Paddling Planet

Otto nuovi istruttori di base FICT hanno appena superato l'esame finale!
Dopo la prima sessione di aprile, si sono presentati a Bergeggi lo scorso sabato 10 novembre e hanno affrontato il tempo inclemente: le mareggiate delle ultime settimane hanno provocato ingenti danni anche in questo tratto di litorale, le spiagge erano ancora ricoperte di detriti e persino in mare galleggiavano alcuni relitti. L'annunciato temporale, però, non si è presentato all'appuntamento sulla costa ligure e con sollievo l'esame non è stato bagnato dalla pioggia.
Tutti gli aspiranti istruttori hanno dimostrato una buona preparazione tecnica e didattica e si sono alternati nella gestione di una breve lezione su manovre estratte a sorte: la commissione ha così valutato sia le capacità tecniche nell'esecuzione della manovre dell'insegnante e degli altri colleghi in veste di "allievi", e sia la competenza didattica affinata dall'istruttore.
La partecipazione di quattro donne nel gruppo di aspiranti istruttori, pari al 50% delle presenze, ha reso il corso particolarmente interessante ed eterogeneo, con un confronto serrato tra diverse modalità di insegnamento...

Il gruppo al gran completo, compreso un osservatore (Emanuele) ed un aspirante istruttore di secondo livello (Stefano): Enrico, Alessandro, Mauro, Tatiana, Fabio, Mirella, Celeste, Martina, Gengis, Jolanta, Roberto e Francesca

I partecipanti in acqua suddivisi in due gruppi per le prove finali di insegnamento delle manovre...

Gli imbarchi sono stati abbastanza impegnativi per i nuovi istruttori di base...

La domenica cinque dei nuovi istruttori si sono regalati una pagaiata in gruppo fino a Capo Noli...

Il conclusivo momento dei giudizi finali, nel clima disteso e conviviale tipico dei corsi FICT...

L'attenzione posta sull'aspetto didattico è una caratteristica peculiare dei corsi FICT e della commissione di formazione composta da Gengis Arcangelo Pirovano, Enrico Brentana, Mauro Ferro e Tatiana Cappucci: i formatori hanno infatti ripreso e proposto lo schema didattico elaborato dalla British Canoeing e denominato con l'acronimo IDEAS (che può essere così spiegato: introduzione dell’argomento, Dimostrazione silenziosa su entrambi i lati, Estratto di tre parole chiave, Attività in acqua per far pratica della manovra, Sommario conclusivo). Seguendo questo schema semplice ed efficace si riescono a soddisfare le esigenze di tutti gli allievi, indipendentemente dal metodo di apprendimento di ciascuno (che può essere imitativo-visivo, induttivo-uditivo, attivo-cinestesico).
Avere avuto l’occasione di sperimentare in acqua il metodo didattico IDEAS ha permesso ad ogni istruttore di comprendere i limiti del proprio metodo di insegnamento, di affinare la propria didattica e di migliorare le proprie capacità di trasmissione ad altri delle conoscenze e competenze acquisite.
Tutti i partecipanti hanno avuto soprattutto l’occasione rara e preziosa di condividere con altri il momento delicato dell’insegnamento delle discipline di pagaia, potendo riflettere sui diversi, personali e soggettivi metodi di insegnamento ed arrivando a comprendere quanto sia importante per un buon istruttore dotarsi di validi, sperimentati e costruttivi strumenti didattici.
Auguriamo agli otto nuovi istruttori di base di proseguire nella formazione personale sia tecnica che didattica e di partecipare numerosi al prossimo corso per istruttori di secondo livello FICT!

As the woman walked away from me she said, "the gloves have to be waterproof, because it feels like it's never going to stop raining!" This is just one of the misconceptions that I hear regularly. Some of them are specific, like this one. But some are generalizations that are just plain wrong. But whether they are things that are purported to be facts, or vast generalizations based on nothing substantial I - and I am sure many of my colleagues - hear them all the time.

Here are some of the most common things I hear, that are just plain wrong.

For some reason, in the area of water treatment there are a lot of misconceptions. The first is people looking for water treatment, saying "I need a water purifier." No. You don't. Yes you need to treat your water to make it potable, but you don't need a water purifier. When water is "purified" it has been treated to the viral level for contaminants. Most people active in the backcountry don't need this level of treatment - unless you are going to a country where they don't do a good job of segregating waste water from drinking water, or an area of severe flooding.

"I'll Just use Iodine" is another good one. If you are using iodine as a water treatment you are wasting your time. Iodine is effective at treating Giardia, but not cryptosporidium, and there are too many factors to consider - water temperature, turbidity, and PH - to make iodine treatment of viruses useful to us in the backcountry.

If you have questions about treating water, check out this post from a couple of years ago. The only thing missing from it is mention of the MSR Guardian water filter which is a bit heavy, and very expensive but an outstanding filter if you need viral protection.

Another area that has a lot of misconception is anything to do with Bears, here is my favorite, "Grizzly bears are the largest and most dangerous bears out there." This is just plain wrong. Grizzlies are neither the largest, or the most dangerous which I will clarify by saying they are not the most aggressive towards humans. The winner of both of these awards goes to the Polar Bear. Which is to say that Polar bears are both taller, and heavier than Grizzlies (which actually come in third in the size category) Polar bears also subsist mostly on meat, and are far more predatory than Grizzly bears. Grizzlies evolved on the plains, where they had an option of fight or flight, but Coastal Brown bears - which includes Kodiak bears, as well as many other subspecies of brown bear - evolved on the coast, where the ate diets rich with protein - salmon - which helped them grow bigger, and they didn't have anywhere to run in a fight, so they evolved far less likely to flee an altercation. Most scientists agree that Polar Bears are both the most aggressive and the largest bear on earth - though you are less  likely to run into them unless you are in the Arctic. But Kodiak bears are sometimes found to be bigger, this may be a statistical anomaly, but there are cases.

"Bear Spray isn't proven effective." Also just plain wrong. Bear spray has been tested over and over again, and is proven effective against all types of bear, including a handful of cases with polar bears. I have discharged bear spray a couple of times, but always in training. It sprays a cone of mist around 25 feet, and is potent. A friend of mine had an accidental discharge on his back - it is designed for use on mucus membranes remember! - and he said it felt like an iron was pressed against his skin. Now imagine that in your eyes or nose. Now imagine the effect on a bears nose, a nose that can smell bacon from two miles away.

"A gun is far better for defense against a bear, than pepper spray." Okay, imagine this scenario. You are standing 25 feet from a large brick wall, holding a basketball. You throw the basketball at the wall. As soon as you release the ball you draw your gun, and aim and shoot the ball before it gets back to you. If you can do this, then by all means, use your gun. If you can't shoot a charging bear in the head and guarantee a brain shot, then stick to bear spray. It is really that simple.

Okay, enough about bears. Go read Bear Attacks their causes and avoidance. It is the book Outdoor professionals read. 

"Kayaking is a great upper body workout." Only if you are doing it wrong, or are doing it at the Olympic level, take a kayaking class and learn all that you have been doing wrong.

"I need waterproof gloves." You probably don't, and waterproof gloves are expensive and horrible. If your hands are going into liquid water you need water proof gloves, but even I - a lover of cold water paddling - don't use waterproof gloves because they stink. TO make a glove actually waterproof, all the seams - and look at  pair of sewn gloves, and see how many seams there are on the fingers! - have to be sealed with tape or welded. This is time consuming and expensive. If the glove is also truly waterproof chances are it won't breath well, which means your hands will end up cold and wet (from sweat) anyway. Water resistant gloves are just fine for most people. I love and highly recommend power stretch gloves, they are made by a number of different companies.

Before you start spreading misinformation like any of the things listed above, think about the source. If there are any things you hear frequently that are just plain wrong, let me know in the comments.

I ended up using some wood scrapes to make a pretend camp fire set. Left over pine and spruce stock was used to make the "firewood" and "flames" with dowels used to make some wooden marshmallows and roasting sticks.

My older son helped paint the flames for effect. We added some basswood cutoffs to make pretend graham crackers, chocolate squares and flattened marshmallows to complete the S'mores set.



The whole thing can be disassembled for storage and are currently being kept with the bushcraft toys made last winter.

De næste 5 måneder har vi hver søndag mulighed for at komme i svømmehal og lege og træne med vores kajakker. 
 Det er et godt tilbud, der bliver flittig brugt.
Vi tager 12 kajakker med og alle der har lyst til at deltage. Kajakkerne deles vi om, så alle får mulighed for at deltage.
Der bliver rullet - med og uden "passager" på kajakken - kravlet op i kajakkerne på mange måder, øvet Guds hånd, trænet høje og lave støttetag, stået op i kajakkerne - og ikke mindst drukket kaffe og spist kage.

Pos: 31.2737,-116.3882
Loc: Erendira
Acc: Hilleberg Allak tent
Dist: 23,9 km
Start: 06:50 End: 14:05 break 9:25 to 11:45

We had to change plans a few times today. The forecast for the morning was ese to nw 3 to 10 knots, gusts 18 knots, afternoon nw to ne 3 to 6 knots, gusts 14 knots.

The wind felt low in the morning. After we launched relatively easy from our steep gravel beach (my poor kayak…), we had some moderate offshore headwind from ese, before it calmed down fully. But it came back…stronger than we liked, about 20 knots ese…we were fighting it for a while, but before we were due to cross the wide beach bay to Punta Cabras, I spotted some boats on top of the cliffs. There must be a boat launch just around the corner of this little headland? And yes, there was kind of a boat ramp with a small sandy beach upfront. The ramp was old and washed out, but the sandy spot looked inviting and sheltered. The wide upcoming beach looked rather scary with big spray off the wave crests on the offshore wind, and had probably two breaker lines.

I briefly agreed with Lisa we would better go in for now with this 20 knots ese headwind. Helmet on, PFD on, and I paddled in to land. Just fine, no swell, but when I jumped out it came in nasty…I jumped out on the wrong side, beginners mistake, and was really scared the boat would hit me too hard, but I managed to stand it out. But a couple of more nasty breakers washed my kayak sideways dangerously up to some rocks, I also just about managed to keep halfway control of the heavy kayak without too loud banging noises. Before I could drag it up more, I had to put it on the side to get some water out, nasty cracking sounds allover…

I waved Lisa in, all good, and together we could keep control of her kayak all right. But we better now unloaded the kayaks to get them out of the surge, the tide was still raising, and the kayaks needed to be turned for another launch later anyway. Tough job…but finally done.

We were planning to wait it out, as the forecast said it would be following wind the afternoon. we both went for a brief walk, a few racers on either off road buggies, jeeps or motorbikes came past on the dusty dirt road, they were participating in the Baja 1000 race. Kind of a useless job? Maybe they should better come by with trailers to pick up the trash littered everywhere on along the roadsides and parking or camping platforms…

We decided to go again after high tide, and really, the wind had changed to friendly following! It sonn became a bit stronger following, but all good. The larger city of Erendira came up, it had kind of a sheltered breakwater ramp landing, but as we did not plan to go in here anyway, we did not have closer look. Our beach was 13 km further, out ETA would be in this nicely following wind between 15.30 and 16 h, well before darkness.

