicles. It is easy to use and requires little training. It will save lives.”
Ready State of Fitness
“I consider myself in a ready state of fitness. I train daily and stay conditioned just in case, survival of the fit,” Werneth said. “I do a variety of exercises that include strength and cardio. My fitness hangouts are Cocoa Beach Crossfit, Taylor Made Bodies in Cocoa Beach and Beachside Health Studio in Indialantic.”
“I am proud to be working with the finest group of professionals in health and fitness with Steve Ryland at his Beachside Health Studio in Indialantic,” he said. “I have been organizing events like Step Up Brevard, which will be held at Space Cast Stadium in conjunction with the Spring Fest in April.
“This job is really fun and I get to share my passion for fitness like never before. It has provided me with the opportunity to develop a new fitness facility like nothing before being done in the world,” Werneth said. “We call it Tactical Human Obstacle Readiness, or THOR for short. It will be part military obstacle racing, boot-camp style workouts and mission-based team building events.’
‘STEP UP BREVARD’ Encourages Active Living
Beachside Physical Therapy Health Studio will present “Step Up Brevard” on Sunday, April 21 as part of the 2013 Spring Fest.
Participants will walk the steps of Space Coast Stadium to benefit local charity.
“We are very pleased to be able to present Step Up Brevard to encourage active and healthy living and to help local charities,” said Wyatt Werneth, event director for Beachside Physical Therapy & Health Studio – which has six convenient health studio locations for health improvement and physical therapy in Brevard County.
For information call 321-323-4460 or e-mail MaverickMultimedia@gmail.com
