Overcoming physical challenges

Imagine you're on a boat with a fishing line dangling over the side.

You're blind and at the end of the fishing rod is a little bell which tinkles when a fish is nibbling on the line.

This is one of the many novel ideas a Tauranga man has for his charitable trust, Wish4Fish, which provides people with physical and intellectual disabilities the opportunity to enjoy the simple pleasures of the ocean.

Bryce Dinneen loved fishing but a swimming accident left him with a broken neck and virtually paralysed. He was a member of the Bay of Plenty senior men's cricket team and a half marathon runner but the accident slowed his active lifestyle right down.

He soon became frustrated at the limited access and opportunities for people with disabilities to get out on the water, so decided to do something about it.

"It's intrinsic motivation, my reasons for doing this come from within," the 34-year-old said.

"I love fishing and I want people to have that experience ... and appreciate what we've got on our doorstep because I do believe people take it for granted."

In January 2007, Mr Dinneen was swimming with a group of friends on the Wellington waterfront. When he dived into a shallow part of the harbour, he hit his head, fractured his spine, severely damaged his spinal cord and was left tetraplegic. After 12 agonising months in Christchurch's Burwood Spinal Unit, Mr Dinneen moved to Tauranga to continue his rehabilitation. Today he is wheelchair-bound and needs 24-hour assistance but has enough strength in his arm to operate a powered wheelchair.

"I'm a pretty driven person and I've always been driven. This is an ongoing journey and I have certainly had ups and downs but I've learnt to appreciate the positives and go with the ebbs and flows of dealing with this injury," he said.

"The glass is always half full."

The charity was established about a year ago and since then, Mr Dinneen and fellow trustees had been fine-tuning details to make ocean trips possible for people with disabilities. There were three charter boats the charity could use for fishing and harbour cruises but the ultimate goal was for the charity to own a boat and operate it for charters and charity work, he said.

On board, safety was paramount and specialist equipment would be required to make a day on the water possible. As well as the bell-on-the-end-of-the-rod idea, people with limited physical ability could go fishing with an electric rod.

"It's not cheap but technology is our friend and it's giving us the ability to get out there and do it," Mr Dinneen said.

Trips had been planned for people from Waipuna Hospice and Melrose Lifestyle Care and Village.

He said the hunt was on for corporate sponsors, donations, volunteers and assistance.

"Some people might be able to give money, some people might be able to provide gear and others could give their time," Mr Dinneen said.

On a personal level, Mr Dinneen hopes to become the first tetraplegic person to catch a marlin.