But unfortunately, the nicely following wind suddenly turned again, now into a very strong 90 degrees offshore wind. Be both turned in without talking fighting the strong 25 knots wind, and hoping the beach landing would be doable? It was a steep rocky beach, but I saw no wash up. It was breaking heavily to our right, a little bit to our left, but the line up to the church tower seemed to stay clean. Our chance. I donned PFD and helmet, unhooked the lines and turned in to land. How I would get my boat up this rocky beach? Tough job for me and the boat…I could jump out in some soup zone still afloat, and get my heavy kayak safely without too heavy wash up the rocks and out of the wash. Once more, I had to empty it first…crack, crack, crack…

Lisa came all right also, I grabbed her bow and we got her boat up safely. It was really a calmish approach here, the breakers brom the beach looked nasty to our left…good spot.

We camped up the steep rocky beach between a freshly raked agriculture field and a sheep corral, and I decided to have a look on the hulls of our kayaks. We found a few spots worth a patch, the only concern was that I had used up already 2/3 of my epoxy resin at Jen’s house, it was a bad mistake not to carry more 1/1 epoxy resin. It is now maybe 1,5 cm left in both components bottles, but we have plenty of cloth, and two bottles of 5-min epoxy which is not as solid, but better than nothing.

I invited Lisa into my tent to check the satellite images to plan the next days, and we had to carefully check landings and water resupplies. No easy job here…

After our landing, sure it calmed down again after half an hour or such, but this time we decided to stay. The wind breezed up strongly again, and Lisa had to realize once more it is better to put up the Hilleberg Allak tent properly any time, as it might breeze up any time…”properly” might be a different word for different people…but this is my tent, and I neither like it to break nor to fly away…we also secured our freshly glued kayaks under the tent lines.

There is still a chance that the numbers will fluctuate a little (not nearly as much as a Florida election, but a little). There are a couple of chicken scratches on some of the tally sheets that are waiting to be deciphered but I don’t expect the final amounts to look much different when it is all said and done.

So, 235 food wrappers. Another 335 cigarette filters, 21 fishing lures and 10 flip flops and more are all there on the page. Which is a whole lot better than still bein g on the beach, yes?

Again, thanks to all involved. Already looking to do it again next year, probably in the spring, when I would anticipate even higher amounts after winter rains and storms. Anyway, here’s the results for November 10, 2018.

Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning (CNTP) for kayakers and small boat owners. Develop your knowledge and safety awareness of kayaking in the waters around Jersey on this practical course. 2019 date Tuesdays 1830-2100 January 15, 22, 29, February 5 More information and online booking.

Engelska serien Ett liv utan lån kan ses på Netflix. Så här beskrivs serien Fastighetsexperten och tv-personligheten Sarah Beeny träffar smarta husägare som berättar om hur det är att leva utan huslån. Programledaren besöker olika människor/par som är på väg att fixa ett boende så att de kan leva utan bostadslån. Några gör det genom ... Läs mer...

Inlägget Ett liv utan lån dök först upp på kajak.nu.

Estupendo ramillete de alumnos este fin de semana.... Ups..! se nos ha colado en la foto una instructora..


Teoría en tierra.. equipo


Seguridad..



Haciéndonos con la embarcación...



Rescates en aguas profundas..... 
 

Los chicos aprenden rápido...



Revisando los rudimentos del autorrescate...



Etc...



Mejora del dominio del kayak...






A jugar entre rocas...





Remolques largos y de contacto...
 

Paddles from third beach are always fun. No matter which way you go there is challenges. Today we choose to go south so to avoid the wind. That meant more swells, but less rocks.
The group had a lot of new faces. However, Carleen was on the paddle which was great since I think it was the first time I had paddled with her in two years.
I knew it was a level three paddle, but I didn't expect quite as much action. Going out we had plenty of wind and some good swells. We paddled over towards Salve and did our best to avoid the reef waves. They were pretty crazy. Water was coming from all directions.
On the way back we got some chances to play in the rocks. The swells were calmer, but there was plenty of action to have fun.

By early November most of the glorious pyrotechnic shades of autumn are off the trees, but there's a last flourish from one tree.  Larches (Larix decidua) are a slightly unusual tree, a deciduous conifer.  They aren't native to Britain but have been planted here since the 17th century and have become very much part of the woodland scene.  Here, small saplings line a forest track on the lower slopes of Bennachie with a flash of gold.

In early spring larches form "flowers", the male flowers a cluster of creamy anthers and the female variety a striking pink, which eventually will become the seed-bearing cones.  The needles form on the twigs, first as bright lime green shoots which mature into dark green needles.  In late autumn, after most other deciduous trees have started to shed their leaves, the larches moment to shine arrives......





In a matter of days the needles turn the most dramatic golden shade - against a flawless blue sky the trees make a striking sight.





All too soon the needles will drop, covering paths, tracks and the banks of watercourses with a carpet of gold.  Even in November, commonly perceived as a grey and lifeless month, there's colour aplenty in the landscape.

Idag blev det utelunch i vindskyddet innanför Inre och Yttre Grytskär. Lite grå måndag men alltid gott med lite frisk luft. Tog med kök, näver och lite tändved, tänkte oss en liten lunchbrasa med fast det var så snålt med ved så vi skippade brasan. Gött med lite vindskyddshäng och alltid gottigt med lunch ute! ... Läs mer...

Inlägget Lunch vid Grytskärs vindskydd dök först upp på kajak.nu.

Pos: 31.4302,-116.5204
Loc: gravel beach
Acc: Hilleberg Allak tent
Dist: 46,4 km
Start: 06:55 End: 16:40

I opted last night rather to put up my tent outside close to my babies than sleeping inside the house in a room with four stock bed places and three other ladies…I neither like to leave my babies outside alone, nor love to spend the night with three other people in a small room without the maximum ventilation I am used to my tent. The tent spot was just a dusty gravel lot, but good enough.

We launched from a steep gravel beach close to the the concrete ramp, bad enough for our loaded kayaks. But better than sliding them off concrete. It felt different to yesterday’s paddle with the empty boats, much more solid and easy than in the tippy empty large volume hull. We fitted 20 liters of water each, we will have to house hold with it unless we camp at close to houses with sure water resources – not easy…there might be houses, but there might be no one home, or they have not enough drinking water themselves to spare some for us.

We paddled past some some fish farm where they grow tuna, a bunch of large wide cages were approached by three larger ships, they unloaded something into each round cage, probably bait or special fish food to feed the hungry tuna.

Another large bush fire was doing it’s destroying job high uo across the hills, we only saw the huge mushroom-like cloud of dark dust raising into the clear blue sky, and finally covering the sun. Total dust eclipse…chilly…

A bunch os smaller fishing boats came out of Punto Santo Tomas, it looked like a busy place and a safe landing. But we felt it was too early to land after only twenty km, and liked to do another ten to Punta San José, where I saw on the satellite image a bunch of fishing boats afloat behind a small hook. A tiny natural harbor! But when we came around the point, the surf at mid-tide closed it out fully. No gap to sneak in, no wide berth to paddle in from the other end. The fishing boats might be able to launch and land through the surf – doable with an engine. But not for us.

Ok, we have to keep on paddling, and to consider an open beach landing…as it was already 15.15 h, and the night fall was threatening faster than we could reach another safe corner. We were checking about three or four beaches from the distance, and got already prepared for landing with helmet and PFD on and leashes off, but all of them had at some point scary big rollers coming in. No time to safely reach the beach, they were rocky anyway, not inviting. I was already mentally preparing for a night out, as any “safe” corner we could reach only after darkness, and then it might not be safe to judge if it is really safe to land. I paddled a bit faster ahead of Lisa, to scout out any possible option and to sit upfront watching before I might decided we could do it or not.

A small gravel beach came up, but it was extremely steep, and the invisible dumper washed up high. Also not an inviting place.

Thank goodness, the tide was going out until 6 pm, and landings in general should get calmer and easier by the minute. It felt like the surf went down a bit. On the next beach, still steep gravel and fully unprotected, I didn’t see any nasty wash up after the highest breaker rolled in. The highest breakers felt smallish upfront this beach, no really scary nasty monsters piling up here at some point, and it was breaking before reaching the steep area on some shallow soup zone. In the middle of the steep gravel, I spotted a light sandy spot, a good sign for a shallow fore shore on low tide. that would be our beach! Just about 20 min before sunset…

I came closer, waited out a lager roller breaking not even nasty, and sprinted in to the shallows. One low roller I let pass through, and in I was in calm water. thanks goodness! Just on the sandy spot, and on a moderate steep beach section.

I signaled Lisa safely in, she just had to brace out one lower breaker, and she was also in upright. Good girl! We were both extremely relieved to have found this easy beach, and to be dry and safe before darkness! Finding our beach later on the satellite image, I would never have considered to land here, but on low tide, it was safe!

We will find a very safe landing tomorrow, after 20 km or 33 km…

Con la carica delle  Jornadas de Menorca en kayak appena concluse, ho affrontato un doppio training 4*, che dal 2017 è stato più propriamente rinominato dalla British Canoeing non più con i numeri delle stelle ma con il riferimento diretto alle condizioni marine: il training di Moderate Water Sea Kayak Leader è rivolto al kayaker interessato a diventare capo gruppo in acque moderate.
Prima ancora di iniziare i due training, nella giornata di lunedì 22 ottobre 2018, abbiamo dedicato un’intera giornata al corso teorico sulla navigazione costiera, uno dei pre-requisiti richiesti dalla British Caneoing: il Coastal Navigation and Tidal Planning ha suscitato la curiosità di due-tre studenti che per varie ragioni non potevano o non volevano seguire il successivo corso in mare, ed è stata per me una piacevolissima sorpresa vedere con quanta curiosità si sono avvicinati allo studio delle carte nautiche e delle correnti marine, e anche con quanta attenzione si sono cimentati nella programmazione di una escursione in ambiente marino con corrente fino a due nodi, con mare fino allo stato 3 e con venti fino a Forza 4 Beaufort (alcuni dei riferimenti del cosiddetto Moderate Water Endorsement). Tutti hanno mostrato di apprezzare i miei segnalamenti marittimi tridimensionali fatti a mano, di cui vado molto fiera e che non manco mai di portare in viaggio con me :-)

CNTP in spagnolo a Minorca!

Kissing the rock, uno dei primi esercizi di destrezza del training...

Pagaiare nel vento e in gruppo nei pressi della torre di Es Grau...

Rock gardening lungo le scogliere rocciose di Es Grau...

Appunti alla fine della prima giornata di corso....

Il primo training, da martedì 23 al giovedì 25 ottobre, è stato alquanto impegnativo per le condizioni meteo-marine, con forti venti da nord-ovest che lasciavano protetta la piccola baia di Es Grau ma che imperlavano di bianche onde frangenti la vicina Illa d’en Colom, dove ci siamo diretti per cercare i luoghi adatti alle prove di competenza tecnica nella conduzione dell’imbarcazione. L’isola è stata il teatro ideale anche per le due successive giornate dedicate alle varie strategie di conduzione del gruppo, perché offre molti ridossi naturali ma anche diversi capi esposti al vento e alle correnti, oltre ad alcune spiagge di sabbia lambite da bassi fondali che generano interessanti zone di surf. Sembra che i ragazzi abbiano apprezzato il piano di lavoro, a giudicare dai commenti di Ramon sul suo blog!

Rock landing con kayak in polietilene ed in fibra di vetro...

Pausa pranzo sulle rocce discutendo di kit di primo soccorso...

Riparazione del kayak in alto mare, riuscita con successo!

Babbo Natale "in incognito" al training di Minorca!

La conclusione del primo e l'inizio del secondo training...

Il secondo training, dal venerdì 26 alla domenica 28 ottobre, è iniziato sotto la pioggia, con lampi e tuoni che si facevano sempre più vicini e minacciosi. Abbiamo così scelto di dedicare l’intera giornata prima alla pianificazione di più escursioni in zone sconosciute (dove cioè gli aspiranti leader non avevano mai pagaiato prima), usando le tabelle di marea per scoprire in quale momento della giornata fosse più indicato prendere il mare, e poi alla programmazione di un viaggio che gli istruttori di “Menorca en kayak” avevano scelto di fare insieme per chiudere la lunga stagione estiva: un modo come un altro per festeggiare senza smettere di pagaiare!

Programmazione del viaggio di una settimana ad Ibiza...

Rock landing in autonomia con kayak in polietilene...

Sostituzione di fortuna di un tappo perduto (simulazione!) del gavone di prua...

Un'ultimo sbarco sulle rocce...

Il secondo gruppo alla sede di Menorca en kayak!

In entrambi i corsi ho avuto modo di apprezzare una volta di più la grande determinazione che spinge ragazzi di ogni età, ventenni e cinquantenni, a pagaiare in mare mosso per il solo gusto di farlo, per giocare tra le onde come se si trovassero al luna park, per trascorrere ore ed ore a manovrare la pagaia tra gli scogli, ad issare con cura i kayak sulla scogliera, ad imbarcarsi nelle maniere più impensate… e a scendere a terra con la salsedine sulla pelle, sulle palpebre e sulle labbra.
Trovo sempre un modo per rinnovare il mio amore per il mare e per il kayak, e di questo (e di tanto altro ancora!) devo ringraziare i vari allievi che riempiono le mie lezioni e che sempre più spesso si rivelano dei gran bravi maestri: mi insegnano ad insegnare e mi confermano che c’è sempre qualcosa di nuovo di imparare!

Sono stata invitata a tenere un corso 3* a Es Grau nei giorni immediatamente precedenti le Jornadas de Menorca en Kayak, dal giovedì 11 al sabato 13 ottobre 2018. Dopo la settimana di navigazione intorno alla più bella delle Baleari, ho prolungato la mia permanenza sull’isola per offrire altri due training 4* (di cui parlo nel post successivo). Prima di rientrare a casa, poi, mi sono fermata a Genova per un altro corso 3* nel porticciolo di Nervi nelle giornate dal 30 ottobre al 2 novembre 2018.
Il gruppo di sie aspiranti del primo corso 3* svolto a Minorca mi aveva messo in soggezione: talmente esperti da farmi venire i crampi allo stomaco per qualcosa di simile all’ansia da prestazione. Tutti (o quasi) lavorano da anni nel mondo del kayak da mare ed in alta stagione accompagnano turisti in escursioni più o meno brevi, ma anche in viaggi da più giorni ad una settimana, con annesso campeggio nautico; quasi tutti si trovano a gestire gruppi di principianti che possono raggiungere anche la ragguardevole cifra di oltre 60 elementi: in questi casi si fanno assistere da altri istruttori ed organizzano uscite sicure e divertenti per esplorare le zone più interessanti della costa dove sono soliti pagaiare. Sono tutti entusiasti del kayak da mare e hanno fatto della loro passione un mestiere, realizzando un sogno che mi pare di capire sta diventando sempre più comune tra gli appassionati di pagaia: vivere navigando! Sono anche kayaker molto diversi tra loro, per età, per indole e per esperienze pregresse, ma sono tutti talmente preparati tecnicamente che mi hanno fatto interrogare a lungo su come impostare il lavoro.
Ogni volta che inizio un corso, infatti, mi sembra di dovere superare a mia volta un esame: essere o meno all’altezza delle aspettative (mie prima ancora che degli altri!), proporre cose nuove ed incuriosire anche chi sa già tanto (sono sempre più numerosi gli “esperti” che frequentano i corsi che ho la fortuna di tenere), trasmettere entusiasmo a chi nel kayak ha trovato un lavoro (difficile talvolta mantenere vivo il sodalizio tra dovere e piacere!)… insomma, ogni corso è diverso da qualunque altro, anche se il syllabus è sempre lo stesso, perché cambiano le persone coinvolte, le condizioni meteo-marine, le barche e le “location” e anche le attività in acqua. Ma ogni volta si ripete la magia: ci ritroviamo in kayak a condividere una passione che si rinnova ad ogni pagaiata!
Inutile dire che i sei partecipanti hanno tenuto bene il mare, hanno affrontato senza timore le onde ed il vento, hanno organizzato sbarchi sulle rocce da manuale: il corso ha permesso anche di stringere amicizie nuove tra chi non si conosceva ancora e, come spesso accade, anche di programmare nuove avventure in mari lontani. Me li sono ritrovati (quasi) tutti nel training 4* della settimana successiva e tutto è ricominciato d’accapo, l’agitazione prima di iniziare, l’euforia delle giornate di corso, la soddisfazione dell’esperienza condivisa (e anche un poco la tristezza di veder finire un’attività che ci ha coinvolto tutti così tanto!)…

Il gruppo del primo corso 3* a Minorca: Arkaitz, Xavier, Ramon, Peter, Manolo y Andres!

Tutti in acqua a discutere di pagaiata efficiente...

La pausa pranzo sugli scogli della Riserva Naturale di Es Grau...

Il salvataggio assistito in versione "teatrale" eseguito da Peter y Ramon...

Tutti concentrati su Mr. Xavier Kirchner, un riferimento del kayak spagnolo...

Due settimane dopo a Genova Nervi con Gianfranco, Maurizio e Daniele...

L'imbarco protetto del porticciolo di Genova Nervi...

I tre amici in kayak...

Alle prese con il salvataggio assistito tramite presentazione della prua...

Giochi di equilibrio di fine corso!

Dopo due voli aerei, due treni soppressi per maltempo e poi partiti con oltre due ore di ritardo e due valigie appesantite dall’attrezzatura bagnata, mi sono ritrovata catapultata da Minorca a Genova.
Il secondo corso 3* era minacciato dall’allerta meteo, ma il sole ci ha rincorso anche in quel di Nervi e tutto si è svolto secondo i programmi. Il primo giorno, in attesa delle annunciate schiarite, ci siamo concentrati sulla parte teorica, discorrendo di carte nautiche, segnalamenti marittimi e strategie di navigazione, dedicando del tempo anche all’introduzione dell’uso della cima di traino e delle diverse tecniche di salvataggio assistito, parte fondamentale di ogni corso 3*, rivolto a pagaiatori di esperienza intermedia che escono in gruppo e si possono trovare nelle condizioni di dover prestare soccorso ad eventuali compagni in difficoltà. Il secondo giorno, poi, il mare in scaduta della burrasca dei giorni precedenti ci ha costretti nel piccolo specchio acqueo del porticciolo turistico, dove le diverse boe di ormeggio erano “sporcate” da rami di alberi, reti da pesca e persino da un paio di relitti di gommoni che non avevano resistito all’assalto del cattivo tempo. Il terzo giorno, però, siamo riusciti a prendere il mare e ad approfittare dei giardini di roccia che costeggiano la passeggiata pedonale Anita Garibaldi, che pure ha subito dei danni per la caduta di massi e per la frana di alcuni tratti.
In mare ci siamo sentiti sempre tranquilli e sicuri.
I tre ragazzi che mi hanno invitato a tenere il corso a Genova sono amici da tempo e da sempre escono insieme: si conoscono e si sostengono e mi hanno regalato un altro corso speciale perché hanno saputo creare un clima di perfetta condivisione. Sono sempre stati molto attenti ad ogni singolo passaggio teorico e pratico relativo alle varie manovre tecniche previste dal programma di corso, non si sono mai distratti e anzi hanno interloquito con una lunga serie di domande curiose che mi hanno fatto comprendere appieno quanto siano appassionati di kayak da mare.
Le diverse imbarcazioni, inoltre, ci hanno permesso di comprendere meglio i vantaggi di un kayak attrezzato di tutto punto, coi ponti dotati di maniglioni e tienti-bene, coi pozzetti comodi ma funzionali, coi giubbotti “armati” delle dotazioni minime di bordo: credo da sempre che invece di “parlare di kayak” (pure importante per sviscerare ogni aspetto di questa affascinante disciplina dai vastissimi addentellati) sia molto più importante “fare kayak”, così da capire fino in fondo cosa serve e cosa non serve, e più ancora “cosa serve fare” per poter arrivare ad affrontare il mare in sicurezza.
Il divertimento non è mai secondario e tra uno scherzo improvvisato, un esercizio bizzarro e qualche gara amatoriale disputata tra i tre amici, siamo riusciti a chiudere il corso con alcuni doloretti alle spalle (ancora poco allenate a praticare spostamenti laterali o timonate di prua) ma anche con tanti sorrisi aperti e sinceri. I tre hanno raccolto le loro impressioni sul corso 3* nella loro pagina Facebook a questo link.
Il regalo per me più bello è stato (oltre al pranzo conclusivo sui tavolini all’aperto del porticciolo di Nervi) un ultimo rolling sincronizzato eseguito con grande sicurezza dai tre nuovi tre stelle!

It's the time of year when most sporty-folk in the northern hemisphere start to take things a little easier.

The 'off season' has rolled around.  With it came the stark realisation that I haven't even had an 'on-season', and that hurts.  It would be easy to give up.

I haven't moaned in writing (much) but this year has been dogged by long-term injury.

Specifically, my right knee, which suddenly started hurting on 9th September 2017, and my right shoulder which was damaged in February in a mountain bike fall.  While attempting one of these daft challenges!

I have made lots of visit to FASIC, the Edinburgh University Sports Injury clinic, trips which have taken a whole day by public transport.

Most mornings now start with one hour in our gym area performing the exercises I've been set.  These change every few months with each new visit.

My shoulder improved for our Montenegro swim trip, then relapsed.  Now it's improving again and I hope to keep it on that trajectory.

Short reminders of current knee exercises

My knee is a different matter.  I've given up running completely.  I've had special orthotics built for my cycling shoes and another custom bike fit.

I'm seeing the podiatrist who helped my colleague Cameron McNeish and getting extra work from his physio.  Four months into that treatment and my knee still hurts after walking the dog for two hours.

And yet I feel it's improving.  Am I just kidding myself, clutching at straws?

For someone who partly defined himself by his ability in the mountains, losing the ability to hike longer distances is crushing.

Many other people go through much, much worse.  I can walk, I can see, I can hear and I'm generally healthy.  Stop moaning.

And generally I don't moan, but sometimes it's hard to push through.  To keep doing the exercises, to believe it will all come right in the end.

A quick morning paddle with Olivier who was over from Salt Spring Island out to the islands. It was a bit windier than we expected, so much harder work that planned - especially on the return leg! :)
I managed to get a little surfing in by the sluice by Vantreight!

click to enlarge

11 km, YTD 516 km

The Tacoma Shoreline Survey went down yesterday, all 13 miles of Tacoma’s waterfront covered by 78 volunteers, counting the debris they found and picking it up as they went. I haven’t run all the numbers yet (final debris tallies should be ready later this week), but most of the 669 pounds of trash collected was foamed plastic, plastic bottles and plastic scraps.

Thanks to all who made it happen: South Sound Surfrider for the excellent support at the sorting/weighing booth; Citizens for a Healthy Bay with a great turnout at Jack Hyde Park and Metro Parks for covering the Owen Beach/Point Defiance section. All the volunteers were incredible and I know the phrase gets overused, but it couldn’t have been done without you. Thank you, again.

This will happen again. It’s too cool not to. I’m thinking about next April or May, once the rains have flushed out the creeks and the winter storms have washed more things ashore. Who’s in?

Pos: 31.7255,-116.7162
Loc: La Bufadora
Acc: Victor’s kayaker house
Dist: 30,7 km
Start: 07:45 End: 14:55

Victor picked us up from his kayaker house in La Bufadora at 6.30 am – the same place where we will end up tonight. Therefore, we decided to paddle with empty kayaks. Well, almost…we both opted for a heavy bag in the bow.

The crossing over to the peninsula was dead calm, Victor was in his plastic Delfin, not really the ideal boat for long distance gliding. But he has a strong stroke, and did feel challenged to keep up with me. If he would be in my kayak with my wing, I would see at some point only his backside LOL As a triathlete, Victor has endurance, and is a slight bit competitive…His plastic Delfin would come in handy very soon around the rocky peninsula, where mine will not be ideal…there is simply no kayak for all conditions!

As soon as we hit the shore on the other side of the bay, the rocky pleasure started! This side was the sheltered side, the swell was barely noticeable, and any gap, arch or the first caves were easy to pass, with just a tiny bit of risk. We didn’t bother to get dressed properly…my philosophy is actually, when I feel I need a helmet and PFD, I should better stay off the rocks – or my fragile kayak is in danger…and myself anyway. It has worked on all my trips so far…

We enjoyed a bunch of really nice rock gardening gaps, arches, caves and playspots. Many fishermen alon the rocks, trying for a good catch on their Sunday’s off. Victor proved to have home advantage with lots of rock gardening training – and “plastic is fantastic” under his bum – me in my fragile long carbon touring boat was as usual not holding up much to take on anything where I felt comfortable. The difference today was my kayak was empty – and much more tippy. Lisa took things on a bit more carefully, but did well in many spots and gained a lot of experience today – also in my same fragile long carbon touring kayak.

After wer rounded the tip of the peninsula, things changed noticeable. The swell was playing up lightly, and after Lisa had to brace on passing a gap on some small break, I thought it was high time to get dressed properly…if anyone can blame me for anything, then not to be dressed properly for the conditions. If I now would have to peel any of my paddling partners off the rocks…I donned my PFD, and was the first to put the helmet on. Victor followed soon, Lisa a bit later.

But as things go – as soon as I got dressed properly for the conditions, my philosophy was broken… I was aiming to go through the outer white arch, which was kind of a zig zag passage. My stern got sucked in a whirlpool, I got capsized, couldn’t roll up as my stern was stuck somehow, and I had to go swimming! The first time swimming offshore, and between rocks! Victor was so clever to aim the arch from the other side, and came in handy on my swim to present his bow to pull me out of the rocky arch zone. Thanks, mate! So it wa snot me who had to peel someone off the rocks, LOL!

I flipped the kayak back up, no pleasure for any rescuer to empty the still heavy and unhandy kayak by pulling it over the lap, but I was better pumping after reentering my kayak.
All good! Shit happens, it is all mentally…

We kept on following the play zone, went into a huge cave with three exits, and many more lovely places to squeeze through. What a nice area!

The highlight of the trip was the huge blow hole just across “downtown” La Bufadora! I had seen pictures, but had somehow forgotten about it, and there it was! A shitload of tourists admired it from the top – just the three of us were down there. The largest blowhole I have ever seen so far! And Victor said, it could get much larger on bigger swell…amazing! He showed us how close he could back up in the gap, and enjoyed the probably thrilled looks on his back from the tourists above who might expect him being blasted into the air anytime soon LOL nice picture anyway! Lisa and I did the same, just not as much back in…

All in all, a wonderful paddling day, with great local qualified company! Thanks, Victor, to have joined us today, and to have looked after us so well! He took me up on my offer to have a quick tour in my kayak, and went out for quite a while…he seemed to like my baby. Anytime welcome to join me on a serious section of my trip, Victor!

We hooked up in the kayaker house with a new group of Jen Kleck’s kayak tours, thanks for providing us dinner and accommodation together! We downloaded a bunch of more satellite maps, made way points, and prepared our bags and freshwater bags for tomorrow. We had shopped for 3-4 weeks now, and will have to check carefully where to get water. Houses here do not necessary have fresh water, as everyone has to get it in barrels and jugs. Houses have tanks, which are filled with not drinkable water, like in most remote desert areas.

I went for an afternoon birding paddle around the bay - this time I brought my good binoculars - what a difference! Other than the usual suspects, I saw a white winged scoter (immature) and a rhinoceros auklet that were new for this week. https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49871145

The air was pretty clear and I could see both Mt Baker AND Mt Rainier (215 km away!)

click to enlarge

7 km, YTD 505 km
(made my revised annual goal! 😊 )

Singles day är ett relativt nytt shoppingfenomen, i alla fall i västvärlden. 2017 såldes det mer under Singles Day i Kina än under Black Friday i usa så det är en gigantisk shoppingföreteelse. Nu ska man kanske inte uppmana till tokshopping men om något ändå ska handlas kan man med fördel passa på under nån/någon ... Läs mer...

Inlägget Singles Day – tokshopping 11 november dök först upp på kajak.nu.

Pos: 31.8638,-116.6607
Loc: Ensenada
Acc: Victor’s kayaker house La Bufadora
Dist: 0 km
Start: 00:00 End: 00:030

It was Mexican Navy reception day! Victor León, my main local Mexican contact, was so kind to organize a meeting with Rear Admiral Rodrigo Lozano and Captain Juan Carlos Vera, who were in charge to assist Admiral Jorge Cruz Vallado, Chief Commander of the 2nd Naval Region in Mexico, while he was in Mexico City.
I am feeling very honored to be received, and am once more cooperating with the many helpful hands of a local Navy in Latin America – now in Mexico!
The Mexican Navy will be helpful in tracking my position, offered accommodation in their Navy bases, and transportation where necessary. Very nice! Muchos gracias!
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela and Guyana have been already so friendly to assist and cooperate while I was circumnavigating South America.

Later, we met up with Jen Kleck’s group in downtown Ensenada, who had spend a wonderful paddling week in La Bufadora. Lisa and I were then strolling through the tourist area of Ensenada, browsing through souvenir shops, but as usual, once seen one, you have seen them all. Still a nice, lively and colorful city atmosphere! Everywhere, some guys are standing outside to talk you with many words and waving menue cards into coming inside their shops, restaurants and even into pharmacies – just in case you might need some vitamins, viagra or the like…strange and rather annoying for German and US tourists.

We had some more tacos in a small restaurant, twice some ice cream on the street, and some sweet churros. Yummy! It was big food shopping in the afternoon, we might not be able to shop much for the next 3-4 weeks. Victor had to move us out of that other apartment to his kayaker’s house in La Bufadora where we will paddle to on Sunday anyway. So, he will pick us up tomorrow morning early, and we can paddle with empty kayaks, escorted by Victor himself, back to La Bufadora. Will be nice!

I went for a late morning paddle out to Chatham Island. I was focusing on birds again this time and got some different species than other days- western grebe and ancient murrelet - and a total of 18. Out at Cadboro Point I ran into David K and we paddled together, catching up, to the south end of Chatham. https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49837989

click to enlarge

10 km, YTD 498 km
(I think the 500 km goal is within reach! :) )

It’s cold out there! I mean, not Newfoundland cold, but compared to the weather we’ve been having, it’s downright brisk.

Just about to head out the door to start my portion of the Tacoma Shoreline Survey. Had a great time at the check-in last night, meeting all the folks that will be out there today, going through the process, eating some pizza. Now it’s all about to go down and I’m excited to know that in about eight hours, the count will be done and the data will be in.

Time to load a kayak, down some coffee and get to work.

 

"Rope Companions" is the caption above the opening picture in the photo album of my mother's alpine years in the early 1950's with the "Deutscher Alpenverein". She was in her early thirties then.

In that album also a raw typed account of her first high-alpine trip. Unsure if she, as a newbe, could cope with the more extreme rock and ice environments. And if she, as the only woman in the team, could keep-up with the three experienced male climbers. She more than managed; thrilled. She loved the high mountains; the views and freedom she experienced. Mom stopped climbing after starting our family in the late 1950's.

It was only in my early thirties that I took to traveling and ventured onto hiking adventures in ever more mountainous terrains in the Pacific Northwest, Canada and Alaska. Views of infinite mountain ranges, glaciers, coastlines and the sea.

On the early morning of November 1st, our beloved mother passed away, 96 years of age.

La historia del kayak después que lo inventasen los Inuit. leer más

Pos: 31.8638,-116.6607
Loc: Ensenada
Acc: Victor’s family apartment
Dist: 37,5 km
Start: 08:00 End: 15:30

A day with lots of varieties!

It was very windy all night. When we saw us both awake, Lisa sent me a text early morning instead of shouting from one tent to the other – modern way of communication:”What do you think about this wind?” I was just checking all forecasts. Well – it was a ne, strong blowing offshore around 20 knots going down until lunch to nothing. Maybe wait one or two hours…? I made a walk out to the breakwater, and thought I would go…the sea is calm. Lisa went with me out half an hour later, and she wanted to wait for another hour. Ok.

We started finally at 8 am, and it was nicely pushing 20 knots offshore. We just had to duck down in the shelter of the cliffs not to get blown out too far, and to angle back to shore finally against the wind. Lisa was amazed how close we could paddle to the cliffs today, barely any swell raising higher than comfortable, or with an unexpected breaker. Still, some angles into small bays were a bit of a fight against the wind, before we had it again from our back left shoulder. But all easy going on flat water. Some of the fishermen were probably a bit surprised about the two gringas being out there, but they must have realized we know and can handle what we are doing and waved friendly.

We had to negotiate a long jetty and breakwater of Energia Costa Azul, with a ship tied up inside…could we sneak close to the cliffs, right under the pier? We could, but were probably not supposed to…all yellow warning and red forbidden signs…but paddling outside the pier and breakwater in this strong wind would have been also no pleasure. No one saw us or stopped us…

We entered the wide bay of Salsipuedes, a wonderful natural calm cliff area on the first half, with unfortunately a bush fire burning high and smoky up above the road. We also spotted many car wrecks simply being pushed over the cliffs for dumping – we couldn’t believe in so many vehicle accidents here. We were also not so sure about an accident bringing a fishing boat to a sandy beach as a wreck – maybe the same way to get rid of an old vessel?

Soon, the hot dry desert wind was dead calm again, and it was hot. We saw the many work stations below the road to maintain the stability with fixing the drainage in new concrete. What an effort for that one (and only…) road! The headland of La Bufadora and the two Isla de Todos Santos was so close, but we had to turn into the wide All Saints Bay to find the Marina Coral where Victor, our main Mexican contact, was expecting us to meet. We landed at the launching ramp, unloaded and there he was to pick us with his truck. Thanks, Victor!

We got a wonderful new apartment from his family for ourselves, and went to a local famous taco place. Delicious home made food! Amazing for me that the tacos were served on a solid plastic plate which was wrapped in a very thin plastic bag to save dish washing and to reuse the plates. Not really attractive nor environmental friendly, but functional…
You also order at the counter open to the street to two all sides, and get your food which you then eat standing or sitting anywhere in the area of the street restaurant. You pay after you have eaten…if you walk away, you might end up with a knife in your back? Hard for the owners to keep an overview in this crowded place, but amazing it seems to works anyway. Also amazing the speed in which a worker can put together a taco or chop the meat…it was delicious!

We will get a reception by the Admiral of the Navy of Ensenada and the harbor master tomorrow morning! Quite an honor! Good for further cooperation. A day off paddling will be good also, and big food shopping for the next remote stretch.

I went for an afternoon paddle and focused on birds again. (I did see a few harbour seals!) It was a beautiful flat calm afternoon and I saw most of the usual suspects...
You should be able to view my bird checklist on ebird:

click to enlarge

Susanne fra Roskilde havde købt en ny kajak, og jeg skulle da selvfølgelig op og se den. Og lige så selvfølgelig skulle vi ro en tur på Roskilde Fjord.
Kajakken - en smækker Reval - lå i Roskilde Roklub, så vi mødtes tæt derpå og kørte ned til det flotte klubhus lige ud til fjorden.
Vi fik klædt om og båret kajakkerne ned til vandet. Det var påfaldende så ens min Black og Revalen var - og jeg er lige gået i gang med at bygge en Black Pearl med de samme mål som Susannes Reval.
Det gik fint ud i fjorden, og selv om finnen sad fast på revalen var kajakken fint til at styre. Og det på trods af at vindretningen var den mest irriterende - nemlig skrå bagfra.
Da vi rundede en pynt var der en mindre flok gæs der lettede.
De fik hurtigt følgeskab af rigtig mange gæs, der havde siddet hvor vi ikke kunne se dem. Gæssene blev ved at at flyve rundt den næste times tid, og der kom hele tiden nye til - imponerende.
Vi havde ikke spist frokost, så over for Veddelev gik vi i land og spiste madpakkerne. Der var mange køer på marken, men de var heldigvis ligeglade med os.
Solen nærmede sig horisonten, så vi Sprang Ringøen - som Susanne gerne ville have vist mig - over. Den må vi se en anden gang.
Vi havde fået løst finnen på Revalen, og Susanne var meget imponeret over hvor godt den virkede. Kajakker med grønlansk facon - skarpe knækspant - er meget styrevillige og drejer fx meget let ved lidt kantning. En smule finne får dem til gengæld til at være meget retningstabile.
Smilet på Susanne blev større og større, og hun gav udtryk for at være meget glad for kajakken.
Da vi kom ind i havnebassinet med roklubbens bro, blev vi mødt af et meget specielt syn. En mand i neopren hoppede rundt på et lille surfboard 20-30 cm over vandet. Han havde et af de nye boards med hydrfoil og kunne pumpe det frem på - eller rettere over - vandet. Det var ret vildt at se på , og meget anstrengende for surferen.

Det blev til 10 hyggelige km

Sidst i oktober roede jeg sammen med Tomas og Jens ud for at nyde fuldmånen. Det var nu ikke meget vi så til den, men pludselig tittede den frem mellem skyerne. Jeg tog et par billeder. På det herunder viste poserer Jens - han er svær at se.
På vej tilbage i kanalen blev vi overhalet af Mette Pan der kom brummende med fuldt blus - Gud ved om de så vores små lamper.
Det blev til 12 km

Pos: 32.0549,-116.8828″
Loc: Puerto Salina
Acc: Hilleberg Allak tent
Dist: 33,7 km
Start: 06:30 End: 13:15

What a relaxing night, early, calm, peaceful…besides one dog barking noisily at night. This morning, ten curious stray dogs were chasing each other on the beach, but as stray dogs mostly are, they are also easy to chase away. Not that they decide to gang up for an attack on our food…
We took a yearning look to the dead calm corner at the village where they launched already a bunch of fishing boats this morning, but the surf was really not too bad, and we got out easy.

We had an entertaining coastline all day, not much to suffer, and kept on commenting on the differences to the old and new country we paddle in. We saw the first surfers today! Once three, then two, then five…that was it. Nothing comared to the US – so far. Four guys snorkeling for seafood, a bunch of small 3-men fishing boats checking their many crab pots. The crab pot floats in the US had mostly three whole oval floats to mark a pot, here in Mexico, a quarter or half float does the job for one pot. Probably, the eyes of the Mexican fishermen are better…

We saw many pretty houses, not overloaded and swanky like in southern California, but friendly and for me nicely Mediterranean looking. All pleasant for the eyes! Also a few construction ruins of high rise building, started but never finished, a bunch of houses closed down after built too close to the instable cliffs, and a few creative shacks of poorer people.

The surf looked dable everywhere, though probably two or three lines. Lisa was keen to land on the oen beach, I prefer to avoid surf wherever I can and told her there is a lovely small beach inside the harbor walls – which proved correct, and Lisa was happy to have a calm landing. I am still feeling a bit paranoisd from being chased away mostly anywhere in the US, and need to get used to be able and allowed to camp mostly anywhere – like here! How relaxing to arrive at a decent time, put up camp early, and to have time to go for a swim, doing finger- and toenails, editing pictures, going for a walk…just feeling at home on a beach! Funny I could just walk across the harbor entrance to the other side on almost low tide and crystal clear water with a sandy bottom…no harbor for big ships here!

Under ett par års tid har Svante Lysén arbetat med sin film om Bohuskusten. Våren 2018 hade den premiär. Filmen heter Bohuskust – ett vresigt paradis. Vi såg den på Smålandspremiären på Köldknäppen. Väldigt lätt att bli väldigt utesugen i allmänhet och Bohuslänsugen i synnerhet när vi såg/sett den. Filmen är skapligt lång med sina ... Läs mer...

Inlägget Bohuskust – ett vresigt paradis. Film av Svante Lysén dök först upp på kajak.nu.

Grått, ingen ville bli med i dag. Det var litt vind der jeg kjørte fra, men der jeg håpet det skulle være gøye bølger var det lite fres. Så da dro jeg heller til Lifjorden, for den posten har jeg ikke samlet ennå i år faktisk. Jeg regnet med litt vind i ryggen utover, men det var minimalt å oppdrive i starten her. Men det var heller ikke høljeregn, så det lovet bra likevel.

Høstfargene har jo i stor grad ramlet av trærne, men det var fin høstpadling likevel.

Lifjorden er egentlig ganske fin, selv om den nok er kjedelig innerst. Jeg padlet utover, til tross for at jeg kunne få motvind i retur. Det var jeg forberedt på, jeg hadde jo ingen med som jeg måtte ta hensyn til så det var greit. Hadde nok lagt en litt annen plan dersom noen hadde tatt i på tilbudet om å bli med i dag.

Jeg fulgte Sortland-siden av fjorden utover, snirklet langs land. Æsj, det var enda så pass flo at ikke den kule strandtarmen var synlig her.

Nuvel, litt strand var det i hvert fall, så posten er herved dokumentert. :)

Oi, jeg har selskap faktisk. Det er nå blitt den tiden på året vanntett kompaktkamera ikke duger til stort, så bildet er ikke akkurat så bra – men du ser det er ei ørn? Den var flott, ganske stor og med markert, hvitt på stjerten. White tail.

Jeg benyttet anledningen her til å få tatt novemberrulla. Den måtte selvfølgelig gjøres på begge sider, men jeg hadde ikke med hette så det fikk holde med de to. Det har begynt å bli bra kaldt i vannet nå.

Litt imellompadling ble det også i dag. Både her og flere steder.

Kul steinblokk.

Jeg padlet helt til Holm før jeg satte kursen over fjorden. Som vi ser, fortsatt ingen vind. Det skulle endre seg, kan man trygt si.

Hurra, ei blåse på ræk! Her har jeg vært i land og fått den festa sånn passelig på kajakken. Jeg måtte bare kante mot venstre hele tiden mens jeg padlet, ellers ville en ramle i sjøen på høyre side.

Mens jeg var i land her, begynte det å komme vindrosser innimellom. Er det i ferd med å skje noe med vinden? Svaret viste seg å være ja. Det var også begynt å bli ganske så mørkt. Men jeg ville følge planen om å padle langs land tilbake – det anså jeg uansett lurt om det skulle bli mer vind. Det er en del fjell på siden her, så jeg mistenkte en del trakteffekt.

Det ble mer vind straks jeg kom ut av bukta. Ganske så mye faktisk. Blåsa ramlet av kajakken noen ganger på grunn av bølger (ja, så pass vind at det ble en del bølger utover fjorden). Jeg greide nokså fint både å holde styring og framdrift, men ble nysgjerrig på denne vinden.

Det var langt over vindstyrke at jeg ikke måler midt utpå, da vil man måtte padle laaangt tilbake igjen. Så jeg padlet inn til land og la meg, selv om det er mindre vind der. Jeg syntes det var helt vindstille da jeg tok opp måleren. 8, 9, 10... Jeg måtte sjekke om det var på feil enhet, men joda, det var m/s. Så økte det ørlite på. 12, 14, 16... Ei vindrosse - 20 m/s.

Jeg slo tvert av måleren, dette ville jeg ikke ha mer av. Som om vinden slutta å blåse av den grunn.

Jeg begynte å lure på hvor mye vind det egentlig hadde vært på Grøtavær, siden jeg fikk problemer med å svinge inn i vinden… Nuvel. Det gikk fint her, men padle i så mye vind i mørket med ei blåse på dekk er ikke akkurat noe jeg vil anbefale – eller gjøre en gang til, hvis jeg tenker meg mer om. Nå ville jeg nok kommet meg til land før jeg blåste ut på Gavlfjorden om noe skjedde, men likevel. Unødvendig – så det blir stryk-karakter på denne, sikkerhetsmessig. (Men jeg skal sjekke om det er feil med vindmåleren så klart!)
(Jo, jeg prøvde å ta lufta ut av blåsa, men fant ikke noe som funka til å åpne.)

Herlig, frisk tur sånn ellers!

Pos: 32.2796,-117.0314″
Loc: Popotla
Acc: Hilleberg Allak tent
Dist: 38,5 km
Start: 08:00 End: 15:20

We had a good calm and safe night – if it wouldn’t be for the constant helicopter noise which probably didn’t stop all night, with probably night vision and infrared cameras to find any possible refugee trying to enter the USA from Mexico. What an effort to protect the boarder! Over the Boarder Field State park and adjacent water area, we saw constantly at least two helicopter circling, sometimes up to five…

We were very grateful to have the permit to camp at the very nice YMCA surf camp, thanks to Serge, David and Zayanne for organizing! We were just feeling sorry we couldn’t find some strong young men this morning to help us shuffling boats and gear to the beach, and had to carry everything ourselves…LOL

But for launching we found a strong young surfer man from Switzerland to help us moving our already loaded kayaks to an easier launching spot about 100 m to the right. Danke, Patrick! Lisa got out pretty quickly and easy, I had to wait about five or six breakers until I could also escape the soup zone. All good! Following winds today!

The six kilometers to the boarder to Mexico were kind of exciting – would anybody be bothered by us passing? A navy helicopter flew pretty low over us, and we were surely on some picturres and in the vision of binoculars. But we seemed to be harmeless to them, and they kept on circling over the Boarder field state park.

FINALLY IN MEXICO! Over the times of stealth camping, of getting chased by arrogant beach patrols, cops, rangers and what not kind of authorities who are neither helpful nor don’t like us camping where we need to after landing – right on the beach! Over the times of being treated like a yucky homeless rather than as an international renown sports woman…Latin-America is different!

We hugged pretty much the coast, so many new impressions to see on land! The first was – not a single surfer, swimmer or SUP-paddler to be seen nowhere! And there were definitively some pretty surfable waves…! Are Mexicans no water-lovers? We saw many nice beaches, but mostly empty. Maybe it is out of season…must be really a cold winter here…LOL! We found it much warmer today again with the following winds.

The architecture of the beach houses was also a colorful mixture of either almost US-fancy, hippy, ugly concrete or simple accommodations, much more to catch the eye than the uniform-fancy houses in the US. Some high-rise buildings were looking like half finished or half-broken down, probably running out of money in the mid of construction. But all shore-fishermen and the guys on the odd crab boat were waving friendly back to us. Nice!

Before we turned ntínto Popotla bay, we saw many fancy high rise buildings along our way, and also some lurking on the next headland. But Popotla was an old-style fishing village like we were envisioning. Colorful umbrellas on beach restaurants, fishing boats on land, fresh fish and fruit for sale on stands, cars on the beach with happy families – and a big fancy RV park high up the cliffs right next to our beach camp.

We made a short walk through “town”, shopped some cactus-fruit and juice, and I was smilin at a colorful Mexican musician and of four who entertained the beach restaurant guests. The accordion player, either not firm on the music or on the text to sing, had a smart phone attached to the top of his instrument and was obviously cheating on reading the notes or texts scrolled down while playing and singing. Modern world also here!

In the end, I was pretty happy with the results -- yes, I was disappointed about some of the races, but personally, the main thing I wanted out of this election was to see some brakes put on this runaway train of an administration, and I think we got that. Not quite a blue tsunami but enough of a wave to count - and the diversity is splendid, I love seeing winners that actually look like the world I live in!

Sono partita e tornata col maltempo.
Allerta meteo su mezza Europa, Spagna ed Italia comprese.
Quando sono arrivata a Minorca, erano appena state dichiarate tre giornate di lutto istituzionale nell’intero arcipelago della Isole Baleari per un’alluvione devastante che a Maiorca aveva provocato ben 12 morti, compresi due turisti rimasti intrappolati in un taxi travolto da un’improvvisa ondata di fango. Era stata persino annullata la serata di presentazione del viaggio di Rai Puig “Solo in Papua”, ma un cambio strategico della sala ha permesso ad un centinaio di curiosi di assistere all'interessante racconto dal vivo del giovane canoista catalano.
Quando sono tornata in Italia, poi, una lunga serie di piogge torrenziali aveva interessato ormai tutta la penisola, facendo registrare sia ingenti danni che una lunga lista di morti e dispersi, tanto sulla costa quanto nell’entroterra, con spiagge mangiate dal mare in tempesta e montagne di abeti abbattuti dai venti di burrasca.
La sorte del giro in kayak dell’isola di Minorca sembrava segnata.

Con la maglietta delle XIII Jornadas de Menk 2018 poco prima dell'imbarco... (Photo credit: Tristan)

Il primo breifing diretto da Carles nel ridossato Port de Sanitja...

La vista mattutina su Cala del Pilar dalla "nostra" grotta della notte...

L'effetto sui piedi nudi della sabbia rossa di Cala del Pilar... (Photo credit: Arkaitz)

Ma poi il sole ha scelto di tenerci compagnia durante (quasi) tutta la settimana, salvo nascondersi tra le nuvole al calar della sera (e non solo). La pioggia che pure ha imperversato sull’isola e sulle nostre teste non ha fermato il nostro entusiasmo, né ci ha bloccato a terra.
Non abbiamo completato il periplo, siamo anche partiti da un punto diverso per scansare il forte vento di nord-est, e siamo persino rientrati con un paio di giorni di anticipo per riprendere da dove avremmo dovuto iniziare ma, nonostante tutti gli imprevisti ed i vari aggiustamenti del programma, è stato uno dei giri più belli di sempre.
Lo so, ogni volta rischio di essere ripetitiva a proposito di Minorca, ne dico e ne scrivo sempre e solo un gran bene: Minorca è l’isola più bella della Baleari, l’isola dove torno sempre molto volentieri, l’isola che mi ha stregato sin dalla prima volta che c’ho messo piede, anzi pagaia. L’inverno del 2009-2010 è stato quello dell’inizio di un idillio che non è mai terminato e che ogni anno (o quasi) si rinnova inalterato, quello tra Tatiyak e Menorca en Kayak: un amore nato in mare, sbocciato grazie al kayak e che cresce ogni volta di più! Anche a costo di sembrare monotona, non posso che essere entusiasta delle esperienze vissute a Minorca!

La folta delegazione italiana: Lucia, Mariella, Grazia, Tatiana, Simonetta, Giorgio e Claudia!

La visita guidata alla sorprendente Balsa Verda...

L'aperitivo improvvisato sul molo di Cala Morell...

La cena comunitaria di Cala Morell, la notte più fredda del giro...

Prima di raggiungere Ciutadella si attraversa l'arco naturale di Pont d'en Gil...

Forse proprio per il cattivo tempo, che ci ha fatto comprendere una volta di più quanto il Mare e la Natura la facciano da padroni sulla Terra, abbiamo apprezzato davvero fino in fondo, e con un profondo sentimento di riconoscenza, la incredibile settimana di navigazione attorno all’isola del vento: il nutrito gruppo di pagaiatori spagnoli, catalani, baschi, sardi ed italiani ha dato vita ad una convivenza allegra, promiscua e rilassante che ha lasciato sorrisi ben marcati sui volti sferzati dal vento e rigati dalla pioggia (ed intirizziti dall’umidità notturna, ma anche abbronzati dalle calde ore autunnali…)
Abbiamo preso di buon grado il cambio di programma, caricando in un batti baleno sui carrelli kayak ed attrezzature per lasciare il nostro usuale punto di imbarco di Es Grau alla volta del caratteristico e raccolto Port de Sanitja; abbiamo trascorso la prima notte sotto la pioggia nella suggestiva spiaggia di Cala del Pilar, svegliandoci intirizziti ma contenti alle prime luci di un giorno ventoso e soleggiato; abbiamo cenato in circolo sul molo di Cala Morell, assaggiando a turno i tanti biscotti speziati spediti dalla Germania da Claudia, una delle partecipanti delle passate edizioni di cui si è molto sentito la mancanza; abbiamo poi doppiato senza timore il famigerato faro di Punta Nati, coprendo la tappa più lunga per raggiungere la ridossata caletta di Sant’Andria; abbiamo proseguito lungo la costa sud-orientale dell’isola nell’unica giornata di calma apparente, giungendo al faro di Cap D’Artrutx insieme ad un temporale che ha chiuso il cielo e la visuale; abbiamo trovato rifugio sotto la tettoia di un bar-ristorante a Son Xoriguer, come anche la notte successiva a Sant Tomas, coprendo il rumore della pioggia con gli schiamazzi allegri del gioco “Tic-Tac-Tuc” e con i canti multilingue di un altro gioco musicale entrato nella storia delle Jornadas de Menorca en kayak…

Arkaitz in primo piano, Simonetta a destra e sul doppio Carles y Agnes) verso il faro di Cap d'Artrutx...

L'arrivo a Sant Tomas, dove il giro si interrompe (per poi riprendere da Es Grau)...

Si scaricano i kayak e si scoprono gli altarini :-)

L'impeccabile opera di stivaggio di Irina e Agnes...

El "equipo" de Menk 2018 in giro per Mahon: Tatiana, Eloy, Andres, Arkaitz, Irina, Agnes, Sergi y Mr. Xavier!

Siamo poi rientrati con furgoni e carrelli alla base di Es Grau perché le previsioni meteorologiche erano implacabili, ma non ci siamo arresi alla cattiva sorte e, dopo una giornata di sosta a terra, spesa in maniera egregia seguendo le dotte, curiose e varie indicazioni turistiche di Joan sulle mille bellezze delle città di Mahon, ci siamo rimessi in kayak per le due ultime giornate di navigazione: destinazione Cala Mongofre, oltre il simbolico faro di Capo Favaritx.
Siamo stati tutti molto attenti e rispettosi, sia del mare che degli altri, sempre molto disponibili ed accomodanti, sia con i compagni di viaggio che con gli impeccabili organizzatori, tutti molto curiosi di sperimentare nuovi esercizi, in mare e a terra: mi è sembrato ben riuscito anche il primo esperimento nautico di “matrimonio temporaneo” a cui tutti i partecipanti delle ultime due giornate hanno aderito con incredibile entusiasmo, pagaiando in coppia per un tempo prestabilito.
Un entusiasmo contagioso che non si è esaurito con la chiusura delle Jornadas ma che è dilagato anche nella serata conclusiva trascorsa al “solito” ristorante della zona: tra una sorpresa e l’altra, in un crescendo di colpi di scena degni di una regia impareggiabile, è stata anche celebrata tra i due illustri assenti “giustificati” del giro, Jimi e Celsea una “pre-boda” (cioè un’anteprima del rito nuziale) che ha contribuito ad instillare un’ulteriore dose di buon umore in tutti i presenti (anche in nome del Santo Chaleco, di Santa Maria Teresa de las Jornadas, e del kayak, ovviamente!).

Carles doppia il faro di Favaritz...

La preparazione collettiva del "cremat" durante il campo dell'ultima notte a Cala Mongofre...

L'ultima cena con la delegazione italiana in primo piano e il gruppo di Menk 2018 sul fondo...

Tatiana tra Arkaitz y Xavier, con il piatto del "cremat": solo questo abbiamo in testa! (Photo credit: Sergi)

Sono tornata a casa col cattivo tempo fuori ma col buon umore dentro, carica di ricordi indimenticabili, di energia positiva e di regali preziosi: grazie Roberto per la strabiliante luce da campo “luminaid”, grazie Joan per il bellissimo piatto di ceramica per preparare il “cremat”, grazie Teresa per la maglietta del giro e della “chica palista” dell'artista “Caperuzita Azul”. Grazie di cuore a tutti i kayaker della XIII edizione delle Jornadas de Menorca en kayak, al gruppo di infaticabili organizzatori che ha affrontato ogni imprevisto con spirito costruttivo, ai ragazzi del fantastico “equipo” che sembrano fratelli di sangue più che colleghi di lavoro, ai solari partecipanti del giro che mi hanno riempito di attenzioni, affetto e complimenti (“Tu eres un sol!” mi resterà per sempre attaccato sulla pelle!): tutto ha contribuito a farmi affrontare con rinnovato entusiasmo le successive settimane minorchine e genovesi traboccanti di corsi 3* e training 4* (di cui parlo in due post separati). Grazie!
Chiudo il diario con le parole di un caro amico di pagaia che ho scoperto essere anche un poeta capace di sbirciare con tatto nel cuore degli altri: “Ahora toca surfear sensaciones, roquear entre recuerdos y navegar ilusiones”!

I went for a short morning paddle around the bay and did a bit more birding again: bald eagle, great blue heron, bufflehead, hooded and common mergansers, marbled murrelet, common murre, black oystercatcher, harlequin duck, greater yellowlegs, Bonaparte's gull, double crested cormorant, northwestern crow, and probably some more! Nice conditions and I ran into some friends who were paddling around ten-mile point. You can see my speed was slower heading into the northerly wind!

click to enlarge

7 km, YTD 481 km

I really don’t want to think about the number of miles or the total elevation lost and gained that were traveled to find our first bird but it finally paid off with the discovery of our first bird (and second) to document for the volunteer COASST program.

The post First Beach Cast Bird Found appeared first on Essex Media & Explorations.

The Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford has quite the collection of ethnographic items from around the globe. Their main display hall is quite the feast for the eyes!


While perusing some of the online photos folks have taken of this interesting place, I noticed a full sized bark canoe tucked onto an upper shelf (top left of photo above). I believe this is the canoe that Elspeth Soper posted on her blog during her visit to the museum back in 2015. However there were no mentions of paddles. With this canoe display appear to be two full sized paddles leaning up against the hull.

Another cropped photo sourced below showcases one of the paddles with its willow leaf style blade.


I believe this might be item  1886.1.866 posted about before which features an slightly indented grip face and drip ring.



But another cropped shot from a large wide angle photo of the whole display area shows a second paddle leaning against the hull...



The second paddle might be item  1886.1.867which seems to have a bulkier grip and thicker shaft but a similar blade shape with raised centre ridge...

Pos: 32.5812,-117.1331″
Loc: Imperial Beach
Acc: tent inside YMCA surf camp
Dist: 44,1 km
Start: 08:00 End: 18:00

We both slept pretty all right in the shop, me on the bench close to the open window with earplugs, Lisa in the last dark calm corner on the floor.
Gary was keen to paddle for a while with us this morning. He came this time with his truck which was very helpful to haul all the gear down to the beach, and took one kayak loosely in the second pair of cradles, with me standing on the truck bed holding my baby. The other kayak Lisa wheeled again down on the trolley, easy done.

I was helping Lisa to get afloat through the low surf, and Gary helped me to get the most heavy of the three kayaks pushed in the shallow soup zone. Gary’s boat was empty, so no big deal launching for him.

I was curious to sea the famous sea caves, which Jen’s shop (and a bunch of others…) were selling as a small tour on sit-on-tops. I hugged the coast to see them all, Gary and Lisa strange enough went offshore straight past them, without giving the even a closer look…hey, guys, other people pay lot of money to see the caves what we can have now here for free! Ok, I understand Gary has seen them already, but Lisa…? Weird…

As highlights, I paddled inside an amazing solo-standing pillar which connected two caves, and spotted a few meters later a tunnel with a beach on the other end. It looked a bit choppy to go through from this side, so I decided to find the other side with the little beach. Easy job, a small wide bay opened up with that beach at the end. No rough water going here, so I paddled up to the beach to look around the corner to find the other exit of the tunnel. That was actually a very impressive large cave with the narrow tunnel as an exit! Wonderful! But none of my paddling partners here to play with…your loss, guys! Keep on going straight…
Another cave had a small wooden platform inside, to enter somehow from the top. Nothing for me now, but also an impressive cave! That was it, all other caves coming up were on the surfy side. I stayed close to the coast anyway to enjoy the different views of the city. Amazingly, Gary and Lisa preferred to paddle almost outside the USA, offshore in the three-miles-zone…at least for me it looked like it. I thought Gary wanted to paddle with ME?

We came to the pier where Gary obviously liked to turn around, and I paddled that mile out to them to say good bye. Maybe next time we should paddle *together*? Thanks for giving us the lifts, Gary!

Lisa and I finally cut across the small bay leading to the harbor breakwaters, and past another T-shape pier. We got our first breaker offshore from us, and I shouted at Lisa to point out to the sea immediately! Quick, girl, quicker…we could just about nicely paddle straight through the just broken foamy water the unexpected breaker left upfront. I explained Lisa how to deal best with those boomers…

Soon, we reached the headland leading to the main harbor, paddled through a kelp bed before we rounded the long jutting out breaker zone. The tide was just running out the harbor and the adjacent inlet area and created quite some choppy seas and current.

We were not quite sure where to cross to and where to camp – we had made some contact with the “Wild Coast” at Imperial Beach and were hoping to hear back from them, but no result yet…as an alternative, we thought we might find a remote beach area around Silver Strand to camp wild, or we knew of a RV-park we could sneak in, or as the last resort, my old 3-days paddling partner to San Francisco, Scott Dahlquist, was volunteering to pick us from the beach and to drive us some long way back to Jen’s house. Thanks for that, Scott!

We checked the beach camp options first, and landed through low surf on some remote stretch where we only saw a bunch of jetskis playing around. Perfect stretch of coast here! But what was the meaning of those strange colored large signs? A tiny sign attached to the large sign said something about military training area…fuck…we identified the playing jetskis as Navy Seals on training (Scott told us eventually…), and headed quickly out again through the moderate surf before they would take notice of us…

On the paddle in, I did not get a drop in my face, but Lisa hesitated too long to paddle strong in after the one and only breaker, and got finally thrown. On the paddle out, both of us got some nasty face wash and showers, but we stayed upright.

We found the RV park, and landed again through low surf, this time both just fine. We were hoping to blend in like on the last RV park, where Dorlene let us stay on her site. But this one was a State Park RV park, and for RV’s ONLY. In capital letters. We asked politely the ranger in his office for a campsite, but his answer was as impolite “no” as it could be. And we would be brought up by a cop if we tried to camp on the beach upfront. He said he could call them…we got it as he would be happy to ask them for an exception…the beach patrol arrived while Lisa rather went back to the beach to secure our kayaks.

I made a polite request for an exception for us to let us camp either on the State Park RV site or just down at the beach, tried to pass on my card and to tell who we were and what were were up to, but that officer said NO, also in capital letters. The conclusion once more was: NEVER EVER ask an US-officer of the lower 48th, especially California, (Alaska is different..), regardless if cop, sheriff, ranger, beach patrol, military, city council, coast guard or what not for HELP for our case of traveling with kayaks, the answer was and will always be NO, more or less polite spoken. And any officer ALWAYS keeps his or her sunglasses on, as if they are scared to look into your eyes on saying this…

We are very much looking forward to be in a Latin-American country tomorrow, Like in South America, there will always a way to be flexible for “special cases”…! and people are not only friendly on the surface.

We went back to the beach to discuss what to do, and decided to call Scott for help. He was almost on his way, when we got an email from David from the YMCA surf camp we would be welcome to camp there. Thanks so much! I mailed back we would be there in 1,5 hrs…it would be dark by then…sorry Scott that we changed our minds, this is easier, but THANKS SO MUCH for your help offer! Hope to see you again another time!

A second time launching through the surf, this time both ok, and I told Lisa she should paddle ahead while I was still getting on the water to save time for the threatening sunset. We paddled as hard as we could those 6 km to the surf camp, but I had a not perfect way point and we went a bit too far in the darkness. We could not see anything anymore on the beach, besides a well-lit hotel before the pier of Imperial Beach. We decided to land here, we could at least see where we go…but what I could NOT see was the nasty big breaker rolling in from the dark sea – it almost caught me on my approach…just abut not… and we both paddled in through this this time ugly surf in darkness all right. Good job, Lisa!

I tried several times in vain to get in touch with our host David from the YMCA to tell hime we had landed, but just a bit too far and if he could help us to get to the camp? No answer, neither e-mail nor phone…strange…ok, unloading, carrying our heavy bags and kayaks to the street past the fancy well-lit hotel. A bunch of wild looking youngsters were playing basketball in a public street court nearby, and I dared to ask them if they had a truck available to please help us to get to the YMCA?

They said yes! No truck, but a Jeep…Cory volunteered to help us! Thanks so much, Cory! We loaded all our bags and one kayak on the roof, and I was sitting once more on the roof to hold my baby without straps. THIS seems to be more accepted than camping on the beaches…? Cory didn’t care…cool guy! He drove me carefully to the nearby YMCA – where we found a HUGE gate – closed…but lucky enough, some car was just coming out, we talked to the driver and he had the right phone number to reach David, the camp manager!

We got guided to the beach site, he showed us a spot to put up our tents – AND hot showers…PERFECT! Thanks to David and The YMCA to host us on our last night in the US! Cory had to drive one more time to get Lisa and her kayak, and he forgot the gate code…Lisa had to look around, found some guys who knew it, and finally was also there. All good now! But dead-tired…

Last summer, I took a work colleague on an overnight trip to Colinet Island. He is from Ontario, and was very interested in paddling here, so it was a great excuse for me to get out for a trip. On Friday evening I took him around Spread Eagle and over into Chapel Arm in search of whales, which we did see some minke and a fin whale.


 
Anyways, it was a great trip. Here are some photos, sorry it took me so long to share them!

Oktober försvann även den i en rackarns takt 🙂 Vi lyckades få ett par paddeltag i alla fall och flöt bland annat med längs Rönneå med ÄSSS, fångade en superfin solnedgång på Skälderviken, drällde runt Hjörneredssjön med ett stort gäng och rundade Kullaberg i helt fantastiskt oktoberväder samt tog en blåsrunda på Rönneå i lite ... Läs mer...

Inlägget Oktober 2018 dök först upp på kajak.nu.

Back in the harbor, I practiced a few rolls just to keep them from going away. At coffee, we all debriefed on the rescue. Debriefing is important and also another window into how different paddlers can assess things differently.

Bilder av en ny Panthera, byggd av Fredrik Pantze i Myckle, Skellefteå. Snygg färgdesign och klurigt namn ;-)

"Hej Björn,

Jag blev klar med min Panthera här i slutet av sommaren. Jag och min kompis har haft kajak-junta och många trevliga byggkvällar under ca 2,5 år för att få klart våra kajaker. Mycket nöjd med Pantheran. Går fint i sjön. Var först rädd att den skulle vara allt för rank men känner mig riktigt trygg i den. 

Det här var mitt första kajakbygge. Har tagit en del inspiration för själva finishen från Jacob Fröslees havsracer

MKV är en flört med VKV där M:t står för Myckle, byn där jag bor. Tror dock inte att vårt ”varv” kommer nå någon serieproduktion ;-) 

Med vänlig hälsning,
Fredrik Pantze"

Pos: 32.8545,-117.2594″
Loc: Oceanside
Acc: Jen’s shop “La Jolla Sea Cave Kayaks”
Dist: 46,1 km
Start: 08:00 End: 17:30

We had daylight saving time done by Sunday, so our time is now one hour earlier. Gary volunteered to pick us from Jen’s house, as she was gone Sunday morning with Shan and a bunch of clients on a trip in La Bufadora/ Mexico. We will be there in six days!

Gary’s bus took us safely back to Oceanside, and we launched again from the boat ramp. All easy, thanks to Gary! We started as usual with a dead calm day, but it mutated today into a slog into headwinds! Not strong, maybe 10 knots until afternoon with the sea calm, but from maybe 2 pm it was choppy and the headwind increased to 12 knots. Not sure where that came from…but maybe I should have read Karel’s update right…! So we pushed on hard for 46 km into the wind today, but after two day of rest it was doable. Lisa held up well, good girl!

We passed hundreds of surfers as usual, though the surf look landable to us, and we were more than once tempted to call it a day on the long beach along the cliffs. But who wants to get wet on a surf landing, and who wants to be looked up by the cops at night again, as there were wheeltracks on the beach. The second last night in the US I like to sleep in style – in Jen’s kayak shop “La Jolla Sea Cave Kayaks” in La Jolla beach. There should be a boat ramp just at the end of the road, where the shop was three blocks up.

With the headwind, it got a bit later than we were hoping, as we were starting also a bit late due to the necessary transport back to Oceanside. The sun disappeared this evening behind a thick cloud bank, and it was dusk pretty soon.We landed in very last light, actually rather darness through low surf on a beach where that ramp should be – it was rather only te end of a road leading to a flat beach. No ramp, no trucks with trailers and strong fishermen helping us and our kayaks up the road…

So we needed to get creative ourselves. An Uber car seemed to be the best solution to aul the gear, as there was no one in a car around. the first car we called, te cheap carpool version requested us to meet the driver one block up – hahaha, that is not what we need a car for. So cancellation, fee charged, complained, back to zero. The second car we ordered in the upgraded class came instantly, and the drier got some good tip for hauling our bags in the car and then up to the staircase where Jen’s shop was. Lisa was watcing the kayaks, I picked a trolley out of the shop. Lisa got her kayak on it and was walking it those three blocks up the road, meanwhile I was lucky to find a nice guy with a truck who got mine on the roof and drove it unleashed with me standing on te truckbed and holding it up to the roof.

The more tricky part was to get the two kayaks up the staircase, this was up to Lisa and myself. But we made it, and made ourselves at home in the shop. Thanks, Jen, to let us stay there! A beach camp might have been easier, but maybe not as safe and calm – once the music from the pub below will stop. Or earplugs…

We could have easily fed us in the pubs below, but we opted to use our own food resources and cooked inside the shop. Nice camping style!

I went for a mid day paddle over to Oak Bay. It was a little breezy from the SW, so I decided to hug the shore of Cadboro and Oak Bays.Lots of sea lettuce washed ashore by the fall winds. I saw a good number of birds, including: black oystercatcher, great blue heron, american wigeon, harlequin duck, hooded merganser, common merganser, a large murder of crows(!!)pelagic cormorant and double crested cormorant. I am also pretty sure that I saw some buffleheads, but they were too far away to be sure. Oh and I forgot the pesky Canada geese!

click to enlarge

9km, YTD 474
(looks like I might make it to 500 km this year instead of 1000! too much time travelling!)

Editor’s note: Thanks to TR Captain Deb Volturno for contributing some of the photos in this post. And thanks to everyone who participated in the Surf Sirens gathering this year. I love this group!  The third annual Surf Sirens gathering at Hobuck Beach on the Makah Reservation in Washington State was a big success this year. […]

Loc: Oceanside
Acc: Jen’s house

Chores today – food shopping with Lisa, repairs, planning ahead, nothing exciting…

Greg Paquin has run the Autumn Gales for 10 years now and this is the second time I’ve gone. The main event is three days with plenty of opportunities to get top notch instruction in conditions. Greg gets world class coaches from both the local area and England.
Both of the times I’ve gotten to attend, I have only done a single day out of the three. I have also always managed to attend on days where the conditions are borderline crazy. Today the forecast called for 15-20knt winds with gusts to 30knts, rain, and big swells. There was also a chance of thundershowers. The wife thought I was a wee nuts. I was thinking it was perfect for some adventure.
After a quick briefing we headed out to the breakwater. It provided a nice place wher we duck out of the wind for chatting with the coaches and then head back out into the wind and swells to practice boat skills. I was with Greg and Pete Jones from the UK for coaches. They had us practicing turns into the wind. We practiced different strategies like using short quick strokes at the bow to pin it down and allow the wind to blow the stern around; using forward and reverse sweeps to pivot. We experimented with what paddle positions worked best to turn up wind and turn down wind. There was plenty of wind to practice with and three to four foot swells to make things more fun.
We also practiced surfing swells and paddling in following seas. Greg helped me figure out why I have so much trouble keeping the Aries from breaching in surf. One problem is that I always go straight for a stern rudder, which is not effective and because of how I turn in the boat to place the rudder, causes the Aries to turn even more. He suggested using sweep strokes instead.
He also noticed that I tended to lean forward when I catch a wave and that when I lean forward I arm paddle. Basically, instinct takes over and ruins my form. I have probably been doing it forever and never noticed; the Q-boat was far less maneuverable than the Aries. Greg’s expert coaching was a big bonus.
It was a hard day on the water. I was exhausted at the end of the day - in a great way. If I can only get out once in a while, it has to be worth it. This definitely was.

Our kayak adventure activities feature in this months flybe magazine. An excellent article by Emily Gravenor about her trip led by Gary on the south-west coast of Jersey highlights some of the superb coastline you can discover on our kayak tours. Read more here.

Kayak adventure activities in Jersey feature in the November edition of the flybe in-flight magazine. An excellent article by Emily Gravenor about her trip led by Gary on the south-west coast of Jersey highlights some of the superb coastline you can discover on our kayak tours. Jersey has lots of coastline to explore from a kayak. See you on […]

Dansk Kano og Kajak Forbund hade i helgen ett seminarium i Skanderberg på Jylland om implementeringen av IPP (Euro paddle pass/I Paddle Pass). En programpunkt handlade om att förtydliga och utvidga definitionen av IPP-dokumenten för att inkludera även  "ovanliga" redskap som grönlandspaddel och vingpaddel, som inte täcks in riktigt i den nuvarande skrivningen. Mitt deltagande handlade såklart om att visa hur jag jobbar med pedagogik med grönlandspaddel.

Som vanligt ett trevligt möte med danska kajakpaddlare på ett trivsamt vandrarhem/konferensanläggning vid strandkanten i Skanderborg, strax söder om Århus. Strålande höstväder gjorde inte saken sämre – bilderna är från lördagsmorgonen vid halvåtta-tiden. 

  När vi kom fram till stranden ovan (på ön Tomma) första gången vi var vid Helgelandskusten trodde vi nog inte vi var i rätt land. Att det finns så fantastiska ställen i våra grannländer!! Imponerade blev vi i alla fall. Jag har aldrig varit i Thailand, men nån som såg bilden har sagt att ... Läs mer...

Inlägget Helgelandskusten dök först upp på kajak.nu.

Loc: Oceanside
Acc: Jen’s house

Ah, nice to sleep in a bit! You think…I was up from 5.45 to do office work, updated all my posts, pictures, tracks, tables and what nt from the previous section, before I can move on to plan he new one. Discipline…

Some gear and kayak repair, before Shan took us to the Mexican boarder where we briefly signed in for the necessary tourist card for 6 months. Easy procedure, and back to the USA. Now when we will paddle across the boarder the next days and might be stopped by a patrol boat, we have the necessary stamp and card already. Should be all good!

A brief stop to a marine store to buy some epoxy resin, and I continued fixing this and tat at home, before it was time to get ready for my talk. We have set it on a Saturday in the hope people from further away might be tempted for a drive, but the turnout was unfortunately rather small, barely 30 people. Sorry for everyone not keen or able to attend, their loss…

But the people being there were fully engaged, and got a full evening talk and were asking a lot of questions after my presentation. Nice crowd, thanks! I met our host from Newport/ Laguna Beach, Mo Horris, my old paddling partner Franca Ciora, and Victor León, our upcoming most important contact in Mexico. Good to see you (again), folks!

And thanks so much to Jennifer Kleck to organize the talk!

The Tacoma Shoreline Survey is just seven days away. November 10th. There are still plenty of spots open for volunteers, either on foot or in kayaks. There’s a pre-survey check-in on November 9th at Round Table Pizza on Pearl St. More info can be found here and here and here.

We need you and your dedication to our part of the Sound to make this happen. Sign up today with an email to *protected email*

Estos son los contenidos (click)

Comienza la cuenta atrás para el VIII Simposium Internacional de kayak de mar en Llançá (Girona)  ,en el que otro  año más vuelvo a participar como instructor.

Las plazas son limitadas y ya están abiertas las inscripciones. Las últimas noticias que tengo es que las inscripciones se están cerrando a un ritmo acelerado y para los que estéis interesad@s, podéis ver toda la información en su página web.